JESSICA BIBER
Staff Writer
Many students leave home for their freshman year of college. They make one quick trip across the state or nation and arrive in Malibu. But sophomore year of college, most students really leave home. More than just a small flight or car ride away, sophomore year is when many Pepperdine students head overseas.
Along with leaving ocean view dorm rooms, students also wave goodbye to friends and family. While a picture of sunlit sandy shores might cure homesickness for being away from Pepperdine, students still need to find ways to cope with being thousands of miles away from loved ones.
The answer lies with Skype, Vonage, cell phones, SIM and calling cards.
Skype
Skype is a network that allows individuals to call each other via the Internet.
With SkypeIn, users can make free calls to other Skype users in the area. So, as long as students set up their Skype phone numbers with area codes from home, they can talk to family for free. That means students in Madrid can call home from across the globe and pay the same price as if they were making local calls.
With SkypeOut, users pay a small fee to call phone numbers in other areas. So, if those same students in Madrid will pay about 2 cents per minute to call numbers outside their designated area code.
“Not only is Skype convenient for Internet users, but it is also good for conference calls,” said Freshman JoAnne Baldwin. “I can talk to my whole family all at once. It’s just like visiting around the coffee table. Skype is definitely how I am going to keep in touch [when I go abroad] next year.”
In January, Skype mentioned a new pricing strategy may be in the cards.
But compared to the price of calling phone-to-phone, Skype remains a very cheap alternative and there is no fee to download it.
Vonage
The second option for traveling students is Vonage. Just like with cell phones, users subscribe to a monthly rate for either unlimited or limited calling. With unlimited calling plans, users can make free calls anywhere in the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, France, Ireland, Italy and the United Kingdom from as low as $24.99 for the residential premium unlimited plan. With limited calling plans, users can call anywhere in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico without paying extra.
Vonage provides telephones and adapters that connect to the Internet, so anywhere users go, Vonage can tag along.
Like Skype, Vonage has a long list of additional services, including three-way calling, caller ID, voicemail, call waiting and call transfer.
Cell Phones
Of course, for the technologically weary, there are always old-fashioned cell phones.
Cingular offers the Cingular World Traveler plan for those calling from outside the United States. The plan costs $5.99 per month and about $1.50 per minute, depending on where users call from.
If family is going to call from the United States, students should opt for Cingular World Connect. The service costs $3.99 per month plus a per-minute fee of about 10 cents to call long distance land phones and about 35 cents to call long distance mobiles.
Comparably, Verizon offers the same $3.99 per month plan for those looking to call from the United States outward. With this plan, callers pay about 20 cents per minute.
If students want to call home from overseas, Verizon suggests buying a Global Phone and digital calling plan. With that, callers pay between 50 cents to $1.50 per minute from most locations.
The advantage of using cell phones to stay in touch is that they are familiar and simple. But some students, including junior Jamie Bloxom, cite cell phones as a pricey method for frequent calls.
Bloxom said some of her friends used cell phones while in London but mostly because their parents wanted them to have it for safety purposes.
“Skype is definitely the cheaper option,” Bloxom said.
SIM Cards
SIM cards are another option for those studying abroad. SIM cards work like calling cards. They cost between $20 and $80 and usually allow text messaging, voice mail, call transfer and call waiting. An extra bonus: all incoming calls are free. Outgoing calls cost about 50 cents depending on the location of the user.
One thing to keep in mind is that SIM cards only work with international cell phones. Because not all cell phones work overseas, SIM cards require that a phone is GSM compatible.
Calling Cards
Similar to SIM cards are calling cards, which can be used everywhere, and the International Programs office recommends them.
“Most students get calling cards because they are easy to carry around,” said Administrative Assistant Tawny Lamb. “Cell phones can go in and out of service, but calling cards always work.”
Calling cards may be purchased in from various stores such as Sam’s Club, Cosco, Target, and most grocery stores.
With all the options for worldwide communication, students going abroad next year need not worry about staying in touch.
Skype, Vonage, cell phones and SIM cards are all useful options for talking to family and friends from thousands of miles away.
And if those do not do the trick, there is always Facebook, e-mail and the good old-fashioned snail mail.
So, while there is not much to be done about missing 80 degree weather and the lush Pepperdine campus, at least friends and family will be only a phone call—or another preferred method—away.
03-01-2007