What is the best means of staying connected to the US via e-mail while
traveling throughout Europe?  Gaining access to on-line
records/documents?  Can a PDA be useful?  What about cell phone
coverage?

Dear untilwearelost, 

Getting online in Europe really depends on the place(s) you're
planning to visit: highly broadband connected cities in Western Europe
are not like a village in Albania and do not require the same
arangements.

In general, you could find an Internet cafe in almost every small-size
to big town in Europe (but naturally, not in villages), as well as in
many cafes. Internet cafes could be a great solution: they are
relatively cheap, you don't have do carry any special equipment. In
most Internet cafes, you could open attached documents in the popular
formats (Office documents, PDF Acrobat, etc.) If a document or a
record exists in an open online format, there shouldn't be a problem
to access it. However, some databases are limited to subscribers - and
identify them (among other means) through their IP address, which
would be different if you log on in an Internet cafe. If you have
extremely sensitive information, it might also pose a problem, since
security is naturally limited in public computers.

Regarding email, you could read email services, that is not POP-3
based - Hotmail, Yahoo!, and other web-based email services could be
connected from anywher in the world. Most of them are also free and
enable you to draw mail from your POP-3 server, if you use one.

Cell phones are available in most areas of Europe, but most American
providers cannot cover Europe. That means, that you'll have to hire a
cell phone when you arrive to Europe. You should also condiser having
an Internet Service Provider, from which you'll receive your services.
Calling your regular provider in the US might cost you a small
furtune.

PDA with Internet connection and/or Internet through your cell phone
might be also expensive because of the time taken to download without
broadband/DSL. If you're used to work with PDAs and cell phones, it
might be easier to handle the limitations of the equipment itself
(keyboard, graphics, etc.), but would not prevent the other mentioned
problems. Please also keep in mind, that there are different
electricity systems in Europe and you might need a convertor.

To sum up: every possible connection possibility that exists in the US
exists in Western Europe (and in some places in Eastern Europe as
well). However, some remote places (island, remote villages, etc.) and
sme undeveloped countries have lesser means, if any and if you travel
to extremely poor countries such as Albania and Moldova, regard it as
travelling to the Third World. It is possible to get connected through
a cell-phone and a PDA or laptop, but it might be expensive and
impractical.

These sites might be helpful: 
http://www.roadnews.com/html/Digest/archive-index.htm - Travelling
with a laptop
http://www.obs-us.com/obs/english/books/editinc/andr-7.htm - The
Internet Companion, a bit outdated but worth reading
http://europeforvisitors.com/europe/planner/blp_electricity.htm´-
Europe Electricity
http://www.downtheroad.org/Equipment/Internet.htm - Connecting to the
Internet while Traveling, Backpacking, Bicycle

I hope that answered your questions. In order to find information for
you, I searched the web for "internet connection" with the words
travelling and europe and also used my own experience. If you have any
clarification requests on this answer, let me know. I'd be pleased to
clarify my answer before you rate it.

---

Clarification of Answer by politicalguru-ga on 04 Mar 2003 08:56 PST

Thank you for your ratings. 

Regarding your comment, yes, many hotels, not only fancy 5 stars ones,
offer such a service for free and also have outlets in the rooms.

Thanks politicalguru for your very prompt reply.  I anticipated that
internet cafes would be the best means of staying connected but had
also hoped that other options may be emerging.  For example, do any
hotels offer internet access and if so how difficult would it be to
use a PDA to access?

For what it's worth.  I have an AOL account and had very good luck
connecting in England and Germany, although there were additional fees
when connecting.  I suggest you check with your current ISP for
"International" service.

I also have a Verizon Express Network CDMA WWAN Card.  It won't work
in Europe, but there maybe a similar PCMCIA solution once you get
there that might be available.  I pay $99.00 a month unlimited access
in coverage cities.  (And it does work in a PDA).   It's faster than a
modem and absolutly wonderful.

Two years ago I stayed in a hotel in far northern Norway.  The hotel
had a computer in its lobby that was available at no charge (for
guests mainly, but they did not watch it that closely).

I checked in a larger city (Trondheim), and the local public library
had internet access available for non-residents.  Since the
information I was reading was in English, it is pretty certain that
tourists were welcome.

I found an internet access in the tourist office in Hamarfest, one of
the northernmost towns in Norway; the price was rather reasonable. 
(This town is about 2000 population.)

I also asked our local suburban library (USA) what they would do about
tourists asking to use their internet access.  Theoretically it is for
residents only, but they said that they have done it in the past and
would do it again.