Q: Will my U.S. cellular phone work when I travel to Europe or Asia?
A: No, US cellular carriers (AT&T, Version, etc.) use an analog standard called AMPS that operates on 800 MHz frequency or digital standards CDMA and TDMA that operates on either an 800 or 1900 MHz frequency. Most countries overseas use a digital standard called Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) that operates on the 900 MHz frequency. Japan uses a standard called PDC. Unfortunately, none of these overseas standards are compatible with most US cellular phones.

Q: Will a GSM phone work in the United States?
A: Probably not. Most US cellular carriers operate their networks on CDMA, TDMA or AMPS platform; a GSM 900 MHz standard phone will not operate in the United States (unless it is a multi-band/mode GSM phone).

Q: Is there a single type of phone that will work everywhere?
A: There are satellite phones currently available which have very wide coverage. These phones are usually the size of a laptop and are subject to costly satellite airtime rates. Handheld satellite phones do not work indoors unless supplanted by a second, separate cellular account.

Q: Where will a GSM phone work?
A: GSM phones work in over 170 different countries on five continents. See our Coverage page for a complete list of where GSM service is currently available. You must also make certain that your carrier has roaming capability in your destination country.

Q: Why can't I just buy a phone when I am in a foreign country?
A: You could buy your phone while overseas, but you would be required to establish residency or other credit status in order to procure a SIM card. When you buy or rent a phone from Eurotel, you can roam from one country to another with the same phone (provided that there is an international roaming agreement in effect) without the need to establish residency or other credit status overseas.

Q: Do I need to be a customer of one of the US cellular companies before I can use a GSM phone overseas?
A: No. Although a GSM phone requires a SIM card to operate, you may have the option of purchasing a prepaid SIM card at your destination overseas. Some domestic cellular carriers provide SIM cards to their current customers. If you are already a cellular user, check with your carrier to see if it can provide you with a SIM card and where that SIM card has roaming privileges, or call Eurotel for assistance.

Q: Do I need to buy a GSM phone if I want to have cellular service while traveling overseas?
A: Not necessarily; although Eurotel does sell GSM phones, you can also rent one for however long you may need it.

Q: How many different models of GSM phones are available from Eurotel?
A: Eurotel offers a dozen different different GSM phones and data card models available for sale from manufacturers like Motorola, Nokia, Ericsson, Siemens and Phillips. In addition, Eurotel has the following models available for rent: the Motorola StarTAC, Motorola M6088, Nokia 5110/6110, Nokia 6150 as well as PCMCIA DataCards for wireless fax & e-mail.

Q: Can I lend my US cell phone to a spouse or friend while I am overseas?
A: Not if you intend to use your current cellular number while traveling overseas. In fact, you need to turn off your US cell phone before your departure because it and your GSM phone will share the same number. If you leave it on while you are overseas, your US phone will ring rather than your GSM phone.

Q: Can I use my GSM phone in conjunction with my laptop computer to send and receive faxes, data, or e-mail?
A: Yes, provided that you have a PCMCIA data card compatible with your GSM phone. If you don't, EUROTEL provides a complete line of PCMCIA data cards that may be fully compatible with your particular GSM phone. (Note: this feature is dependent upon your carrier.)

Q: Are GSM phones immune from eavesdropping and cloning?
A: Yes, GSM phones operate on a digital standard that essentially prevents eavesdropping and cloning.