Organising Your Trip--Booking Flights and Hotels
Packing and Luggage Essentials, Passports, Visas and Travel Docs
Checking In, Changing Flights and Getting Bumped
WiFi and Cell Phones and Technology
• WiFi Net Secrets
• Cell Phones In The US
Transport, Rental Cars, Exploring Your Destination & Food Tips
Using wireless Internet connections can be expensive at airports, hotels or in other public places. Instead of spending $10 an hour or more for temporary access to Telstra or Optus (or other services overseas, you can check for national and international WiFi free hot spots.
If you're at an airport and want to access free wi-fi, stand outside most any airline membership lounge and you'll find that the free wi-fi signal used by members within can be accessed through the walls by turning on your computer and tuning in. You can suck up bandwidth without paying or being inside.
With hotels, you'll find that many of the chain hotels may charge for wi-fi or cable internet access in the rooms but have free wi-fi in the lobby. I've often pulled up outside the front foyer of a Ramada or Radisson hotel and tapped into their wi-fi to check emails without leaving the car!
No need to use those smelly Internet cafes to log on. You'll find coffee shops galore and bars that offer free wi-fi if you order a beverage.
Probably the best way to deal with using your own cell phone in the US is to get a prepaid SIM card for your phone and our recommendation is T-Mobile, though you can also use Verizon, AT&T,Virgin, Alltel and Tracfone. Using your Australian service and roaming in the US is horrifically expensive.
The reason we use T-Mobile is that for $50 you get a SIM card and your own phone number and some phone time, but for an extra $100 you get 1000 minutes (10 cents a minute) and the phone number valid for a year. If you spend a lot of time in Los Angeles for example, get the number set for that area code so anyone calling you from there is a local call. You can change your area code after leaving. You get free roaming, voice mail, caller ID, call waiting and three way calling.
To get an idea of the variety of phones and recharges available, here's Walmart, which is a major discount store open all over the US.
One handy service we've used is Tracfone with locked phones and refill cards available most anywhere and also renewable online.