I'll be in Amsterdam for a week starting May 13 and was wondering if anyone has experience buying a cheap cellphone in the Netherlands. Where would you go to find one? How do you activate it, if you don't understand Dutch; or is it already activated? Would you be able to make calls to other European countries?
Thanks in advance for any responses!

You week in Amsterdam is almost over, so this response is a little late, but maybe helpful for others.

It is very easy to buy cheap cellphones in the Netherlands.
Obvious places are phonestores like the stores from T-mobile, Vodafone, Telfort and KPN (Primafoon). Plus stores like the Belcompany, T for Telecom and The Phonehouse.
But phones are also for sale at supermarkets (e.g. Albert Heijn).

A cheap phone including call-credit is already available starting € 20.

You do have to activate, but this is very easy; put the sim-card in the phone and dial the number as stated in the booklet. Most of the time this is '1244'. You can also use this number to upload more call credit (available at the same stores and more). Usually you do not have to do more to activatie than call the number.

Calls to other European countries are possible and not too expensive (€ 0,50 per minute or so).

How about phone card that can be used to call to the US? (I have a pin-type Europe Blue card from uniontelecard.com that I've used in France and Italy...but it has no toll-free access (or any other access) in the Netherlands).

Any suggestions?

How (where) to buy?

How to use on a hotel phone?

How to use on a pay phone?

Thanks.
SS

Sorry missed this posting first time round.


You will be hard put to find a pay phone nowadays in the Netherlands.

I see they offer a Flemish number - you could try that from the Netherlands, or just buy a prepaid phone.

Hi all...

A friend is lending us a phone that takes SIM cards, so we won't need a phone PIN card.

(a) Will one SIM card allow for calls from Belgium and Netherlands locally as well as to the US?

(b) If so, where is a good place to buy (in Brugge), and how much should I expect to pay for the SIM card and per minute?

Thanks.

SS

"How do you activate it, if you don't understand Dutch; or is it already activated?"

Easy... the 2 guys I dealt with in a t-Mobile
shop activated it for me and they spoke better English than I did! ;^)

You will be roaming with the card when you use it in the Netherlands, which means calls will cost more.
I can't help with buying a SIM in Belgium I'm afraid.
I'm sure if you do a Google search you will find some info.
In fact I've done it for you, have a look here:
http://www.proximus.be/
http://www.mobistar.be/nl
http://www.base.be/nl/base-welcome-b...come?redirect=
LYCA and Ortel also offer Sim only options.