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natgeofound: Signpost on Kanton Island lists mileage to cities served by Pan American World Airways, January 1955.Photograph by Howell Walker, National Geographic Cellular Abroad425 Culver Blvd. Playa Del Rey, CA, 90293 USA sebastianharrison@cellularabroad.com • 800-287-5072
A lot of people call in to our support hotline wondering why they’re not getting 3G quality service when they travel. Those of you who are familiar with GSM technology know that there are 4 standard frequency bands in the 2G spectrum: 850/1900 in North and South America, and 900/1800 in most of Europe, Africa, Asia and Australasia. In the past, it was difficult for us to find a cheap ‘quad-band’ model phone, and we had been purchasing ‘tri-band’ phones that only offer the 900/1800 Europe frequency, and the 1900 frequency for use in North America.
How did that affect our users? Well, for the small customer base that actually wanted to use their phone domestically, it meant they had trouble getting coverage even in suburbs that advertised coverage; the 850 frequency has a much farther-reaching signal than the 1900 frequency, and 850 towers are often used to extend signal ranges in rural suburbs.
What’s the significance?
Getting 3G and even 4G/LTE signal on your phone poses a whole new set of frequency problems. Here’s a run comparison of what’s available in the current 3G and 4G markets:
3G / 4G / LTE network frequencies in North and South America:
700 Mhz
850 Mhz
1700 Mhz
1900 Mhz
3G / 4G / LTE network frequencies in Europe, Asia, Africa & the Middle East:
800 Mhz
900 Mhz
1800 Mhz
2100 Mhz
2600 Mhz
With 4G & LTE framework still relatively new to the international market, you’re going to be hard pressed to find a cell phone that gets you 4G / LTE speed in North America as well as Europe.
As an example, lets look at the available 3G networks, as well as the new 4G LTE framework that is currently being introduced to Italy’s Telecom Italia Mobile network:
3G:
2100 Mhz
4G / LTE:
1800 Mhz
2600 Mhz
So if I’m traveling to Italy with an iPhone 5, version A1428. I have 3G 850/900/1900/2100 MHz frequency capabilities, and 4G LTE 700/1700/2100. I have no chance of connecting via 4G LTE, and my connectivity on 3G is limited to the 2100 Mhz frequency, which means I will only be able to connect to 3G in places where the 3G 2100 frequency is available.
To find out if 3G 2100 is available in my area, I can check Telecom Italia Mobile’s coverage out using the 3G coverage map at Mobile World Live: http://maps.mobileworldlive.com/network.php?cid=21&cname=Italy
So, what’s the solution?
Most carriers will not offer phones with international 3G and 4G LTE network frequencies, although Apple will probably introduce 4G 2600 to its next iteration of the iPhone. You can bet that Samsung will probably do the same. Until then, you can always take a wireless hotspot that offers multiple 3G and possibly 4G connectivity. Cellular Abroad is planning to bring 4G LTE hotspots for Europe to the U.S. soon.
Richard Jefferis is the Project Manager at Cellular Abroad, Inc. and has been working with international cellular phone & roaming network technology since 2005.
Today we received a box full of “Easy Italia” brochures and pamphlets from the Italian Ministry of Tourism. After the recent Costa Concordia cruise line disaster, perhaps this is not a bad idea. In brief, the Italian government is promoting a toll free help line for tourists. According to the brochure, tourist information and assistance for free. Some examples stated in the brochure include Language support in case of emergency, information about tourists’ rights due to poor service (poor accommodations or taxi driver’s ripping you off) as well as assistance in case of flight cancellation or maritime transport (like running into an island).
For more information, visit www.easy-italia.com
By Simmonuk A
Bretagne generally called Brittany, is the delightful north west peninsula zone of France noted for its gorgeous beaches, magnificent seafood like oysters in particular, old geography and stone cliffs. It is placed in between the Bay of Biscay and the English Channel. You could find many megalithic monuments in Brittany which are thought to be created in Neolithic era by utilising stones as the tools and equipment. The monuments are a splendid view. The megalithic can be referred to as a constitution made of huge stones, making use of an interlocking structure without the use of concrete or cement. In case it is the very first time you’re going on for a French vacation, then prefer popular ferries to France. Not only they offer world-class facilities onboard, but also allow you to check unique island destinations around the country.
Although other transport options are available, cross channel ferries are still preferred by many UK visitors to Brittany. The buildings of Brittany is rather diversified. There is everything from tiny houses on islands battered by wind gusts to wealthy bays and paddies. The absolute volume of high- value golf courses in Brittany make it the recommended place for golfers. You can discover lots of famous Golf courses in Brittany are Dinard, Nantes La Vigneux, Val Andre, Saint-Laurent and La Baule. Brittany probably interests more Britishers for camping and mobile home celebrations compared to any other section of France. Brittany camping is a well-liked choice for travellers looking for a family excursion in the outside.
With superb summer climate, very good Brittany campsites and delightful shores lining the coast, you can take part in unique family unit trip. Famous shores in Brittany includes Benodet, which is a best family based beach. If you want to witness the more organic beaches when remaining in a Brittany campsite, there are various shores that will suit your style. At the Pink Granite Coast, you will see a variety of beaches supported by exciting rock and sand structures. While these shores can be hectic during summer, their natural charm is remarkable, and they are certainly worth a visit if on a Brittany camping trip. Vitre has an excellent castle with angled turrets and impregnable walls. Go to the museum inside and figure out the local sculptures and paintings.
Brittany nonetheless retains some of its exclusive heritage such as consuming cider, galettes, sporting traditional local outfits and enjoying Celtic music. Dinan and Vannes of Brittany, have gorgeous Gothic half-timbered constructions along with regional markets, bistros and family-owned stores. Checkout defensive castles at Vitre and Fougeres. They yet stayed intact after hundreds of years of weathering. The fortified cities in Brittany are excellent sites to explore. In addition to its amazing walls and castle, St Malo has an amazing chateau which now residences the local museum. There’s also a market and Medieval church which vends local vegetation, flowers and products. The reasonable local weather of Brittany makes the vacation of this land an amazing elegance. So if you are deciding upon a summer trip, try paying a visit to Brittany.
The author is a professional writer from the UK for about 7 years. He has been writing travel related articles on France ferries and also suggesting ways to reserve cross channel ferries to France in advance to enjoy a great vacation.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Simmonuk_A
http://EzineArticles.com/?Choose-Brittany,-France-As-Your-Next-Travel-Destination&id=6855562
AT&T will provide you with the steps to unlock the handset but you must already be past your initial contract period, or pay the early termination fee now.
Why would such limited conditions apply? Because from AT&T’s point of view, they gave you a discount on this latest-greatest piece of hardware in exchange for a contract for a couple years of service.
Why would you want to unlock your iPhone 4 or 4S? So you can use a Cellular Abroad prepaid micro SIM card from the local overseas phone company and save big on your really fun vacation overseas this summer, of course!
Check out more about unlocking the AT&T iPhone on this page from website The Verge, http://www.theverge.com/2012/4/9/2935666/how-to-unlock-att-iphone-instructions
When you take your smart phone overseas and turn it on, it might start downloading emails and using the foreign data networks at your carrier’s roaming rates!
How To Turn Off Auto-Data Roaming In Android Phones
In your Android smartphone, go to “Settings”, “Wireless & Networks”, “Mobile networks” and uncheck “Data roaming” at the top before you take your phone overseas to prevent Silent Roaming.
In the US, this function is ok to have because it gives you better coverage on partner networks BUT left on when you arrive abroad and your phone will start downloading emails and data at roaming rates on whatever foreign networks it finds – at your carrier’s roaming rates for that country.
We want to say “Thank you!” to the American Bar Association for featuring the Cellular Abroad website at their 2012 ABA Techshow:
The always crowd-pleasing session “60 Sites in 60 Minutes” closed the ABA Techshow Saturday where speakers Dan Pinnington, Catherine Sanders Reach, Natalie Kelly and Reid Trautz shared their top websites for lawyers.
A few of our favorite sites include:
Fastcase: Although there’s still a commercial option for this legal research site, many state bars have signed on to participate in a members-only availability of the tools. Members of state bar associations with the service can now sign into their state bar accounts and sync cases to their mobile devices.
Cellular Abroad: It allows visitors to compare available cell phone options in different countries.
Read the full article at, http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/techshows_favorite_websites_for_lawyers/
In addition to lawyers, we also help many others with group cell phone rentals:
Anyone needing four or more phones for cellular service abroad are welcome to call us and inquire about our special group travel cell phone rental rates at 1-800-287-5072.
Italy is my passion. Ever since I can remember, I have been giving impromptu tours to friends and friends of my family – and I am talking preteens! Having been born and raised in Italy, traveled extensively throughout “il bel paese” and now working in the travel industry has given me a unique perspective. I still enjoy giving people sound advice regarding how they can best benefit given their time frame to enjoy Italy. Mind you, I could write a series of book on the topic so here are just a few pointers that hopefully go beyond the obvious and what you will find in most guidebooks or websites for trip planning.
If this is your first time in Italy, you will most likely want to visit the main cities such as Rome, Florence and Venice and visit the main attractions such as the Vatican Museums in Rome, gli Uffizi in Florence and Piazza San Marco in Venice. I think that many people endure the lines mostly because they don’t want to endure people saying, “what, you went to Rome and you didn’t see the 16th Chapel?!?!”. I am not saying not to visit the standards, tip number one is to do it the smart way. Instead of standing in line forever, pay a little extra in order to get a VIP pass that will get you quick access. There are plenty of online sites that offer this service or you can use a concierge if you are staying at a 4-5 star hotel.
Tip number two involves one of my personal favorites and is usually the first thing that I do whenever I go to a city that I am not familiar with. Find the highest viewpoint (ex. the Duomo in Milano, the Gianicolo in Rome) in order to get an idea of the layout of the city. Besides the inevitable breathtaking view, you will be able to plan your itinerary.
Do a night tour as well as a day tour. It is amazing how different the experience is when seeing the monuments all lit up. It’s like, um, night and day! Italians are masters at lighting and creating impressive scenery. If you avoid the weekend crowds, you can even have a taxi drive you around for a 30-40 minute trip and it shouldn’t cost you more than 30-50 USD. I think that a night tour in Rome is particularly impressive. Check out St. Peters, the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain and the Roman Forum at night and I think you will agree.
Another favorite thing for me to do when I am in a new city is to find a good place to people watch. Find a nice outdoor cafe’ (weather permitting) and just hang out for a while, perhaps even catching up on writing postcards, letters, or emails (emails with your mifi service from Cellular Abroad of course http://www.cellularabroad.com/italyRmifi.php). In Italy, unlike many places in the United States, they allow you to linger at a table as long as you want. That doesn’t necessarily mean that they will want you to camp out for a week but even a cup of coffee that takes a couple of hours to consume is not unheard of. Try to find a place that has a good crowd of people but is not strictly for tourists.
When it comes to dining, I always ask what the local specialty is. Even if you are in a town with a couple of thousand inhabitants, chances are they will recommend something local to them and either not available or prepared differently than the town down the road. Also, ask for the house wine if you want good bang for buck. The house wine is usually served in a carafe and is available in white or red.
A recent tip, that has personally occurred to me several times recently is to make sure that you have a good, non 800 number in case you need to reach customer service for important phone numbers – your travel agent, credit card, the airlines, etc. While many – not all – but many toll free numbers will work in Italy, even though they are not toll free, they may put you through the standard customer service number and it takes for ever to talk to a live rep. Furthermore, while many credit card companies have an international collect call number printed on the back of the credit card, they do not always work. Sometimes they are automated and the operator doesn’t understand what they are saying, sometimes companies only have a certain allotted amount of minutes they can use for accepting collect calls, and, as David Letterman would say, the number 1 issue is….do you know how to say, “I want to make a collect call” in Italian? It’s, “a carico del destinatario” by the way and 170 is the number of the operator.
That’s it for now but I plan on updating this page soon, so…arrivederci e a presto!
