(NAPSA)—Whether traveling for business or pleasure, increasingly, people are finding ways to keep in touch. To help, here are some tips on how to get the most out of some of the more popular ways travelers are staying connected. Phone cards: Sometravelers use phone cards—particularly when traveling overseas—as a way to stay connected and control costs. Experts say it’s important to confirm rates before you call and remember that some rates may fluctuate. Also, calls madeto international cell phones are generally billed at a higher rate. Also, be sure that the rate you receive remains constant throughout the entire day. The downside can be that some cards will charge you for attempting a call that does not connect. Internet caf: While these cafs can be convenient and offer a welcome change of scene when working in your hotel room, Internet cafs can present cer- tain challenges. Most cafs rely on people coming in and out, not staying for extended periods of time. If your work involves spending an extended time online or downloading large files, then an Internet caf may not be your best option. If you’re staying at a hotel, you could save quite a bit of money by using a dial-up Internet account to check your e-mail. Hotels often charge for broadband access, but in most cases, guests who connect to the Internet through a dial-up provider pay only for the cost of the call. Using a dial-up Internet service could be less expensive than purchasing broadband accessat a hotel. So before you leave on your trip, sign up for a free account at NetZero. You'll receive 10 free hours of access per month, which should be more than enough to check your e-mail during your trip. With thousandsof local NetZero access numbers nationwide, chances are you'll be able to get online through a local call from your hotel room. Airport Wi-Fi: Sometimes, free Wi-Fi can turn out to be rather expensive. That’s because criminals can create “dummy” networks or Web sites that will direct your information to their own computer. If you always use the access keys provided by the airline, hotel or airport, you’ll be protected. Also, never enter sensitive information, such as bank account information or Social Security numbers, when browsing the Web via a Wi-Fi network. To learn more about staying connected, visit www.netzero.com.
