[TR] 'Slightly' off topic request

[John Macartney]

Hi, Everyone

The Triumph Trans-AmeriCa Charity Drive draws ever closer and I'm now into trying to sort out comms 
(communications).
While the car is going to be fitted with an Air-Trak system for people to see where I am at any 
given time, there's also the important issue of 'keeping in touch.' This can be sorted by having a 
cellphone in the car. Thing is, my own cellphone is a contract type and the contract expires while 
I'm away. The additional difficulty is that while its a Tri-Band unit, if anyone wants to call me or 
I want to call them, the costs will be horrendous. To contact me, you'd have to dial a UK number to 
reach me (even though I might just be down the road) and similarly, my calls to you would also be 
routed via the local airtime provider to the UK and then back again. I discovered this very much to 
my cost when at Watkins Glen last September.
So my request is this.
Does anyone have or know of someone who has a Pre-Pay / Pay As You Go cellphone that originates in 
the US/Canada they would be prepared to loan or donate to the cause ? While I don't know of all the 
US/Canadian airtime providers, moseying around the web suggests that Verizon has the most 
comprehensive coverage - but I'm more than happy to be guided on that issue. I know that Pre-Paid is 
a costlier route to take in comparison to a contract agreement, but as my stay is only going to be a 
maximum of four months at the most, it seems pointless. I'm also a bit reluctant to use an 
additional phone that could be on someone else's contract from the simple perspective of meeting my 
share of the costs. Therefore, keeping to a pre-pay concept seems the simplest and best way to go.
Of course, if anyone knows an airtime provider who would be willing to supply a cellphone with a 
goodly dollop of free airtime to get me going, we'd be delighted to accept the offer in return for a 
prominently displayed decal on the Stag. Please be aware that there are already indications of radio 
and TV networks wanting to contact me, so an in-car phone isn't simply so that SWMBO can keep an eye 
on me!
Any offers, please contact me off list

Cheers - Jonmac

Originator of The Triumph Trans-America Charity Drive 2009
www.triumphtransamerica.org.uk

An event for full TRIUMPH Enthusiast participation