We are doing a self-drive tour of Ireland beginning next week and would like to rent a cell phone to be able to contact the B&Bs while on the road. I have a call into Dan Dooley Car Rental for info, but am exploring all options to get this set up before we leave. Thanks in advance for any assistance! Monique

There is a company that sells phones at SNN airport called SpeakEasy <BR>Mobile Phone on arrival. You <BR>can also easily rent a phone from phone shops all over Ireland. It seems like everyone has a mobile phone in Ireland! try http://www.rent-a-cellphone.com/cov/ireland.htm which shows coverage areas and the costs for this one rental company (in Shannon town by airport). Their rates show about $33 dollars a week plus .40 pence per minute. <BR>

Mikey, Thanks a million! Dan Dooley couldn't give me the name of the company in the airport, but knew that one existed. The options that you describe sound like they are right up our alley.

I took my own phone and just bought a sim card in Dublin when I arrived. It cost me 29 pounds and I got 30 pounds worth of free calls. To my mind this was a great deal. I used it mainly to send text messages but also made the odd phone call, and it lasted me for my whole 4 weeks in Ireland. It was an Eircom package I bought and was sold at all phone shops. Hope this helps

Monique, <BR>Bring a phone and buy a SIM package or buy one of the prepaid cell (called mobile) phones from either Esat (www.esat.ie code prefix is 086) or Eircom (www.eircom.ie and their prefix code is 087) <BR>Some car rental companies include a mobile phone with the hire of the car, <BR> <BR>Hope this helps <BR> <BR> <BR>Cathy

I thought I understood this cell phone thing but now I'm not so sure. I thought that American cell phones would not work in Europe, even with a European SIM card, unless they were GSM, which most aren't. Something to do with Megahertz (?) Now I see some posters are saying to take your American cell phone (without specifying what kind) and just get a SIM card for the country you're in. Have things changed since last fall or what? Can someone straighten me out on this?

Betty <BR>You are of course right. US digital cell phone works on 1900MHz while European GSM operates on either 900 or 1800MHz. Unless your phone is triband (like Motorola Timeport/T250/T260, Nokia 8890, Ericsson R520), it won't work in Europe. Some US operators rent out compatible handset for European use. You insert your own SIM card and you can be contacted through your phone number. If you buy a phone here to put a local SIM card in, make sure it is 'unlocked', not tied to a particular network. This costs considerably more ($150+) than pre-pay handset widely on sale from as little as $50. With different SIM card your phone number changes as well, so it isn't very convenient for receiving calls, though a lot cheaper.

Hi Monique! <BR> <BR>AT&T World Connect has a chip that you buy and install in your own cell phone. This is what we did when we went in September. I think it cost about $25 for the chip and you keep your regular cell phone # which means if someone from back home wants to call you when you are in Ireland they simply dial that #! It was great and very easy.

Thanks, Alec. That's more or less what I thought. I'm afraid some of these posters planning on using their American phones in Europe are going to have a nasty surprise when thet get there and it doesn't work. If you plan to do this, just be very sure that you have a phone that will work in Europe, even with a new SIM card.

Best bet is to rent a GSM phone here.. <BR>Voicestream is the best bet...$29/week or $49/month plus airtime. They work ANYWHERE. Whole deal can be handled by phone, fax and Fedex. I've done it for 5 years. I have NExtel 2000 which is supposed to work in Europe, but I still take the GSM. I KNOW it does. <BR>

Yanno, I do not mean to sound critical and grouchy, but whaaatttttt the heck is the fascination with cell phones that people want to use them while traveling in Europe? <BR> <BR>Unless your Charlie president of some big company and have to keep in touch with your people, why bring one? <BR> <BR>Hear me now and hear me well, I don't want anyone from work to call me in Europe, in the States, not anywhere. LOL <BR> <BR>If I told my office that I was taking my cell phone, someone would call me and I don't want them to call me. Not now, noootttt ever, not if I can help it. <BR> <BR>While coming home from a past trip, I saw some pinhead talking loudly on his cell phone so as to impress everyone on how important this bozo was. He was saying: Will do lunch babe, love yah, mean it. God I wanted to slap him! ;-) <BR> <BR>Annnnnyyyyway, I just don't get it? <BR> <BR>I own a cell phone myself, but I I don't annoy the living c... out of people with the thing ringing all the time. <BR> <BR>Annnyyyway, Cell phones, schmell phones. LOL <BR> <BR>Sun( tongue cemented firmly in cheek so don't give me any grief) Vol ;-)