Travel Internationally with T-Mobile
Now that the hullabaloo over the iPhone has passed (or at least diminished), T-Mobile might start to get some deserved attention for its new T-Mobile Hotspot@Home service. With this plan, your cell phone works like a regular cell phone, until you get within range of a wireless network (including T-Mobile's 8,500 Hotspots in the United States). Then, the call switches seamlessly from T-Mobile's cellular network to the Internet. Calls that originate from a Wi-Fi network don't count against your monthly allotment of minutes.
In his column for the New York Times, David Pogue talks about the myriad benefits of the Hotspot@Home service -- including improved sound quality over Wi-Fi -- but he also points out this bonus, for people who travel abroad:
SAVING NO. 3 When you're in a hot spot, T-Mobile has no idea where you are in the world. You could be in Des Moines, Denmark or Djibouti. So this is a big one for travelers: When you're in a hot spot overseas, all calls to United States numbers are free.This will be a huge benefit for people who use their cell phones to stay in touch with coworkers and family: no more messing with SIM cards and additional phone numbers. To avoid international calling rates, though, you might want to use the London office's desk phone to make your dinner reservations.