<p>Okay, so here's a question from a total travel novice, if you don't mind. I'm studying abroad in Paris for a semester, and I still haven't decided what's the best system for both calling home and using locally. I've heard that my cell phone can be equipped to work abroad, but it will be very expensive. My cousin used skype while abroad, but then I wouldn't have a cell phone for being out and about town. For those of you with international experience, what worked well for you? What should I avoid?</p>
<p>Our daughter was in Paris last semester. We used Skype-to-Skype (free) to talk with her every Sunday. She could sometimes get a stray wifi signal at her apartment, or she went to the Pompidou Center or a McDonald's. For local communication, the kids used cell SMS most of the time which was relatively cheap; cell voice was significantly more expensive per minute. Low-end cell phones are relatively cheap at SFS and Orange shops. She had a fabulous time; enjoy!</p>
<p>We just went through this scenario during the summer, and D ended up just using her own cell with her regular phone #, and it was very expensive, to say the least. We weren't surprised by the charges - and we had all of the cell and land-line discount international callings plans in place, but it didn't make any difference. It was still a small fortune. Anyway, if D goes abroad again in the Spring semester, then she will either buy a foreign cell phone with a foreign sim-card, or just buy the foreign sim-card and place that one in her own phone, thus eliminating the use of her current sim-card. There is an unlock code for the phone, and there are specific instructions on how to change the sim card.</p>
<p>By the way, my D also studied in Paris and is planning on returning for another semester.</p>
<p>Thanks for the ideas; I've never been out of the country and neither have my parents, so we were in a little over our heads.</p>
<p>depending on the type of phone you have, you may be able to just switch the sim card in the back to a foreign one and make local calls that way. </p>
<p>for long distance, just use skype-to-skype.</p>
<p>My s is leaving for China tomorrow, and I wonder if I'll hear from him before December! Does Skype operate in China? If so, do both of us subscribe and download? I think I need "Skype for Dummies" and the website isn't specific enough for me. Any experience with this?</p>
<p>Skype is operable in China. I've done it before.</p>
<p>bing121086, what kind of cell phone and what provider do you have? Why do I ask? Because if:
1. You're provider is not Verizon
2. You have a removable sim card.
3. You have a 3G or 4G band cell phone
You can simply buy a foreign sim card and minutes to make local calls in Paris. Since you're spending a semester, it's even worth it to buy a phone there that you can sell back when you're ready to leave. </p>
<p>Avoid using your American sim card/calling plan. Way to expensive.</p>
<p>For calls home, use skype-to-skype.</p>
<p>jasmon, both you and your son download skype. </p>
<p>Just download from the site, install (should be user-friendly), launch skype, and explore. You'll need to be equipped with a microphone in order to talk to your son. Some laptops have these built in. If your laptop does not have a built-in microphone, you can easily buy a cheap headset from stores like Target or Best Buy. If you have a camera, skype video conferences are even more fun!</p>
<p>Skype should work anywhere there is a plain vanilla internet connection, wired or wireless. <a href="http://www.skype.com/help/guides/firewall.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.skype.com/help/guides/firewall.html</a> describes some rare (I'd say bizarre) cases where it might not work. Skype can sometimes be made to work even better (i.e., better voice quality) via firewall tweaking (see <a href="http://support.skype.com/index.php?_a=knowledgebase&_j=questiondetails&_i=148%5B/url%5D">http://support.skype.com/index.php?_a=knowledgebase&_j=questiondetails&_i=148</a>) but this is usually not necessary.</p>
<p>Thanks, I'm now Skyped. My s tried, but found his directions written in Chinese! I sent him an English link, but haven't heard back yet. (I feel so superior knowing something about communications technology that my 17 yo d. didn't know existed--I owe it all to you kind folks).</p>
<p>The current senior at my son's high school who did the year abroad previously left a cell phone in France for my son to use -- one of the ones that you pick up a phone card to add minutes.</p>
<p>It's early days yet, but my S is using facebook and gmail and some IM program to communicate, mostly with his friends but some with us! His French family has Skype which I think we'll get also. I just have to find time to do the work to figure it out!</p>
<p>No one's mentioned calling cards...my parents are internationals and they've been using them faithfully for years to call various countries for cheap...</p>
<p>For calling overseas from the U.S., we use a calling card (from Costco) or Skype.</p>
<p>For calling the U.S. we use a cell phone/sim chip from Asia. Sometimes use a calling card- interesting because the instructions are rarely in English. Sometimes we use Skype or Yahoo phone, if the internet is working. </p>
<p>Son calls my cell phone direct using Skype from the U.S. You don't have to use it computer to computer.</p>
<p>I can really use all of the helpful advice, too, since D is planning on returning to Paris for a semester. I won't make the mistake of running up cell phone minutes this time!</p>
<p>Yahoo! Succeeded yesterday in connecting with S. computer to computer (Skype). Sound quality was great. What a luxury to not worry about those ticking international minutes! That was so successful, I bought a webcam.</p>
<p>My son was in Japan over the summer and we used Skype to skype for almost an hour everyday. We also told him to pre-pay for some minutes for Skype out, se if he couldn't get us on the computer to call our phone. Also a very cheap call, considering.
We added webcam, but found sometimes the voice quality suffered on skype, but it was super to see him occassionally and for him to see us. We also use skype to family members in England and France. If we don't arrange a call time, we just use the Skype out, which is the computer to phone service for pennies per minute. Love skype!</p>