So you're going away and you just can't part your cell phone?
Taking your own phone abroad is not always possible, so we decided to give you a few pointers about your options.

Step I – Know your carrier.

Now this part might sound a bit technical to but if you intend on traveling with your cell phone it is imperative you understand your options. Cell phone providers usually operate in one of two kinds of technologies:

1. GSM – This is the most common technology in the world, which means if you have a phone working on GSM technology, odds are you will have no trouble using it abroad.
2. CDMA – Not as common, and not as flexible, which means if you try to travel with it you have to check and verify you can use it on your specific destination.

For those who are not sure which technology their phone is based on there's a simple way to separate: GSM based phones have a SIM card while CDMA based phones do not. If you're still not sure, simply ask your service provider.

Step II – Selecting phone services abroad.

So you've decided to take your phone and you know that you can technically use it abroad. Traveling with your

1. Roaming: This means you take your own phone wherever you go and people calling you from your home country can still reach you at your own number, no special prefix or procedures needed. Sounds great right? Well not all is perfect.
2. 1. Price – When using roaming technology, you usually pay a lot more on everything, (even incoming calls).
   2. Geographic Limitations – This usually affects CDMA users. Not all destinations are equipped with the right infrastructure to support your phone. Hence, before you go – verify with your service provider that you can actually use it when you get there.
3. Prepaid SIM Cards – Most cell phone providers can supply you with a special SIM card that is customized to operate within your destination. You can usually use that SIM card for one specific destination so if you start moving around between several countries this is probably not the solution for you. Another nice feature of the local SIM card is that it enables you to make local calls on a very cheap price, thus reducing costs significantly.
   CDMA users – your phones do not support SIM cards, you will have to be issued a new one by your local provider (which is usually not a problem).

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