Sat phones?

[#%&@$!]

Got hired at a cargo company and will be spending a lot of time in places like Leige, Dubai, Hong Kong ...

Any of you in similar situations have suggestions for how to keep in touch with folks back home?

 

[Nevergreen]

I work for one of the 747 cargo operators, and I just use my cell phone (Cingular-ATT) and skype. I have been flying overseas for years and have not gone anywhere that I could not use my cell phone yet. Just be sure to get a quad band phone with international service from a major cell phone company.

 

[NW_Pilot]

I work for one of the 747 cargo operators, and I just use my cell phone (Cingular-ATT) and skype. I have been flying overseas for years and have not gone anywhere that I could not use my cell phone yet. Just be sure to get a quad band phone with international service from a major cell phone company.

I found that a sat phone is less expensive than a cell phone (Cingular-ATT here also) You can prepay bulk min's and get the cost down to $1.00 or less a min on a world plan and they give you 720 days to use the min's you prepay for.

 

[Junkflyer]

Sounds like you're going to Connie-land. The mci card from Cotco works well in most countries and the per minute charge varies though its pretty reasonable. A lot of guys use the Skype and it does work well, but we don't get free internet at all the places we stay.

 

[Say Again Over]

Got hired at a cargo company and will be spending a lot of time in places like Leige, Dubai, Hong Kong ...

Any of you in similar situations have suggestions for how to keep in touch with folks back home?

For short messages I would suggest using sms messages on your GSM phone, as mentioned by D. Smith, they will work everywhere that you mentioned, and Skype for long calls, also, you can now purchase Skype Wifi phones that work anywhere you can find a network.

 

[Thedude]

If you are going to be in a specific country alot, you can buy a local sim card that is much cheaper than a US sim card. As far as roaming rates go, here in the US we get ripped of when going overseas.

 

[Jonahproject]

A lot of countries these days have relatively cheap phone cards. I've purchased cards in Hong Kong that are good for 2 hrs talk time for about 5 bucks. Better option than hoping for a good signal or paying a dollar a min on a sat phone or cell phone I think. The SMS text messaging stuff is free depending on your plan.

 

[Rottweiller]

If you are going to be in a specific country alot, you can buy a local sim card that is much cheaper than a US sim card. As far as roaming rates go, here in the US we get ripped of when going overseas.

If you have a phone with a SIM card you can try this. Works well but as mentioned anything USA you can get ripped off on the costs! Just SMS and get them to call you.

www.sim4travel.com

 

[HoursHore]

Skype. Even if you don't get free internet in the rooms, most places have it in the Lobby.

 

[Wankel7]

If you have a phone with a SIM card you can try this. Works well but as mentioned anything USA you can get ripped off on the costs! Just SMS and get them to call you.

www.sim4travel.com

I second doing something like that...I did a eurotrip thing for a month assuming I could buy a sim card as I traveled country to country. It worked some of the time. But then you would run into the...oh yes we will sell you a sim card. It only works in Germany cheaply, if you leave the country its 1.60 euro per minute, and it costs 30 euro and we give you 10 euro starting credit. You can find good deals but your just wasting your time.

Get a quad band , unlocked gsm mobile, and a sim card like in that link.