[Offtopic] mobile roaming and travel sims

Sat Jan 22 20:50:12 EST 2011

Thanks heaps Jim, and others that contacted me off list. Now that makes
sense. If a hotel has free wireless then of course it would be a cheap way
to use it to make calls. I forgot that I did this using my laptop in the USA
the ACCE2008 study tour, never thought that I could of course also do it on
a smart phone.

Somebody also mentioned that I can buy a pre-paid SIM so I could use a smart
phone overseas for data only access (buying a second, thow-away cheap phone
for emergency use) .. and somebody mentioned using a toe-nail clipper to
convert a SIM into a micro-SIM.

The mind boggles.

On Fri, Jan 21, 2011 at 4:48 PM, Jim Maunder <techo at ruyton.vic.edu.au>wrote:

> Just remembered - another trick is to put Skype on your smartphone, pay the
> small amount so you can call ordinary phones via Skype, then use the
> phone/Skype when you find a wifi hotspot.
>
> rgds
> Jim (who found that out after he got back home)
>
>
>
>
> -----------------------------------------------------------
> We have to use this Disclaimer
>
> Views, opinions, etc. expressed reflect those of the author and not
> Ruyton Girls' School
> -----------------------------------------------------------
>
> Jim Maunder
> retired, ex Laptop Technician
> Ruyton Girls School
> Melbourne, Australia
> ph 9290 9374
>
> >>> "Jim Maunder" <techo at ruyton.vic.edu.au> 01/21/11 4:33 PM >>>
>
> For my post retirement trip to USA last year I organised global roaming
> for my smart-ish phone (Nokia N97mini on Telstra) and took a netbook. I
> only used SMS while away (to contact others we were travelling with and
> keep rellies at home in the loop) and turned off phone network access
> most of the time. Incoming calls would have cost $5 flagfall, but I was
> able to avoid them. The few 'missed phonecall' messages did not seem to
> cost anything.
>
>
> Most hotels had wifi (some free, some not) so the netbook was used to
> make a few last minute bookings and read email etc.
>
>
> The phone charge for the month was $15 for SMSs @75c a message.
>
>
> A good place to research travel things including travel technology is
> the LonelyPlanet forum - aka the Thorntree
> http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/index.jspa
>
>
> rgds
> Jim
>
>
>
> -----------------------------------------------------------
> We have to use this Disclaimer
>
> Views, opinions, etc. expressed reflect those of the author and not
> Ruyton Girls' School
> -----------------------------------------------------------
>
> Jim Maunder
> retired, ex Laptop Technician
> Ruyton Girls School
> Melbourne, Australia
> ph 9290 9374
> >>> Roland Gesthuizen 01/15/11 8:25 PM >>>
> Thanks Clarky and Kevork, you are both right .. I might leave wireless
> to
> the iPad and laptop for when we need it and put the smart phone off the
> radar. Am now considering looking into buying cheap prepaid sims and or
> phones for both USA and Europe using this whilst we are there. From
> memory
> we can pick these up for about $30.
>
> I am curious about mobile access point plans for cheap internet across
> the
> states and later across Europe. My thought was along the lines of the
> USB
> powered, prepaid mobile broadband dongles (one to two month contracts).
> I
> was able to get some good hotel deals by surfing online whilst on the
> road
> and doing my homework, pain was driving about until I could find a free
> wireless access point. I wonder if there is a USA equivalent or the like
> for
> the following dongles.
>
>
> http://www.broadbandexpert.com.au/mobile-broadband/prepaid-mobile-broadband/
>
> Done this before?
>
> Regards Roland
>
> On Sat, Jan 15, 2011 at 7:17 PM, Kevork Krozian wrote:
>
> > Hi Roland,
> >
> >
> >
> > Yes be careful of roaming . Charging for roaming has become obscene.
> >
> > In Sep 2009 I travelled to the Middle East and decided to use Telstra
> > roaming.
> >
> > In Palestine I was charged USD60 for a 30 sec call with one carrier
> whereas
> > an alternative carrier charged less than USD2.
> >
> > When I got back I had about 1 hour of calls in both directions in
> total and
> > got a bill for $1200. I refused to pay.
> >
> > My defence was that I had enquired what it would cost to roam before I
> left
> > and did not get a specific answer apart from * not much and it depends
> where
> > you go.
> >
> > When I mentioned the 5 countries I would travel through I was told it
> > depends on the carriers. When I asked which carriers are the best to
> use I
> > was told they wouldn’t vary much.
> >
> > We settled for $200 .
> >
> >
> >
> > Take Care and beware
> >
> >
> >
> > Kevork Krozian
> >
> > Edulists Creator Administrator
> >
> > www.edulists.com.au
> >
> > tel: 0419 356 034
> >
> >
> >
> > *From:* offtopic-bounces at edulists.com.au [mailto:
> > offtopic-bounces at edulists.com.au] *On Behalf Of *Roland Gesthuizen
> > *Sent:* Saturday, 15 January 2011 6:41 PM
> > *To:* offtopic at edulists.com.au
> > *Subject:* [Offtopic] mobile roaming and travel sims
> >
> >
> >
> > What is the best way to keep in touch with home with a mobile phone
> whilst
> > overseas without blowing up my bank account? Use my old smartphone,
> buy a
> > travel SIM or just buy a cheap phone over the counter. Mobile data
> would be
> > nice on my laptop or iPad but I can just lurk around free wi-fi spots
> if it
> > is heaps cheaper (mobile access point?). Our family will be traveling
> in the
> > USA for 4 weeks and around Europe for 8 weeks from Australia.
> >
> > --
> > Roland Gesthuizen - eLearning Coordinator - Keysborough Secondary
> College
> >
> > "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can
> > change the world; indeed it is the only thing that ever has."
> --Margaret
> > Mead
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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> >
> >
>
>
> --
> Roland Gesthuizen - eLearning Coordinator - Keysborough Secondary
> College
>
> "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can
> change
> the world; indeed it is the only thing that ever has." --Margaret Mead
>
>
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-- 
Roland Gesthuizen - eLearning Coordinator - Keysborough Secondary College

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change
the world; indeed it is the only thing that ever has." --Margaret Mead
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