cell phone rentals
May 5th, 2004 | 01:34 PM
#1
Original Poster
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 9,306
Likes: 0
cell phone rentals
Hello all
has anyone used a reliable, fairly cheap cell phone rental company?
My friends who are heading to France must be available at all times b/c my friend's mother is ill. I have offered them the use of my European cell phone, but, I suspect the SIM card has been deactivated and it may not be of use to them. I've contacted vodafone but don't want to leave them stranded. I also know the last time I tried to use it in France I had the dickens of a time using it b/c vodafone may roam in France but you can't top up a pay as you go vodafone there easily.
I am taking one of my own personal US phones on my own trip (I can use it worldwide) but my trip slightly coincides with theirs so I can't even offer them my own alternate phone.
if anyone knows of any decent rental places to give them some more options, great.
they are not willing to buy a phone, I have also suggested that.
thanks
has anyone used a reliable, fairly cheap cell phone rental company?
My friends who are heading to France must be available at all times b/c my friend's mother is ill. I have offered them the use of my European cell phone, but, I suspect the SIM card has been deactivated and it may not be of use to them. I've contacted vodafone but don't want to leave them stranded. I also know the last time I tried to use it in France I had the dickens of a time using it b/c vodafone may roam in France but you can't top up a pay as you go vodafone there easily.
I am taking one of my own personal US phones on my own trip (I can use it worldwide) but my trip slightly coincides with theirs so I can't even offer them my own alternate phone.
if anyone knows of any decent rental places to give them some more options, great.
they are not willing to buy a phone, I have also suggested that.
thanks
May 5th, 2004 | 01:55 PM
#2
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 13,194
Likes: 0
worldcell.com
Affordable, easy, reliable = buy a phone, and you have alrady told them that, apparently.
I should be more sympathetic, I know, but I say, let 'em pay through the nose since they won't listten to good and reasonable advice.
Best wishes,
Rex
Affordable, easy, reliable = buy a phone, and you have alrady told them that, apparently.
I should be more sympathetic, I know, but I say, let 'em pay through the nose since they won't listten to good and reasonable advice.
Best wishes,
Rex
May 6th, 2004 | 12:27 PM
#4
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 703
Likes: 0
I have a similar question. For those of us who don't want to buy a cell phone (we have one here in the states that won't work overseas)... ARE there good companies to rent from?
I will be travelling with my parents and a baby, and we will be splitting up sometimes for various side trips, etc or maybe the girls will go one way and the boys another. We'd like to stay reachable because of the baby. So I'm thinking 2 rental phones. One for each couple. It's not for chatting on the way to getting bread in the morning... it's for emergencies. What would you recommend?
Or, better yet, if I bought a new phone with new service here in the states (my ATT contract is about up anyway) which company should I get here that can offer me service in Paris and London?
thanks,
Kat
I will be travelling with my parents and a baby, and we will be splitting up sometimes for various side trips, etc or maybe the girls will go one way and the boys another. We'd like to stay reachable because of the baby. So I'm thinking 2 rental phones. One for each couple. It's not for chatting on the way to getting bread in the morning... it's for emergencies. What would you recommend?
Or, better yet, if I bought a new phone with new service here in the states (my ATT contract is about up anyway) which company should I get here that can offer me service in Paris and London?
thanks,
Kat
May 6th, 2004 | 12:46 PM
#5
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,271
Likes: 0
The answer to your last question is simplest...T Mobile. There are a variety of reasons among them being unlike the others T mobile is rather loose with providing unlock codes.
So you can get a family plan with T Mobile in which T Mobile calls to other T Mobile phones is free. T Mobile family plans have free long distance so it doesn't really matter who lives where.
Then by following various threads here you can either use T Mobile world class rates (99 cents/minute to make and receive) or if you're going to be in France for at least a week, buy French sim cards and insert them in the unlocked phones.
I have never been able to understand this thing about renting a mobile (the proper European term) phone for stays of a week or more. Buy an inexpensive unlocked phone and it will be cheaper than rental rates. Use a local SIM and it will be far far far cheaper than using the asinine rates charged by rental companies.
So you can get a family plan with T Mobile in which T Mobile calls to other T Mobile phones is free. T Mobile family plans have free long distance so it doesn't really matter who lives where.
Then by following various threads here you can either use T Mobile world class rates (99 cents/minute to make and receive) or if you're going to be in France for at least a week, buy French sim cards and insert them in the unlocked phones.
I have never been able to understand this thing about renting a mobile (the proper European term) phone for stays of a week or more. Buy an inexpensive unlocked phone and it will be cheaper than rental rates. Use a local SIM and it will be far far far cheaper than using the asinine rates charged by rental companies.
Trending Topics
Oct 12th, 2004 | 09:55 AM
#8
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,271
Likes: 0
Guys...
Please read all the posts on the horros possible with renting a mobile phone. If you're going to be in a country for a week or more, it is inconceivable to me why you would want to rent when it is dirt simple to buy an unlocked phone and a prepaid SIM.
And none of these $1000 charges to worry about.
Be smart and don't fall for the garbage some know nothings put up about what a hassle it is.
Please read all the posts on the horros possible with renting a mobile phone. If you're going to be in a country for a week or more, it is inconceivable to me why you would want to rent when it is dirt simple to buy an unlocked phone and a prepaid SIM.
And none of these $1000 charges to worry about.
Be smart and don't fall for the garbage some know nothings put up about what a hassle it is.
Oct 12th, 2004 | 10:21 AM
#9
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
I have used Travel cell 4 times and was very pleased with them. In fact yesterday I ordered a phone for our upcoming trip on 11-5-04 to {Paris}www.travelcell.com
Mike
Mike
Oct 12th, 2004 | 10:30 AM
#10
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 19,000
Likes: 0
There are many who have had excellent luck with every cell phone provider.
But the fact that <u>some</u> people have been ripped off by almost every one of them should be ample warning to never plunk down a credit card and trust to the intelligence/rigorousness/good will of the shop.
Buy a phone here. Then either use your own carrier (AT&T, T-Mobile, etc.) or buy a prepaid SIM in each country you transit.
Doing it any other way is a crapshoot.
But the fact that <u>some</u> people have been ripped off by almost every one of them should be ample warning to never plunk down a credit card and trust to the intelligence/rigorousness/good will of the shop.
Buy a phone here. Then either use your own carrier (AT&T, T-Mobile, etc.) or buy a prepaid SIM in each country you transit.
Doing it any other way is a crapshoot.
