I have had the Mobal $49 for several years. It works fine,but kept looking at others.

I have just bought from Range Roamer
www.rangeroamer.com

A good package price..a Siemens A70 phone.

You get 2 phone numbers a US toll free number and a European number. With the toll free # it allows people in US to call you free..you pay the .69 per min. If you have them call your Eur. # they pay the the Intl call and you receive the call free.

The toll free # is free for 1 month..you can then drop it til your next trip..add it on again and pay $3.99 per month. It would be a different # each time.

Voice messages and Text messages, too. Text messages can be sent to/from free from RangeRoamer website. You can send from phone for .49 from wherever.

Anyway, I decided to do it. It will be operating when I get it. Can check it all out before leaving. Within US the rates are not good..don't use it..or get cheaper SIM if you intend to use in US.

The website will tell you much more, IF you have any interest.

I find calling cards so easy to use in Europe and such great valuethat a phone plan has to be extraordinary to entice me enough. Thanks for the info, though.

....see the thread on public phone rip offs to see what can happen even with a calling card....

I don't have a RangeRoamer sim, but I've been at their office in Chicago. They were extremely helpful. I think their sim is a rebranding of TravelSim, a well known and well regarded international sim card. You made a good choice.

xyz, that thread about public phone ripoff was using a credit card, not an international calling card.

SusanP..

Here's the point, though.....

Public phones are starting to become more and more obsolete....the OP, I believe, made the point that her B&B did not have a phone and went out to use a public phone and her calling card did not work.....hence the credit card and the result.....

I still believe given the many alternatives that exist today that phone cards, public phones and whatever represent 20th centurhy technology that is starting to become obsolete...this would not have happened if she had a cell phone.

sjj

Thanks for your reply. You are obviously far more knowledgeable about these things than I am.

I looked at many sites, reviews of the Siemens A70 and then compared the prices for what you were getting. I did not want the fanciest or most expensive..just something good, easy to use etc. I feel that I have that.

A question: I have a Sun Com US cell and plan. Is there a way..a SIM or whatever to just use the Siemens A70 phone for my normal use in the US? Or should I just continue with my Sun Com/Nokia phone plan and use the A7 only for Intl. travel??

If your SunCom phone is GSM, you can take the SIM out of it and put it in your A70, and it will probably work. If SunCom uses 850 mHz, it won't - because the A70 doesn't.

Anyone planning to use a phone in North America <u>and</u> Europe should get an <b>unlocked quad-band</b> model. That will cover all of the equipment compatability issues - but the NA carrier must use GSM.

Which SIM you should but depends on how you will use the phone, what countries you will visit, and a number of other factors.

xyz, of course you're right. I just didn't want gracejoan to think that an international calling card was the thing causing the ripoff. I'm in the process of trying to finally get a cell phone (per that other thread).

SusanP

Check out the one I got..sure sounded good to me.

I do also have the $49 Mobal..I have used it for about 4 trips..does what it is supposed to do.

gracejoan, my problem is I wanted one phone to use in both the US and Italy. I was set to go with T-mobile, but they don't have service in my area, so I can't get the deal on wirefly.com where you get a free phone with a contract. I may still get one by going to one of their stores. It would still work in my area on roaming, which is free.

I'm pretty sure Sun Com uses 850 mhz as well as 1900, so I don't think your A70 phone will work with their service. You might try calling them and seeing what they say.

I will check with Sun Com tomorrow.

I am also going to speak with the Range Roamer people tomorrow.

Thanks all for your input.....

It seems that I probbly could remove SIM from my Nokia phone with my Sun Com paln and put it in my Siemens A70 and use it in the US. Range Roamer thought so..said to double check with SunCom.

The RangeRoamer people are really great. Phone on the way via FedEX. My account already set up with both telephone numbers. I can have automatic addition to minutes or manually do it myself on phone.

I will be able to play with everything before travel. Make calls to see if everything works..just don't answer. I can send text messages. Anyone from US can get onto RangeRoamer and send a free text message..

It all looks pretty good...anxious to play with it....

Robespierre's comment is still appropriate and I wouldn't count on a clerk to answer it...

What frequency does your sun com sim operate on? You have to check that and be careful...I believe the A70 is an international tri band phone which will not have 850 mhz and if son com operates on 850 mhz you will be up the creek without a paddle so to speak..

BTW just read that sun com is being bought out by T Mobile.....probably will not take effect to help you in the near future but it could be interesting.

I think the buy out might have bben part of the reason that the Range Roamer person thought it might work.

I really don't care. I have all the stuff in my Nokia phone with SunCom and know it well. Probably will just continue to use it here and keep my GSM for when I travel. It certainly has a lot of great things. I have printed out everything about how things work. Seems very simple to use..that is what I want!! I will get to know it well before I leave!

Gracejoan:

Thanks for the info. I just ordered the same phone. I like the idea of the 2 phone numbers.

Weekender,

I checked some other sites for the phone and they had much higher prices. I think we got a good deal!!

Print out all that info that is online ..tells you everything you need to know in using it.

You immediately have an account set up with them. I didn't know it until I talked with someone. Both phone numbers there along with my $20 of minutes.

I will be using mine for my trip leaving here on 10/14. How about you, sooner or later?

Joan

I am leaving for Rome on the 3rd of October and will take it to Buenos Aires in November. I also have the Mobal Nokia phone which has also been fine. I plan on using the top-off feature and will just pay to keep the same toll-free number. Will print out the details. Thanks!

Joan: I will only be in Rome for a few days so will let you know how it works before you leave on your trip.