I've been on this board many times discussing my using a Verizon global
phone out of the country. I used it all over Europe and as lately as
last June in Russia.
I set it up with Verizon to use it in Argentina, Uruguay and Chile
before leaving on a trip to Buenos Aires followed by a cruise around
Cape Horn.
Imagine my surprise when I reached Argentina and my phone would not
work. I called them and learned that a quad-band phone is needed in
Argentina and Chile bit the phone would work in Uruguay. It took me 2
phone calls to get the answer. The second one was due to the hotel
having the wrong number printed on the phone or VZW would have called me
back.
When I returned home, I called VZW wanting them to refund me for the
toll calls from Argentina. Neither the rep nor I knew the current
conversion rate from Argentinian Pesos, so he just gave me a $25 credit,
which more than covers the calls.
I'm not happy that whomever set up my phone and activated the SIM card
didn't know that my phone wouldn't work, but I am pleased to report that
VZW treated me as a valued customer, apologized and credited me the cost
of calling them.
If my next out-of-country trip is less than 3 weeks, I'm going to do the
rental. I'm going to get an Incredible 2 which is global when my NE2
comes up, but I'd be afraid of data charges.
My next scheduled cruise is to Hawaii, so I'll be using my phone in the US
--
Janet Wilder
Way-the-heck-south Texas
Spelling doesn't count. Cooking does.
Jeffrey Kaplan wrote on [Sat, 21 Jan 2012 19:57:06 +0000]:
> Previously on alt.cellular.verizon, Janet Wilder said:
>
>> rental. I'm going to get an Incredible 2 which is global when my NE2
>
> I thought Verizon dropped that long-standing promotion. Now it's just
> a standard "subsidized price on a re/new contract".
No, there are extra price reductions of you wait two years still
Jeffrey Kaplan wrote:
> Previously on alt.cellular.verizon, Janet Wilder said:
>
>> rental. I'm going to get an Incredible 2 which is global when my NE2
>
> I thought Verizon dropped that long-standing promotion. Now it's just
> a standard "subsidized price on a re/new contract".
>
They used to give you an extra $100 off, if I remember correctly. That is
gone, but you still get the subsidized new-contract phone price, usually
around $200 for the top-tier phones.
My experience with Verizon's global phone rental was not nearly as pleasant
and efficient as yours.
One word of advice: don't use the credit card you give Verizon for the phone
rental when you are away. It gets flagged as being charged from two
different countries at the same time and Verizon shuts the phone off! try
to get that fixed while you're away, and let's talk about the representative
who set that up for me and failed to inform me of that issue beforehand...
On 1/21/2012 12:24 PM, Janet Wilder wrote:
> I've been on this board many times discussing my using a Verizon global
> phone out of the country. I used it all over Europe and as lately as
> last June in Russia.
>
> I set it up with Verizon to use it in Argentina, Uruguay and Chile
> before leaving on a trip to Buenos Aires followed by a cruise around
> Cape Horn.
>
> Imagine my surprise when I reached Argentina and my phone would not
> work. I called them and learned that a quad-band phone is needed in
> Argentina and Chile bit the phone would work in Uruguay. It took me 2
> phone calls to get the answer. The second one was due to the hotel
> having the wrong number printed on the phone or VZW would have called me
> back.
>
> When I returned home, I called VZW wanting them to refund me for the
> toll calls from Argentina. Neither the rep nor I knew the current
> conversion rate from Argentinian Pesos, so he just gave me a $25 credit,
> which more than covers the calls.
>
> I'm not happy that whomever set up my phone and activated the SIM card
> didn't know that my phone wouldn't work, but I am pleased to report that
> VZW treated me as a valued customer, apologized and credited me the cost
> of calling them.
>
> If my next out-of-country trip is less than 3 weeks, I'm going to do the
> rental. I'm going to get an Incredible 2 which is global when my NE2
> comes up, but I'd be afraid of data charges.
>
> My next scheduled cruise is to Hawaii, so I'll be using my phone in the US
For your next trip, you might try asking your travel agent about what
kind of wireless phone service is available. I think that there are at
least three different and incompatible technologies used by various
cell-phone carriers!
If your travel agent doesn't know he should at least know how to find out!
It may be as long as five years before the carriers adopt new
technology. By the time they adopt the new technology, it will probably
be obsolete!!!!
> > I thought Verizon dropped that long-standing promotion. Now it's just
> > a standard "subsidized price on a re/new contract".
> >
> They used to give you an extra $100 off, if I remember correctly. That is
> gone, but you still get the subsidized new-contract phone price, usually
> around $200 for the top-tier phones.
That's what I said.
> My experience with Verizon's global phone rental was not nearly as pleasant
> and efficient as yours.
I have never rented a phone, that was Janet Wilder, the OP.
--
Jeffrey Kaplan www.gordol.org
Double ROT13 encoded for your protection
Peter's Top 100 Things I'd Do If I Ever Became An Evil Overlord, #156.
If I have the hero and his party trapped, I will not wait until my
Superweapon charges to finish them off if more conventional means are
available.
At 23 Jan 2012 17:55:31 -0500 Richard B. Gilbert wrote:
> On 1/21/2012 12:24 PM, Janet Wilder wrote:
> > I've been on this board many times discussing my using a Verizon
global
> > phone out of the country. I used it all over Europe and as lately as
> > last June in Russia.
> >
> > I set it up with Verizon to use it in Argentina, Uruguay and Chile
> > before leaving on a trip to Buenos Aires followed by a cruise around
> > Cape Horn.
> >
> > Imagine my surprise when I reached Argentina and my phone would not
> > work. I called them and learned that a quad-band phone is needed in
> > Argentina and Chile bit the phone would work in Uruguay. It took me 2
> > phone calls to get the answer. The second one was due to the hotel
> > having the wrong number printed on the phone or VZW would have called
me
> > back.
<snip>
>
> For your next trip, you might try asking your travel agent about what
> kind of wireless phone service is available.
Oh, sweet lord. I propose a new drinking game. Every time Richard
suggests "calling your travel agent", everybody drinks!
> I think that there are at
> least three different and incompatible technologies used by various
> cell-phone carriers!
>
> If your travel agent doesn't know he should at least know how to find
out!
As a veteran of a few int'l trips, I suspect Janet knows as much or more
about international cell use as most travel agents.
> It may be as long as five years before the carriers adopt new technology.
> By the time they adopt the new technology, it will probably
> be obsolete!!!!
Richard B. Gilbert wrote on [Mon, 23 Jan 2012 17:55:31 -0500]:
>
> For your next trip, you might try asking your travel agent about what
> kind of wireless phone service is available. I think that there are at
For the last time, Richard. Nobody uses a travel agent anymore.
I wouldn't even know where to find one.
On Mon, 23 Jan 2012 17:55:31 -0500, "Richard B. Gilbert"
<rgilbert88@comcast.net> wrote:
>On 1/21/2012 12:24 PM, Janet Wilder wrote:
>> I've been on this board many times discussing my using a Verizon global
>> phone out of the country. I used it all over Europe and as lately as
>> last June in Russia.
>>
>> I set it up with Verizon to use it in Argentina, Uruguay and Chile
>> before leaving on a trip to Buenos Aires followed by a cruise around
>> Cape Horn.
>>
>> Imagine my surprise when I reached Argentina and my phone would not
>> work. I called them and learned that a quad-band phone is needed in
>> Argentina and Chile bit the phone would work in Uruguay. It took me 2
>> phone calls to get the answer. The second one was due to the hotel
>> having the wrong number printed on the phone or VZW would have called me
>> back.
>>
>> When I returned home, I called VZW wanting them to refund me for the
>> toll calls from Argentina. Neither the rep nor I knew the current
>> conversion rate from Argentinian Pesos, so he just gave me a $25 credit,
>> which more than covers the calls.
>>
>> I'm not happy that whomever set up my phone and activated the SIM card
>> didn't know that my phone wouldn't work, but I am pleased to report that
>> VZW treated me as a valued customer, apologized and credited me the cost
>> of calling them.
>>
>> If my next out-of-country trip is less than 3 weeks, I'm going to do the
>> rental. I'm going to get an Incredible 2 which is global when my NE2
>> comes up, but I'd be afraid of data charges.
>>
>> My next scheduled cruise is to Hawaii, so I'll be using my phone in the US
>
>For your next trip, you might try asking your travel agent about what
>kind of wireless phone service is available. I think that there are at
>least three different and incompatible technologies used by various
>cell-phone carriers!
>
>If your travel agent doesn't know he should at least know how to find out!
>
>It may be as long as five years before the carriers adopt new
>technology. By the time they adopt the new technology, it will probably
>be obsolete!!!!
>
My solution for itnernational phones is get a xcheap quad band GSM
phone, like from Walmart for under $50 and get it unlocked. When you
get where you are going, buy a prepaid SIM card with whatever
features you want. If you need to have calls forwarded to you while
traveling or even call the US there are people who can supply a SIM
card for that as well and at relatively low cost.
Is a travel agent someone who can use a computer to do exactly the
same thing I can do from my computer without leaving the house?
Jeffrey Kaplan wrote:
> Previously on alt.cellular.verizon, Carl said:
>
>>> I thought Verizon dropped that long-standing promotion. Now it's
>>> just a standard "subsidized price on a re/new contract".
>>>
>> They used to give you an extra $100 off, if I remember correctly.
>> That is gone, but you still get the subsidized new-contract phone
>> price, usually around $200 for the top-tier phones.
>
> That's what I said.
>
Sorry, but I re-read the thread and I don't see where you said that. You
only wrote, "I thought Verizon dropped that long-standing promotion." But it
was not in context of anything that Janet said. She had not mentioned
anything about a "promotion" that I could see, so I thought your comment
needed clarification. I was taking nothing away from you, just reinforcing
it.
>
>> My experience with Verizon's global phone rental was not nearly as
>> pleasant and efficient as yours.
>
> I have never rented a phone, that was Janet Wilder, the OP.
>
Yes, I know this too. Since your responses were made to the OP, I just
lumped all of my thoughts into one message, which I knew would appear in the
same thread path as yours. I guess I should have placed that response to her
differently, but I didn't think it was an issue. My apologies.
Justin wrote:
> Richard B. Gilbert wrote on [Mon, 23 Jan 2012 17:55:31 -0500]:
>>
>> For your next trip, you might try asking your travel agent about what
>> kind of wireless phone service is available. I think that there are
>> at
>
> For the last time, Richard. Nobody uses a travel agent anymore.
> I wouldn't even know where to find one.
>
Not entirely true Justin. While my wife and I don't use one (she likes to do
her own R & D), my friend's wife makes a living as a travel agent, believe
it or not. From what I gather, she does reasonably well and has a long list
of "regular" clients. There are still many people who are just not
computer/internet savvy. Apparently, this long-time agency is still around: http://www.libertytravel.com/?kw=agent&leadsourceid=113 ;-)
nobody@nada.com wrote:
> On Mon, 23 Jan 2012 17:55:31 -0500, "Richard B. Gilbert"
> <rgilbert88@comcast.net> wrote:
>
>> On 1/21/2012 12:24 PM, Janet Wilder wrote:
>>> I've been on this board many times discussing my using a Verizon
>>> global phone out of the country. I used it all over Europe and as
>>> lately as
>>> last June in Russia.
>>>
>>> I set it up with Verizon to use it in Argentina, Uruguay and Chile
>>> before leaving on a trip to Buenos Aires followed by a cruise around
>>> Cape Horn.
>>>
>>> Imagine my surprise when I reached Argentina and my phone would not
>>> work. I called them and learned that a quad-band phone is needed in
>>> Argentina and Chile bit the phone would work in Uruguay. It took me
>>> 2 phone calls to get the answer. The second one was due to the hotel
>>> having the wrong number printed on the phone or VZW would have
>>> called me back.
>>>
>>> When I returned home, I called VZW wanting them to refund me for the
>>> toll calls from Argentina. Neither the rep nor I knew the current
>>> conversion rate from Argentinian Pesos, so he just gave me a $25
>>> credit, which more than covers the calls.
>>>
>>> I'm not happy that whomever set up my phone and activated the SIM
>>> card didn't know that my phone wouldn't work, but I am pleased to
>>> report that VZW treated me as a valued customer, apologized and
>>> credited me the cost of calling them.
>>>
>>> If my next out-of-country trip is less than 3 weeks, I'm going to
>>> do the rental. I'm going to get an Incredible 2 which is global
>>> when my NE2 comes up, but I'd be afraid of data charges.
>>>
>>> My next scheduled cruise is to Hawaii, so I'll be using my phone in
>>> the US
>>
>> For your next trip, you might try asking your travel agent about what
>> kind of wireless phone service is available. I think that there are
>> at least three different and incompatible technologies used by
>> various cell-phone carriers!
>>
>> If your travel agent doesn't know he should at least know how to
>> find out!
>>
>> It may be as long as five years before the carriers adopt new
>> technology. By the time they adopt the new technology, it will
>> probably be obsolete!!!!
>>
>
> My solution for itnernational phones is get a xcheap quad band GSM
> phone, like from Walmart for under $50 and get it unlocked. When you
> get where you are going, buy a prepaid SIM card with whatever
> features you want. If you need to have calls forwarded to you while
> traveling or even call the US there are people who can supply a SIM
> card for that as well and at relatively low cost.
>
> Is a travel agent someone who can use a computer to do exactly the
> same thing I can do from my computer without leaving the house?
>
No. It's everything you said, but there's a fee hidden in there too. :-)
New definition of Travel Agent = "Someone who can use a computer to do
exactly the same thing that you can do from your computer without leaving
your house, for people who don't know how to find your house". :-)
Carl wrote on [Tue, 24 Jan 2012 08:27:15 -0500]:
> Justin wrote:
>> Richard B. Gilbert wrote on [Mon, 23 Jan 2012 17:55:31 -0500]:
>>>
>>> For your next trip, you might try asking your travel agent about what
>>> kind of wireless phone service is available. I think that there are
>>> at
>>
>> For the last time, Richard. Nobody uses a travel agent anymore.
>> I wouldn't even know where to find one.
>>
> Not entirely true Justin. While my wife and I don't use one (she likes to do
> her own R & D), my friend's wife makes a living as a travel agent, believe
> it or not. From what I gather, she does reasonably well and has a long list
> of "regular" clients. There are still many people who are just not
> computer/internet savvy. Apparently, this long-time agency is still around:
> http://www.libertytravel.com/?kw=agent&leadsourceid=113 ;-)
I guess corporate travel uses travel agents a lot, as well.
> Not entirely true Justin. While my wife and I don't use one (she likes to do
> her own R& D), my friend's wife makes a living as a travel agent, believe
> it or not. From what I gather, she does reasonably well and has a long list
> of "regular" clients. There are still many people who are just not
> computer/internet savvy. Apparently, this long-time agency is still around:
> http://www.libertytravel.com/?kw=agent&leadsourceid=113 ;-)
People don't use travel agents to book an airline ticket very much, but
some travel agencies do a very good business on cruises and tours,
especially tours to places where going on your own is a bit more
difficult than Europe (Africa, some parts of Asia).
Judging from the prices of school trips (middle school, high school)
there's big money in those as well. I recall one year when my daughter's
middle school had a Washington D.C./NY trip over spring break (when D.C.
is over-run with 8th graders) I said that instead our whole family of
four would take a trip there on our own since it was about the same cost
as sending her on the school trip ($2000 for the school trip). I think
we spend about $700 per person on hotels, air-fare, and meals, and that
included three nights in Manhattan, where hotels are no bargain.
> Imagine my surprise when I reached Argentina and my phone would not
> work. I called them and learned that a quad-band phone is needed in
> Argentina and Chile bit the phone would work in Uruguay. It took me 2
> phone calls to get the answer. The second one was due to the hotel
> having the wrong number printed on the phone or VZW would have called me
> back.
Argentina and Chile use 1900 MHz for GSM, while Uruguay uses 1800 MHz.
I'm surprised that any global phone sold by Verizon was not quad band
GSM. Argentina and Chile also have CDMA networks, but maybe Verizon has
no roaming agreement with them.
On 1/23/2012 10:17 PM, Todd Allcock wrote:
> At 23 Jan 2012 17:55:31 -0500 Richard B. Gilbert wrote:
>> On 1/21/2012 12:24 PM, Janet Wilder wrote:
>>> I've been on this board many times discussing my using a Verizon
> global
>>> phone out of the country. I used it all over Europe and as lately as
>>> last June in Russia.
>>>
>>> I set it up with Verizon to use it in Argentina, Uruguay and Chile
>>> before leaving on a trip to Buenos Aires followed by a cruise around
>>> Cape Horn.
>>>
>>> Imagine my surprise when I reached Argentina and my phone would not
>>> work. I called them and learned that a quad-band phone is needed in
>>> Argentina and Chile bit the phone would work in Uruguay. It took me 2
>>> phone calls to get the answer. The second one was due to the hotel
>>> having the wrong number printed on the phone or VZW would have called
> me
>>> back.
>
> <snip>
>>
>> For your next trip, you might try asking your travel agent about what
>> kind of wireless phone service is available.
>
> Oh, sweet lord. I propose a new drinking game. Every time Richard
> suggests "calling your travel agent", everybody drinks!
>
>
>> I think that there are at
>> least three different and incompatible technologies used by various
>> cell-phone carriers!
>>
>> If your travel agent doesn't know he should at least know how to find
> out!
>
> As a veteran of a few int'l trips, I suspect Janet knows as much or more
> about international cell use as most travel agents.
>
>
>> It may be as long as five years before the carriers adopt new technology.
>
>> By the time they adopt the new technology, it will probably
>> be obsolete!!!!
>
> Almost as obsolete as travel agents, perhaps.
Just for the record, the "obsolete travel agents" still advertise in the
obsolete (?) "Yellow Pages". If you don't need one, I'm sure you aren't
required to consult one.
If, OTOH, you are not a great traveler, it's still permissible to talk
to one! It has been about ten years since I've traveled by air. It may
be another ten years before I fly again. If and when, I'll be
consulting a travel agent if any are still in business.
If you don't need a travel agent, more power to ya! I'll continue my
"stick in the mud" existence and consult a travel agent once every five
or ten years.
On 1/23/2012 11:04 PM, Justin wrote:
> Richard B. Gilbert wrote on [Mon, 23 Jan 2012 17:55:31 -0500]:
>>
>> For your next trip, you might try asking your travel agent about what
>> kind of wireless phone service is available. I think that there are at
>
> For the last time, Richard. Nobody uses a travel agent anymore.
> I wouldn't even know where to find one.
>
Try the Yellow Pages in your phone book!
If you no longer have a "Telephone Directory", Google can probably find
you one!
Richard B. Gilbert wrote on [Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:55:39 -0500]:
> On 1/23/2012 10:17 PM, Todd Allcock wrote:
>> At 23 Jan 2012 17:55:31 -0500 Richard B. Gilbert wrote:
>>> On 1/21/2012 12:24 PM, Janet Wilder wrote:
>>>> I've been on this board many times discussing my using a Verizon
>> global
>>>> phone out of the country. I used it all over Europe and as lately as
>>>> last June in Russia.
>>>>
>>>> I set it up with Verizon to use it in Argentina, Uruguay and Chile
>>>> before leaving on a trip to Buenos Aires followed by a cruise around
>>>> Cape Horn.
>>>>
>>>> Imagine my surprise when I reached Argentina and my phone would not
>>>> work. I called them and learned that a quad-band phone is needed in
>>>> Argentina and Chile bit the phone would work in Uruguay. It took me 2
>>>> phone calls to get the answer. The second one was due to the hotel
>>>> having the wrong number printed on the phone or VZW would have called
>> me
>>>> back.
>>
>> <snip>
>>>
>>> For your next trip, you might try asking your travel agent about what
>>> kind of wireless phone service is available.
>>
>> Oh, sweet lord. I propose a new drinking game. Every time Richard
>> suggests "calling your travel agent", everybody drinks!
>>
>>
>>> I think that there are at
>>> least three different and incompatible technologies used by various
>>> cell-phone carriers!
>>>
>>> If your travel agent doesn't know he should at least know how to find
>> out!
>>
>> As a veteran of a few int'l trips, I suspect Janet knows as much or more
>> about international cell use as most travel agents.
>>
>>
>>> It may be as long as five years before the carriers adopt new technology.
>>
>>> By the time they adopt the new technology, it will probably
>>> be obsolete!!!!
>>
>> Almost as obsolete as travel agents, perhaps.
>
> Just for the record, the "obsolete travel agents" still advertise in the
> obsolete (?) "Yellow Pages". If you don't need one, I'm sure you aren't
> required to consult one.
Richard B. Gilbert wrote on [Tue, 24 Jan 2012 15:00:07 -0500]:
> On 1/23/2012 11:04 PM, Justin wrote:
>> Richard B. Gilbert wrote on [Mon, 23 Jan 2012 17:55:31 -0500]:
>>>
>>> For your next trip, you might try asking your travel agent about what
>>> kind of wireless phone service is available. I think that there are at
>>
>> For the last time, Richard. Nobody uses a travel agent anymore.
>> I wouldn't even know where to find one.
>>
>
> Try the Yellow Pages in your phone book!
On 1/24/2012 10:31 AM, Justin wrote:
> Carl wrote on [Tue, 24 Jan 2012 08:27:15 -0500]:
>> Justin wrote:
>>> Richard B. Gilbert wrote on [Mon, 23 Jan 2012 17:55:31 -0500]:
>>>>
>>>> For your next trip, you might try asking your travel agent about what
>>>> kind of wireless phone service is available. I think that there are
>>>> at
>>>
>>> For the last time, Richard. Nobody uses a travel agent anymore.
>>> I wouldn't even know where to find one.
>>>
>> Not entirely true Justin. While my wife and I don't use one (she likes to do
>> her own R& D), my friend's wife makes a living as a travel agent, believe
>> it or not. From what I gather, she does reasonably well and has a long list
>> of "regular" clients. There are still many people who are just not
>> computer/internet savvy. Apparently, this long-time agency is still around:
>> http://www.libertytravel.com/?kw=agent&leadsourceid=113 ;-)
>
> I guess corporate travel uses travel agents a lot, as well.
>
Many do! I flew PHL to ATL and back for McGraw-Hill. The "travel
office" handed me a well stuffed envelope with tickets, hotel
reservations, rental car agreement, etc, etc. I'm not sure if they
employed someone or just called a local travel agent as needed.
They had about one hundred branch offices all over the country!
On 1/24/2012 2:26 AM, nobody@nada.com wrote:
> On Mon, 23 Jan 2012 17:55:31 -0500, "Richard B. Gilbert"
> <rgilbert88@comcast.net> wrote:
>
>> On 1/21/2012 12:24 PM, Janet Wilder wrote:
>>> I've been on this board many times discussing my using a Verizon global
>>> phone out of the country. I used it all over Europe and as lately as
>>> last June in Russia.
>>>
>>> I set it up with Verizon to use it in Argentina, Uruguay and Chile
>>> before leaving on a trip to Buenos Aires followed by a cruise around
>>> Cape Horn.
>>>
>>> Imagine my surprise when I reached Argentina and my phone would not
>>> work. I called them and learned that a quad-band phone is needed in
>>> Argentina and Chile bit the phone would work in Uruguay. It took me 2
>>> phone calls to get the answer. The second one was due to the hotel
>>> having the wrong number printed on the phone or VZW would have called me
>>> back.
>>>
>>> When I returned home, I called VZW wanting them to refund me for the
>>> toll calls from Argentina. Neither the rep nor I knew the current
>>> conversion rate from Argentinian Pesos, so he just gave me a $25 credit,
>>> which more than covers the calls.
>>>
>>> I'm not happy that whomever set up my phone and activated the SIM card
>>> didn't know that my phone wouldn't work, but I am pleased to report that
>>> VZW treated me as a valued customer, apologized and credited me the cost
>>> of calling them.
>>>
>>> If my next out-of-country trip is less than 3 weeks, I'm going to do the
>>> rental. I'm going to get an Incredible 2 which is global when my NE2
>>> comes up, but I'd be afraid of data charges.
>>>
>>> My next scheduled cruise is to Hawaii, so I'll be using my phone in the US
>>
>> For your next trip, you might try asking your travel agent about what
>> kind of wireless phone service is available. I think that there are at
>> least three different and incompatible technologies used by various
>> cell-phone carriers!
>>
>> If your travel agent doesn't know he should at least know how to find out!
>>
>> It may be as long as five years before the carriers adopt new
>> technology. By the time they adopt the new technology, it will probably
>> be obsolete!!!!
>>
>
> My solution for itnernational phones is get a xcheap quad band GSM
> phone, like from Walmart for under $50 and get it unlocked. When you
> get where you are going, buy a prepaid SIM card with whatever
> features you want. If you need to have calls forwarded to you while
> traveling or even call the US there are people who can supply a SIM
> card for that as well and at relatively low cost.
>
> Is a travel agent someone who can use a computer to do exactly the
> same thing I can do from my computer without leaving the house?
Could be. I'm sure it's easy if you know how. If I traveled a lot, I'm
sure it would be worth learning how. The problem is that I very
seldom travel more than sixty miles from home! For me, it's not worth
the effort. YMMV!
> Judging from the prices of school trips (middle school, high school)
> there's big money in those as well.
Those are fund-raisers in disguise. Half the final price is skimmed off for
the school's benefit. The rest is shared among the travel agent and the
various service providers the trip involves (transportation, meals,
lodgings, admission fees, whatever else may be part of the package).
University alumni/ae associations do quite a few of these fund-raisers.
Cheers, -- tlvp
--
Avant de repondre, jeter la poubelle, SVP.
On 1/23/2012 9:04 PM, Jeffrey Kaplan wrote:
> Previously on alt.cellular.verizon, Carl said:
>
>>> I thought Verizon dropped that long-standing promotion. Now it's just
>>> a standard "subsidized price on a re/new contract".
>>>
>> They used to give you an extra $100 off, if I remember correctly. That is
>> gone, but you still get the subsidized new-contract phone price, usually
>> around $200 for the top-tier phones.
>
> That's what I said.
>
>> My experience with Verizon's global phone rental was not nearly as pleasant
>> and efficient as yours.
>
> I have never rented a phone, that was Janet Wilder, the OP.
>
I haven't either as my VZW global phone always worked. Someone at VZW
dropped the ball on this one.
> If your travel agent doesn't know he should at least know how to find out!
>
> It may be as long as five years before the carriers adopt new
> technology. By the time they adopt the new technology, it will probably
> be obsolete!!!!
>
The only time I use a travel agent is to get extra on-board credit or
other perks on a cruise after I've booked it myself.
I used one for my last river cruise in Russia because she got a better
price than I did dealing with the company directly. Otherwise, travel
agents are useless.
VZW's international department should have known and they dropped the
ball on this one.
> My solution for itnernational phones is get a xcheap quad band GSM
> phone, like from Walmart for under $50 and get it unlocked. When you
> get where you are going, buy a prepaid SIM card with whatever
> features you want. If you need to have calls forwarded to you while
> traveling or even call the US there are people who can supply a SIM
> card for that as well and at relatively low cost.
>
> Is a travel agent someone who can use a computer to do exactly the
> same thing I can do from my computer without leaving the house?
The thing is that I want to keep my own cell phone number.
When my DH got sick and was in the hospital in Palermo, Sicily, my VZW
global phone, with my home cell number worked perfectly. Our doctors at
home were able to call the local number they had as were other important
professionals.
We do not make or take calls when traveling. We keep the phone with us
in case of a medical emergency, like the one we had in Sicily in 2009.
Our travel insurance paid the bill for the phone calls, too.
--
Janet Wilder
Way-the-heck-south Texas
Spelling doesn't count. Cooking does.
On 1/24/2012 11:26 AM, SMS wrote:
> On 1/21/2012 9:24 AM, Janet Wilder wrote:
>
>> Imagine my surprise when I reached Argentina and my phone would not
>> work. I called them and learned that a quad-band phone is needed in
>> Argentina and Chile bit the phone would work in Uruguay. It took me 2
>> phone calls to get the answer. The second one was due to the hotel
>> having the wrong number printed on the phone or VZW would have called me
>> back.
>
> Argentina and Chile use 1900 MHz for GSM, while Uruguay uses 1800 MHz.
> I'm surprised that any global phone sold by Verizon was not quad band
> GSM. Argentina and Chile also have CDMA networks, but maybe Verizon has
> no roaming agreement with them.
The phone I have is an "old" Motorola Z6. I think I got it in 2008.
On 1/24/2012 8:20 PM, Janet Wilder wrote:
> On 1/23/2012 4:55 PM, Richard B. Gilbert wrote:
>
>> If your travel agent doesn't know he should at least know how to find
>> out!
>>
>> It may be as long as five years before the carriers adopt new
>> technology. By the time they adopt the new technology, it will probably
>> be obsolete!!!!
>>
>
> The only time I use a travel agent is to get extra on-board credit or
> other perks on a cruise after I've booked it myself.
>
> I used one for my last river cruise in Russia because she got a better
> price than I did dealing with the company directly. Otherwise, travel
> agents are useless.
>
> VZW's international department should have known and they dropped the
> ball on this one.
>
>
I think you probably do fifty or one hundred times the amount of
traveling that I do.
A few days ago I suggested to my wife, Meg, that we should go to Florida
for a week or two and get warm. She would have NONE OF IT!
If I didn't love her, I'd trade her in for a more flexible model!
The only thing worse than winter is winter in New Jersey!
On 1/24/2012 9:23 PM, Richard B. Gilbert wrote:
> On 1/24/2012 8:20 PM, Janet Wilder wrote:
>> On 1/23/2012 4:55 PM, Richard B. Gilbert wrote:
>>
>>> If your travel agent doesn't know he should at least know how to find
>>> out!
>>>
>>> It may be as long as five years before the carriers adopt new
>>> technology. By the time they adopt the new technology, it will probably
>>> be obsolete!!!!
>>>
>>
>> The only time I use a travel agent is to get extra on-board credit or
>> other perks on a cruise after I've booked it myself.
>>
>> I used one for my last river cruise in Russia because she got a better
>> price than I did dealing with the company directly. Otherwise, travel
>> agents are useless.
>>
>> VZW's international department should have known and they dropped the
>> ball on this one.
>>
>>
> I think you probably do fifty or one hundred times the amount of
> traveling that I do.
>
> A few days ago I suggested to my wife, Meg, that we should go to Florida
> for a week or two and get warm. She would have NONE OF IT!
>
> If I didn't love her, I'd trade her in for a more flexible model!
>
> The only thing worse than winter is winter in New Jersey!
>
We left New Jersey in 1996. Sold the house, furniture and remaining
children and moved into a huge fifth wheel trailer pulled by a great big
Diesel-dually pickup truck.
Traded that set in a few years later for a slightly bigger fifth wheel
(about the size of a NYC apartment) and a little Freightliner RV hauler
truck.
We ran around North America for 9 years. Visited every state (except
Hawaii), every Canadian province and the Yukon Territory. Made sure we
were always somewhere warm in the winter. We stumbled upon
way-the-heck-south Texas and loved the area so much that we bought a
permanent home here about 7 years ago.
I have a fur coat stored in a vault in Central Jersey. If I ever have
to go there in the winter, one of the kids will get it out of storage
and meet me at the airport.
We have our cemetery plots in South Brunswick as the after-funeral food
is much better in New Jersey. Here everything comes on a tortilla :-)
> We left New Jersey in 1996. Sold the house, furniture and
> remaining children
I'm curious what price you got for the children? I suppose it varies
by age, health, etc? I have two I might consider selling if the price
was right...
> We have our cemetery plots in South Brunswick as the after-funeral
> food is much better in New Jersey. Here everything comes on a
> tortilla :-)
Mexican food is at it's best in New Mexico, Taos and Alamogordo come to
mind.... Mexican food in Texas is much less good than New Mexico or
Arizona but better than much of California however I did find the worst
Mexican food in the known universe in San Antonio on the riverwalk.
I had a Chile Relleno that was stuffed with greasy hamburger and (gasp)
pine nuts! Even worse then it sounds. SWMBO had enchiladas covered
with a lemon sauce! I asked our waitress (a cute little senorita)
"what IS this stuff?" She smiled and said, "I don't eat here!" That
says it all.
International Problem 
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