Cell Phone Service – Anywhere, Anytime

Cell phone service is exploring new territory. With the help of improved technology and determined human effort, cellular phone service is now available on land or sea.

Beginning in the fall of 2004, Norwegian Cruise Lines passengers on its North American cruises will have access to cellular service. Wireless Maritime Services, a joint venture of AT&T Wireless and Maritime Telecommunications Networks has helped Norwegian bring cellular phone services to the high seas.

When the technology is in place, cruise passengers will be able to make and receive cell phone calls in international waters. The cell phone services will be compatible with GSM phones that operate at 900 mHz and 1900 mHz. Initially, passengers will only be able to send and receive voice and text messages, but work is underway to expand the phone service to include e-mail, data transmissions and sending pictures.

Customers want to know what the cellular service at sea will cost. According to Norwegian Cruise Lines, customers will be billed by their regular cellular service providers at standard roaming rates.

While cell phone services on a cruise ship is really a matter of convenience, in a remote Chinese county it might mean a matter of survival. Cellular phone services recently became available in the Medog county, in the Tibet Autonomous Region. With a population of 10,000 residents, the region has no road connections to anywhere else in China. To bring cellular service to the area, workers had to travel by foot in the mountainous terrain to install cellular equipment. Fifty-four people subscribed to the new phone service the first day it became available.

Also see; cellular phones.

Author Notes:

Jack Adams contributes and publishes news editorial to http://www.cell-phones-n-plans.com. A cellular phone industry resource that features service plan comparisons, cellular phone reviews and articles.