INTERNATIONAL CELL PHONES #2
Jul 7th, 2005, 09:41 PM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 67
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
INTERNATIONAL CELL PHONES #2
Just returned from 3 weeks in Italy/Sicily...rented a cell phone from WCR...THE BEST AND EASIEST WAY TO GO...Cell phone (latest version) including delivery and return..numerous inter Italy/sicily calls and USA calls came to $103...NO SIM CARDS..NO BUY AND SELL...NO NOTHING just dial when you arrive in Italy and enjoy...The gal I worked with in their Florida office was a Doll...FORGET EVERYTHING ELSE...do yourself a favor and RENT...
Jul 8th, 2005, 04:24 AM
#5
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 74,699
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I believe that Jean is referring to http://www.worldcr.com/italy.htm
Phone is $30/week (There is small print that says $8 extra per week). Shipping is $20.
Incoming calls are free. Outgoing local is 46cts/min. Calls to USA $1/min.
Depending on how many calls you make, this could be a better deal than Mobal.
www.mobalrentals.com
Phone is $30/week (There is small print that says $8 extra per week). Shipping is $20.
Incoming calls are free. Outgoing local is 46cts/min. Calls to USA $1/min.
Depending on how many calls you make, this could be a better deal than Mobal.
www.mobalrentals.com
Jul 8th, 2005, 06:43 AM
#8
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Ira has it wrong. It is $29.95 for the first week and $8 per for extra week(s). Shipping is 9.95 if it's 2 days and the renter pays for own return shipping.
$29.95 - first week
$16.00 - 2 extra weeks
$ 9.95 - shipping
$ 9.95 - return shipping
= $65.85
That would give the Jean33437 about $40 worth of calls. Not too many in my opinion. At $1 per minute to US that is a total of 40 minutes in 3 weeks.
I like my unlocked phone and buying SIM cards. Much better deal in the long run but for some it is easier this way.
$29.95 - first week
$16.00 - 2 extra weeks
$ 9.95 - shipping
$ 9.95 - return shipping
= $65.85
That would give the Jean33437 about $40 worth of calls. Not too many in my opinion. At $1 per minute to US that is a total of 40 minutes in 3 weeks.
I like my unlocked phone and buying SIM cards. Much better deal in the long run but for some it is easier this way.
Jul 8th, 2005, 08:58 AM
#9
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 12,885
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
$1 a minute? That's a rip-off!!!
The SIM cards cost = ~$5-10 per and includes at least 100 units of use time (that does not mean that you can call US for 100 minutes, but maybe about 10 minutes). After that I'm paying about $0.49 and as low as $0.29 per minute to US and locally it's $0.50 per minute <b>BUT for only the first 3 minutes of the day</b> and about $0.08 for every minute after.
I paid ~$125 for my unlocked phone which is mine to keep and use everywhere I go. I have used it in New Zealand, Australia, Honk Kong, Singapore, and too many countries in Europe to list here, and most where in the same price range for cards and minutes.
Now tell me who has a better deal!
The SIM cards cost = ~$5-10 per and includes at least 100 units of use time (that does not mean that you can call US for 100 minutes, but maybe about 10 minutes). After that I'm paying about $0.49 and as low as $0.29 per minute to US and locally it's $0.50 per minute <b>BUT for only the first 3 minutes of the day</b> and about $0.08 for every minute after.
I paid ~$125 for my unlocked phone which is mine to keep and use everywhere I go. I have used it in New Zealand, Australia, Honk Kong, Singapore, and too many countries in Europe to list here, and most where in the same price range for cards and minutes.
Now tell me who has a better deal!
Jul 8th, 2005, 09:02 AM
#10
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 12,885
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Forgot to mention. Once I buy the SIM card it comes with a personal number that is mine to keep as long as I reload the card every so often. It could be as short as 6 months or as long as 2-3 years depending on the company and country, so when I go back to Australia next year all I have to do is reload my card. 
Jul 8th, 2005, 09:27 AM
#11
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 3,312
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Everyone has their own idea of cost effective.
If you are making only one trip maybe renting would be a good idea.
But I will have my own phone for a long time and can use it on multiple trips.
My initial investment was $65. Phone was $30 (was on sale and had to unlock it)and the International SIM was $35(only has 5E call credit).
I can top it off with a credit card, I have the same number most places in Europe I would go, and I can use my callback service and the rates can't be beat.
Even buying a country SIM card like I did in Portugal we only paid .39E for calls during the week and .20E for calls on the weekend to the US.
If you are making only one trip maybe renting would be a good idea.
But I will have my own phone for a long time and can use it on multiple trips.
My initial investment was $65. Phone was $30 (was on sale and had to unlock it)and the International SIM was $35(only has 5E call credit).
I can top it off with a credit card, I have the same number most places in Europe I would go, and I can use my callback service and the rates can't be beat.
Even buying a country SIM card like I did in Portugal we only paid .39E for calls during the week and .20E for calls on the weekend to the US.
Jul 8th, 2005, 11:43 AM
#13
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 12,885
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I bought mine in UK for about $100 at a phone store and had it unlocked for ~$25 on Oxford Street. This was few years ago.
The easiest way now is to buy one on e-Bay. It will probably be somewhat cheaper than what I paid for mine and it will be already unlocked. The phone I bought is a basic model that does not have all the bells and whistles but as it's only used during my travels, it is good enough. It works great!
Renting is not the way to go regardless of what anybody tells you, <b>UNLESS</b> you will only do 1 international trip for years to come, then I will suggest a rental.
US companies are offering international usage now too, using your own phone, but again it's a rip-off. They charge you international roaming charges and access charges and this and that. The day is coming (I believe it's soon) that the stranglehold the US mobil phone companies have on us is coming to an end but it's still not here. Until then if you travel internationally at least once or twice a year, every year, buying an unlocked phone is the way to go.
The easiest way now is to buy one on e-Bay. It will probably be somewhat cheaper than what I paid for mine and it will be already unlocked. The phone I bought is a basic model that does not have all the bells and whistles but as it's only used during my travels, it is good enough. It works great!
Renting is not the way to go regardless of what anybody tells you, <b>UNLESS</b> you will only do 1 international trip for years to come, then I will suggest a rental.
US companies are offering international usage now too, using your own phone, but again it's a rip-off. They charge you international roaming charges and access charges and this and that. The day is coming (I believe it's soon) that the stranglehold the US mobil phone companies have on us is coming to an end but it's still not here. Until then if you travel internationally at least once or twice a year, every year, buying an unlocked phone is the way to go.
Jul 10th, 2005, 07:33 AM
#14
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 67
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
HI AGAIN: FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN RENTING...World Cellular Rental...telephone # 1-877-626-0216 or you can get your local # at
www.worldcr.com..In Florida it is 954-272-2355..The gal I worked with was Jennifer and she was a doll...the 3 week charge was$45...the delivery charge (back & forth) was $15.95, but check this out as she said this may go up during the high season...DON'T TAKE THE INSURANCE..put it on your Charge Card and they'll cover you...inter-Country toll 46. cents per minute...USA TOLLS $1.45 per minute..INCOMING CALLS..FREE! YES..EVERYONE MUST DECIDE WHAT IS BEST IN THEIR PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCES...As I said, I'm a Grandmother and the LOCK/UNLOCK...SIM CARD...FINDING PHONE BOOTHS FOR CALLING CARD CALLS...KNOWING THAT YOUR PURCHASED PHONE WILL BE OBSOLETE IN A YEAR..OR TRYING TO SELL IT BACK ON E-BAY...ASKING A MILLION QUESTIONS ON THE FORUM AND STILL NOT BEING SURE YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE DOING...THIS WAS NOT AN OPTION FOR ME...I make one overseas trip per year..am happy with my current cell phone and server and just sat back and did nothing but make a phone call...sign a contract...and go happily and technically challenged on my merry way to Sicily/Italy...Oh and p.s. you DO KNOW YOUR CELL PHONE # PRIOR TO LEAVING THE COUNTRY...AND EXCUSE ME, BUT I MADE APPROX 60 CALLS IN 3 WEEKS...Hey, I've been around the block a few times, and this was a GREAT COMFORTABLE way to solve the CELL PHONE DILEMMA!
www.worldcr.com..In Florida it is 954-272-2355..The gal I worked with was Jennifer and she was a doll...the 3 week charge was$45...the delivery charge (back & forth) was $15.95, but check this out as she said this may go up during the high season...DON'T TAKE THE INSURANCE..put it on your Charge Card and they'll cover you...inter-Country toll 46. cents per minute...USA TOLLS $1.45 per minute..INCOMING CALLS..FREE! YES..EVERYONE MUST DECIDE WHAT IS BEST IN THEIR PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCES...As I said, I'm a Grandmother and the LOCK/UNLOCK...SIM CARD...FINDING PHONE BOOTHS FOR CALLING CARD CALLS...KNOWING THAT YOUR PURCHASED PHONE WILL BE OBSOLETE IN A YEAR..OR TRYING TO SELL IT BACK ON E-BAY...ASKING A MILLION QUESTIONS ON THE FORUM AND STILL NOT BEING SURE YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE DOING...THIS WAS NOT AN OPTION FOR ME...I make one overseas trip per year..am happy with my current cell phone and server and just sat back and did nothing but make a phone call...sign a contract...and go happily and technically challenged on my merry way to Sicily/Italy...Oh and p.s. you DO KNOW YOUR CELL PHONE # PRIOR TO LEAVING THE COUNTRY...AND EXCUSE ME, BUT I MADE APPROX 60 CALLS IN 3 WEEKS...Hey, I've been around the block a few times, and this was a GREAT COMFORTABLE way to solve the CELL PHONE DILEMMA!
