Travel Tips: Calling & Texting

We need cellphones when we travel. Now people use "smartphones." If we travel in our countries, we can call, text, check emails, and play with a lot of fun services. Also you can take photos, check the maps, write some journals with your facebook, and tweet your impressions to the world. However, for the international uses of your phones, you may have some troubles.

The Way of Communication

If you have some international friends, you may find the same phone of yours with your friends. However, your phone works in your country, but your friends' phones doesn't. In fact, there are some communication ways for phones in the world. One important difference is the frequencies that are used in your countries. There are some big divisions for this in Euro, Northern America, Latin American countries, Africa, Asia and Pacific. Also, their communication systems are different from countries and companies. Still a lot of people in the world use GSM phones, but some countries such as Japan and South Korea, CDMA is the major system for their cellphones. If you live in the United States, both frequencies and system uses don't match with them.

What are the Substitute?

There are two major substitutes with WiFi if you can't use your phones in your destinations.

1. Skype
   When you want to call, "Skype" is one of your substitutes of your phone. You can call and chat through WiFi with your specific phone number named "Skype Number." Using this, you can call with the same number in the world.
   
2. Google Voice
   If "Google Voice" is available in your countries, it's also an alternative of your phone with WiFi. You can call with your specific number that you choose.

Naturally, you can buy a calling card, use a public phone, and rent a cellphone at the airports. You have a lot of alternatives to communicate with your daily life.

(Note: Some countries such as China and North Korea limit using the Internet for the domestic reasons. If you create these accounts before you travel, you may not access your accounts with their blocks. I strongly recommend you to check the communications and the conditions of your destinations before you leave your countries.)