Advice: Renting mobile phone
Aug 13th, 2005, 11:11 AM
#1
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Advice: Renting mobile phone
My husband and I will be in a rental car for a couple of weeks, exploring Southwest England, South and Central Wales, mostly. We're likely to be in some remote village areas, and I'm feeling a bit nervous about not being "connected" - (can't bring our US phones)
How easy/expensive is it to rent a phone for a couple of weeks, and can it be done at the airport?
Thanks everyone.
M
How easy/expensive is it to rent a phone for a couple of weeks, and can it be done at the airport?
Thanks everyone.
M
Aug 13th, 2005, 12:00 PM
#2
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Renting a cell phone can be more costly than buying one.
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...a431&fid=2
Scroll down to the 8th posting for my story.
I have since bought a tri-band GSM for about $80. Last time I bought a Mobicarte SIMS card but this time I'm using Riiing. Unlike renting one, YOU control the usage by buying your minutes in advance and topping off when and if you need it.
As for the Rentacell fiasco, Amex gave me a "goodwill" refund of $400. Seems there is a fine line between fraud and excess charges. They can contest fraudulent charges (unauthorized use of a credit card) but there is no remedy for overcharges. My case was considered an overcharge because I had entered into an agreement with Rentacell and it was their word against mine as to whether I had used the minutes and either lost or destroyed the phone.
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...a431&fid=2
Scroll down to the 8th posting for my story.
I have since bought a tri-band GSM for about $80. Last time I bought a Mobicarte SIMS card but this time I'm using Riiing. Unlike renting one, YOU control the usage by buying your minutes in advance and topping off when and if you need it.
As for the Rentacell fiasco, Amex gave me a "goodwill" refund of $400. Seems there is a fine line between fraud and excess charges. They can contest fraudulent charges (unauthorized use of a credit card) but there is no remedy for overcharges. My case was considered an overcharge because I had entered into an agreement with Rentacell and it was their word against mine as to whether I had used the minutes and either lost or destroyed the phone.
Aug 13th, 2005, 12:05 PM
#3
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www.mobalrental.com
$49 for phone, no min charges, no monthly fees, just the per-minute rate
comes with a UK Sim in it...
$49 for phone, no min charges, no monthly fees, just the per-minute rate
comes with a UK Sim in it...
Aug 13th, 2005, 12:15 PM
#4
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here is another recent thread
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34659799
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34659799
Aug 13th, 2005, 12:18 PM
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Aug 13th, 2005, 12:34 PM
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Linda431:
Presumably, thi is the thread whose URL you were trying to cite:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34648115
The URL is <i><b>all</b></i> <u>your</u> posts.
Best wishes,
Rex
Presumably, thi is the thread whose URL you were trying to cite:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34648115
The URL is <i><b>all</b></i> <u>your</u> posts.
Best wishes,
Rex
Aug 13th, 2005, 12:46 PM
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Hi m,
If you won't be using the phone much, I also recommend www.mobalrental.com.
Since you will be in the UK, there will be no charge for incoming calls.
If you won't be using the phone much, I also recommend www.mobalrental.com.
Since you will be in the UK, there will be no charge for incoming calls.
Aug 15th, 2005, 05:34 PM
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I recently purchased a mobal phone for $49 to use while we were in Croatia. The purchase price is less than the rental price for periods of time in excess of 1 week. CAlling from the UK to the US, the charges will be $1.95/min. It was pretty easy to use, once I got the hang of it -- you have to remember to use leading 00s and the country code.
We also borrowed a friend's mobal phone for my teenage daughter, so we could be in touch while she was in Spain (overlapping abroad for a 2 week period). It seemed very reasonable. However, I just got my first bill. Her first 2 calls from Spain to the US, about 5 minutes, almost $10. I am living in fear awaiting the bill for her calls to me while we were both abroad (Spain to Croatia), charged at $3.79/min or something ridiculous like that. Mistakenly, I thought because the two phones had UK telephone numbers, we would be charged for calling the UK, at the $1.95 rate, but I was later told the charges depended rather upon where the service provider was located.
We also borrowed a friend's mobal phone for my teenage daughter, so we could be in touch while she was in Spain (overlapping abroad for a 2 week period). It seemed very reasonable. However, I just got my first bill. Her first 2 calls from Spain to the US, about 5 minutes, almost $10. I am living in fear awaiting the bill for her calls to me while we were both abroad (Spain to Croatia), charged at $3.79/min or something ridiculous like that. Mistakenly, I thought because the two phones had UK telephone numbers, we would be charged for calling the UK, at the $1.95 rate, but I was later told the charges depended rather upon where the service provider was located.
Aug 16th, 2005, 06:39 AM
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If you want to have a phone number set up before you leave Mobal is for you. We had good luck with our set. They even included a variety of adapters and an extra battery. Since it calls from US are free, we got a calling card for our family to call us. Wal-greens and other national stores have international calling cards. Rates for the cards from the US to a UK cell phone are 20 to 25 cents a minute.
If you don't mind leaving without knowing your number, wait and go to a phone store and get pre-paid phone. Dixons is like our Radio Shack. They had a 30 pound phone with some pre-paid minutes. If you need more minutes they are alot cheaper than Mobal. Check Dixons on-line for their specials.
If you don't mind leaving without knowing your number, wait and go to a phone store and get pre-paid phone. Dixons is like our Radio Shack. They had a 30 pound phone with some pre-paid minutes. If you need more minutes they are alot cheaper than Mobal. Check Dixons on-line for their specials.
