A Travel and vacations forum. TravelBanter

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Go Back   Home » TravelBanter forum » Travel Regions » Europe
Site Map Home Authors List Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read Web Partners

Another Word on Mobile (Cell) GSM Phones in Europe



 
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old March 4th, 2004, 10:38 PM
emeryt
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Another Word on Mobile (Cell) GSM Phones in Europe

Please comment, I want to hear from you.

First, some assumptions...

1) I need a mobile phone while in Europe on vacation. Yes it can be
costly vs. calling cards, but it gives me immediate access, as well as
allows work and family to call at anytime. Anyways, I now own a
900/1800 GSM phone (unlocked).
2) I expect no more that 150 minutes total usage (incoming and
outgoing).
3) I will only use it in Western Europe countries, ie Zone 1.
4) I will be in 5 countries in 30 days, mostly France, Germany and
Italy.
5) The initial cost of a country's SIM card is pricey.

Now the deductions...

Well, I have explored this board, and many other websites that deal
with GSM mobile phone useage in Europe, and I have to say, you've
given me a lot of great information. But as a traveler to Europe for
only the second time, one thing still puzzles me. Should I buy
several different country SIM cards or just buy 1 SIM from one country
and purchase extra minutes? For my situation and travel itinerary,
I've concluded that it makes more sense to do the latter. Cmon
people, tell me if I'm wrong!

My math tells me that since most of the initial cost of a country's
"SIM" card is in the card itself, and not the minutes, and my stay in
any one country will not exceed 6 days, it makes more sense to buy
just one SIM card (with extra minutes), and pay the price of the
international per minute rates outside of the SIM country? Do you
agree? This is based on assumption #2, of course. And, my research
tells me that Italy has the best per-minute rate for calls originating
outside of Italy to international locations, particularly the USA. Is
that right?

Let me know if I'm all screwed up!!!!! I'm sure someone will! LOL

Thanks, Emery
  #2  
Old March 4th, 2004, 11:03 PM
PTRAVEL
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Another Word on Mobile (Cell) GSM Phones in Europe

Check out roadpost.com. They provide service throughout the world at a
relatively reasonable rate. After you subscribe, you're billed only for the
calls you actually make. Depending on how long you'll be in Europe, and how
often you go, it may work out to considerably less than buying a
country-specific SIM card when you get there.


"emeryt" wrote in message
om...
Please comment, I want to hear from you.

First, some assumptions...

1) I need a mobile phone while in Europe on vacation. Yes it can be
costly vs. calling cards, but it gives me immediate access, as well as
allows work and family to call at anytime. Anyways, I now own a
900/1800 GSM phone (unlocked).
2) I expect no more that 150 minutes total usage (incoming and
outgoing).
3) I will only use it in Western Europe countries, ie Zone 1.
4) I will be in 5 countries in 30 days, mostly France, Germany and
Italy.
5) The initial cost of a country's SIM card is pricey.

Now the deductions...

Well, I have explored this board, and many other websites that deal
with GSM mobile phone useage in Europe, and I have to say, you've
given me a lot of great information. But as a traveler to Europe for
only the second time, one thing still puzzles me. Should I buy
several different country SIM cards or just buy 1 SIM from one country
and purchase extra minutes? For my situation and travel itinerary,
I've concluded that it makes more sense to do the latter. Cmon
people, tell me if I'm wrong!

My math tells me that since most of the initial cost of a country's
"SIM" card is in the card itself, and not the minutes, and my stay in
any one country will not exceed 6 days, it makes more sense to buy
just one SIM card (with extra minutes), and pay the price of the
international per minute rates outside of the SIM country? Do you
agree? This is based on assumption #2, of course. And, my research
tells me that Italy has the best per-minute rate for calls originating
outside of Italy to international locations, particularly the USA. Is
that right?

Let me know if I'm all screwed up!!!!! I'm sure someone will! LOL

Thanks, Emery



  #4  
Old March 5th, 2004, 07:26 AM
emeryt
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Another Word on Mobile (Cell) GSM Phones in Europe

"PTRAVEL" wrote in message ...
Check out roadpost.com. They provide service throughout the world at a
relatively reasonable rate. After you subscribe, you're billed only for the
calls you actually make. Depending on how long you'll be in Europe, and how
often you go, it may work out to considerably less than buying a
country-specific SIM card when you get there.

I pondered renting vs. buying a GSM phone. Already purchased one.
For those of you out there who want to compare one to the other, try
www.telestial.com
Thanks for the input.

ET
  #5  
Old March 6th, 2004, 12:10 AM
cb
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Another Word on Mobile (Cell) GSM Phones in Europe

From my experience when I vacationed in Spain, it is *not* true that the "
initial cost of a country's "SIM" card is in the card itself". It depends on
the carrier you choose. In Barcelona, I was able to get a prepaid Vodafone
SIM for 50 Euros which included 50 Euros worth of calls. In other words,
there was no initial setup charge. After using up the 50 Euros, you can
recharge from any newstand by buying a recharge card. Essentially you enter
a code and it adds the appropriate number to minutes you purchased. Other
carriers in Barcelona whose names I now forget, had an initial cost, so for
example you would purchase a prepaid SIM card for 50 Euros but only get 25
Euros worth of calls, so a setup or initial cost of 25 Euros.

So, if I can extrapolate based on my experience in Spain, then it's probably
true in most of Europe that if you pick the right carrier, there is *no*
initial or setup cost for a local prepaid SIM card and so I would definitely
go that way. The other problem of buying a SIM card from one country and
trying to use it in another is that the good old "roaming charges" come into
play. During that vacation in Barcelona, I actually had a few minutes left
on my Vodafone SIM card. When I turned on the cell phone at the Amsterdam
airport during a layover back to the US, a message indicated that there
would be "roaming charges". In short, I would go the route of buying local
SIM cards in the country where you're at. Hope this helps.

"emeryt" wrote in message
om...
Please comment, I want to hear from you.

First, some assumptions...

1) I need a mobile phone while in Europe on vacation. Yes it can be
costly vs. calling cards, but it gives me immediate access, as well as
allows work and family to call at anytime. Anyways, I now own a
900/1800 GSM phone (unlocked).
2) I expect no more that 150 minutes total usage (incoming and
outgoing).
3) I will only use it in Western Europe countries, ie Zone 1.
4) I will be in 5 countries in 30 days, mostly France, Germany and
Italy.
5) The initial cost of a country's SIM card is pricey.

Now the deductions...

Well, I have explored this board, and many other websites that deal
with GSM mobile phone useage in Europe, and I have to say, you've
given me a lot of great information. But as a traveler to Europe for
only the second time, one thing still puzzles me. Should I buy
several different country SIM cards or just buy 1 SIM from one country
and purchase extra minutes? For my situation and travel itinerary,
I've concluded that it makes more sense to do the latter. Cmon
people, tell me if I'm wrong!

My math tells me that since most of the initial cost of a country's
"SIM" card is in the card itself, and not the minutes, and my stay in
any one country will not exceed 6 days, it makes more sense to buy
just one SIM card (with extra minutes), and pay the price of the
international per minute rates outside of the SIM country? Do you
agree? This is based on assumption #2, of course. And, my research
tells me that Italy has the best per-minute rate for calls originating
outside of Italy to international locations, particularly the USA. Is
that right?

Let me know if I'm all screwed up!!!!! I'm sure someone will! LOL

Thanks, Emery



  #6  
Old March 6th, 2004, 05:03 PM
Steven M. Scharf
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Another Word on Mobile (Cell) GSM Phones in Europe

(emeryt) wrote in message
. com...
Please comment, I want to hear from you.

First, some assumptions...

1) I need a mobile phone while in Europe on vacation. Yes it can be
costly vs. calling cards, but it gives me immediate access, as well as
allows work and family to call at anytime. Anyways, I now own a
900/1800 GSM phone (unlocked).
2) I expect no more that 150 minutes total usage (incoming and
outgoing).
3) I will only use it in Western Europe countries, ie Zone 1.
4) I will be in 5 countries in 30 days, mostly France, Germany and
Italy.
5) The initial cost of a country's SIM card is pricey.

Now the deductions...

Well, I have explored this board, and many other websites that deal
with GSM mobile phone useage in Europe, and I have to say, you've
given me a lot of great information. But as a traveler to Europe for
only the second time, one thing still puzzles me. Should I buy
several different country SIM cards or just buy 1 SIM from one country
and purchase extra minutes? For my situation and travel itinerary,
I've concluded that it makes more sense to do the latter. Cmon
people, tell me if I'm wrong!


You are wrong because the country specific prepaid SIM cards usually don't
work outside of that country. I.e., you can't use a prepaid SIM card on an
Italian carrier in France, you'll have to get a new SIM card in France (with
a new phone number). Since you want people to be able to contact you, you'd
better have a single number for the whole trip.

You can see a comparison of the worldwide prepaid SIM cards on my web site:
http://earthroam.com.

Since you are only going to Europe, United Mobile will be the cheapest
start-up cost, but you have to have a compatible phone, only a very few GSM
phones will work on their system.

Hop Mobile is probably a better deal as you can use most any phone. Note
that it's cheaper to buy Hop Mobile direct than to go through their U.S.
reseller Telestial. There are some contradictions between Hop Mobile's site,
and the site of their U.S. reseller, i.e. one says that there is a per call
connection fee, one doesn't, and the list of countries is different (but no
problem in Europe).


  #7  
Old March 6th, 2004, 05:04 PM
Steven M. Scharf
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Another Word on Mobile (Cell) GSM Phones in Europe

(emeryt) wrote in message
om...
"PTRAVEL" wrote in message

...
Check out roadpost.com. They provide service throughout the world at a
relatively reasonable rate. After you subscribe, you're billed only for

the
calls you actually make. Depending on how long you'll be in Europe, and

how
often you go, it may work out to considerably less than buying a
country-specific SIM card when you get there.

I pondered renting vs. buying a GSM phone. Already purchased one.
For those of you out there who want to compare one to the other, try
www.telestial.com
Thanks for the input.


Note that Telestial is simply a reseller of the Hop Mobile Hop Abroad SIM
card. It is much less expensive to buy the SIM card direct from Hop Mobile
than from resellers such as Telestial or U.S. tronics.

See http://earthroam.com for details.


  #8  
Old March 6th, 2004, 05:09 PM
David Horne
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Another Word on Mobile (Cell) GSM Phones in Europe

Steven M. Scharf wrote:

You are wrong because the country specific prepaid SIM cards usually don't
work outside of that country.


Are you sure about that? UK prepaid SIMs have worked abroad for several
years now- it's more expensive than roaming on contract, and some
providers limit the countries to ones that operate the CAMEL system
(most of Europe has at least one provider in a country that uses this),
but it can be done.

David

--
David Horne- (website under reconstruction)
davidhorne (at) davidhorne (dot) co (dot) uk
  #9  
Old March 6th, 2004, 05:36 PM
Steven M. Scharf
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Another Word on Mobile (Cell) GSM Phones in Europe


"David Horne" wrote in message
news:1ga8i5g.45e2dn1wom6ywN%this_address_is_for_sp ...
Steven M. Scharf wrote:

You are wrong because the country specific prepaid SIM cards usually

don't
work outside of that country.


Are you sure about that? UK prepaid SIMs have worked abroad for several
years now- it's more expensive than roaming on contract, and some
providers limit the countries to ones that operate the CAMEL system
(most of Europe has at least one provider in a country that uses this),
but it can be done.


No I'm not sure. I looked at some of the cards and their coverage maps, but
not all of them.


  #10  
Old March 6th, 2004, 05:46 PM
David Horne
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Another Word on Mobile (Cell) GSM Phones in Europe

Steven M. Scharf wrote:

"David Horne" wrote in message
news:1ga8i5g.45e2dn1wom6ywN%this_address_is_for_sp ...
Steven M. Scharf wrote:

You are wrong because the country specific prepaid SIM cards usually

don't
work outside of that country.


Are you sure about that? UK prepaid SIMs have worked abroad for several
years now- it's more expensive than roaming on contract, and some
providers limit the countries to ones that operate the CAMEL system
(most of Europe has at least one provider in a country that uses this),
but it can be done.


No I'm not sure. I looked at some of the cards and their coverage maps, but
not all of them.


Well, the first two I looked at randomly (Vodafone Spain and Orange
France- because I figured out what their web addresses would be)
indicate that they roam abroad, at least in Europe. It might be cheaper
too- even though it's still expensive.

David

--
David Horne- (website under reconstruction)
davidhorne (at) davidhorne (dot) co (dot) uk
 




Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Mobile (cell) phones - to rent or buy? Dominic Kelly Australia & New Zealand 4 March 8th, 2004 10:51 AM
rec.travel.europe FAQ Yves Bellefeuille Europe 0 February 16th, 2004 11:03 AM
rec.travel.europe FAQ Yves Bellefeuille Europe 0 January 16th, 2004 10:20 AM
Observer: Terror cells regroup - and now their target is Europe Tam Europe 2 January 13th, 2004 02:56 AM
rec.travel.europe FAQ Yves Bellefeuille Europe 9 November 11th, 2003 10:05 AM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 08:01 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 TravelBanter.
The comments are property of their posters.