Global Roaming - License to Print Money?

If you travel internationally for work, you probably hate the term 'global roaming'.  If you work for a mega-buck corporation, it may be small fry, but for the small businessman, it can be a significant bill.  But you can lessen the damage.

Today's smartphones like the iPhone can be real data hogs, therefore roaming data charges can soon add up, even without your knowledge.  So first step, learn how to switch off your global roaming data use.

Another step is to buy a local SIM card in the country you will visit, then use your own mobile number to redirect your calls.  Better still, train your clients to use your virtual telephone number (like Skype) to do even cheaper redirection.  There are so many options, you need to do a bit of study to determine which is best for you.

Just a few weeks ago, I was visiting Italy and was able to purchase a Wind (local teleco) SIM from a dealer, even though in Itally, you are supposed to have a local tax number - some dealers will do it with your passport.  The whole deal gave me the ability to use my trust HTC for calls and data, including tethering for my notebook.  All that for €20.  Very useful.

But why do we have such a steep charge when roaming?  Well I'm sitting here in Vienna at present, watching a news program about this very subject.  The interviewer asks, the question I stated above.  The answer from the telco's CEO, "that's where we make money!" 

Again I'm wondering, why can we integrate all of this?  I would really like to see telco's provide seamless integration with any other carrier, no steep roaming charge, no plan changes when you cross a network border.  Global connectivity.