Global Cell Phone Coming

What do you think of when you hear "National Geographic"? A magazine with a distinctive yellow border, fabulous photography and a global view on culture, history, archaeology, paleontology and the natural world? A legendary not-for-profit "society" that has underwritten breakthrough expeditions all over the world? Perhaps a travel company specializing in expedition-type trips? A series of television specials? A cell phone company?

You probably said "yes" to the first four and chuckled at the fifth. But the last laugh might be on you, because the renowned scientific and educational institution has teamed up with Cellular Abroad, a California-based company, to develop the National Geographic Tralk Abroad Travel Phone. With a launch planned in March, it is intended to function across boarders in more than 100 countries.

The phone is $199 to purchase. That includes free incoming calls in most countries and 30 minutes of free outgoing talk time, with additional minutes 90 cents per outgoing call minute. The phones can also be rented for $49 per week. A $79 SIM card is good 30 for minutes of free outgoing talk time. Other pluses are 24-hour, seven-day toll-free support, and no contracts to sign. Information is available at www.cellularabroad.com/travelphone and 800-287-5072.

Even though the phone and the service are not cheap, a high price is sometimes worthwhile -- and I say this as someone who has not yet succumbed to cell phonitis in this country. A year ago, I went to France on ski trip. The original plan was for everyone flying in from various North American gateways to meet at Charles de Gaulle Airport and take the high-speed TGV train to Lyon. I stupidly booked through Chicago, a regrettable mistake in winter. My flight was badly delayed, and by the time I arrived at CDG in Paris, went through passport control and retrieved my luggage, my companions were speeding toward Lyon.

I had the trip organizer's US cell phone number, and her phone service also worked in Europe -- or at least in France. My first task was getting some Euros, because I knew there would be a fee for changing my TGV reservation and I had very few Euros left over from my previous trip. There were long lines at all the change offices in the terminal, and the airport appeared to have one ATM. It's downstairs, next to the post office, if you ever need it.

I finally got a couple of hundred Euros from the slo-o-o-o-ow cash machine, rebooked my TGV ticket and had to call the organizer to tell her when I would be in Lyon. The good news is that I found several pay phones quickly. The bad news is that although one phone company's devices claimed to accept Visa and MasterCard, they didn't. All they would take was a French phone card. So off I went, looking for a magazine/candy/tobacco shop to buy a phone card. I returned to the pay phone and used my new French phone card to call her -- on a US number.

By that time, I had taken the bus from Boulder to Denver International Airport, flown to Chicago, changed terminals there, endured a long flight delay, flown overnight to Paris and seen much more of CDG that I really cared to. After a couple of hours on the train, I connected with the group in Lyon, which graciously waited for my arrival for the bus ride to Alpe d'Huez. That resort is known to Tour de France aficionados for the grueling 21-hairpin ascent of one of the most challenging mountain stages. I didn't pedal, but by the time I arrived there, I was pretty tired too. If one-call cell service had been available last year, and if I'd had the foresight to rent one, it would have been worth a $49 one-week fee.