Read all the cell phone posts & I'm still confused - HELP
Mar 28th, 2004, 05:41 PM
#21
Join Date: Sep 2003
Posts: 2,420
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I would like to thank everyone for their posts.
I am trying to decide the best approach for me. I would like a cell for a driving trip in France this year and will need one for Girl Scout trip next year. I am getting lots of useful info. (The Scout Trip is three countries, UK, France and Switzerland which adds to my confusion!)
I am trying to decide the best approach for me. I would like a cell for a driving trip in France this year and will need one for Girl Scout trip next year. I am getting lots of useful info. (The Scout Trip is three countries, UK, France and Switzerland which adds to my confusion!)
Mar 28th, 2004, 06:18 PM
#22
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,716
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I've posted this on some of the other mobile phone threads, but thought I'd add it here, too.
Here is a link to a series of very good, very detailed articles re international mobile phones:
http://www.thetravelinsider.info/2002/0308.htm
Along the left side of the page, there are links to further articles re unlocking your GSM phone, reviews of specific phones and phone services, etc. This is the most comprehensive, specific information of this nature I've ever found from a single source, and I thought others might also find it useful.
CarolA and Isabel - The page re Choosing the Best International Service For You (http://www.thetravelinsider.info/2003/0801.htm) may be helpful. It outline your various options, but concludes as follows: "For most people with average requirements, and the expectation of traveling abroad at least once every year or two, the HopAbroad global roaming solution is perhaps the best compromise."
Here is a link to a series of very good, very detailed articles re international mobile phones:
http://www.thetravelinsider.info/2002/0308.htm
Along the left side of the page, there are links to further articles re unlocking your GSM phone, reviews of specific phones and phone services, etc. This is the most comprehensive, specific information of this nature I've ever found from a single source, and I thought others might also find it useful.
CarolA and Isabel - The page re Choosing the Best International Service For You (http://www.thetravelinsider.info/2003/0801.htm) may be helpful. It outline your various options, but concludes as follows: "For most people with average requirements, and the expectation of traveling abroad at least once every year or two, the HopAbroad global roaming solution is perhaps the best compromise."
Mar 29th, 2004, 02:21 AM
#23
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,271
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Telestial is a rip off operator; their prices are almost triple of what you will pay if you wait till you arrive in your country of destination. It rarely does any good anyway as often times you have to call the service to register and/or get a phone number and you don't use country specific SIM's before you arrive anyway.
Mar 29th, 2004, 05:25 AM
#24
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 190
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I'll try to recap the differences and options...
First the phones, Europe uses the 900 and 1800GSM bands while the US uses the 850 and 1900 bands mostly as well as several non-GSM systems. So a dualband phone bought in Europe give you 900&1800 while a triband give you 900&1800&1900 while a dualband bought in the US will give you the 850&1900 bands. This means a European dualband will work everywhere in the world except the US, a European tribbelband will also work in the US but it's coverage will be worse than a US bought phone since it does not cover the 850 band. Generally you get newer and "better" phones outside of the US, but as always you get what you pay for (more or less
and as all phones can make calls, it's the extra features you pay for.
As long as the phone is unlocked you can use any SIM in the phone (of course only one at a time), and changing SIMS is marginally more diffcult than changing the tape in your VCR.
In Europe you generally have 2 types of subscriptions. The prepaid card which you prepay with a smallish amount like $25-$50 and the permanent subscription with a monthly payment. The prepaid cards usually have more expensive minutes (than the perm subsc.), sometimes does not allow roaming, sometimes does not allow data-transfers and other advanced functions. Though afaik no provider in Europe charges for incoming calls on a cell phone, and as long as you have $0.01 left of your prepaid amount you can receive calls.
In theory they need an address to sell you a prepaid card, but the dealers does not care, but for the subscription types deals you need a permanent residence in the country so the phone company knows where to send the bills (and they usually do a check on your credit as well). Phone numbers are linked to the SIM NOT the phone itself.
Roaming is when you bring a SIM card outside of the country it was bought in (or with very local providers, outside your providers coverage/net).
SMS or texting (Short Message System) is cheap, and easy way to communicate with anyone that has a SMS enabled phone, allows text message upto 160 characters.
MMS (Multimedia Messaging System) is similar to SMS but it allows you to send pictures and sound and text, especially usufull if you have a camera phone. Not every provider support MMS yet, but in Europe most do. Generally more expensive than SMS except it's generally so new that some providers have offers for it now so people start using the technology (the first sample is free kind of marketing.
So you need a GSM phone and then you need a SIM card which you can buy in every country you go through, buy once in Europe and roam with it or buy one in the states and roam all over Europe with it.... What is the most advantagous solution depends on your usage pattern.
Hope this clears up some of the questions
Cobos
First the phones, Europe uses the 900 and 1800GSM bands while the US uses the 850 and 1900 bands mostly as well as several non-GSM systems. So a dualband phone bought in Europe give you 900&1800 while a triband give you 900&1800&1900 while a dualband bought in the US will give you the 850&1900 bands. This means a European dualband will work everywhere in the world except the US, a European tribbelband will also work in the US but it's coverage will be worse than a US bought phone since it does not cover the 850 band. Generally you get newer and "better" phones outside of the US, but as always you get what you pay for (more or less
and as all phones can make calls, it's the extra features you pay for. As long as the phone is unlocked you can use any SIM in the phone (of course only one at a time), and changing SIMS is marginally more diffcult than changing the tape in your VCR.
In Europe you generally have 2 types of subscriptions. The prepaid card which you prepay with a smallish amount like $25-$50 and the permanent subscription with a monthly payment. The prepaid cards usually have more expensive minutes (than the perm subsc.), sometimes does not allow roaming, sometimes does not allow data-transfers and other advanced functions. Though afaik no provider in Europe charges for incoming calls on a cell phone, and as long as you have $0.01 left of your prepaid amount you can receive calls.
In theory they need an address to sell you a prepaid card, but the dealers does not care, but for the subscription types deals you need a permanent residence in the country so the phone company knows where to send the bills (and they usually do a check on your credit as well). Phone numbers are linked to the SIM NOT the phone itself.
Roaming is when you bring a SIM card outside of the country it was bought in (or with very local providers, outside your providers coverage/net).
SMS or texting (Short Message System) is cheap, and easy way to communicate with anyone that has a SMS enabled phone, allows text message upto 160 characters.
MMS (Multimedia Messaging System) is similar to SMS but it allows you to send pictures and sound and text, especially usufull if you have a camera phone. Not every provider support MMS yet, but in Europe most do. Generally more expensive than SMS except it's generally so new that some providers have offers for it now so people start using the technology (the first sample is free kind of marketing
. So you need a GSM phone and then you need a SIM card which you can buy in every country you go through, buy once in Europe and roam with it or buy one in the states and roam all over Europe with it.... What is the most advantagous solution depends on your usage pattern.
Hope this clears up some of the questions
Cobos
Mar 29th, 2004, 08:45 AM
#26
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,716
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
xyz123 - I agree that Telstial's rates for SIM cards are very high and that it's much cheaper to buy single-country SIM cards locally after arrival.
But for someone going to multiple countries for relatively short periods of time, the "Hop Abroad" option does seem worth a look, depending on anticipated usage.
I just got a free triband phone after signing a one-year contract for T-Mobile service here in the US. I can use it for emergencies during my upcoming trip to Italy at a cost of .99/minute for both incoming and outgoing calls. They have a policy of not unlocking phones for use with local SIM cards until after 90 days, and I will be traveling before then, so I am arguing with them about making an exception in my case. However, I don't anticipate needing to use it much anyway, so if an Italian SIM costs more than about $20, it would be a break-even deal for me anyway.
But for someone going to multiple countries for relatively short periods of time, the "Hop Abroad" option does seem worth a look, depending on anticipated usage.
I just got a free triband phone after signing a one-year contract for T-Mobile service here in the US. I can use it for emergencies during my upcoming trip to Italy at a cost of .99/minute for both incoming and outgoing calls. They have a policy of not unlocking phones for use with local SIM cards until after 90 days, and I will be traveling before then, so I am arguing with them about making an exception in my case. However, I don't anticipate needing to use it much anyway, so if an Italian SIM costs more than about $20, it would be a break-even deal for me anyway.
Mar 29th, 2004, 09:45 AM
#27
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,736
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Confusing... when I arrive in Europe (Spain, Italy, France, wherever), I don't switch out my SIM card, in fact, I don't do anything! I simply call T-Mobile before I depart and ensure that my international service is "on" and that's that! I use my phone fairly frequently and haven't noticed it to that high in cost.
Mar 29th, 2004, 09:48 AM
#28
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 263
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thank you to everyone who responded to my question, but especially to NYCFoodSnob & Cobos who really covered what I need to know.
I'll be in Italy only, for almost 1 mo & will be driving in the Chianti area, so I really feel I need a phone. But I will only be using it to call for directions or to see if a museum is open... I'd also like to receive calls from home & maybe call home too. I just want a phone that works & don't care at all about extra features.
It sounds like I should buy the phone here & get the SIM (TIM ) card once there - the prepaid option.
Where else could I find out such technical info so quickly & accurately! Many thanks!!!
I'll be in Italy only, for almost 1 mo & will be driving in the Chianti area, so I really feel I need a phone. But I will only be using it to call for directions or to see if a museum is open... I'd also like to receive calls from home & maybe call home too. I just want a phone that works & don't care at all about extra features.
It sounds like I should buy the phone here & get the SIM (TIM ) card once there - the prepaid option.
Where else could I find out such technical info so quickly & accurately! Many thanks!!!
