I trust big corporations only slightly more than I trust big government.
A case in point…..
I have been getting my digital world organized prior to our departure today for my trip with two other faculty and 20 students to the Czech Republic, Germany, Austria, and Hungary.
First, I wanted to be able to have cell phone access. I went to the Verizon store to see what I would need to do to get cell phone access. (Note: I do think Verizon has the best coverage, but they are still a big, clumsy bureaucratic corporation). On two different visits to the store, I was assured that my phone would work just fine in the countries we would be traveling in.
When I went there one last time to get the details, I was told that what I was told (if I was in fact told this, according to the new person) was incorrect. I would need to rent a phone to work in that part of Europe.
So I called support and ordered a phone. I asked if I should just buy a phone, but was assured that it would be WAY too expensive.
When I went to the Verizon store yesterday, a young man said, “Why are you going to rent a phone? I can sell you a new one for just a little more that will work anywhere in the world.” So I bought the phone and shipped the rental back.
Then I asked if I was all set for my laptop with my global modem they sold me. “All set! Just insert it and you will be good to go,” I was assured.
Being a rather obsessive type, I called global support one last time to make sure I understood what the global modem would allow me to do.
“DON’T use if for anything but e-mails!! And if you open e-mails do not, what ever you do, open any attachments! If you blog or go to websites you will use all of your 100 MB in one day,” I was instructed.
“That really stinks!”, I said to the person on the line.
She told me that if I do use the Verizon modem for blogging I could expect thousands or even tens of thousands in charges. “YIKES!!,” I exclaimed.
Good thing I never trust what people who work in big institutions tell me!
I tell you all this story so you will be understanding if I don’t blog as much as usual, and as much as I had hoped, during the next three weeks in eastern Europe.
When I find a hot spot or stay in a hotel with Internet I will blog, I promise.
Yikes! indeed!
Have a great trip 🙂
Looking forward to the ‘on the road’ reports.
Pierre
Why are you buying anything from a US carrier for use in Europe? Its far cheaper just to buy a Pay as You Go sim card in Europe – and put on it just the amount you need. (I’m assuming you have a GSM or 3G phone). This is cheap – very cheap – compared with roaming rates.
US carriers will try to keep you on their account so they make huge margin on your activity, even if you use very little. They don’t want you to realise how cheap Europe is – or for you to switch all of that revenue to someone else.
A common sight in Europe these days at airports etc is people swapping their sim cards for just this reason.
Your US carrier is massively motivated not to tell you this by the massive margin it will make even on a small amount of your roaming, rather than see all that revenue switch to a European carrier.