I just realized how the last years have changed my communication habits.

THENHow it used to be (just 5 years ago):

Office:
- a standard printing only fax machine
- pricey and rather fast internet
- very costly old-school telephone systems for fixed line calls

Private:

- relatively pricey mobile phone
- an analog laptop connection (more an emergency thing because of the speed)

Going on a business trip meant:

- very tough getting a connection
- no real time communication at all (no mobile IM)
- tough roaming charges for GSM
- flying to India (as I often did in 2000) cut you off for a week

During the last two years I switched to this:

NOW:

I now have a couple of GSM cards prepaid from places I go to more often (Singapore, Thailand, US, UK, Germany, India) and one (cell) phone. Some of the operators even allow inexpensive roaming (especially in Asia). When I'm there my local number goes live when not I'm trying to route them to one of the nearest voice gateways. Prepaid is so inexpensive and pays off mostly the second day you are there (even for international calls). I actually don't have a fixed line anymore.

I have two voice boxes (Germany, US) that collect calls (business and private) I might have missed. These fine applications also receive and send faxes and serve as email backup.

Also Skype has become my primary phone line (measured by time on the phone) with Skype users and additionally SkypeOut which works perfect for calls to Europe and to some extent to calls to the US (not to the west coast because of the delays so far).

Throw in some IM (ICQ, Skype) and email & blogging and that's it. No need for fixed infrastructure as long as I'm in a wireless cloud. In cities like New York (mainly Manhattan) it's more difficult to find a place without a free wireless network then with. Also most hotels now feature wireless connection for free.

I love this change as it enables more and more people (including myself) to freely choose their work life& work environment.