[Gocamino] Mobile Phones

[Grant Spangler]

We have had occasional dialogs about using a cell phone on the Camino and the amazing charges one might incur. Here's a horror story of $200,000 in data roaming charges on a US mobile phone used in Canada.

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A Florida woman recently received a shock from her cell phone company when she got a bill for $200,000. She has two deaf brothers on her plan, and huge data charges were incurred during a trip to Canada. (Oct. 18) 

http://landing.newsinc.com/shared/video.html?freewheel=69016&sitesection=bostonglobe&VID=23539748

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Whilst in the mobile phone arena, my dear Peregrina Anita is in Spain to walk the Camino Madrid. I unlocked her old iPhone 3G to be able to use any GSM system worldwide. I further embedded both our North American and European contacts for ease of use. She dutifully bought a Movistar SIM in Madrid, turned off data roaming and location services so everything was set. Flawless low cost communications ensued. Well, the Camino Madrid seems to have poor waymarkings, and decidedly less infrastructure than, say, the Camino Frances. Still, things were under control until she tripped and fell and incurred some major injuries. After a bit of the Camino miraculous (or amazing happenstance, your choice) she ends up in the safe haven of Rebekah and Paddy in Moratinos. Thank God for technology and friends on foreign shores. What could have been a major situation was downsized to the tolerably painful. So everything works out. But ain’t that just like the Camino?

Buen Camino,

Grant
 
http://www.ElCaminoSantiago.com
Resources for the Pilgrimage Road to Santiago