US-based cellular service in Spain

[ValenciaSon]

I know that Europe uses a different standard for cellular or mobile phone service, GSM, I believe. Does anyone with US-based cellular service have any recent experience with how they used their cell phone in Spain?

[Brian]

I know that Europe uses a different standard for cellular or mobile phone service, GSM, I believe. Does anyone with US-based cellular service have any recent experience with how they used their cell phone in Spain?

On our last trip, we inquired with Cingular about this. It WAS possible to activate it for use in Europe, but the costs of activation and calls was going to be exhorbitant, so we didn't do it. If you're going to get a cell for European use, the answer might lie in purchasing one of those disposable thingies with the prepaid minutes.

[Edith]

Why don't they just standardize the lot? The same applies to DVDs and videotapes, of course. Very frustrating. >:D

[osvaldo]

Why don't they just standardize the lot? The same applies to DVDs and videotapes, of course. Very frustrating. >:D

I'm not sure why, but it's very frustrating. What I usually do is buy a calling card...it works reasonably well, and it's not all that expensive.

[ValenciaSon]

Why don't they just standardize the lot? The same applies to DVDs and videotapes, of course. Very frustrating. >:D

I think sometimes it's a business decision. Others its technological. For DVDs, regionalizing is done to cut down on global pirating.

[Edith]

I think sometimes it's a business decision. Others its technological. For DVDs, regionalizing is done to cut down on global pirating.

I know... it's all about $$$ and not about consumers' interests. This means I can't go to the US and buy DVDs there which may interest me, and vice versa. Last year, I bought 'Como agua para chocolate' on DVD in a Dutch store, but since it has got a US regional code but I can only watch it on my laptop!

[Brian]

I know... it's all about $$$ and not about consumers' interests. This means I can't go to the US and buy DVDs there which may interest me, and vice versa. Last year, I bought 'Como agua para chocolate' on DVD in a Dutch store, but since it has got a US regional code but I can only watch it on my laptop!

No doubt. We've often wanted to purchase native Spanish DVDs on our trips, but regional coding thwarts us.

I can understand their desire to prevent people from stealing their work, but it is very frustrating for those who want to watch foreign flicks.

[ValenciaSon]

people are just going to have to watch foreign films from their own country:rolleyes:

[Edith]

people are just going to have to watch foreign films from their own country:rolleyes:


Aaargh!!! :D

[missmarymackmackmack]

For my travels to Spain I bought a cheap cellular and just bought minutes while I was here. I think its not very economical, but I'd rather pay the slight penalty than be the only person over the age of ten not to have a cellular. I bought a no-frills Nokia and like it so much better than my hyper-delux phone at home that I might keep it and rechip it in the US (note: I can use my $40 European cell phone in the US and South America and other places, but outside of the US my phone is a $300 paperweight.)

A quick rant:
The lack of standardization between the continents is frustrating. Or should I say the lack of standardization between my continent and the rest of the world. Given US resources every time I see something that doesn't connect well, when it should, I know that its some protectionistic BS.

It's just another place where the US does not want to connect with the rest of the world.

It's emberassing not to be able to gauge km, kl, kg, or C. I can hear the arguement... sure I am responsibile for my own education, but of all things not to have learned in the 100,000's of dollars that have gone into my schooling it is the frigging way that the rest of the world measures things.

I feel like every step of the way the "system" is pushing us (US) into isolationism. Lack of foreign language education, lack of non-US centric international news, lack of unbiased US centric international news (we get 4 minutes of any international news in every 30 minute news broadcast), cell phones you can't use outside of the country, on and on and on.

I am not Mr. I-Hate-America, but I do think that we could be a little more international. If not in geopolitics, than at least in the frigging cell phones. The World is Flat could be renamed The World is Mostly Flat; soon comes the day when Americans will simply be left behind.

Sorry to go off. I've been a little pissy since I've been without drip coffee.