FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - Huge cell phone charges
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Old Jul 28, 2009, 10:57 am
  #9  
ntamayo
 
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: SJC (AA PLT 2MM - Marriott LTT - Avis Preferred)
Posts: 2,028
That's one of the sticky points with having a GSM phone when traveling abroad (outside of US/Canada). You'll be roaming internationally, and a call may get forwarded to your voicemail if you don't answer.

However, most likely you'll be charged twice: once from the home switch to the "visitor's" switch, and another from the visitor's switch back to the home switch to route to your vmail.

The lowest-cost solution would be to keep your phone off after you take off for your int'l flight, so your phone is not recognized as roaming. Then, upon arrival, buy a local SIM card to make your calls, and give your contacts your local temporary number. The advantage is many foreign networks do not charge for incoming calls; the obvious but minor inconvenience is having to deal with an extra phone number.
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