Cell phone use within Europe
Dec 14th, 2005, 03:44 PM
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Cell phone use within Europe
Our son will be travelling in Italy this summer. The rest of us would like to be in Europe at the same time, but travelling Italy,Switzerland, Austria and Germany-Alps. We have a GSM cell phone but have been advised by our carrier that European calling cards used to phone our cell, will incur long distance charges to and from Canada. Is there any thoughts and a less expensive alternative? We expect him to call us every second day (10 X total) during the course of our trip. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!!
Dec 14th, 2005, 04:15 PM
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Hardware: Your GSM phone wil be fine a long as it is at least triband.
Service: If you keep your Canadian service provider then no matter where you are someone calling you pays the rate as if you are in Canada, and you may well be hit with someetimes steep roaming charges for incoming calls while you travel. The advantage is that you keep you usual phone number.
Another option is to switch temporarily to a European service provider. If your phone is triband or better and unlocked so it accepts a different SIM card you can do this easily at any of the gazillion phone stores. One advantage is that most european services do not make you pay for incoming calls, only ones that you place. You will, of course, have a different phone number during your travels. When the trip is over, just pop back in your Canadian SIM and you are ready to go.
Service: If you keep your Canadian service provider then no matter where you are someone calling you pays the rate as if you are in Canada, and you may well be hit with someetimes steep roaming charges for incoming calls while you travel. The advantage is that you keep you usual phone number.
Another option is to switch temporarily to a European service provider. If your phone is triband or better and unlocked so it accepts a different SIM card you can do this easily at any of the gazillion phone stores. One advantage is that most european services do not make you pay for incoming calls, only ones that you place. You will, of course, have a different phone number during your travels. When the trip is over, just pop back in your Canadian SIM and you are ready to go.
Dec 14th, 2005, 08:11 PM
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"Another option is to switch temporarily to a European service provider. If your phone is triband or better and unlocked so it accepts a different SIM card you can do this easily at any of the gazillion phone stores. One advantage is that most european services do not make you pay for incoming calls, only ones that you place. You will, of course, have a different phone number during your travels. When the trip is over, just pop back in your Canadian SIM and you are ready to go. "
This advice is right in target! I did the same and it worked out fine. Just make sure you get the unlock code and then he can go into any Tim store to get a new sim card. Incoming is free and it's about a euro per minute for outgoing.
This advice is right in target! I did the same and it worked out fine. Just make sure you get the unlock code and then he can go into any Tim store to get a new sim card. Incoming is free and it's about a euro per minute for outgoing.
Dec 14th, 2005, 11:38 PM
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But do remember that there's no such country as Europe.
If your son's in Italy and you're in another country, you'll incur roaming charges if you're calling him and you're using an Italian SIM. Those charges will be almost certainly be less, though, than if you're using a Canadian SIM.
Depending on how long you're going to be in each country, you'll either find it cheaper to buy a new SIM in each country or a complete pain the rear end. You need to do the sums.
If your son's in Italy and you're in another country, you'll incur roaming charges if you're calling him and you're using an Italian SIM. Those charges will be almost certainly be less, though, than if you're using a Canadian SIM.
Depending on how long you're going to be in each country, you'll either find it cheaper to buy a new SIM in each country or a complete pain the rear end. You need to do the sums.
Dec 14th, 2005, 11:56 PM
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Lets start with Austria:
buy at local Supermarket www.hofer.at
www.yesss.at SIM card
card with 60 local minutes 13€
Rates in Austria 9ct/min, to Canada 70ct, incoming free
use local calling card dial-in.
Germany: buy at local Supermarket www.aldi.de Aldi-Talk
Rates in Germany 15ct/min, incpming free, incoming in western Europe 81ct!!
use local calling card dial-in.
buy at local Supermarket www.hofer.at
www.yesss.at SIM card
card with 60 local minutes 13€
Rates in Austria 9ct/min, to Canada 70ct, incoming free
use local calling card dial-in.
Germany: buy at local Supermarket www.aldi.de Aldi-Talk
Rates in Germany 15ct/min, incpming free, incoming in western Europe 81ct!!
use local calling card dial-in.
