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Staying Connected... Everywhere

Techstination feature for Tuesday, August 15, 2006

Staying connected, everywhere. Bloomberg Boot Camp, a report on today's technology. To some people, it may sound like a nightmare. To others, a relief. But staying connected while you're traveling, just about anywhere in the word, has never been easier. At Cingular Wireless, Executive VP Bill Hague, who is in charge of the company's international business says….

"We try to make it as simple as possible. Our customers, what they're able to do in almost 200 countries in the world, in fact it's easier for me to tell you the countries they can't go to than the countries they can, they can go over and just turn on their phone and user their device. They do have to have signed up for international service before they go over. Many customers, we might automatically provision with that service after a few months with us. But if a customers is going overseas, they should double check and make sure they have the service."

And the ability to use a cell phone even in the middle of the ocean is expanding. Cingular has agreements with most of the major cruise lines…

"We provide service on over 30 cruise ships today. We'll have over fifty by the end of the year. We have agreements with Norwegian and Royal Caribbean and Carnival and several other lines. So when you take your phone, it will work on the cruise ship. The ship essentially becomes its own little island…

With cell phone antennas connecting you…to a satellite based communications system on the ship. Calls typically cost about 2.50 a minute. Bloomberg Boot Camp, I'm Fred Fishkin.