Cell Phone Rental for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa

The 2010 FIFA World Cup kick-off on 11 June 2010 in Johannesburg, South Africa is still some months away. Over 1.6 million ticket applications have been made to FIFA from fans across 205 countries for the 2010 World Cup, in the first phase of ticket sale.

South African residents made around 30% of the 1.6 million requests for seats & remaining 70% came from the rest of the world, most came from the United States followed by Britain, Germany, Italy and Australia.

One of the most important worry for football fans around the world is how to stay connected affordably while visiting South Africa for 2010 World Cup. Let’s look at some of the options available:

Using a hotel or a pay phone - It would certainly be convenient to connect from your hotel, if the hotel has good phones, and reasonable charges for International calls but that’s seldom the case because hotels often charge a massive mark-up. Using a pay phones in South Africa require a minimum of 80¢ for a local call, it's worth purchasing a telephone card (used in specific pay phones) for international calls - these card pay phones are also often the only ones working.

Using Internet – If you carry your own computer, more and more hotels, resorts, airports, cafes, and retailers are going Wi-Fi (wireless fidelity), becoming "hotspots" that offer free high-speed Wi-Fi access or charge a fee for usage. And, if you are without your own computer, there are plenty of cybercafés in South Africa's urban areas.

But what if you really need to stay in touch with home and/or have a cell phone while travelling?

Cell Phones - The three letters that define much of the world's wireless capabilities are GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications), a big, seamless network that makes for easy cross-border cell phone use. In the USA, T-Mobile and AT&T use this quasi-universal system & in Canada, Microcell and some Rogers’s customers are GSM, and all Europeans and most Asians use GSM. GSM phones function with a removable plastic SIM card, encoded with your phone number and account information. If your cell phone is on a GSM system, and you have a world-capable multiband phone such as many Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Motorola, or Samsung models, you can make and receive calls across civilized areas around much of the globe. Just call your wireless operator and ask for "international roaming" to be activated on your account. Unfortunately, per-minute charges can be high - usually $1.50 in Western Europe and up to $2.50 to $4 in places like South Africa. Let’s look at some handy alternatives:

1) Buy or Rent a phone while in South Africa – Thought his is not economically attractive but once you arrive at your destination, stop by a local cell phone shop, you'll probably pay more than $100 for a phone and $10 for a starter calling card. Unfortunately during such a busy time, this is not a recommended option if you haven't pre-booked.
Also, this sounds simple, but the charges for prepaid are very different to contract - often twice the price.

2) Buy or Rent a phone before you leave home - North Americans can buy or rent one before leaving home from RebelFone (www.RebelFone.com). Now you can travel across South Africa and keep in touch from Johannesburg, Durban, Cape Town or any other major cities where FIFA matches are held.

RebelFone’s South Africa Cell Phone Rental solutions include free unlimited incoming calls, low rates for national & calls to the USA/Canada, voice mail, and local South African phone number without any contract.

RebelFone will also, for free, advise you on whether your existing phone will work in South Africa, simply call toll free 800-375-7163 between 9am and 6pm EST. If your phone is compatible, you can simply get a South Africa SIM Card for the 2010 FIFA World Cup and use it in your own phone.

With RebelFone’s service, you can save as much as 85% off your carrier roaming and with other great benefits, you are sure to stay connected for less and with the best coverage too.

Cell Phone in France

France is a beautiful country!! From one area to another, one can admire the beauty of the landscapes and discover many traditions. However, many a person that has travelled to France can share the horror stories that accompanied them as they planned their trip. Problematic hotel reservations, teeny tiny hotel rooms, expensive meals and the eternal problem of staying in touch with friends, family and business partners at home.

It would certainly be convenient to connect from your hotel or use your current cell phone, if it is compatible to work abroad and charges are reasonable. But that's rarely the case, especially the reasonable charges part. Many hotels charge 4 to 5 times the normal rate for phone calls and all cellular providers charge exorbitantly high roaming fees for people using their mobile phones abroad.

Using your current mobile phone abroad can also present other hurtles which you will find are not just cost related, as most of North American cell phones do not function in France due to the different cell network frequencies. All European Countries have adopted the GSM 900/1800 megahertz network as their primary cellular network, though GSM has been introduced in the USA and cellular companies such as T-Mobile and AT&T have started adopting this new system, but sadly again, using a different frequency: GSM 1900!

Way around this?

Use a local Cell Phone Solution for France to avoid expensive International Roaming. Now many companies in the USA will ship you a local French phone before departure but this can be expensive & inconvenient too - especially when you have to pay hefty rentals or re-load credit on your prepaid phones while on move.

Fortunately companies such as RebelFone can sell you a post-paid France SIM card without any contract or commitment and provide you with other services like a compatible cell phone (if you don’t already have one) to get yourself setup at a low cost and ready before you leave on your trip.

Inside each phone there is a small card usually found behind the battery called a SIM card. Most cell phones manufactured today are either Tri or Quad-band, which means they can receive all 3 or 4 frequencies required to work in France, however most of the GSM cellular providers in USA will lock these phones, so that they cannot be used with any other SIM. But many do not realize that you can get a “un-lock code” from your carrier to un-lock your phone and use it with another SIM.

Even if you don’t have an un-locked cell phone with required bands, you can still enjoy the benefits of a French SIM card and stay connected as RebelFone offers low cost SIM & Cell Bundle for France. You will own the cell phone that comes with this bundle and since it is un-locked you can use it next time you travel to 200 other Countries worldwide and save even more by only getting a SIM card then.

Benefit?

All SIM cards in France & across Europe include unlimited free incoming calls, low rates for local & International outgoing calls and free of roaming charges as long as you use the SIM card in the country from which it originated. If you venture outside of France and find yourself in a neighbouring country like Italy you can still use your mobile phone but your rates will increase. By switching to an Italy SIM card you'd continue to receive free incoming calls and maintain low rates.

Since these SIM cards are post-paid, you will be billed for your usage after your use and you need not worry about running out of credit while abroad. After you come back from your trip you can simply return the SIM card back if you are not going to travel again anytime sooner.

Most country restrictions prevent tourists and non-residents from purchasing SIM cards inside their borders. Fortunately companies such as RebelFone can sell you a French SIM card to get yourself setup and ready before you leave on your trip. These cards are not available everywhere in France or USA as they are designed for tourist but you can easily get them online at: www.RebelFone.com

Cell Phone in Italy

Italy is one of Europe's most complex and alluring destinations, a modern, industrialized nation, with an artistic and architectural legacy that few other countries can rival. It may be tempting to cut ties while wandering under the Tuscan sun, but contact is often part of that journey - either to keep those ties back home warm, or only for safety's sake.

If you are travelling to Italy and want to use your current cell phone, you most likely will be unable to do so, as most Italian cell phones carriers use the GSM 900/1800 MHz platform for cellular service. Unlike in the US, where the two GSM carriers (T-Mobile and AT&T) use 850/1900 MHz frequencies. Therefore, even if your US based cell phone operates uses GSM standard, unless it has the 900 or 1800 frequencies, it will not work in Italy.

What if your US phone does work overseas? Some of the new US cell phones on the market do function internationally, including in Italy. However, be aware that you will be roaming at approximately $1.50 per minute (plus tax), and you will be paying for both outgoing and incoming calls.

So how does one stay connected affordably while traveling to Italy?

As they say “when in Rome, do as the Romans do”.

The easiest & most economical approach is to rent or purchase a phone or just the SIM Card before you depart. That way, you have the phone ready to use as soon as you land and you will have the phone number before you leave as well to give out to your contacts.

RebelFone (www.RebelFone.com) a company based out of Florida, USA has a new service that is specifically designed for travelers going to Italy who need to call back to the US or make local calls in Italy. Besides the unlimited free incoming calls, calls from Italy to North America are only US$0.45 per minute.

RebelFone has exclusive arrangements with local Italian cell phone carriers, through this partnership RebelFone can facilitate local post-paid Italian cell phone service for just US$4.99, you have the option to use the service with your own un-locked international cell phone or if you don’t have one you can Italy cell phone at just $1 a day or you may even buy one if you are travel frequently.

RebelFone’s offerings come without any contract term and services. Furthermore, they offer a 24/7 customer service, where it is easy and convenient to reach them.

How does RebelFone’s service compare with others?

Though it is clear by now that savings are huge as compared to using your US phone on international roaming in Italy, let’s see how does RebelFone’s service compares to local pre-paid Italy sim card.

It would certainly be more convenient to connect from your apartment or hotel, if they have good phones, and reasonable charges for International calls. But that's rarely the case, especially the reasonable charges part. Many hotels charge 4 to 5 times the normal rate for phone calls, an alternative is to get a pay as you go sim while in Italy. Getting this SIM will require a visit to a local grocer and cost about €10, it includes €3 credit and it will cost you €0.50 per min to call US using this SIM, i.e. approximately twice as expensive as RebelFone’s service and don’t forget the risk of running out of credit while traveling!

Staying in touch in Europe is cheaper than you think

Europe is a dream destination for travellers worldwide, we have always said that one day I will take that dream vacation to Europe. If you're like most travellers, you probably do a lot of things automatically without thinking much about it, you may look for the biggest or the cheapest hotel chain, or you may bring your own cell phone or use payphones to stay in touch and keep those ties back home warm.

Over the last few years payphone use in Europe has been steadily declining and operating at loss, as a traveller this means that first, functional payphones are hard to find and second, rates are increasing. It would certainly be more convenient to connect from your hotel, if the hotel has good phones, and reasonable charges for International calls. But that's rarely the case, especially the reasonable charges part. Many hotels charge 4 to 5 times the normal rate for phone calls.

By this time you might be wondering if carrying a cell phone is the only option you are left with, the option you feared the most because of the high International roaming cost and the limitation of your cell phone being non-compatible to work in Europe. Even though few carriers in North America share same GSM system as used in Europe, their cell phones run on different frequency. There a 4 frequencies used by cell phones, the frequencies are 850, 900, 1800 and 1900 Mhz. Depending on the country only some of the frequencies are used, for example in the Europe only 900 and 1800 are used, while in the United States 850 and 1900 are used.

Using Your Own Phone

Most cell phones manufactured today are either Tri-band or Quad-band, which means they can receive all 3 or 4 frequencies required to work across the Continent. If you have such a phone u may want to consider roaming with your current service provider only if you know you will use it seldom, as this can really have a big dent on your pocket. Call rates can run anywhere from $1 - $3 per minute for all Incoming & Outgoing calls, depending on which Country you travel.

Ironically, what was until recently, one of the most expensive ways to stay in touch in the Europe has now become one of the least expensive, if you're willing to switch gears and break some of these long-time travel habits, you may come out money ahead.

Use a local solution

As they say “when in Rome, do as the Romans do”.

The most economic way to use your own cell phone, if it has the correct bands (most phones today are), is to swap out the SIM card (the chip in the phone giving you service) and insert a local Europe SIM Card. Chances are you already have a cell phone with required bands but do not realize that you can use them with this SIM by simply asking your carrier for the unlock code.

These cards are not available everywhere in the Europe as they are designed for tourist but you can get them through RebelFone at www.RebelFone.com

Though there are several other SIM cards you can get online or at your arrival in Europe, this solution is offered keeping in mind that visitors to Europe often travel to more than one Country and need low fixed & flat call rates everywhere.

This service is available to any traveller worldwide and can be ordered online with a convenience of getting the SIM before you leave, which means you will have the number to give out to your contacts before your trip.

Don’t have an un-locked cell phone with required bands?

No problem, you can still enjoy the benefits of a Europe SIM card and stay connected at low rates. Gone are those days when un-locked multi band cell phones used to cost a fortune, in fact RebelFone offers low cost SIM & Cell Bundle for Europe. You will own the cell phone that comes with this bundle and since it is un-locked you can use it next time you travel in 200 other Countries worldwide and save even more by just ordering a SIM card then.

Now that you know how to stay in touch & still stay money ahead while in Europe, we say “auf seine Kosten kommen” (“to get one’s money worth” – German).

International Cell Phone Rental

As a business traveler, student abroad, or an occasional tourist, now staying in touch with the office colleague, family back home, is not an expensive matter. Using a cell phone to stay in touch is convenient and cost effective. Cell phones can be used to confirm or make reservations, call home, or confirm business appointments.

Many travelers don't realize that the cell phone standards and equipment we use in USA are incompatible with the GSM (Global System for worldwide Mobile communication) 900/1800 standards used abroad. If your phone does work overseas, depending on your service, you can end up paying expensive roaming rates plus other hidden charges. Simply put your cell phone probably does not work overseas. This means that if you want to stay in touch by cell phone you will need to buy or rent a compatible phone. If you

You can order online on www.rebelfone.com a cell phone or Country specific SIM card. We will ship it to your address via FedEx. If you're just planning on traveling for few days or even a couple of weeks, renting a cell phone should be adequate and convenient.

What are the benefits of international cellular phone rental?

Using cell phone abroad is much costly. Generally carriers in USA charge you $2 - $3 USD for call back to United States. RebelFone is offering better solution for travelers. You can save up to 85% off your carrier roaming rates.

If you go for a short trip then you can take international cell phone on rent at just $1 USD per day or if you want to buy your own unlocked cell phone that is starting from $59.

Here are some of the benefits:

• Save up to 85% off your carriers roaming rates
• Receive free text messages (SMS)
• Incoming calls free in most of the countries
• No Contract, simply return the SIM after your trip
• Simple & accurate billing, billed to your credit card

How do you get a phone and what do you do with it after your trip?

When you are planning a trip you need to inform RebelFone.com of your departure and return dates and they will ship the phone/SIM to you. Once you receive the SIM all you need to do is insert it in the unlocked GSM phone and you are ready to make and receive calls. After your trip you can return or send phone back to RebelFone by FedEx or US postal services.

RebelFone is one of the online cell phone rental companies. They have developed a highly regarded reputation for providing quality equipment and personal customer service. If you are not frequent traveler or usually go out for a short trip, then I would suggest you to get an International Cell Phone for rent at just $1 per day from RebelFone. You can place an order on our Website www.rebelfone.com or you can call us on our toll free number 1-800-375-7163 so that we can arrange for the same before your trip.

UK Cell Phone Rental

Due to the extensive business travel many people need to use their cellular phones in other countries. If you are planning a trip to United Kingdom and wish to have the use of a cell phone, there are certain factors that you need to keep in mind.

The only American companies that offer GSM services are AT&T and T-Mobile and while you may own a GSM telephone, the frequencies that are used in Europe are different than those that are used in the United States and Canada, so your cell phone may not work in Europe. If you find that you can use your own phone, you may want to set up a "roaming" service with your current provider, which can be quite expensive.

A postpaid UK SIM card with an international cell phone is the most convenient and economical solution for staying in touch while in UK. All incoming calls while in UK are FREE, regardless of where they originate. Pay the local rate for local calls and use a cellular phone in UK like you do at home. And unlike home, your UK SIM card and cell phone service is postpaid with no contract and minimum commitment.

The SIM Card for UK includes:

• One Time SIM Activation Charge $14.99
• A local cell phone number of UK
• FREE Incoming Calls
• Voicemail
• SMS (text messaging)
• No contracts , simply return the SIM after your trip

RebelFone provides international cell phone rental for the United Kingdom and local cell phone numbers with unlimited free incoming calls, low rental and calling fees, excellent customer service, and unsurpassed connection.

Benefits for renting a UK cell phone

• Unlimited FREE incoming calls & text
• return the SIM after the trip
• 24 x 7 Global Support, 365 days a year
• Simple & accurate billing, billed to your credit card
• Save up to 85% off your carrier roaming rates!
• National calls at $0.25 per minute
• Calls to USA at $0.29 per minute.
• Next Day Delivery – Good for last minute business travel

Traveling to another country can be an exciting if not exhausting endeavor. To ensure that you will have use of a cell phone during your visit, your best bet is probably to plan to rent one of these devices (UK SIM card or UK Cell Phone) when you enter the country so you can stay in touch with your family members or friends back home.