International roaming rates can exceed $2/min, but globe trotters have a trick to cut costs down to pennies per minute. Find out if your phone uses GSM technology—this means that the phone uses a “SIM card,” which serves as the “brain” of your phone. If you have a GSM phone, call your carrier and ask if they will “unlock” your phone, which means you can swap your U.S. SIM card with a local, country-specific one, allowing you to use a different carrier.
You can purchase local SIM cards online or at convenience stores around the world. Your phone will have a new local number while using the new SIM card and you can make and receive calls by buying and activating a pre-paid calling card.
Be aware that countries use different band frequencies (measured in MHz). Most fancy phones are quad-band phones, which accommodate all four frequencies. Check your manual and make sure your phone accommodates the right frequencies.
If your carrier refuses to unlock your GSM phone (or you don’t have one), you can purchase a simple, unlocked quad-band GSM phone for less than $40.
If swapping SIM cards seems like a hassle, you can always rent a phone or purchase a special international roaming plan—but these options can be costly!
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