This article has been published in our February 2008 Newsletter

Calls between United States and Europe, in personal or professional environments, have represented for a long time high costs and complications. Travelers had few choices in maintaining their cell phone service while abroad. Solutions were:
- Using their own GSM-compatible phone (if they had one), and their U.S.-based plan, and pay important international roaming fees and surcharges
- Renting a GSM phone and pay the high rental rates and expensive per-minute calling charges
- Buying a costly prepaid phone card and deal with instructions, restrictions and time limitations

Today, two companies offer you solutions to these issues.


Founded in 2006, Call in Europe makes it possible to pay the same low rates for cell service as Europeans do. Users can have open and multi-country access to the world’s largest and most reliable cell phone network. That’s because Call in Europe has become a partner of SFR, rated no. 1 cell phone Company in France, and its parent company Vodafone, which serves 140 million customers throughout Europe. For example, travelers who already own a GSM tri-band, unlocked cell phone can take advantage of the Call in Europe cell phone services for a one-time $29 fee.
It only takes a few seconds to insert the SIM card in the traveler’s U.S. phone. Once done, the traveler receives a local cell phone number and has no prepayment, no monthly fees, no term commitment and $10 of free airtime. The SIM cards Call in Europe provides are also compatible with Blackberries and Smartphones, so many corporate customers who travel find Call in Europe a perfect way to go. Other special services include a “Keep My U.S. Number” option that forwards all calls to a U.S. cell phone to the traveler’s European-equipped phone for a small fee.

Website: http://www.callineurope.com





Yes.digitrad.com offers a phone number that allows users to receive calls on their phones or computers via the virtual phone on their web page. They can also place international calls from their mobile phones for the price of a local call. This offer is currently limited to France: if you live abroad and would like to be called from France by your friends, your family or your colleagues for the price of a local call, it is easy, go to yes.digitrad.com and select a free number.
If you live in France, you can call up to 130 countries in the world for the price of a local call, you can also receive calls on your computer, your landline or your mobile phone (receiving calls on French mobile phones is limited to accounts created during the time of the launch). In addition, you can get your voicemails in your email inbox. This service makes Digitrad the leader on IP voice services might be extended to other European countries later.

Website: http://yes.digitrad.com