If you’re one of the lucky football fans who is going to the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa this summer, you’re probably already counting down the days.

In the excitement of World Cup fever, it’s easy to forget the details—like how you’re going to stay in touch with friends, family and colleagues at home while you’re abroad.

Whatever you do, don’t plan on just tossing your mobile phone into your suitcase without doing some research first.  Chances are, using your mobile phone in South Africa will be the most expensive option for staying connected, and it could easily mean returning home to an outrageous phone bill.

Here’s a guide to the options available to World Cup fans traveling to South Africa this summer.  Review them all and then make an informed decision to choose the one that works for you.

Use a Roam Mobility phone or SIM card

Using the Roam Mobility network ensures that you get the lowest roaming rates when you’re in South Africa for the 2010 World Cup.  It costs about $0.70 to call out to a U.S. land line and about $0.90 to call another mobile.  And with great perks like free incoming calls and free incoming text messages, the Roam Mobility offers guaranteed rock-bottom prices on roaming rates. You can browse the Roam Mobility store for great deals on phones and SIM cards.

Use your regular mobile phone

First, let’s start with your regular mobile phone.  You might want the convenience of using your current phone and your existing network service provider when you’re in South Africa.  It’s definitely the easiest option, and if you don’t mind paying high roaming rates or only plan to make long-distance calls in an emergency, this might be the right choice for you.  To give you an idea of the costs you might be facing, making a five-minute call home to the U.S. from a mobile phone on the Bell network will cost $15.  If you’re a Canadian using Telus, it will cost $22.50.  If you just need to give someone a quick call to let them know you’ve arrived safely, it might be worth the high price to make the call from your regular mobile phone.  But if you plan to use your phone more frequently, you’re going to want to choose a less costly option.

We recommend calling your regular mobile network provider to find out exactly what the charges are for making and receiving calls and for sending data.  A pro tip: Remember to ask whether you are charged roaming rates for voicemails received.  Even if you travel with your phone turned off, some providers charge high roaming rates for any voicemails you receive long-distance. That means you might come home to a whopping bill without having turned your phone one once during the whole trip!

Rent a roaming mobile phone

Another option for staying connecting while in South Africa for the World Cup is to rent a mobile phone by the day or week.  Renting a phone allows you to benefit from low roaming charges for both local and international calls, but beware of hidden costs that can really add up.

The costs of the rental phone will be between $15 and $20 per week, depending on the provider you choose, but you will also need to pay non-rush shipping charges of between $10 and $40 to have the phone sent to you.  On top of that, there may be a setup fee of $20 or more, and you’ll probably want theft and loss insurance, which will be another $15 for the week. Suddenly, a one-week phone rental is costing you close to $100 before you’ve made a single call!

As for the per-minute savings on roaming rates, they may not be good enough to help you recoup the costs of the phone rental.  Expect to pay between $0.89 to $1.69 per minute for outgoing calls to the U.S., and between $0.79 and $0.99 to make calls to local numbers.

Take a look at the services of companies like Travel Cell and Cell Hire to decide whether renting a phone is the right option for you.

Use free or by-the-minute Wifi

If you’re looking for the cheapest possible way to stay in touch during the World Cup, there’s always Wifi.  South Africa does offer some free or pay-per-minute Wifi hotspots, and if you can identify them ahead of time and are prepared to go out of your way to find them, they do provide a way to connect with friends and family via email, SMS or Skype.  The drawbacks to this ultra-low-cost alternative is that Wifi is not always available when and where you need it, and even if you find it, there’s no guarantee you’ll be able to get a good connection.

For tips on where to find Wifi in South Africa, try visiting Always-On. Their hotspots can now be found at Cape Town, Durban and OR Tambo airports, City Lodge Hotels, Sun International Hotels, some Southern Sun Hotels, Mugg & Bean restaurants and various other places. Simply connect to the access point and you will be given the opportunity to pay for access by credit card. Pricing starts at around $2.00 per 10 minutes or $8.00 per 100MB.

You can also search for free worldwide hotspots at WEFI or at Free Wifi South Africa. A pro tip: As of the time of writing, there has been no word on Wifi access at any of the 2010 FIFA World Cup venues.  Assume that none of the arenas and stadiums where the games are taking place will have Wifi.

Use a pay phone

It’s not the most convenient choice, and it’s the most expensive in terms of the cost per minute, but there is always the public pay phone option. Pay phones are available in South Africa at airports, shopping malls and some petrol stations, although the number of phones available has dwindled in recent years. Pay phones use either coins or prepaid cards that are available at most shops and petrol stations. Coin phones are generally blue while card phones are usually green.

The Bottom Line

If you don’t plan to make regular calls when in South Africa, you might be able to get away with using your regular mobile phone, a Wifi network or even a payphone to stay in touch, but if you need to be able to make regular calls or texts, look into a Roam Mobility phone.  It’s a great option for people who plan to travel internationally more than once a year, because once you’ve invested in a Roam Mobility phone and SIM package (from $99.00) or SIM card ($50.00), you have a long-term roaming solution that gives you the lowest roaming rates anywhere in the world you choose to go.  In fact, buying a Roam Mobility phone and roaming minutes can actually work out to cost the same cost as renting a phone for the week!  But when the World Cup has come and gone, you’ll still have a stylish phone that connects you to the lowest roaming rates, wherever you choose to roam.  Plus, there’s no contract, no minimums, nothing to tie you down.

So if you’re already planning on being at the FIFA 2014 World Cup, you can relax knowing that the Roam Mobility phone you brought to South Africa will guarantee you the lowest roaming rates in Brazil.

From the Olympics to the World Chess Championships, the Roam Mobility network has you covered, wherever your love of world-class sport may take you.

You can learn more about Roam Mobility phone packages and SIM cards by visiting the online store.