For international travelers, owning a world phone is a necessity. Such phones adapt to the country they are being used in so that they can function in many places around the world. Obviously, the fact that world phones can be talked on virtually anywhere is their primary advantage; there are benefits to world phones that are not so easy to recognize.

The scope of coverage
Many cell phone companies tout their services as international, but when it comes time to actually test this out, customers become disappointed in how limited their service really is. World phones rely on dual-band to quad-band technology to switch to a country’s specific technology during travel. With the use of a GSM world phone, coverage expands to over 200 countries, making it an essential communications tool for international business people.

Consistent call rates
With the use of a “true” world phone, customers are able to take advantage of their agreed upon rates, no matter what country they find themselves in. With regular cell phones, one must continually switch phones to adapt to each country they are in, and then those phones are subject to higher costs per call. A world phone allows for one rate, is this can be of a substantial savings to travelers.

Keeping contacts all in one place
If a business traveler is constantly changing phones, it becomes very difficult to maintain a fluid contact list. With world phones, only one device is ever used, so it is possible to keep all contacts from around the world in one easy-to-find location. This may not seem like a huge advantage, but when a person is forced to rummage through all their phones to locate an urgent contact, the true value of this attribute is fully realized.

There are other unique advantages to using a world phone, so be sure to consult with the experts if one is considering making the switch to one. WorldPhones.com is a good place to begin the search for a new phone. International business travelers have more options than ever with the advent of world phones, and these devices can save time, money and make the hassles of travel a little bit less stressful.

World phones are cell phones that are designed to be used anywhere in the world and therefore operate on international frequencies. Typically such phones support between three and four frequency bands to enable roaming between different countries. As a result, world phones are sometimes referred to as tri-band or quad-band phones.

International travelers require such world phones because the cell phones that are designed for use within one country often do not work outside that country or region. For example, in the U.S. several major carriers such as Verizon Wireless, Sprint and U.S. Cellular operate what are known as Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) networks.

Cell phones operating on CDMA networks do not work on Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) networks, which is the standard across Europe, Latin America and Asia. Several carriers in the U.S including AT&T and T-Mobile do operate GSM networks. But phones operating on these networks may not work on GSM networks outside the country because of different radio frequencies. In the U.S. all GSM networks operate at 850 and 1900 radio frequencies, while those in Europe use the 900 and 1800 frequencies while some parts of Asia operate on the 1800 frequency.

So in order for a world phone to be able to operate in as many countries as possible it needs to be either a tri-band GSM phone supporting the 900, 1800 and 1900 radio frequencies, or it has to be a quad-band phone supporting all four GSM frequencies–850,900, 1800 and 1900.

Several options exist today for individuals in the U.S. looking to purchase or rent a world phone when travelling outside the country. Some examples of tri-band phones include the Sony Ericsson W508, the LG KS360 and the Samsung F480. Examples of the relatively more expensive quad-band GSM phones include the Samsung T539 model, Sony Ericsson’s C905 and the Blackberry Curve quad-band.

All of these phones are designed for use internationally. However, if they are currently being used on a U.S. network, the service provider may have to “unlock” the phones in order for them to be used overseas.

Mobile phones are a valuable communication tool for people at work or around their local area. The value of being able to communicate is in no way diminished when traveling abroad. For those who frequently travel internationally, be it professionally or otherwise, and need to be able to make or receive calls, a mobile world phone is a convenient and essential tool.

A world phone is, in short, a type of mobile phone that is designed to operate in multiple regions of the world, across different continents. Though which parts of the world is up to the phone models and providers. Most world phones use the Global System for Mobile communications standard, or GSM, to access phone service in different parts of the world. Other international standards are used as well, and they are often also supported by world phones. But of those standards, GSM is the most popular and supported for world phones.

International travelers can benefit in many ways from using a mobile world phone. The foremost benefit is having the same conveniences as using a mobile phone back home, such as being able to call services, friends, and co-workers from practically anywhere. Even emergency services are available, as GSM offers a standard emergency phone number, 112.

World phone users only need to use one phone, regardless of which continent they are on. Using the same device means not having to deal with being without or having to transfer contact lists, applications, or preferences that would come with switching mobile phones. World phone users also do not even need to change the SIM cards in their phones while traveling. The phones also maintain the same phone number, regardless of where they are, allowing contacts to easily reach their users.

Aside from convenience, there are many cost benefits from having a world phone. Users do not have to buy multiple mobile phones to stay in contact while traveling abroad. And the rates for international phone calls, text messages, mobile Internet, and other services are typically lower and consistent.

All of the savings and conveniences that come from ownership make mobile world phones a must have for anybody that frequently travels internationally.