Making cell phone calls internationally from Paris to describe the Eiffel Tower or the latest fashion show can be surprisingly difficult without some planning prior to departure. Depending on where you are traveling, you may not be able to use your usual telephone at all. Cell phones use certain parts of the electromagnetic wave spectrum to transmit calls. Most areas in North America use the 850 to 1800 MHz. Most of the rest of the world and a cell phone for Paris use the GSM standard that ranges from the 900-1900 range. Most United States cell phones will not work in Paris. Even worse, many countries have laws that prevent the sale of an international phone to non-citizens due to the issue of terrorism. Fortunately, there are some easy ways to fix this problem. Remember that to dial to the United States you will need full 10 digit telephone numbers.
The Magic Of Paris
First decide what type of calls you will be making. If you simply want to call your group of visitors in Paris locally, you can buy a Paris cell phone at the airport. Then you will need to buy a SIM to make your local calls. Most of the world simply sells customers a SIM when they sign up for service. In the US we sell the telephone and the SIM together. You can buy a prepaid plan. If you plan on returning to Paris, you can keep the Paris cell phone and use it in the future. If not, you can sell the phone. Sometimes the dealer you bought it from will take it back; otherwise you can sell it on line.If you want to call home from Paris, then you need a different system. In the United States, only two carriers Verizon and AT&T sell telephones that can be used overseas to make calls to the United States. These models are usually certain Blackberries or Nokias. You need a telephone that can have the SIM unlocked for international calls. These phone companies will charge you about $5 a month for this service plus $.99 per minute per call. However, if you calls are of the “Hi, the plane landed safely” or “Send money” variety, this will be fine for most people.
If you have to obtain a different cell phone for Paris then you have some options. You can rent or buy a telephone. Then you can prepay a SIM for use in your country. The phone you need depends on how often you are planning to use it. If you are going to travel often and want your own phone, it may be best to buy. If you are traveling to Europe, certain parts of Asia or Oceana, you need to obtain a triple GSM Hz phone. This will work fine for Paris. If you want to buy a quadruple Hz phone this phone will also work in Paris and most of the rest of the world. There are a few countries that do their own thing cell phone wise. A double GSM phone will only work in the American continent. Used phones are also an option for buying. If you plan to keep in contact with your international hosts after your trip, it may be best to buy a phone. That way you will have the same phone at home as you had on your trip. Several that sites offer these phones include www.cellularabroad.com and www.mobal.com. If you scout on line you can also find services that offer good rates to Europe only. Don’t be afraid to scout around for the best deal. Of course, you want a reliable company as well.
00 1 XXX XXX XXXX
To go the other way, you need to dial the 011 to call outside of the United States. Then you need to dial the number of the country and the city code, which for Paris equates to 33 1. The zero is dropped for local calls. Then add the eight digit local number. This looks like:
011 33 1 XX XX XX XX.
Remember also to turn off the data and internet part of the cell phone for Paris. Use WiFi for all internet, not the cell phone. The cost is enormous and WiFi works just fine at a much lower rate.
