As an ET (Eurpopean Traveler) I am wondering about the phone options for calls (from Spain) to the U.S.; also we would like to be able to make phone calls within Spain without engorged hotel surcharges. We will not have a laptop with us so the Internet is't a good option. Our kids could contact us through a hotel on our itinerary but if not too expensive it would be nice to give them a direct access. The New York Times ran an article about 'loaner' phones from Verizon, phone rentals or purchases at airports, VOIP and Skype, or "good old fashioned calling cards". The last of these seemed the cheapest by far. Any suggestions or "war stories"?
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23796 posts
We don't have a strong need for daily or near daily phone contact so we just use the prepaid phone cards you get in Tobacco shops and use a phone booth. For us that is the simplest way to go. Even the loaner phones have very high per minute charges. We use public computers to check email a couple times a week and this last trip had a netbook that was more convenient since internet cafes are beginning to disappear.
Posted by
Westside, RP, Germany
109 posts
Phil. I'm a personal fan of buying an unlocked tri or quad band phone off of e-bay or craigslist and buying a simcard in country for prepaid service. It allows you to have a phone for direct contact as well as make calls on the go. Whether it's cheaper than a hotel or not, I'm not sure.
If you already have something like a blackberry or iphone you may be able to ungrade to an international plan on a temporary basis. The calls are horrifically expensive still but you'd have the same phone number that your kids always call.
I'd go with a prepaid myself if you must have a cellphone. Otherwise, use a calling card from the hotel. You're on vacation, enjoy your break from the world of being constantly in touch. We live here and we always turn our phones off when we travel and just check them once or twice per day. If it's a real emergency someone has our itinerary and can call the hotel or embassy with an urgent message for us.
Posted by
OP
Bellevue, WA
106 posts
Rachel - Don't worry on our behalf - we have no intentions whatsoever of "being in touch". Just reachable and able to make local calls for reervations or to check hours, for example. Thanks for the advice.