Cell phone rental in Dublin
Feb 27th, 2006, 06:23 AM
#1
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Cell phone rental in Dublin
I'd like to rent a cell phone while in Ireland for 11 days and I want to keep it simple.
I looked at renting through a link on Pat Preston's website and that company says it will deliver the phone for us to pick it up at Dublin airport when we arrive (at the post office). (92 euro covers shipping, phone ready to use, free incoming calls and 22 euro credit on calls within Ireland) When I look for a post office at the airport on the website map, it looks like it will be in the parking garage/atrium. Just wondering if that will add a lot of time onto our trying to pick up our rental car and beginning our actual vacation.
I also noticed there's a Vodafone store in the airport arrivals area. Is it possible to rent directly from them?
If anyone has experience with these options or a simple and inexpensive alternative, I'd appreciate the advice.
Thanks!
I looked at renting through a link on Pat Preston's website and that company says it will deliver the phone for us to pick it up at Dublin airport when we arrive (at the post office). (92 euro covers shipping, phone ready to use, free incoming calls and 22 euro credit on calls within Ireland) When I look for a post office at the airport on the website map, it looks like it will be in the parking garage/atrium. Just wondering if that will add a lot of time onto our trying to pick up our rental car and beginning our actual vacation.
I also noticed there's a Vodafone store in the airport arrivals area. Is it possible to rent directly from them?
If anyone has experience with these options or a simple and inexpensive alternative, I'd appreciate the advice.
Thanks!
Feb 27th, 2006, 06:35 AM
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Why would you want to rent...as noted there is a vodafone ireland store right in the arrivals area of the airport.
You can buy an unlocked gsm tri band (900,`800,`900) phone at many internet merchants for as little as $70 US and then hop right into the vodafone store and buy a prepaid sim card with the free reception of calls for whatever (I paid €9,99 for mine last April but that was a sale, it may be as much as €15 or €20)...this way the phone is yours to keep for ever and ever and if you go back to another European country or whatever you have a phone...no worry about the company claiming it wasn't returned which has happened to some posters on this very board.
In most cases you are better buying the phone (note if you have t mobile US or cingular as your US carrier assuming you're in the US, you may already have the phone. Get it unlocked and you just have to buy the prepaid sim card).
You can buy an unlocked gsm tri band (900,`800,`900) phone at many internet merchants for as little as $70 US and then hop right into the vodafone store and buy a prepaid sim card with the free reception of calls for whatever (I paid €9,99 for mine last April but that was a sale, it may be as much as €15 or €20)...this way the phone is yours to keep for ever and ever and if you go back to another European country or whatever you have a phone...no worry about the company claiming it wasn't returned which has happened to some posters on this very board.
In most cases you are better buying the phone (note if you have t mobile US or cingular as your US carrier assuming you're in the US, you may already have the phone. Get it unlocked and you just have to buy the prepaid sim card).
Mar 1st, 2006, 06:58 AM
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Hi Cristi
I agree with xyz123. Just get a sim card when you get here, a prepaid card is €15 and you also get €10 free credit, just hang on to your sim card as you can use it in Europe again.
I agree with xyz123. Just get a sim card when you get here, a prepaid card is €15 and you also get €10 free credit, just hang on to your sim card as you can use it in Europe again.
Mar 1st, 2006, 07:42 AM
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You can also just buy the phone there; walk into the Vodaphone (or whoever) store, ask for their cheapest phone, don't accept any upsells, buy that, and you can get it, plus a SIM with some credit, for around $50-$60 US. Of course, if, as xyz said, you already have a phone that takes SIM cards, just get it unlocked and buy a SIM for almost nothing ($5 or less), plus the credit for the calls.
Mar 1st, 2006, 09:34 AM
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Thanks! I think I've found a family member who can loan us the triband gsm phone; we just have to make sure it's unlocked. Do we call the cell phone coverage provider (i.e. Cingular) for that?
Then we'll pop into Vodafone and buy the SIM card. We leave in three weeks and I'm getting very excited! I think this is the last major decision I have to make before the trip.
Then we'll pop into Vodafone and buy the SIM card. We leave in three weeks and I'm getting very excited! I think this is the last major decision I have to make before the trip.
Mar 1st, 2006, 10:05 AM
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I called Cingular last night about this very thing of unlocking my Cingular phone to use with a European SIM card.
They seemed happy to give me the P2K (?) or PUK ? code that they could look up and they also put in a request for a Subsidy Unlock code that Motorola will send me within 5 days. I'm not going to Italy until September so I won't try the prodedure until then.
I have a friend who had emailed Cingular about this and got instructions and the number. Try that by emailing [email protected]
I'd like to know how it works out for you.
Check out www.prepaidgsm.net for options on SIM cards in the country where you'll be.
They seemed happy to give me the P2K (?) or PUK ? code that they could look up and they also put in a request for a Subsidy Unlock code that Motorola will send me within 5 days. I'm not going to Italy until September so I won't try the prodedure until then.
I have a friend who had emailed Cingular about this and got instructions and the number. Try that by emailing [email protected]
I'd like to know how it works out for you.
Check out www.prepaidgsm.net for options on SIM cards in the country where you'll be.
Mar 1st, 2006, 12:32 PM
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The SIM cards I've been seeing online are $40-$60. Are they cheaper if you buy them in Ireland? I might just get an unlocked phone here and buy the card when I get there. Also, I see that the cards have verying lengths of time they will work, which gets extended when you 'top up' with more call time. What if the time expires before you can top up? Or what if I buy the SIM card now and use it but then I don't get back to Ireland for a few years and the time expires. Do I have to buy a new SIM card or can I just buy a new top up card?
Mar 1st, 2006, 02:56 PM
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Check out this site for the different options and rates for the mobile carriers in Ireland.
http://www.prepaidgsm.net/en/ireland.html
They have forums for questions and will probably answer e-mails. Note that the site is located in Florence Italy, not in Ireland.
http://www.prepaidgsm.net/en/ireland.html
They have forums for questions and will probably answer e-mails. Note that the site is located in Florence Italy, not in Ireland.
Mar 1st, 2006, 03:14 PM
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chemgirl: SIM cards are definitely cheaper in Ireland. For example, a SIM from Vodaphone is 9.99 euros, and includes 5 euros credit for calling (so the SIM itself is only 4.99): http://www.vodafone.ie/readytogo/range/sim/index.jsp
That's just an example, others may vary, but I wouldn't expect them to be drastically different. Also, if you get the phone in Ireland, the SIM comes with it, you don't have to buy it separately. Also, paying $40-$60 for a little piece of plastic seems kind of ridiculous; surely they're offering something else along with it? You can buy a phone for that much (well, 70 euros for the cheapest Vodaphone ones, others may be cheaper).
That's just an example, others may vary, but I wouldn't expect them to be drastically different. Also, if you get the phone in Ireland, the SIM comes with it, you don't have to buy it separately. Also, paying $40-$60 for a little piece of plastic seems kind of ridiculous; surely they're offering something else along with it? You can buy a phone for that much (well, 70 euros for the cheapest Vodaphone ones, others may be cheaper).
Mar 1st, 2006, 03:16 PM
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Answering the rest of your question, if the time period for the SIM card elapses before you top up, it's gone, you have to get a new one. There isn't a difference between a SIM card and a top up card, though; some really low budget operations actually punch the SIM card out of the same piece of plastic; the normal ones just punch it out of a separate piece and give you the card that corresponds to it.
Mar 1st, 2006, 07:24 PM
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Just to add some more confusion to the thread (not deliberately but it has to be said)...
Cingular unlocked tri band phones might present a bit of a problem if used in Ireland...why? Well Cingular's GSM system in the USA utilizes both 850 and 1900, therefore tri band phones designed by the manufacturer for them have to have 850 and 1900 which leaves only room for the European (and rest of the world) frequencies. In general the preferred one is 1800.
Thus Cingular tri bands usually come with 850, 1800, 1900 and lack 900. There are many areas in Ireland that use 900 exclusively. There won't be a problem in Dublin and most of the urban areas but some areas along the coast have very poor 1800 service and without 900 you might be cell phoneless.
Solutions? Quad bands and buying your own unlocked gsm tri band making sure it is made for worldwide (outside North America) use and has 900/1800/1900. Since in many cases Nokia phones use the same number model and insert the letter B for North American models, it is necessary to watch this.
Cingular unlocked tri band phones might present a bit of a problem if used in Ireland...why? Well Cingular's GSM system in the USA utilizes both 850 and 1900, therefore tri band phones designed by the manufacturer for them have to have 850 and 1900 which leaves only room for the European (and rest of the world) frequencies. In general the preferred one is 1800.
Thus Cingular tri bands usually come with 850, 1800, 1900 and lack 900. There are many areas in Ireland that use 900 exclusively. There won't be a problem in Dublin and most of the urban areas but some areas along the coast have very poor 1800 service and without 900 you might be cell phoneless.
Solutions? Quad bands and buying your own unlocked gsm tri band making sure it is made for worldwide (outside North America) use and has 900/1800/1900. Since in many cases Nokia phones use the same number model and insert the letter B for North American models, it is necessary to watch this.
Mar 2nd, 2006, 12:49 AM
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If the phone is not unlocked once you get here head to Moore Street. This is off a major shopping area Henry street off O'Connell Street. This street is where the fruit and veg people sell there wares as well as a mini chinatown with ethnic shops and and you will see the windows with a person selling phone cards. Ask them as most will unlock phones for about 15 euro. This is if you are stuck.
