Ever feel like something is just wrong

I thought Verizon had a program where they would rent you a GSM phone for overseas travel... Not sure though. I've always been either TDMA or GSM...

-Jay

 

Guess what, if you had T-Mobile or AT&T (both use GSM and SIM cards), you'd still be paying per minute charges not much lower than Verizon. International roaming isn't cheap. The best thing most people do is use an unlocked GSM phone with local prepaid SIM's. It's cheaper than using their home carrier service.

Verizon is a CDMA carrier. This is the network technology they chose a long time ago. It is what it is. CDMA carriers don't use SIM cards either. Also, they have a number of phones that have quad-band GSM frequencies for use around the world, not just one.

As far as these issues, in your opinion, that shouldn't be too hard to fix...It's not as simple as you think it is. Take into consideration two different, incompatible network technologies and the massive costs involved in creating, maintaining and upgrading networks. There's more to this than what's obvious. It's amazing that there are so many CDMA/GSM hybrid phones out there nowadays, considering they didn't exist until the last 5 years.

I can imagine it's frustrating to find out you can't use your cell phone overseas and to find out how costly it is. But there are limitations with ALL US carriers, not just Verizon.

 

This works great for calling within the country where you got the SIM. On top of that, you may want to call the US. For that you buy a stored value international dialing card, just like you see here in convenience stores. These let you call a local number, enter the code on the card, and then enter a US number, which it dials for a low per-minute rate. In Europe, almost all convenience stores, newspaper stands and smoke shops sell these in 5 and 10 Euro denominations.


SW

 

It doesn't have to be that way though. In the EU the mobile networks were charging customers those same high fees for roaming so the EU commissioner for telecommunications forced them to drop their prices. They've come down already and she has set lower prices again for next year. If the networks own competition can't or won't lower prices then she is prepared to force them to do it. The networks have responded with the likes of Vodafone abolishing roaming costs within the EU this summer; they'll even let you use your inclusive minutes and texts whilst abroad and incoming calls and texts are free too. Sometimes a wee prod is what is needed.