Recently, Clark heard from a listener who took an iPhone to Europe and got hit with more than $5,000 in fees for overseas use. Now The Los Angeles Times reports that a woman went to Canada, made 6 calls totaling 15 minutes and was billed some $2,400 by T-Mobile. That's about $158/minute!

Meanwhile, AT&T has a new add-on plan for iPhone users that should help deal with the massive overseas charges. For $120-$200/month, you can buy coverage that allows you to use your iPhone outside of the United States.

Here's a general rule of thumb: Before you go abroad, get in writing the terms and conditions that will apply to phone use overseas.

But realize that there is a much better alternative. Get a pre-paid SIM chip to use in an unlocked world phone. Clark typically uses GoSIM.com to purchase chips, but he also recommends Telestial.com.

Whatever you do, don't trust a stateside cell carrier with your wallet while overseas!

Christa is excited about her new Samsung Instinct, which is basically an iPhone lookalike. It has high-speed web browsing, e-mail, GPS, TV, radio…oh, and it makes phone calls too!

Of course, these are all things that phones have done for awhile now. But the Samsung also has a sleek interface and a slim body. As Christa says, we'll have to get her final verdict on the phone in a few months. She's still in the "initial dating phase" with her Instinct.

The wireless industry would love for consumers to get in the "mobile device" mindset -- a term denoting that it's not just a phone, it does so much more.

Soon wireless networks will support unlimited international calls for free. Skype has been trying to get the government to force the cell carriers to let you use Skype on your handset. But there's been pushback because the carriers make too much money ripping you off on international calls. Expect this to change with the arrival of the next wave of cellular technology -- called 4G (fourth generation) in industry lingo.

Skype, meanwhile, has released its 4.0 beta version, and it's heavy on video calling.

When he attended the 1964 World's Fair, Clark recalls that AT&T demonstrated a picture phone. Back then, it seemed like that technology was just around the corner. But video calling never hit the mainstream. Maybe people don't want to be seen on a video phone call. But Clark thinks Skype may be the one to take it to the next level.

Clark's long term goal is to have the capability for show callers to be seen, not just heard, on ClarkHoward.com.

Regular listeners know that Clark often trashes the nation's cell phone companies because they gain so much profit from spam texts. But he never likes to just harp on a problem without offering a solution.

Today he's pleased to tell you that David Pogue, a technology blogger for The New York Times, has unearthed some hidden procedures for eliminating spam texts that should help AT&T and Verizon customers. T-Mobile is working on ramping up similar opt-out capabilities, while Sprint has no procedures in place at all.

So check it out today and stop paying for every spam that comes to your handset. Of course, those who are on unlimited texting plans never have to worry about paying for spam.

After traveling recently in Europe, Clark was reminded how expensive it can be to call back to the United States. While in Venice, Italy, he overheard an American woman telling her friend how she got ripped on calls back home. She was charged $68 for a 5-minute call to family and $10 for a 1-minute call to check her voice mail. Clark told the woman he was only paying 5.8 cents a minute and offered to let her use his cell. She probably thought he was another con artist, and she definitely didn't take him up on his offer!

So what's Clark's secret? He heeded a listener's advice and used a service called Pingo.com. There's a charge of about a dollar a month to be a customer, but the payoff is in the great rates. Clark even found an online coupon to receive bonus minutes when he first signed up. Meanwhile, Clark also has an unlocked world cell phone that he bought on eBay. He's equipped it with a SIM card from GoSIM.com that's been saving him big bucks. Remember, your wallet will be destroyed if you use your standard U.S. cellular from one of the 4 main carriers while traveling overseas.

A listener recently gave Clark a tip about Pingo.com, a website that offers a virtual calling card for ultra-cheap international calling. Please note that Clark has not personally tried this service yet. He's just passing along the information for you to make your own decision. Pingo is not a free service; you have to pay $12 to sign up and are immediately credited with $5 in calling time. So the net initial cost is $7. Some of the cheap rates advertised on the Pingo website include 3 cents/minute (Mexico) and 2 cents/minute (Russia). Clark plans to try this service when he travels to Italy and Switzerland next month. He'll keep you posted!

The Super Bowl is the biggest moment of the year for the ad industry. The cell phone industry, meanwhile, has the holiday season as its annual pinnacle. This is the time of year when people who are just getting out of their 2-year contracts look to switch carriers. So you'll see the Big Four advertising everywhere in an effort to woo new business. T-Mobile is one company that tends to give an early Christmas gift to the people every year. T-Mobile is like the weak sister of the Big Four, which is a shame because the Jan. '08 issue of Consumer Reports ranked it just behind Verizon in overall satisfaction. The irony here is that Verizon is the most expensive and T-Mobile is the cheapest of the bunch. In fact, T-Mobile is like the great compromise: You get the best rates and it's the one carrier people hate the least.

T-Mobile's current sale is a real winner. They're offering 1,500 peak minutes for $39/month. Notice that $40 is a real price point in this business; all the companies offer comparably priced plans before junk fees and add-ons. But 1,500 minutes is what makes this offer a keeper. For $10 more a month, you get the 1,500 peak minutes and unlimited free calling after 9 p.m. and on weekends. Just grab these T-Mobile deals fast because they probably won't be around for long. On a related note, Consumer Reports says that Sprint came in dead last in 20 major markets across the country. AT&T didn't do too much better; they came in just a hair above Sprint. But AT&T has a new leader that Clark thinks will turn things around, while Sprint remains leaderless.

There are a number of new developments in the cell phone world that have Clark excited. There's a low voltage price war between a few smaller carriers that most people don't know about, plus Verizon has an exciting new development. Let's begin with the Verizon news. Starting next year, you'll be able to bring any phone to their network and use it without having to buy a Verizon phone. You can thank Google for this. It turns out that Verizon is scared of Google launching an open wireless market. So they're trying to make themselves more competitive.

The other big news involves buying cell phone minutes, which is part of an outdated business model that may be on its way out. The move started initially with Cricket and Metro PCS, who both offer unlimited calling for a flat rate starting around $35/month. But traveling with these companies has always been a problem. Now Sprint's sub-brand, Boost Unlimited, is offering unlimited calling plans for $45/month in a dozen or so new states. Boost has an edge over Cricket and Metro because they only charge 15 cents/minute if you travel and leave your home calling area. If you're a business traveler, you may also want to check out Helio.com, which offers unlimited Internet, texting, calling and more for $119/month.

Here in the United States, cell phones are controlled by the Big Four carriers (Verizon, AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile) with an iron fist. But that may soon be coming to an end. Sprint has entered into a new settlement that will allow you to keep their phone after you finish your contract. You can then go to another provider that runs on a compatible network -- such as Alltel and Virgin Mobile -- and you won't have to buy a new phone!

The old business model where cell phone companies tie you into their phone and their network makes no sense. Most of the world runs on a network called GSM. We are actually one of the only countries with two competing networks -- GSM and CDMA. Meanwhile, public revulsion over the Apple/AT&T iPhone deal is really helping to bring about a new day in the industry. Isn't it funny that with all the talk of smart phones our mobile devices are actually much dumber than the phones people use overseas? In fact, Verizon takes smart phones and dumbs them down on purpose to disable functions that they can't figure out how to monetize yet! So Clark loves the outcome of the Sprint lawsuit because it will really help open things up. Soon we'll buy phones like we do any other piece of technology. You don't buy your computer from your Internet service provider, do you? No, you buy it elsewhere and then hook it up. Cell phones will one day be like this.

Some of our recent callers have alerted us to cell-phone horror stories when traveling overseas. They've been burned for charges ranging from $5/minute on a cruise to an $8,500 bill for a variety of international calls. A slightly cheaper option is to enroll in your carrier's own international calling plan. If you choose to go this route, make sure you get an e-mail confirmation of your enrollment before you travel. A better and cheaper option still is to buy a prepaid SIM chip online. You might want to use Telestial.com, which is good for when you're doing a single-country trip. Check out RangeRoamer.com if you're going to be traveling to multiple nations. What if you're taking an action adventure trip in uncharted terrority? Try buying or renting a satellite phone, which will still cost less per minute than the usual charges from your carrier. Another tip for travelers: Get an unlocked world phone. T-Mobile will unlock your existing handset after 90 days, while AT&T requires you to complete your contract before they unlock you. You can also try going on eBay and buying an already unlocked world phone on the cheap.

The whole text messaging phenomenon is really misunderstood by many adults. Clark recently heard a government regulator in the telephone industry admit he's not familiar with texting. Parents are often similarly oblivious. That's why unlimited text messaging is a real help. If you have text-happy teens, it helps ensure that your kids don't run your bill into the ground every month. But those unlimited plans don't cover all text messaging services -- especially some premium services that are advertised on MTV and elsewhere. There was a recent news report about one developmentally disabled teen that ran up a $10,000 bill in one month using these services. The sad thing is that the child's parents had an unlimited text messaging plan through Sprint. The cell phone carriers get a kickback for doing the billing, so there's no real incentive for them to modify their practices. Parents need to be aware of this danger and teach their children not to give into alluring services that offer dating opportunities, a joke of the day or horoscopes sent directly to their handsets, among other things. But there's a larger problem here. How can you even get the FCC on this issue if the commissioners don't know what text messaging is?!

If you were expecting Google to announce the rumored Gphone today, you might have been disappointed. But Google did announce a new platform called Android that promises to shake up the traditional cell phone monopolies. Soon you'll be able to take any wireless device you want and access phone calling, e-mailing, web surfing, music and TV on your digital device. This is not a Star Wars thing that's 10 years away; this should start happening late next year! Google found support for Android among a lot of big-money players. They all see the financial advantages of busting up monopoly cell phone companies who want to control everything on their platform. What the future holds from here on out is almost limitless. But free cell phone calling will probably be one benefit!

Do you remember when it was free to call directory assistance? Some free services are making a comeback thanks to a new ad-based business model. Clark's teenager recently called old-fashioned directory assistance and was charged a $1.80 before he told her about 1-800-FREE-411. Google has also launched a free service (for business listings only) available at 1-800-GOOG-411. Meanwhile, AT&T has its own service through 1-800-YellowPages.

People sometimes gripe that the numbers they get from these free services aren't always correct. But there was a recent study that found the numbers you get from paid services are just as likely to be wrong. So why pay extra for the chance of a wrong number? Clark often turns to the Internet when he's looking for a number. He practically never looks in a phone book anymore. Remember the 1979 move The Jerk starring Steve Martin? There was a scene where the new phonebook arrives and Martin goes running for it, looks up his name and shouts, "I am somebody! I'm in the phonebook!" Pretty soon people won't know what the whole phonebook phenomenon is about. In the future there may not be any phonebooks, because the costs to print and distribute them are so high. The bottom line is that you shouldn't be paying for directory assistance when there are so many free options out there. On a related note, Clark was talking to someone who lost their cell phone just a few days ago. The person discovered that thousands of dollars in international calls had been made by the thief. Under the current law, that person is responsible for those costs. To avoid a scenario like this, call your cell phone provider and get an international calling block.

Some of you may recall when Clark mentioned that Google is trying to develop a cell phone you can use for free in return for watching ads on it. It's been one of the worst kept secrets in the electronics industry. Google is getting ready to bid on spectrum at an upcoming federal auction to facilitate the proposed build-out. Mind you there's be no confirmation from Google of all this. But Verizon is terrified that Google will launch free cell phone service and destroy their costly pricing model. In fact, Verizon filed suit against the federal government trying to invalidate the rules for the upcoming auction.

How realistic is it that cell phone use could be free? Well, in Britain there's already a company called Blyk that offers free calling and free text messaging. The initial Blyk rollout is only for people between the ages of 16 and 24 -- so they can tightly target them with certain ads. Coca-Cola was one of the first advertisers to sign up. So what Google is talking about behind the scenes is already happening overseas. Meanwhile, Clark thinks Verizon is foolish to try to use the courts to block innovation. The truth is that they run a good company, and they shouldn't be afraid to compete in the free market.

Do you get spam text messages on your cell phone? Clark recently got the same spam message on both of his cell phones from two different carriers. It was a text message for a "hot" stock that he later read was making the rounds. This whole field has become a new battleground in the cell phone business as spammers have moved from e-mail to text messages. The cell phone companies benefit whenever you get spammed because most people are on metered plans and pay five or 10 cents for every text they receive. If this sounds like you, call your carrier and ask to be reimbursed or credited for every spam text that hits your phone. After all, it's your money -- no matter how little it is. You may also want to get unlimited text messaging if you have teens on your plan. Some teens use text messaging a hundred times a day! Finally, you might also want to have international calling blocked on your cell. This will protect you from hefty expenses if your phone is stolen and someone tries to call overseas.

During Clark's recent trip to Montana, he was talking with a waiter who is engaged to a Peruvian woman and went down to Peru to meet her family. The waiter found that his cell phone worked in Peru so he used it as he normally would. When he got back to the U.S., he had a cell-phone bill of $800/day! Clark just discovered a service called MAXroam.com that could have helped the waiter. MAXroam sells a SIM chip that's compatible with unlocked T-Mobile and AT&T world phones -- it doesn’t work with Verizon or Sprint phones. You just put the chip in the back of your phone, and then you can travel anywhere in the world and enjoy rates that are about one-fifteenth of what U.S. companies charge you overseas. Please note that you have to be 90 days into your contract with T-Mobile to get them to unlock your phone, while AT&T requires you to have completed your initial contract. If you're in the market for a world phone, check eBay and try to get one for about $50.

Clark also provided an update about his FCC inquiry regarding AT&T's compliance with the $10 DSL deal. AT&T is contractually bound to provide $10/month DSL for customers in a 22-state region as part of its takeover of Bell South. But the problem is that AT&T keeps unethically hiding the deal on its website. Clark asked the FCC to look into this, but they didn't give him a straight answer. Later this year, AT&T will be required to offer naked DSL. Let's see if they're more forthcoming with that deal.

China is a communist country that has many capitalist tendencies. Mobile phone technology like text messaging now allows people to express opinions to each other without the fear of censorship. Just as modern technology makes it possible for there to be a variety of voices, it also makes it harder for one person or political party to have a huge influence. Books like 1984 were filled with fears that technology would aid dictatorships, but China is showing the opposite proves true. China's fellow communist neighbor in North Korea is now frightened that its people will revolt after hearing radio ads from South Korea where there's a free-market economy pushing new cars, appliances and so much more. It seems like there's always skepticism about technology. Now there's even a question in the medical field about whether video games can be addictive. But the reality is that technology is so useful to us in so many ways.