Staying Connected While Abroad

In our daily lives most of us are used to being constantly connected to other people, either via cell phone, text messages, PDAs, e-mail, instant messaging, social networking sites, or even video conferencing. But few expatriates realize that it is often difficult to take this level of connectivity with us when we move abroad. Cell phone frequencies vary from country to country, and in many countries cell phone data networks, WiFi access, and high-speed Internet are not as common as in North America, or they may be much more expensive. To help you stay connected while living abroad, we have compiled a listing of resources that provide information about Internet and telephone access, as well as resources to help you find online newspapers and radio stations. —by Living Abroad Editor Volker Poelzl

See Using Internet Cafés Abroad: Practical Tips for Safely Staying Connected in Public Places by Volker Poelzl for a practical and detailed article which provides more first-hand information.

Cybercafes.com, www.cybercafes.com, is a database of 4,207 Internet cafes in 140 countries.

The Cybercafe Search Engine, www.cybercaptive.com, is an online database with 5,763 verified cybercafes, public Internet access points, and kiosks in 161 countries.

See Taking Your Laptop Overseas by Volker Poelzl for useful laptop travel tips as well as Protecting your Laptop Computer and Sensitive Information Abroad by Nora Dunn for more security tips.

	Telecom Square USA — Get unlimited internet anywhere you travel, rent a mobile WiFi hotspot and save tons of money on data.
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Internet Access Providers Meta-List, www.herbison.com/her bison/iap_meta_ list.html.

Laptop Travel, www.laptoptravel.com, is an online store offering laptop mobility products as well as information and advice for laptop travelers.

MaGlobe, www.maglobe.net, provides prepaid dial-up Internet access for travelers worldwide.

NetAway, www.netaway.com, provides pre-paid pay-as-you go Internet access in 104 countries.

Roadnews, www.roadnews.com, provides info and resources for international travelers with laptop computers; also hosts a forum for information exchange.

Steve Kropla's Help for World Travelers, www.kropla.com, provides a World Electric Guide, World Wide Phone Guide, World Television Guide, World Mobile Phone Guide, as well as International Dialing Codes and information about ISPs and Global Internet Roaming Services worldwide.

The List, www.thelist.com, is an online directory of Internet Service Providers worldwide, including Dial-up and Broadband connections.

Wi-Fi FreeSpot, www.wififreespot.com, is a worldwide guide to free WiFi hotspots.

WiFinder, www.wifinder.com, is a worldwide guide to public access Wi-Fi hotspots.

Worldwide Dialup, www.worldwidedialup.net, is an Internet roaming service with worldwide Internet connections via WiFi, Ethernet, and dialup in over 150 countries.

Live-radio.net, www.live-radio.net/info.shtml, provides continuously updated links to thousands of online radio stations worldwide.

Kidom Media Link, www.kidon.com, is a worldwide guide to news sources online.

Online Newspapers, www.onlinenewspapers.com, lists over 1000 links to online newspapers worldwide.

Radio Tower, www.radiotower.com, is an extensive Internet radio directory for online radio stations and streaming live audio from around the world.

The Voice of America, www.voanews.com, broadcasts U.S. related news, information, educational, and cultural programming worldwide, via shortwave, AM, FM radio, satellite television and the Internet.

See Don’t Take Your Regular Cell Phone Abroad: Some Wise Alternatives to Handing Your Phone Company All Your Money
and Communicating Abroad Abroad Has Never Been Easier by Shanie Matthews
and Taking Your Electronic Devices Abroad  by Volker Poelzl
and Managing Life and Work While Traveling  by Nora Dunn for more .

	MyTravelPhone's, mytravelphone.net, roaming SIM card makes your mobile phone as global as you are with a single number that you can use in 190 countries for low cost voice, texting SMS, and Internet access.
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ekit, www.ekit.com, provides a suite of travel communication services including mobile phones, SIM cards, global calling cards, Internet calling, voicemail, text messaging and email solutions. These services are accessible worldwide from more than 152 countries.

Cellhire USA LLC, www.cellhire.com, offers the ultimate in communications flexibility while you're abroad. You get one phone and one phone number that operates in 140+ countries or you can rent a local sim for each country you visit.

Cellular Abroad, www.cellularabroad.com. Get unlimited free incoming calls and low outgoing rates for international cellular service. Cellular Abroad rents and sells international cellular phones.

go-sim™, www.gosim.com, has a range of low cost solutions designed to significantly reduce the cost of staying in touch using your own mobile phone overseas.

InTouch Smartcards GSM Store, www.intouchsmartcards.com, is one stop shopping for all your wireless needs; satellite and GSM cellular phone rental, prepaid GSM SIM cards for over 100 countries and global SIM cards.

Jajah, www.jajah.com, routs calls over a VoIP connection and payment is next to nothing (in some countries, if both of you have it loaded) to 35 cents a minute.

Mobal, www.mobal.com, allows you to own an international phone for $49, provides SIMS to your existing phone for international use, or allows rentals of satellite phones.

PlanetFone, www.planetfone.com, provides international GSM cell phone rentals for more than 150 countries, with weekly, monthly and long-term rates.

RebTel, www.rebtel.com, provides a service where the recipient calls the number which appears on their phone to connect back to you while paying only local charges.

Skype, www.skype.com, is a service which allows you to call around the world using headphones connected to your computer. Computer-to-computer calls are free, while computer to landline calls are relatively cheap.

Travelcell, www.travelcell.com, allows you to rent cell or satellite phones abroad.

Truphone, www.truphone.com, offers WiFi phones for international use.

Compiled by Volker Poelzl with additions by the Web Content Editor