2 weeks in Switzerland - best option for GPRS and voice usage?

[mirandabam]

Hi everyone,

I'm about to go to Switzerland for a couple of weeks and would like to get a prepaid SIM for my Treo 650 to use for infrequent voice calls and for GPRS/EDGE data. After reading around here a bit it sounds like the best option is to get an orangeclick.ch SIM when I arrive, since it has a CHF 5/mo. option to drop the data rate to 2.50/MB, and a CHF 2/mo. option to drop calls to the USA to CHF 0.29/minute.

Are there any other options I should consider? (Thanks to all those who've posted about Switzerland prepaid SIMs before...)

I was really surprised to see how expensive GPRS data is in Europe!

[PhotoJim]

GPRS data is cheap in the UK - so it isn't expensive everywhere in Europe.

My Swiss SIM is with Swisscom, although to be honest that was primarily out of expediency. Swisscom and Sunrise seem to have the best coverage.

Any Swiss provider accompanied with a callback service would be a good option for calls to the US. The orangeclick.ch option might be good if you will have heavy calling to make up for the monthly fee.

As for data, I didn't use much due to the cost. 2.50 CHF a megabyte isn't horrific but it still isn't exactly inexpensive.

[mirandabam]

Originally Posted by PhotoJim

As for data, I didn't use much due to the cost. 2.50 CHF a megabyte isn't horrific but it still isn't exactly inexpensive.

I guess Switzerland is just expensive -- hopefully I'm not missing some obviously better option!

The worst part is I don't think I have any sense of how much data I typically use. I'll have to see if my US T-Mobile bill tells me how much data I use...

[PhotoJim]

I've been using a ton of data here in the UK - hotel Internet, if it's available at all, is about 10 pounds a day - ridiculous. T-Mobile prepaid has been a lifesaver.

If you find out anything re: Switzerland, please keep the thread updated.

Incidentally you'll need to present a passport to get a Swiss SIM, so don't be surprised. Germany seems to require one too. I got my Austrian SIM, however, without giving any identification at all, and it's that way in the UK too. Very inconsistent.

[mirandabam]

Thanks for the heads up on the passport -- fortunately this was mentioned clearly on the orangeclick.ch web site. I guess I can see why they do this -- on crime shows here in the US, prepaid cell phones are always the way the bad guys make anonymous calls!

[mirandabam]

Oh yeah, and the hotel I'm staying in for part of the time has wireless Internet, but no mention of the cost on their web site. One hopes that means it is free but I fear otherwise.

[mirandabam]

If anyone with an orangeclick.ch SIM is reading -- can I add and remove the "International Option" and "Mobile Internet" options via the customer web interface, or do I have to add these when I get the SIM at an Orange store? And can I just get them for one month at a time? I won't need them when I'm not in .ch...

[AndreA]

Originally Posted by mirandabam

If anyone with an orangeclick.ch SIM is reading -- can I add and remove the "International Option" and "Mobile Internet" options via the customer web interface, or do I have to add these when I get the SIM at an Orange store? And can I just get them for one month at a time? I won't need them when I'm not in .ch...

This is an old question that I lost... well, you can remove it when you prefer and usually you have a charge only for the day that you used (so if you paid 3 CHF for a month and use the option only for 15 days Oclick will refund 1.5 CHF on your balance)...


...any way today I'm a lucky customer: just logged in and... I get this promotion Try Mobile Internet (free for a month)

[bourbonkiller]

Most of the Swiss prepaid offers will charge you minimum CHF 5.00 per MB which is around USD 4.50.

In my opinion there are two options for you:

A) If you have heavy data use:
Orangeclick with the data and international option. You can reduce the cost for receiving emails almost to zero when you go to the mobile orange portal and activate your own email-address which will be "yourmobilenumber@orangemail.ch". Sending and receiving email from this server is included into the data-option and should always be free of charge.

B) more phonecalls / less emails
If you tend to call a lot within Switzerland and check your email not that often, go for a ALDI prepaid offer which charge only 0.18 CHF to fixed net within switzerland. Data will cost you CHF 5.00 per MB.

Avoid SWISSCOM prepaid. They charge you CHF 14.00 per MB of data (no options available) and calls within Switzerland will cost about 0.80 CHF per minute to cross networks (same price per hour to SWISSCOM and fixed net)

Third option for you could be the LEBARA mobile SIM (works on sunrise network). Very cheap international calls (without monthly option) and CHF 10.00 per MB of data.

http://www.lebara-mobile.ch/
http://www.orangeclick.ch
https://www.salut-mobile.ch
http://www.swisscom-mobile.ch

Enjoy your stay in Switzerland. If you want to visit me, go here: www.swissdreamshotels.com and choose Walzenhausen.

[AndreA]

Originally Posted by bourbonkiller

A) If you have heavy data use:
Orangeclick with the data and international option. You can reduce the cost for receiving emails almost to zero when you go to the mobile orange portal and activate your own email-address which will be "yourmobilenumber@orangemail.ch". Sending and receiving email from this server is included into the data-option and should always be free of charge.

I can't activate any email @orangemail.ch using my O-Click number How did you do that!?