How to Buy International Cell Phone

Do you feel the need to always be connected to your friends and family? Are you taking a trip to Europe or some other international destination? Does your phone lack the capability to work internationally? Then you will need to purchase an international cell phone.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• rail pass purchase from Rail Europe
• credit card
• internet connection

1. View of Stummelbach Falls in Switzerland from Swiss Train Make plans for a European vacation to some top vacation spot in Europe, and plan on train travel for your transportation. Maybe you'll visit Switzerland, Germany, or Amsterdam.
   
   
   Make plans to travel somewhere outside the us.
2. Determine if your current US cellular phone will work in Europe. Check with your cell-phone provider to see if you have GSM service with tri-band or quad-band frequencies that include 900 MHz bands and 1800 MHz bands. To get full coverage in Europe, you need 900 MHz frequency bands and 1800 MHz frequency bands. If your cell phone already has this, you may be able to use it. See ehow article listed below about using your own phone internationally.
3. First Class Train Travel on the Eurostar If your cell phone doesn't work internationally, first you will purchase a train ticket from Rail Europe, such as a Eurostar ticket from London to Paris. With your train travel ticket purchase, you get a 50% discount on the purchase of a cell international phone.
4. Go to Ekit from the Rail Europe site (sources listed below.) Choose the cell international phone that's right for your cell international phone service. The dual-band phone is about $40 and the tri-band phone is $70, and both work in Europe. This gets you a cell international phone prepaid with $10 worth of minutes.
5. Once you decide which cell phone to purchase, you need to determine your cell phone plan, or how many extra minutes you wish to buy ahead of time. You can always purchase extra minutes while in Europe. Make sure to have the contact information to Ekit to do this.
6. Purchase your phone from Ekit. Make sure you buy the cell phone with enough time for it to reach you before you leave for your European vacation tour to a top vacation spot!
7. What accessories do you need? You can buy an extra cell phone battery and extra cell phone wall charger. Just make sure to also purchase the European wall plug adapter so you can charge the phone in European outlets!
8. Once you receive your cell international phone, make sure to understand how to use it in Europe. The most important thing is to have your phone number and password, as well as Ekit's phone numbers to use to recharge minutes on your phone. Also, have a list of friend and family numbers, and phone numbers to your hotel, rental car, and European airport.
9. Once you return from your trip, you have to use the phone every nine months to keep it activated. You can either make a call or purchase additional minutes. Always keep your Ekit numbers handy to be able to do this.

Tips & Warnings

• If you purchase a Rail pass through Rail Europe, you can get a discount on a purchase of a cell phone through Ekit.
• Having a cell international phone allows you to call family back home, as well as rental car companies and hotels to get directions, etc.
• Family and friends can call you free in Europe or your International destination from the United States, using a toll free number.
• You have a limited number of minutes for friends and family calling you free from the United States on your international cell phone.
• Make sure you have enough minutes on your phone to make necessary calls. It is advised to purchase at least $30 extra of minutes in addition to the $10 that comes with the phone.
• It cannot be stressed enough that the cell international phone service only stays active for nine months. You must either use the phone or purchase more minutes every nine months. You can use it over for future travel to Europe.
• Expect the unexpected. Chances are, you will make many unanticipated calls when you are lost, arriving late to your hotel, and need to connect with the family.