August 22, 2011

One thing I knew before my trip around the world: I had to find a way to stay in contact with my husband.

One thing I didn’t know before my trip: How to stay in contact with my husband. Preferably without paying a bajillion dollars in roaming fees.

Should I purchase a special global phone? Stock up on international calling cards? Find two cans and an incredibly long string? I scoured online forums, read blogs of long-term travelers, called my phone company and ended up no closer to a reliable, simple solution.

With Madre Bell most definitely not in my corner, I had to figure out my own way.

I armed myself with two weapons:

#1. My iPhone, which is the original, old-timey model. It still works wonderfully, even though Apple is trying its darnedest to make it obsolete.

#2. An old Verizon LG flip phone.

My first step was to cancel my contact with AT&T. I learned my lesson the hard way: I bought a short-term international data package during a previous trip to Asia. When I went over the modest amount of data, I was slammed with fees. Also, I ended up paying for the package about three months longer than expected, which was a significant expense on top of my already-pricey phone bill.

So no AT&T.

With no contract, my iPhone basically became an iPod Touch, which meant I could no longer make phone calls. However, the device could still get online whenever I found wifi hotspots, so I was able to send and receive emails, update Facebook and Twitter, even make blog posts. I could also play music and videos, store data and shoot photos. Plus, I loaded it up with helpful apps that could work offline — language guides, currency converters, checklists, maps and so on.

It was a travel guide, dictionary, camera, boombox and netbook, all in one.

My next plan was to find someone to unlock my Verizon phone, buy a new SIM card in every country and add minutes to it. I figured I could splurge on occasional international phone call, just to hear my husband’s voice every week or so.

What I didn’t realize is that my LG phone is the only phone in the history of the world that cannot be unlocked. It has something to do with satellites and other things I don’t understand. I just know that no matter where I went, no matter what country I was in, every phone hacker said the same thing: No.

So I ditched the LG.

I could have purchased a new phone — one that could be unlocked — and continue with my plan to buy SIM cards along the way, but by that time I was already making calls home.

How? I bought a one-year subscription to Skype for $30.48.

Then I downloaded the free Skype app to my iPhone. Whenever I had wifi, I could easily make calls.

I know, I know. Skype on an iPhone isn’t much of a revelation. But for me it was, because I didn’t think of it until I was actually on the road. And once I was using it, I was blown away by the fantastic value. For that $30, I got unlimited phone calls to the U.S. and Canada (landlines and cell phones), my very own online telephone number AND an online voicemail box.

It was not a perfect solution. Though most of the world is well wired, there were definitely gaps where I couldn’t make or receive calls. But my goal was to stay in touch on a regular basis with my husband and family, and I accomplished that with one device — and one low price.