In a nutshell cell or mobile phones have totally changed staying in touch when traveling. Here in the United States virtually all phone plans include all domestic calls, no matter where I am in the country, I can call anyplace in the country for no extra cost. This is a massive change over the past 25 years. When I bought my first cell phone about 30 years ago, I was paying $30 a month for 30-minutes in a coverage area that was only about 25% of the state I lived in. Anyplace outside of that service area was about 15-cents a minute extra. When we traveled and checked into hotels we often used the hotel phone to phone home. Today that is all easily done on the phone in my pocket, and without any extra cost, until I cross an international border (or get close enough for the phone to pick up a cell tower across the border.)
My first "smartphone" was a blackberry bought specifically because of the availability of international service. Today pretty much every phone travels across international borders, with 3G, 4G and increasingly 5G service being available around the world.
Before you leave home, check with your service provider on costs. It can be surprisingly expensive. I have seen prices as high as $1 or $2 a minute, and data costs that can run hundreds of dollars per week.
There are options. My provider offers world service, for $10 per line, per day, for unlimited phone, text and data. I can buy that one day at a time. When I start using it, I get a message telling me when it started and when it ends. If I turn off data service before the end of the 24 hours, the charge stops, until I turn it back on. I don't talk on the phone much, in last springs 5 weeks trip, I paid for 12 days of phone service. I turned it on when I wanted or needed it, and kept if off the rest of the time.
What I can do, is turn on WiFi, and do email, do web searches, even watch YouTube when traveling, anyplace that reliable and safe WiFi is available. That won't help when we are in the middle of France and the GPS unit is lost, or you need to double check on when a museum is open. I turn service on when I want it or need it.
If you are a heavy phone user, or have a compelling reason to stay available, you can also buy short term local phone service in most places. Phones from the United States are sometimes locked, and changing out the SIM card or E-Sim can be difficult. Some people buy an unlocked phone specifically for this purpose. I have never done this, I find it easy to tell people you won't be able to reach me by phone, send an email and I will check those at least every other day when I am at a hotel with WiFi.
Love or hate cell phones, they certainly did change life. My first was a flip phone. When I travel, I very seldom use my cell phone except to maybe take pictures with it or use my good camera. Like you I might check on email, very seldom, and then use the internet briefly to just check to make sure nothing at home with family or news has happened.
ReplyDeleteCell phones make lousy phones, we have a couple of generations who will never know the quality of a call on a real phone.
DeleteI remember back in the day when Carlos called his family in Mexico, the chats were quite short because of the expense; now that's all gone and he can call a few times a day to different people.
ReplyDeleteAnd free video chats,
DeleteRegardless of when and where I travel, I am there for the experience, discovering a new place, taking it all in. I'll use my phone to research places while there and I'll get in touch with friends/family when I get home. I usually have no compelling reasons to stay available while away.
ReplyDeleteI have found a chromebook or I-pad and hotel WiFi really helps with research.
DeleteBefore cell phones, I remember when I used to have to wait until after 7 pm to make any long distance calls as it was cheaper then.
ReplyDeleteThis week my internet, cable TV, home phone service had an area outage for 24 hours and it made me realize how much of my day is wasted on internet and TV use!
How did we ever stay entertained and connected without all of this.
DeleteI remember the very first time I went to Europe and I stood in one of those British red phone boxes and called home to let my family know I had arrived safely. It is certainly much easier these days.
ReplyDeleteI remember my oldest brother calling home from Hong Kong in the early 70's.
DeleteShortly after my father died I set up a monthly phone call with my mom for the evening of the first Saturday of the month. This was a way of checking up on her without officialyy
ReplyDeleteCall often
DeleteThe world of mobile and smartphones is a complete mystery to me - like an unexplored jungle. However, I am sure my day of reckoning is fast approaching as here in Great Britain there are plans afoot to do away with landline services. All that charging of mobile phones - such a drain on this planet's limited resources. I wonder if it was discussed at COP29 in Baku - doubt it.
ReplyDelete