If you are thinking about an international cell phone rental there are two different types that you should consider, a GSM network phone rental and a satellite phone rental. These two types vary greatly in the way that the network is set up and executed and in the features that they include. GSM cellular phones are more like ordinary cellular phones than satellite phones are; they simply operate off of the international network rather than the network that service providers within the United States use. They can operate in approximately 200 countries worldwide and this number is increasing everyday as technology advances make the system more adaptable to other parts of the world. Some companies inside the United States have begun making phones that operate on the GSM network, though many of these still operate at a different frequency that still prohibits them from communicating with international phones. Satellite phones on the other hand are usable anywhere in the world, even very remote locations where GSM provides little to no service. These phones operate off of a series of low orbiting satellites instead of ground towers providing a clear signal with almost no delay to anywhere on Earth.
The first type of international cell phone rental that was mentioned above was the GSM phone. It comes complete with free voice mail, free 24 hour technical support, an additional battery, a wall outlet charger, an in car charger, and a travel adaptor for foreign electric outlets. In addition you receive free itemized billing and a user’s guide. The rental rates for these phones are fairly inexpensive, however the charge for each minute that you use can vary depending on your location.
The second type of international cell phone rental that was mentioned above was the satellite phone. This phone has many of the same features as a GSM phone such as the batteries and chargers. However, satellite phones can also transmit data and some can even connect to the Internet even from the most remote locations. One other notable difference is that no matter your location, your rental fee and usage charge will both always be flat rates.