Communication in Europe
Feb 2nd, 2007, 10:40 AM
#21
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Some SIM cards <i>do</i> come with minutes - http://www.virginmobile.co.uk and http://www.smobil.de, for two. You typically "recharge" or "top up" your account by telephone or at a kiosk.
Feb 2nd, 2007, 10:52 AM
#22
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If you all have T-mobile and or Cingular service here in the US, you can text each other from your phones while in Europe. It's 10-35 cents per message, I believe. I've done this in 6 different countries and it works well.
Liz
Liz
Feb 6th, 2007, 11:16 AM
#23
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It's me again the confused one
. I am sure I will get it eventually.
850/900/1800/1900 MHZ Quad Band would this be good or do I look for something different?
at the rate I am going I will no graduate before the trip
. I am sure I will get it eventually.850/900/1800/1900 MHZ Quad Band would this be good or do I look for something different?
at the rate I am going I will no graduate before the trip
Feb 28th, 2007, 12:03 PM
#26
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If it says "T-Mobile" or "Cingular" only, then it's a locked phone that can only be used with that carrier.
If it says it's a GSM phone that can be used with T-Mobile <b>and</b> Cingular, then it's unlocked and you can put whatever SIM in. It needs to have 900 and 1800 to work seamlessly across Europe.
If it says it's a GSM phone that can be used with T-Mobile <b>and</b> Cingular, then it's unlocked and you can put whatever SIM in. It needs to have 900 and 1800 to work seamlessly across Europe.
Feb 28th, 2007, 12:07 PM
#27
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If it really is just for emergencies, why not just use your regular cellphone? I don't know if all of them work abroad..I know mine does..it's not cheap (I think .99 a minute), but if it's a quick call, it shouldn't be a big deal..
Text messaging is a little cheaper.
Text messaging is a little cheaper.
Feb 28th, 2007, 12:37 PM
#28
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thank you for your help... I think I am getting this...It does not say ONLY just says Carriers T-Mobile, Cingular, AT&T Wireless.
I have Verizon Wirelss for my regular phone and they cannot be used in Europe, and as much as texting is better, I cannot text my office, and I will be on business.
I have Verizon Wirelss for my regular phone and they cannot be used in Europe, and as much as texting is better, I cannot text my office, and I will be on business.
Feb 28th, 2007, 01:47 PM
#29
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xjrzgl,
I have a similar problem to yours. Stuck with Verizon in the US. Own a Mobal, now looking into buying a quad band and local SIMs.
I am taking a tutorial from the esteemed xyz123 on another thread. He directed me to www.prepaidgsm.net, where the posters are a unbelievably-qualified bunch of international roaming cell phone nerd/experts. They even post lists all the SIM cards and phones they have ever owned.
I believe you will be able to text your office from your quad band cell/sim card combo, but would love to find out the answer.
I have a similar problem to yours. Stuck with Verizon in the US. Own a Mobal, now looking into buying a quad band and local SIMs.
I am taking a tutorial from the esteemed xyz123 on another thread. He directed me to www.prepaidgsm.net, where the posters are a unbelievably-qualified bunch of international roaming cell phone nerd/experts. They even post lists all the SIM cards and phones they have ever owned.
I believe you will be able to text your office from your quad band cell/sim card combo, but would love to find out the answer.
Mar 1st, 2007, 06:22 PM
#31
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I feel your pain. After much research what I think will work best for you is the vodafone passport plan - buy in Italy, use in France. Calls in France will be same price as Italian calls plus 1 euro a call. Or you can just buy a new SIM when you get to France.
Still would love an opinion from xyz123 about texting...Maybe we should start a new thread.
Still would love an opinion from xyz123 about texting...Maybe we should start a new thread.
Mar 2nd, 2007, 08:50 AM
#35
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After reading lots of information from this site, I signed up for a T-Mobile plan with a quad-band phone. Yes, it is a 2-year plan, but since T-Mobile does work in our home area I think it is worth the cost. I have a Verizon plan, and my husband has the T-Mobile plan. Since we do road trips in the USA, we find the two plans work for us.
After 90-days T-Mobile did give me the code to unlock the phone, and I had it set up for international calls. I was told if I had the phone turned on in a foreign country and someone left a voice mail, I had to pay at the going rate for that country. Also, I would have to pay when I listened to the voice mail. I thought that was going to be really expensive until I found a nice T-Mobile service person that got the voice mail turned off. I do not answer calls unless I really want to talk to that person and pay large amounts per minute for international calls. With the voice mail off, I can leave the phone on 24/7. I use text messages to keep in contact with family.
I do have a tri-band phone that I use if I'm in one country for awhile. I have had success purchasing SIM cards and using them. After I purchase the SIM, I text message my son with the phone number. Friends and relatives know to call my son if they need to get in touch.
With elderly parents, the cell phone and text messaging has been great for keeping in touch. My MIL was freaking out every time we left the country, so the cell phone has certainly helped calm the situation.
I started out with the Mobal plan for emergency purposes, and the cost was high. My real concern was that Mobal had my credit card number, and I had to keep track of the Mobal SIM. I finally destroyed the Mobal SIM and got the tri-band unlocked so I could put different SIMs in it.
Thanks to the postings on this site I have learned many things about using cell phones outside the USA, and I really do appreciate all the helpful information.
After 90-days T-Mobile did give me the code to unlock the phone, and I had it set up for international calls. I was told if I had the phone turned on in a foreign country and someone left a voice mail, I had to pay at the going rate for that country. Also, I would have to pay when I listened to the voice mail. I thought that was going to be really expensive until I found a nice T-Mobile service person that got the voice mail turned off. I do not answer calls unless I really want to talk to that person and pay large amounts per minute for international calls. With the voice mail off, I can leave the phone on 24/7. I use text messages to keep in contact with family.
I do have a tri-band phone that I use if I'm in one country for awhile. I have had success purchasing SIM cards and using them. After I purchase the SIM, I text message my son with the phone number. Friends and relatives know to call my son if they need to get in touch.
With elderly parents, the cell phone and text messaging has been great for keeping in touch. My MIL was freaking out every time we left the country, so the cell phone has certainly helped calm the situation.
I started out with the Mobal plan for emergency purposes, and the cost was high. My real concern was that Mobal had my credit card number, and I had to keep track of the Mobal SIM. I finally destroyed the Mobal SIM and got the tri-band unlocked so I could put different SIMs in it.
Thanks to the postings on this site I have learned many things about using cell phones outside the USA, and I really do appreciate all the helpful information.
Mar 2nd, 2007, 09:03 AM
#36
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I just bought a unlocked phone on ebay.... Now the trick is to figure out whether to buy the sim card here or wait until I get to europe.
I was even thinking about having a colleague in the UK to bring a UK card when we go to Venice. I am still not sure which way to go. I could just buy one in Italy and one in France.... I am just worried about using up the units when communicating with the USA office and how costly that will be
I was even thinking about having a colleague in the UK to bring a UK card when we go to Venice. I am still not sure which way to go. I could just buy one in Italy and one in France.... I am just worried about using up the units when communicating with the USA office and how costly that will be
Mar 2nd, 2007, 09:42 AM
#37
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Susan...
One point you should be aware of and have to take into consideraton...
If you got the tri band phone from T Mobile in the past year, it probably has these 3 bands, 850/1800/1900...in Europe they use 900/1800.
Now if you're using the T Mobile international roaming it is most likely not a problem as in most areas of Europe there are carriers using both the 900 and 1800 frequencies and the phone will latch onto one or the other.
If you are buying a prepaid sim for the phone, you must be careful and buy a prepaid sim which uses the frequency, in this case 1800, you hve predominately.
For example, if you were using a UK sim, you would be okay to use T Mobile UK or Virgin Mobile sim cards as their predominant coverage is on 1800 but O2 UK predominantly uses 900 and your phone would not work in many places with this sim.
Something those using US tri bands have to be aware of if buying local sims.
One point you should be aware of and have to take into consideraton...
If you got the tri band phone from T Mobile in the past year, it probably has these 3 bands, 850/1800/1900...in Europe they use 900/1800.
Now if you're using the T Mobile international roaming it is most likely not a problem as in most areas of Europe there are carriers using both the 900 and 1800 frequencies and the phone will latch onto one or the other.
If you are buying a prepaid sim for the phone, you must be careful and buy a prepaid sim which uses the frequency, in this case 1800, you hve predominately.
For example, if you were using a UK sim, you would be okay to use T Mobile UK or Virgin Mobile sim cards as their predominant coverage is on 1800 but O2 UK predominantly uses 900 and your phone would not work in many places with this sim.
Something those using US tri bands have to be aware of if buying local sims.
Mar 2nd, 2007, 11:17 AM
#39
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Hi XYZ I actually got the tri-band from Mobal. It has a British plug with an adaptor for the USA. So far, we have not been traveling in Europe except a trip to Turkey. The tri-band with a TurkCell SIM was very successful.
We have been mostly traveling in the Orient, and the tri-band has been successful in Bali, Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, and Hong Kong. It is a stripped down Nokia that is light weight without the camera, etc.
This year we are going to several European countries, and I will study your information before I go. I do have access to a second unlocked quad-band. I purchased the second quad-band and use pay-as-you go for my son because he was having trouble receiving text messages on Verizon when we were out of the country.
XYZ--you have been so helpful to me in the last few years getting me up and running on cell phones for international use. A big thank you to you.
We have been mostly traveling in the Orient, and the tri-band has been successful in Bali, Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, and Hong Kong. It is a stripped down Nokia that is light weight without the camera, etc.
This year we are going to several European countries, and I will study your information before I go. I do have access to a second unlocked quad-band. I purchased the second quad-band and use pay-as-you go for my son because he was having trouble receiving text messages on Verizon when we were out of the country.
XYZ--you have been so helpful to me in the last few years getting me up and running on cell phones for international use. A big thank you to you.
