Yet Another Cell Phone Question
Sep 10th, 2007, 02:34 PM
#1
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Yet Another Cell Phone Question
I know that this topic has been addressed a thousand times over on this board, and so I apologize in advance for my inquiry.
That said, I just cannot seem to get a handle on the whole Europe cell phone thing. I'm actually a pretty technically proficient person, but all this talk of SIM cards, etc. has my head spinning. This has to the be the single most convoluted (and frustrating!) travel-related issue I've encountered in a very long time.
Anyway, I need to have a cell phone while in Europe (Switzerland and Italy). From everything I've read on these boards and elsewhere, its my understanding that I cannot simply take my US cell phone over there and expect it to work. Nor do I really want to deal with the hassle of inserting some kind of special card into it to make it work... though it seems to be a moot point as I'm told you cannot do this with Verizon phones. I don't know if that's true or not.
So here's what I want to know. If I purchase this phone --- http://www.telestial.com/promotions/august/packlite.php --- can I take it to Italy with me an expect it to work? That is to say, will I be able to make and receive calls on it while over there? If not, what else do I need to do in addition to purchasing the phone.
Many thanks!
That said, I just cannot seem to get a handle on the whole Europe cell phone thing. I'm actually a pretty technically proficient person, but all this talk of SIM cards, etc. has my head spinning. This has to the be the single most convoluted (and frustrating!) travel-related issue I've encountered in a very long time.
Anyway, I need to have a cell phone while in Europe (Switzerland and Italy). From everything I've read on these boards and elsewhere, its my understanding that I cannot simply take my US cell phone over there and expect it to work. Nor do I really want to deal with the hassle of inserting some kind of special card into it to make it work... though it seems to be a moot point as I'm told you cannot do this with Verizon phones. I don't know if that's true or not.
So here's what I want to know. If I purchase this phone --- http://www.telestial.com/promotions/august/packlite.php --- can I take it to Italy with me an expect it to work? That is to say, will I be able to make and receive calls on it while over there? If not, what else do I need to do in addition to purchasing the phone.
Many thanks!
Sep 10th, 2007, 03:09 PM
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In a word: yes. Telestial will send you a phone and SIM (if the latter isn't already installed, find a twelve year-old), but you're good to go.
If you want to be good to go cheaper, walk to a TIM store when you get to Italy and buy their SIM. They will replace your Telestial SIM with theirs.
BTW, there's a complete European cell phone education at telestial.com
If you want to be good to go cheaper, walk to a TIM store when you get to Italy and buy their SIM. They will replace your Telestial SIM with theirs.
BTW, there's a complete European cell phone education at telestial.com
Sep 10th, 2007, 03:15 PM
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starbuck, I just ordered this phone from telestial so I can't say specifically how it works but it will come with a SIM card that is loaded with $20 airtime that you can use in Italy or Switzerland. The card will already have a phone number assigned to it. You can add time by going online (which I am going to do before I leave.) People on this board have said there are cheaper calling rates with other carriers, but the ease of ordering this phone and having a phone number to leave with family watching kids was worth it. You also get free incoming calls to Italy -- no idea how much the person calling you will be charged! This is an emergency phone for us. Will let board know how it worked when we return.
Sep 10th, 2007, 04:06 PM
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I just bought (and received) the $49 Telestial, also. I haven't tried to do anything with it yet except to open the box. I'll probably be back here with lots of questions, too. But, as I understand it, except for charging it and inserting SIM here in USA, there's nothing that can be done until I reach France anyway, right?
Sep 10th, 2007, 04:23 PM
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Thanks for the info, guys. I just ordered the phone I linked to, and I should have it in 7-10 days.
Not sure about the adapter question. I'm planning on buying one of those universal adapters from Radio Shack to use w/my cell phone, digital camera and also my laptop computer. Do I need anything other than that? I believe the European outlets are set to a different voltage/wattage than US outlets. Am I at risk of screwing up my electronics?
Not sure about the adapter question. I'm planning on buying one of those universal adapters from Radio Shack to use w/my cell phone, digital camera and also my laptop computer. Do I need anything other than that? I believe the European outlets are set to a different voltage/wattage than US outlets. Am I at risk of screwing up my electronics?
Sep 10th, 2007, 04:46 PM
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Adaptor, charger, & converter.
starbuck, I couldn't tell if you meant charger or adaptor?? So, don't know if you need this, but here it is anyway, just in case!
Charger - You will need a charger for the cell phone, of course - I realize you know that! I assume you will need more than 1 charger for all of your electrical gadgets, in order to charge them at the same time during the nite.
Adaptor - You will need an adaptor for Switzerland & Italy; their wall plugs & product prongs are different from those in the USA. You plug your gadget or charger into the adaptor & then plug the adaptor into the wall plug. Walmart has an inexpensive set that fits for most of the UK & European countries.
Converter - This converts the US 110 voltage to the UK & European 220 volts. You should not need this for chargers used on cell phones, cameras, camcorders, etc., unless the products/chargers are old. May need this for curling irons, hair dryers, etc. if the small etchings on the product does not say 110/220. You can call the company & ask.
Have a great trip, Julie
starbuck, I couldn't tell if you meant charger or adaptor?? So, don't know if you need this, but here it is anyway, just in case!
Charger - You will need a charger for the cell phone, of course - I realize you know that! I assume you will need more than 1 charger for all of your electrical gadgets, in order to charge them at the same time during the nite.
Adaptor - You will need an adaptor for Switzerland & Italy; their wall plugs & product prongs are different from those in the USA. You plug your gadget or charger into the adaptor & then plug the adaptor into the wall plug. Walmart has an inexpensive set that fits for most of the UK & European countries.
Converter - This converts the US 110 voltage to the UK & European 220 volts. You should not need this for chargers used on cell phones, cameras, camcorders, etc., unless the products/chargers are old. May need this for curling irons, hair dryers, etc. if the small etchings on the product does not say 110/220. You can call the company & ask.
Have a great trip, Julie
Sep 10th, 2007, 06:08 PM
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I just recieved my telestial phone and it comes with charger and converter and I plugged it in and it works . No calls made yet but it seems ok so far.
I travel in Oct ( 1st week and will let others know... )
the free 45 minutes of call from her looks like a good deal as it is a toll free number.
I look forward to giving it a try !
I travel in Oct ( 1st week and will let others know... )
the free 45 minutes of call from her looks like a good deal as it is a toll free number.
I look forward to giving it a try !
Sep 10th, 2007, 06:30 PM
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Hi, Don't want to freak you out, but just fyi. I bought a phone from telestial a year ago for a trip to Italy along with a sim card. When I got there, it wouldn't work. I took it into a Tabac shop and they couldn't help. I found an electronics store the next day and the sales clerk said the sim card was expired and that this happened fairly often. But, he sold me another sim card, which worked without a hitch. Telestial refunded my money when I got back without a problem as well. The only real aggravation was having to call my family and give them the new number. Perhaps Telestial has fixed this problem by now, but thought you should know what to do if you had a problem
Sep 10th, 2007, 07:32 PM
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I'm technologically challenged, too, and stressed for months and months about what to do about a phone for my trip to Paris next week. I decided anything was better than the continued stressing and bought an unlocked Motorola Razr from Motorola and a Telestial "Passport" sim card. Super easy to insert the sim card, and nice to be able to populate the phone with contact numbers in advance. My daughter and I tested the sim card by texting each other, which is probably how I'll communicate while I'm there. Also nice to be able to use the phone and sim card when I touch down on my return and not have to carry my Verizon phone.
Sep 10th, 2007, 07:41 PM
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Have you figured out how you'll "use the phone and sim card when [you] touch down on [your] return"? Does Telestial have roaming agreements with T-Mobile or AT&T - or how exactly does that work?
Sep 11th, 2007, 05:02 AM
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Actually you can just take your cell phone over there and have it work: provided it is a GSM phone. Call your provider. I have used my Tmobile Triband phone on every trip to Europe in the past 6 years (10-12 trips easily) and in the caribbean and south american. people dial me just like i am home in atlanta, and it rings in Paris, Rome, athens or wherever I happen to be. T-Mobile and Cingular and two companies in the states that offer GSM triband phones. I had a sidekick, but went to a razor a year ago, but still just carry it everywhere. I have used my Tmobile cell phone in IReland, England, Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Jordan, Egypt, India and Bhutan...and of course all over the Caribbean and South America. Call your cell provider and find out what they offer. I also did not have to insert any special card.
Sep 11th, 2007, 05:24 AM
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WANDERLUST5...
You left out one thing...not only need the phone be a gsm phone but it has to have at least one of the European frequencies (900 mhz or 1800 mhz)....some of the real cheap give away phones are gsm alright but use the two USA frequencies (850mhz and 1900 mhz) and you have to be under contract. Prepaid phones don't allow international roaming.....but yesif you are a t mobile or cingular customer and have a phone with one of the European frequencies then you can sign up for international roaming but....
It is awfully awfully expensive....and the other queston you have to answer is just how much you are going to use the phone...if it's simply for emergencies and you make and complete two or three calls it's fine...but if you expect to receive many calls then there are far better alternatives.
You left out one thing...not only need the phone be a gsm phone but it has to have at least one of the European frequencies (900 mhz or 1800 mhz)....some of the real cheap give away phones are gsm alright but use the two USA frequencies (850mhz and 1900 mhz) and you have to be under contract. Prepaid phones don't allow international roaming.....but yesif you are a t mobile or cingular customer and have a phone with one of the European frequencies then you can sign up for international roaming but....
It is awfully awfully expensive....and the other queston you have to answer is just how much you are going to use the phone...if it's simply for emergencies and you make and complete two or three calls it's fine...but if you expect to receive many calls then there are far better alternatives.
Sep 11th, 2007, 05:53 AM
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You are right, I did leave that out, because GSM phones are known as tri-band phones and operate on those three frequencies, so I figured it was an implied thing and I didn't need to explain that GSM meant tri-band, meaning it operates on those three frequencies. Sorry.
Sep 11th, 2007, 05:58 AM
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GSM phones can have two, three, or four frequencies. The frequencies used in Europe are 900 and 1800 mHz; in the US they are 850 and 1900.
To use a phone anywhere in Europe, it should operate on both of the former frequencies; to work in the US, it should have both of the latter. All four frequencies have gaps in coverage that are sometimes covered by the other one of the pair - and in Europe there are carriers that don't use both. The best way for most Americans to operate in Europe is with a dual-band phone like the Siemens A55 offered by Telestial..
But to buy a quad-band phone to use only in Europe is wasteful, because unless your cell carrier is T-Mobile or AT&T, you can't use a quad-band in the US - because they're the only carriers that use GSM. If your carrier <u>is</u> one of the US GSM carriers, chances are your phone already has one or both of the European freqencies (with the caveat xyz123 mentions above).
To use a phone anywhere in Europe, it should operate on both of the former frequencies; to work in the US, it should have both of the latter. All four frequencies have gaps in coverage that are sometimes covered by the other one of the pair - and in Europe there are carriers that don't use both. The best way for most Americans to operate in Europe is with a dual-band phone like the Siemens A55 offered by Telestial..
But to buy a quad-band phone to use only in Europe is wasteful, because unless your cell carrier is T-Mobile or AT&T, you can't use a quad-band in the US - because they're the only carriers that use GSM. If your carrier <u>is</u> one of the US GSM carriers, chances are your phone already has one or both of the European freqencies (with the caveat xyz123 mentions above).
Sep 11th, 2007, 06:24 AM
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Hopefully not to add to any more confusion, but check this site:
http://www.mobalrental.com/
I bought the $49 mobal about 3 years ago. I take it on every trip and use it. Very convenient. It has charger/converter...do take some adaptors for it and whatever else you will be taking. I set the phone up to charge to a credit card..they e-mail me the billing charges for review. It is simple to use. I like it. I imagine the others work about the same...
Enjoy.............
http://www.mobalrental.com/
I bought the $49 mobal about 3 years ago. I take it on every trip and use it. Very convenient. It has charger/converter...do take some adaptors for it and whatever else you will be taking. I set the phone up to charge to a credit card..they e-mail me the billing charges for review. It is simple to use. I like it. I imagine the others work about the same...
Enjoy.............
