(2011-06-01) Simple Cheap International Roaming

The Wife will be in Hong Kong. T-Mobile says that if she calls home from her Nexus One it will cost $2.29/minute! (International Roaming)

(She won't have a Lap Top with her.)

Hmm, what if I install Skype on the Nexus One?

• she'd have to pay international data charges, or use hotel's WiFi
• have to keep it running on my Nexus One at home
• most importantly, Skype almost always crashes on my Nexus One during the login process.
  • installing 1.0.0.983 update
  • nope still crashes - to be more specific the crash seems to happen while rendering my list of contacts, after login has completed

GoogleTalk now supports voice in Android 2.3.4 which both our phones have. But I can't find the voice feature!

• hmm, try F Ring?

See if Mo Call really works?

• Or Vib Er?

Or maybe just buy cheapo phone when she gets there to swap prepaid SIM card in?

I installed Skype on her Nexus One - it seems to work fine.

Update: she didn't use this at all. I think she called from her work Blackberry!

Related: Brad Feld faces similar issues summering in Europe, but he wants data, too.

• It sounds like people like buying prepaid SIM-s (in each country) to swap into their unlocked phone. (The Nexus One is a pain to open, which is why I'd just buy a cheap phone to do that with, though that wouldn't solve the data problem.)
• Other countries may have more free WiFi available, at least in their cities, than the US.
  • Related: Boingo could be part of that solution, too.
• Then you have to choose your SIM provider.

May'2012 update from Fred Wilson: When I arrived at Heathrow I bought a data only SIM in the Vending Machine in baggage claim.My friend Simon suggested I set up a new Skype account and get a UK Skype In number. I did that and I have been operating without a voice connection. I use skype for voice, Kik for text, and everything else works just fine on data.

• update: he also uses the Bria SIP client, plus the Roam Line multi-country data-only SIM service which is much more expensive, but much more convenient (if you're jumping countries a lot) than single-country services.
• Jul'2013 update: he's become a convert to the pocket WiFi in the past year. I used to be a fan of swapping SIM cards but these pocket wifis have gotten better recently. The cost has come down and the coverage has gone up.