cell phones in Egypt
 

For upcoming trip to Egypt we are taking our grandson so would like a cell phone for him to call Mommy a few times.

Is it best $$$$ we take an Iphone and get international coverage or take a phone that we used in Africa and get a sim card in Egypt???
Thanks

Calls from Egypt to US on your iphone will cost $2.49 per minute (you can get that down to $2.29 by buying a plan). If you're not going to call often or talk much, it's the easiest way to go, but obviously, it's very expensive. An unlocked phone with an Egyptian sim card will undoubtedly be cheaper (much!).

If you do take your iphone, be sure you turn off international data roaming or boy, will you be surprised when you get your bill!!

I agree the iphone would be one of the most expensive ways to commuincate. I did texting on my cell phone and emailing from internet cafes which are not so expensive. For actual phone calls I would look into international calling cards. I didn't use those but I would expect they are not expensive. I hope someone else can address that.

Thanks, I think the iphone stays at home.
SF, yes I found out the hard way as I just returned from England and had a monster bill.
PM...calling card sounds like the way to go.

Or you could go the route I have. I have a quad band cheapie phone I bought years ago on Ebay, they run around $35.00 and I have one sim card (http://www.onesimcard.com/) which I recharge as needed. You need only make one call every 6 months so if I am not traveling I call my self. Incoming calls are Free to Egypt and outgoing calls are .55 minute. I am heading there in October and have just recharged my phone last week. First charge is around $35.00 they you can do it in any amount you want after that. I have used this phone all over the world. Its simple, no internet, or text but voice mail and simple calls. Newer phones would have net, text etc.

We keep a phone like Joanne's handy for world travels, too. Various people have taken it all over the world, but instead of using a worldwide sim, we have bought local sims in the countries we were in (Australia, Italy, Uganda, etc.)