Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Provide phones with your company's international wireless service

Most international cellular providers provide cell phones for their customers at a free or reduced rate. International communication service providers need to have some cell phones and accessories to provide the best service.

I recommend: Supply your international communication service provider customers with Motorola cell phones. Nokia provides discounts for international communication service providers. Use Samsung's state-of-the-art cell phones for international wireless phone service.

Buy wifi cards for international wireless service providers

Wifi cards are USB cards that connect to an international wireless personal communications service provider for Internet service. These cards are programmed by the service provider to connect with the options and features the customer requests.

I recommend: Shenzhen TVC-TECH Limited manufactures wifi USB connectors for international wireless providers. J&R Electronics supplies Internet cards for wifi from an international wireless service provider. B&H Foto & Electronics carries wifi cards designed for USB ports.

Buy wholesale accessories for international wireless personal communications service providers

Accessories such as chargers and computer adapters are critical to cell phone use. International wireless companies provide these supplies as add-ons to the regular purchases. Bundling accessories with a cell phone purchase increases your profit while helping the customer receive necessary accessories.

I recommend: Accessory Liquidation Specialist carries batteries and chargers for most major brands. Find chargers and adapters for cell phones at MyCoolCell. Visit CellularOutfitter.com sells a variety of Bluetooth accessories.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Cell phone accessories are designed for specific cell phone models. Make sure to purchase accessories for the models you carry.
• •  Most international cellular providers program cell phones using direct access. Some use SIM cards. Double-check the cell phone's features to see if the phone requires a SIM card.

Guide to International Cellular Phone Roaming Options

5 Ways to Save Money on Your Cell Phone International Roaming

By Shonika Proctor, Creative Technical Thinker, Group Interactive, Inc.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Before You Travel Abroad

Make sure you have an international enabled handset.

I recommend: If this is your first time traveling abroad with your phone or BlackBerry or this is the first time you are setting up a discount international roaming alternative I would recommend the following:

Three Weeks Prior to Your Trip:

• Use a site such as www.wirelessinfo.com to look up your model number and see that it has a GSM roaming capability. In the technical specifications it will display GSM 900 or GSM 1800, or say tri-band or quad-band if it is international roaming enabled.
• Call the customer care for your service provider and make sure that international roaming service is enabled on your cell phone handset and verify that you will have coverage in the cities you are traveling. Although sometimes costly, it is better to make sure you have it as a back up option. At the time you are activating the service, get the international customer care number and store it in your phone (not your sim card) and record it on a wallet size emergency card.
• If you don't have an international capable phone rent one from CellHire.
• Back up all your data and address book from your cell phone or BlackBerry onto your computer.
• Purchase a VoIP enabled product such as Babble Stick or VPhone or activate a service like Skype with the ability to call to a landline or mobile phone from your laptop or a PC.

Two Weeks Prior to Your Trip

Additional Steps to Take Before You Travel Abroad

I recommend: Two Weeks Prior to Your Trip:

• Vist a website such as www.unlockitnow.com to get an unlock code for your cell phone.
• Go to a company such as Cellular Abroad or Cell Hire and look for international pre paid sim cards where calling party pays (essentially it means that all incoming calls will be free.)
• Go to a site such a www.jajah.com to download the software on your phone and send the 'free download link' to your friends and others who call you frequently on your mobile.
• Visit www.wififreespot.com to print out a list of all the free hotspots in the countrie(s) you will be traveling.
• Visit www.blackberryforums.com for details on setting up your BlackBerry as a modem.

1 week prior to your trip:

Visit a local retail store and have them assist you with making an international phone call and switching your network manually if your phone does not automatically switch over when you arrive overseas.

Enjoy your trip!

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Locate international wireless providers for cellular service

International wireless companies provide cellular services in foreign countries. Many of these providers offer temporary services for business trips and tradeshows. Be sure the company you choose provides cellular service in the are of the country you plan to visit.

I recommend: Verizon Wireless provides nationwide and international wireless services. Rent a cellular phone for your trip to Europe at Call in Europe. Gorilla Mobile is an international wireless company with service in most foreign countries.

Find international communication service providers for Internet service

Although most people access the Internet from their cell phone, doing so uses up minuets and is often expensive when traveling internationally. International internet services supply Internet for your laptop without locking up your phone or maxing out your bill.

I recommend: Visit Gobi, one of the leading international wireless companies for Internet access. Alltel Communications provides international Internet service wherever you can get a cellular phone signal. Purchase global Internet service through Embarq.

Purchase combined services from an international wireless provider

Combined services allow you to pay one bill for both global cell service and Internet access. These international cellular providers often offer discounts and packages for combining your global cell and Internet services.

I recommend: Visit AT&T to view their international wireless phone service and Internet packages. MobilityPASS is an international communication service provider that supplies cellular and Internet services. Sprint is one of the world's leading international wireless personal communications service providers.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Wireless phone and Internet services are known for contracts with hidden fees. Review all information provided and ask detailed questions about your bill before signing on the dotted line.
• •  Review each service provider's available coverage area and choose a company that best serves the area you travel in.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

WiFi cards

Global wireless personal communication providers sometimes use WiFi for businesses to get Internet access when on the road. The term WiFi stands for Wireless Fidelity. It defines IEEE 802.11 specifications for wireless technology.

I recommend: BNET highlights various resources that discuss ways businesses use WiFi cards for global communications. It highlights specific companies, discussing the WiFi solutions each company offers.

Phone charger adapters

Businesses using international travel need specialized adapters for different countries. Phone charger adapters help a user plug in his or her telephone for charging, converting electrical charges dependent on country or vehicular travel.

I recommend: Astutechnologies explains in detail how its equipment works in global communications. It offers phone charger adapters for cigarette lighters, antennas and international plugs, among others.

Bluetooth devices

Some global wireless personal communication providers offer Bluetooth technology for communications. Bluetooth technology simplifies communications between the Internet and a device using short-range radio technology.

I recommend: Pearson Education, Informit offers a brief history of Bluetooth devices in global wireless personal communications. It also discusses where the industry is in relation to this technology.

USB connectors

The term USB stands for Universal Serial Bus. Global communications companies use USB connectors to link a global telecommunications tool to a computer for power and for communications.

I recommend: ElecDir - Electronics and Electrical Web Directory offers descriptions of products used for global communications. It highlights various types of USB connectors on its website.

IP-based telephony

IP-based telephony sends voice communications over a specific network using a specific phone number in an open standards-based Internet protocol.

I recommend: The Insight Research Corp offers a series of reports detailing application services for IP-based telephony in global communications.

Voice over Internet protocol

Voice over Internet protocol, also called VoIP, sends voice communications using IP networks. However, it differs from IP-based telephony in that doesn't assign one specific phone number.

I recommend: The Federal Communications Commission offers an overview highlighting voice over Internet protocol. It defines the term and explains in detail how VoIP works.