Getting an International Cell Phone Before Your Trip

If you are getting ready to study abroad the last thing you want to do is spend your free time running around trying to figure a way to get a phone and cell phone service. The study abroad program councilor did mention that you can just get one when you get there.  Of course her advice came from a manual from 10 years ago.  A lot has changed since then and new technology means new and cheaper solutions.  Calling cards, pay phones, and buying a local cell phone are no longer the best, cheapest, or most convenient solutions.  Most programs require that all students carry a cell phone so they can be reached in the event of an emergency, that means no more calling cards or pay phones. A local phone is fine, but not the cheapest solution which can lock you into a contract for longer than your stay or forcing you to buy a phone that you won't be able to use back home.

It's just a phone, it should be simple.
Instead of spending the first few days of your trip trying to get a local phone and service or finding out that your US phone doesn't work you should be sightseeing or soaking in local culture.  Sure it would be great to call your friends and family to tell them about all the new sights, sounds, and smells, but that local phone you ordered from that guy in the booth won't be ready until next Thursday.  Instead of jumping through hoops and overpaying the simple solution is to bring all your family and friends with you.  If you can't do that then renting an international cell phone or international sim card, for a compatible phone, from a reliable international phone service provider is the most affordable and convenient way to go.  You pick what you need and for how long ,then they mail it to you. No phone to buy and no guy in a booth to hunt for, simple like it was meant to be.

Renting An International SIM Card
If you don't need to rent an international cell phone you can get an international sim card for free with many wireless service packages.  To do this you'll need to have an unlocked phone that supports the frequency of your destination country. A reliable international phone service provider can help explain the process of getting a sim card.  They will also be able to answer most questions about unlocking your phone. Once you have an unlocked compatible phone the process of changing to the new international sim card is pretty simply, take out the old one and put in the new one…that's it.

Using a rented international sim card will allow you to use your existing phone, but with no roaming charges. You will save a tremendous amount of money using this type of plan as the rates are competitive and lower than the local market.  In most countries you can get free incoming calls and text messages as well.   You only pay for calls that you make.