Have you ever seen a business traveler without a cellphone? Mobile phones are the first item they grab when they hit the road. That’s 35,000 business travelers departing the United States every day, carrying more than 40,000 cellphones, according to the Overseas Security Advisory Council.

With its myriad capabilities, the cellphone has morphed into more than a telephone and is likely the most critical item travelers carry today, as much a part of their DNA as a suitcase. Cellphones assist with nearly every aspect of their journeys — making calls, checking email and navigating with built-in GPS. And with the power of countless travel apps for airlines, hotels and airports; WiFi finders and currency converters; maps and weather data; and travel and dining guides, smartphones have evolved into a personal travel concierge.

But all that cellphone activity has its cost. Typically, the carriers’ advice to avoid crushing cellphone bills is to simply turn off your phone and not use it. That’s like dangling a candy bar in front of a chocoholic. For travelers unwilling to travel without their cellphones, here are a few items worth noting.

RAISE YOUR HAND if you remember the 1960s television series Get Smart, in which Maxwell Smart answered his shoe telephone. When the first handheld mobile phone was finally introduced to the world in the early 1980s, it weighed in at 2.2 pounds. Today, these technology-driven devices weigh an average of less than four ounces. Although they are now more than just a telephone, staying in touch with the office and family is perhaps the primary reason travelers carry phones.

And therein lies the rub. Keeping connected to the seemingly infinite possibilities of your smartphone gives immediate gratification, but the result can be an unanticipated price tag.

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We’ve all experienced or heard the sticker-shock horror stories. A $400 surprise from T-Mobile after a 10-day trip in Hong Kong. An $800 AT&T bill after a trip with family to Italy. Your cellphone is a powerful and convenient means of telecommunications access, but managing the staggering cost of service is next to impossible.

You may have an unlimited plan within your calling area, but making calls or using data services outside of your cellular provider’s coverage area can get very expensive. And international calls set the cash register to ringing with per-minute rates that hit the ceiling. Smartphone users have to be especially cautious when traveling, as automatic data syncing and third-party apps running in the background can rack up enormous data roaming fees.

The four major U.S. carriers — AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon — charge from 99 cents to $4.99 per minute plus tax for all roaming incoming and outgoing calls. Add data charges costing up to $20 per megabyte, and the bill will bring even the most resilient travelers to their knees.

For example, Sebastian Harrison, president, Cellular Abroad, Inc., says, “Download one email with a medium resolution photo attached, and it could cost you $15 to $30. Stream a 10-minute video and you’re looking at hundreds of dollars in sticker shock.”

While a phone may work fine when traveling within the United States, it’s not guaranteed to work overseas. Roaming within the United States is based on cellphone towers, so you may be charged roaming fees without leaving the country. Best policy is always to check with your carrier before traveling to confirm cellphone compatibility to the network of the country (or region) you plan to visit. That’s also the perfect opportunity to confirm active international roaming on your account and the cost per minute of your phone calls.

CONSIDER CUSTOMIZING your cellphone plan to suit your travel needs. Determine how much data you’ll require to send emails, stream movies or make phone calls. Your carrier has a default for these charges, and it’s likely not to your advantage. Most phone calls will cost a minimum of $1 per minute, another charge for text messaging and yet another big chunk per megabyte of data. Some carriers offer unlimited international data plans for BlackBerry users, avoiding those charges, but some don’t allow pro-rating to your travel dates. The right plan will take into consideration a cost-effective solution, but you will need to be proactive with your carrier.

“For those frequent travelers, consider choosing a no-contract, no-long-term-commitment carrier,” suggests John Marick, CEO, Consumer Cellular. “Our company allows subscribers to change their plan frequently, based on their needs and travel plans. You can modify your plan at any time (even mid-month) without penalty.”

Marick adds, “No matter your plan, set up usage alerts so you can keep track of your usage on the road. Consumer Cellular provides usage alerts, but if yours doesn’t, be sure to monitor yours frequently.”

A common mistake of travelers is failing to turn off their mobile data. The majority of smartphones default to automatically sync with email and social media accounts and update apps. Failing to turn off mobile data can rack up data charges quickly.

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MANY TRAVELERS OPT to keep their phone powered off or in airplane mode, only powering back on when free WiFi networks are available. They’ll sign into complimentary WiFi hotspots in airports, hotel lobbies, coffee shops or other businesses and take time to check their email and update their social media networks. While logged on, they can also take advantage of free phone calls with apps such as Skype.

When locating free WiFi feels like searching for a needle in a haystack, consider downloading apps that do just that. There are numerous complimentary WiFi apps that will search via your phone’s GPS for the closest free hotspots based on your current location, even giving you directions. Two popular apps are Wi-Fi Finder, searching more than 650,000 locations in 144 countries worldwide, and JiWire, with access to 140 countries worldwide.

With sporadic and expensive WiFi access while traveling, Pete Scott, travel expert at Travel Media Group, recommends purchasing your own 4G WiFi hotspot. “After only a few trips, you’ll save more than enough to cover the cost of buying the hotel’s WiFi, and chances are it will be much quicker.”

However, take care when using your personal WiFi hotspot; access can be dependent upon your location, so confirm with your carrier the rates and coverage.

ANOTHER OPTION IS to go local. “Look around you,” says Harrison of Cellular Abroad. “No matter where you travel the locals are uploading photographs, browsing the Web and using apps. They’re certainly not paying $20 per megabyte for the privilege. They take advantage of local SIM cards with data capabilities, just like we do when we are home. Do what the locals do and purchase a pay-as-you-go SIM card for your personal unlocked cellphone or rent one, and be charged a local rate. When arriving at your destination, switch out your SIM card for a local one and, voila, you’ll talk like a local, without the stress of astronomical roaming and data fees.”

Travelers can purchase these SIM cards when landing or order one in advance at companies such as Cellular Abroad. For instance, Cellular Abroad’s cellphone rental with a SIM card for up to seven days in the United Kingdom starts at just $49.95 and includes 125 international or 100 local minutes.

ON NEARLY EVERY TRIP, travelers harness mobile technology by checking in for their flight and then presenting paperless boarding passes.

Customization is the key to pampering travelers, and global hotel brands are jumping on the bandwagon by embracing new technology every day. Last year, Hilton Worldwide’s Conrad Hotels and Resorts stepped up personalized service with Conrad Concierge, the first service-enabled technology integrated with hotel management systems in more than 20 Conrad properties.

John Vanderslice, global head of luxury and lifestyle brands, Hilton Worldwide, explains the new app: “Available in 13 languages, Conrad Concierge puts control in the hands of our guests with an interactive, seamless and intuitive treatment. Schedule a wake-up call while you’re at a business dinner, book a relaxing spa treatment or arrange transportation. A few simple clicks, before you even get to the hotel, and you’ve personalized your hotel stay.”

The wave of the future is stress-free check-in and the disappearance of long lines at the reception desk. Many hotel brands already offer kiosks for check-ins, allowing guests to bypass the front desk and go straight to their room.

WHILE THE BUSINESS TRAVELER is on the road, the cellphone also holds important sensitive company information that it is vital to safeguard.

Luke Bencie, managing director, Security Management International, says, “The theft of intellectual property is the No. 2 threat to the U.S., and approximately a half a trillion dollars of American intellectual property walks out the door each year.”

A common fallacy, according to Bencie, is users assume their data is secure if they simply power off their phone. This does not stop the communication cycle, however, as it continuously pings to the cellphone tower. The most secure option is to remove the battery completely. Even better is to travel with a less expensive disposable phone with less technology.

If you must travel with your personal cellphone, heed Bencie’s most important advice for cellphone security: “Consider your mobile phone as valuable as your laptop. It’s easier to download information from a cellphone than a laptop. Encrypt sensitive info and use strong passwords. Never let your cellphone out of your sight.”

Power Apps

If you need assistance on the road, there’s an app for that.

FlightTrack Provides real-time updates of gates, delays and cancelations at more than 5,000 airports and 1,400 airlines

GateGuru Provides information on amenities and services at more than 150 airports

SeatGuru Provides airline seat maps, photos and advice

TripIt Organizes and syncs your flights, hotel reservations and rental cars; now on Android and iPhone