I'd like to buy an inexpensive, no-frills cell phone for international travel, in case I need to make local calls. I'd buy a SIM card in each destination. Where in the West Los Angeles area might I find such a phone? The internet is a possibility, but I would need to be able to get it in a week. Our first international stop will be Israel, for 2 weeks. Would it make sense to buy it there?
Thanks!
Inexpensive cell phone for local calls during international travel
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mobal.com best bet for phones
skype if internet savy cheap easy to get in a week
penntalk.com cards or similar cheapest
do not buy SIM expensive roaming charges very high
You can buy one there easily, but the problem might be that you are going to multiple countries. Which countries are you traveling to? You might need to buy an unlocked phone from ebay or some other outlet in order to use multiple SIMs. Even a pay-as-you-go phone in Israel would be cheap but might not be unlocked. It's not as if you are traveling around Europe. But I also suspect there are dozens of places in LA to buy an unlocked phone.
I have trips upcoming to three countries in Africa (Senegal, Cameroon, Ghana), but would like a phone that would cover wherever I might go in the future (e.g., Europe).
Is it possible to buy unlocked phones at destination? I'd like to buy a phone in Italy for use throughout Europe, and I've checked out the websites of Italian companies such as TIM and TRE, but their phones don't seem to be unlocked (though I'm not sure what the Italian word for "unlocked" is in this context -- sbloccato? liberato? rilasciato?)
(I don't live in the US and quad-band phones are expensive where I live.)
Ask around. All you need is an unlocked tri or quad band GSM phone.
Chances are a neighbor, friend, co-worker, relative, has one (or more) they've tossed in a drawer since their last "upgrade". Even if locked, the owner can easily have their provider issue an unlock code if their account is in good standing.
It is possible to buy an unlocked phone in Europe, but they are also expensive there. Just buy a cheap phone and use it in Europe. That's usually a better deal for most travelers.
This is too late for the OP, but I second the recommendation above for a Mobal phone. I've used it all around the world with no trouble.
You are given a permanent phone number in the UK and there are no monthly fees or charges. You can use it in almost any country around the world. The per minute charges are a little higher than other phones but you don't have to buy SIM cards for each country so it's probably a lot cheaper in the long run.
http://www.mobal.com/?utm_nooverride=1&gclid=CL37g-CR0K0CFYJdtgodvhevkw
I second what happytourist did. I have a Mobal phone and a dedicated number, it has worked in Europe and in China just fine, and I only get charged for what I use. (Free incoming texts, by the way!)