Roming and Mobile Data in Europe

[ripit]

Thanks for all the quick replies. To clarify, I will be on vacation, however the nature of my job is such that I can do it anywhere in the world with a phone and internet connetion. The downside is that I am really never really "on vacation". I am going to moving around a fair amount and I am trying to pack light and as a result I am trying to find a way to leave the laptop at home. For the most part, I will mostly using wifi, internet cafes, etc. for email and internet but I will be out and about a lot and it would be nice to be able to check in just to make sure there are no fires to put out without having to stop what I am doing and find a hot spot or internet cafe. Really it is more for convenience and peace of mind than anything. Also, we will be in some smaller towns and it will double my chances of getting a connection.

Overall, cost is not unimportant but not the primary concern either. What I am looking for is the most cost effective way to:
* Have one phone number to receive calls (really only emergencies so hopefully few or none)
* Make occasional calls to the US and elsewhere in Europe
* Have wireless data access on my PDA so that I can check email and work related websites when necessary and I cannot get to a hot spot or internet cafe.

The rental option from Verizon is probably the most convenient, however all they do is give you a GSM phone with a Vodafone SIM and forward your phone to the UK number and charge $1.49 both ways, nearly $30/MB and $15 per day to rent the phone. At least they don't charge additional airtime for calls fowarded to the UK mobile number.

Any other suggestions? Thanks.

[GadgetKen]

Hmmm...you might consider addressing the voice and data as 2 seperate issues.

For voice would recommend an international call back sim like the United Mobile solution you thought of with an unlocked GSM quad band phone. You call out, it hangs up, you get a call back connecting you to your party. Have used United Mobile in several Caribbean countries. United Mobile would be free incoming and outgoing would be 39 eurocents a minute or 49 US cents a minute from most European countries to the US (depending on whether you want a dollar or euro denominated sim card). Outgoing call costs can also be reduced using the Callback World callback solution you thought of but does add a layer of complexity to calling (you still get a bargain using direct dial compared to Verizon/Vodaphone rental rates you mentioned). If you make a brief call or SMS from your phone at least once every 9 months on United Mobile you can keep your card alive for trips. You can also set up an account on the United Mobile website for web refills or even autorefill so you never run out of airtime. Please note that callback sims do not work well in some handsets and there's also some links on this website that help sponsor it:

http://www.prepaidgsm.net/forum/showthread.php?t=914

For data maybe try a Mobal or other data capable sim card with a GPRS modem card in your PDA at $20/mb or you can switch sims in the GSM phone, and tether. Their voice rates are extremely high, but it might be useful in a pinch for data only since their sim is free with $10 shipping. Still think the wifi or internet cafe solutions may the best and cheapest solutions for occassional access.

Other mobile data solutions might be to forward your work email to a text to voice or text to SMS service that can be retrieved from your cellphone.

Or just leave an email autoreply on your office email that you are out of the country and will only be checking email occassionally...for any urgent communications please leave a voice message on your office voicemail that will be checked frequently or you can be dialed direct at the following international cell phone number if it is an emergency but please note rates to call this number may be high depending on your long distance carrier.