For Americans Going To Europe Or Overseas - Page 3

PhotoJim · 13-07-2007, 16:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by KPO'M

I'm not sure I understand how restricting sales of prepaid SIMs to residents helps prevent terrorism, though. Why not just require registration with a passport or other secure form of ID that can be traced? That seems to bring most of the benefits of identify verification while not denying the tourist the ability to use a local phone.

Isn't that what most of these countries are doing? Switzerland, for example, won't let you get a SIM without providing identification, but a foreigner presenting a passport can get a SIM. It simply has to be done in person. In fact, if you get the package shipped to you while you are in Switzerland, the postal worker will get your passport information from you when he delivers the package with your SIM in it.

CrunchDude · **Help! Already In Germany With No Local Sim...:( -** 11-09-2007, 08:25

I am very interested in purchasing/signing up for this, or any other, service. I make and receive a lot of calls. I also text a lot. I also know, as I am well-traveled, that European cell phones are a pain the neck when it comes to cost. Here's the deal: My U.S. wireless provider is AT&T (formerly Cingular Wireless), and I would like to know what the best rate is for getting a local SIM here in Germany (I read something that it can make a BIG difference as far as the rates go) when choosing a wireless operator for the purpose of getting a local SIM card. One website said to get a T-Mobile one if I remember correctly.

Please let me know what the best way/(deal?) is for me to go about that. I will be staying 2-4 weeks, my Treo 750 is unlocked, and has all the world's GSM frequencies as well as the 3G bands.

Any responses from experienced travelers would be highly appreciated.

dg7feq · 11-09-2007, 09:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrunchDude

I am very interested in purchasing/signing up for this, or any other, service. I make and receive a lot of calls. I also text a lot. I also know, as I am well-traveled, that European cell phones are a pain the neck when it comes to cost. Here's the deal: My U.S. wireless provider is AT&T (formerly Cingular Wireless), and I would like to know what the best rate is for getting a local SIM here in Germany (I read something that it can make a BIG difference as far as the rates go) when choosing a wireless operator for the purpose of getting a local SIM card. One website said to get a T-Mobile one if I remember correctly.

Please let me know what the best way/(deal?) is for me to go about that. I will be staying 2-4 weeks, my Treo 750 is unlocked, and has all the world's GSM frequencies as well as the 3G bands.

Any responses from experienced travelers would be highly appreciated.

Do you intend to call mainly to the US or domestic calls? That makes a big difference in choosing the right sim-card for you.

for domestic calls you can for example buy a "fonic" SIM in a lidl supermarket. they charge 9.9 ct/min and 9.9 ct per text to all german networks, but calls to US are 99ct/min.

for international calls the market is smaller. There are some sim that charge around 9ct to the US as well. E.g. the BlauWorld card (www.blauworld.de) or Solomo (www.solomo.de). Sometimes these SIM-cards are also available at calling shops in the bigger cities as well.

Chris

Chris

Motel75 · 12-09-2007, 22:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by dg7feq

for international calls the market is smaller. There are some sim that charge around 9ct to the US as well. E.g. the BlauWorld card (www.blauworld.de) or Solomo (www.solomo.de). Sometimes these SIM-cards are also available at calling shops in the bigger cities as well.

Hmmm, I wasn't aware that Solomo is available in stores, or I would have recommended that one, too. Blauworld can be bought at Saturn, and clones can be found at a lot of calling shops.

dg7feq · 13-09-2007, 19:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by Motel75

Hmmm, I wasn't aware that Solomo is available in stores, or I would have recommended that one, too. Blauworld can be bought at Saturn, and clones can be found at a lot of calling shops.

I meant these calling-shops in dark corners around the train stations

They sometimes have SIM's as well...

jlbaer1 · **Phone while in Milan -** 23-10-2007, 13:45

Hi Guys:

Sorry I forgot to tell you about what phone I have. Its a nokia 6103b. Its a triband phone with domestic tri band. (850, 1800, and 1900 MHz). So as Bossman suggested if its usable, I know I can get Tmobile to unlock it for me. They did so for Alex since we had our account for several years now. But will this phone even work. I thought I needed that 900 band.

Thanks for your help. It would be great if I could just get it unlocked and use a sim while there or I suppose I could even use it with my own sim but I would want to call Tmobile and find out what cost I would be roaming at over there. We text each other a lot so we could always go that route too.

I guess the big question right now is will this phone work over there at all?

Motel75 · 11-09-2007, 09:36

Actually, the choice is pretty obvious. If you're going to be placing international calls (back to the US), you'll want Blauworld or one of its clones; all other German prepaids charge ridiculous amounts for international calling.

andy · 11-09-2007, 11:45

I got Sunsim for cheap calls within Germany, or that newer Fonic SIM also looks useful, and for international from there use a callthrough service with a local access number, from 0.5c/min extra

jlbaer1 · **Phone while visiting daughter in Italy -** 22-10-2007, 19:06

You guys all helped when I needed to decide what phone card would be best for my daughter who is studying abroad in Milan. She got Wind9 and that has worked out great for her. Thanks. Now maybe you can help me...

I am going to visit her for about a week and a half. My phone, unlike hers, is not a quad band. With hers, we just went to Tmobile here in the states and had them unlock it so while she is there she is using the Wind sim card and it has worked great for her.

I would have to borrow a quad band unlocked gsm phone or buy one. If I buy one from Tmobile, they'll make me activate another line in order to get a discount on the phone. We don't need another line and my phone still works fine too so I am not really in the market for a new phone per se. Of course, now that I have said that my phone will probably die.

Alex, my daughter, is wondering why I would even need a phone but I figure it would be nice to be able to reach her if I had to call her from Malpensa airport, the train station, from my hotel or her apt while she is in class and I am out exploring Milan while she is in class or at her internship. Anyways, what do you guys recommend? My husband also said I could probably rent a phone for a week once I get there.

Just looking for some practical cost effective ideas.

Thanks in advance.

Bossman · 22-10-2007, 19:47

Definitely do not rent. You can buy a phone and sim for your duration for less than how much it will cost to rent. First, what type of phopne do you have? It may be able to work there. it does not have to be a quadband to work there. It just needs to have the 900/1800 bands. If you do nto have one that will work there. Either get an unlocked from ebay or buy a tmoibile locked phone from walmart or tmobile prepaid page and have tmobile unlock the thing. You know it's free to unlock via tmobile.

For example, I have tmobile payg as backup that I rarely use. Not too long ago I bought the Moto V195 quadband brand new from their prepaid page for $14 ($39 - $25 refill that came with it). This deal is no longer there, but you can get an okay phone that will do from there or the other outlets I mentioned.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jlbaer1

You guys all helped when I needed to decide what phone card would be best for my daughter who is studying abroad in Milan. She got Wind9 and that has worked out great for her. Thanks. Now maybe you can help me...

I am going to visit her for about a week and a half. My phone, unlike hers, is not a quad band. With hers, we just went to Tmobile here in the states and had them unlock it so while she is there she is using the Wind sim card and it has worked great for her.

I would have to borrow a quad band unlocked gsm phone or buy one. If I buy one from Tmobile, they'll make me activate another line in order to get a discount on the phone. We don't need another line and my phone still works fine too so I am not really in the market for a new phone per se. Of course, now that I have said that my phone will probably die.

Alex, my daughter, is wondering why I would even need a phone but I figure it would be nice to be able to reach her if I had to call her from Malpensa airport, the train station, from my hotel or her apt while she is in class and I am out exploring Milan while she is in class or at her internship. Anyways, what do you guys recommend? My husband also said I could probably rent a phone for a week once I get there.

Just looking for some practical cost effective ideas.

Thanks in advance.

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	(#2)
CrunchDude (Offline) Junior Member Newbie Posts: 3 Join Date: 07 Sep 2007 Location: Los Angeles, CA Country:	Help! Already In Germany With No Local Sim...:( - 11-09-2007, 08:25 I am very interested in purchasing/signing up for this, or any other, service. I make and receive a lot of calls. I also text a lot. I also know, as I am well-traveled, that European cell phones are a pain the neck when it comes to cost. Here's the deal: My U.S. wireless provider is AT&T (formerly Cingular Wireless), and I would like to know what the best rate is for getting a local SIM here in Germany (I read something that it can make a BIG difference as far as the rates go) when choosing a wireless operator for the purpose of getting a local SIM card. One website said to get a T-Mobile one if I remember correctly. Please let me know what the best way/(deal?) is for me to go about that. I will be staying 2-4 weeks, my Treo 750 is unlocked, and has all the world's GSM frequencies as well as the 3G bands. Any responses from experienced travelers would be highly appreciated.

	(#6)
jlbaer1 (Offline) Junior Member Amateur Member Posts: 26 Join Date: 18 Aug 2007 Country:	Phone while in Milan - 23-10-2007, 13:45 Hi Guys: Sorry I forgot to tell you about what phone I have. Its a nokia 6103b. Its a triband phone with domestic tri band. (850, 1800, and 1900 MHz). So as Bossman suggested if its usable, I know I can get Tmobile to unlock it for me. They did so for Alex since we had our account for several years now. But will this phone even work. I thought I needed that 900 band. Thanks for your help. It would be great if I could just get it unlocked and use a sim while there or I suppose I could even use it with my own sim but I would want to call Tmobile and find out what cost I would be roaming at over there. We text each other a lot so we could always go that route too. I guess the big question right now is will this phone work over there at all?

	(#7)
Motel75 (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Pioneer Posts: 573 Join Date: 15 Jun 2006 Location: Berlin Country:	11-09-2007, 09:36 Actually, the choice is pretty obvious. If you're going to be placing international calls (back to the US), you'll want Blauworld or one of its clones; all other German prepaids charge ridiculous amounts for international calling. Current DE: Vodafone, Netzklub; PL: Klucz, Virgin; UK: Giffgaff, Vodafone; US: T-Mobile; CA: 7-Eleven; IT: Vodafone; UA: Kyivstar; FR: Bouygues; GR: Vodafone Former DE: Vodafone, T-Mobile, O2, Blauworld, 01051mobile, Solomo, Lycamobile, Simyo, Congstar, Fonic, Edeka Mobile, Lidl Mobile; PL: Heyah, Era, Virgin, Sami Swoi, Orange, POP, iPlus, Carrefour Mova, Telepin Mobi, Play, Lycamobile, T-Mobile; UK: Vodafone, T-Mobile, Virgin; US: T-Mobile, AT&T, Lycamobile; CZ: Vodafone, Oskar; ES: Lebara; GR: Vodafone, Wind; UA: Vodafone; IL: Orange; TR: Turkcell

	(#8)
andy (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Prophet Posts: 2,128 Join Date: 10 Dec 2004 Country:	11-09-2007, 11:45 I got Sunsim for cheap calls within Germany, or that newer Fonic SIM also looks useful, and for international from there use a callthrough service with a local access number, from 0.5c/min extra

	(#9)
jlbaer1 (Offline) Junior Member Amateur Member Posts: 26 Join Date: 18 Aug 2007 Country:	Phone while visiting daughter in Italy - 22-10-2007, 19:06 You guys all helped when I needed to decide what phone card would be best for my daughter who is studying abroad in Milan. She got Wind9 and that has worked out great for her. Thanks. Now maybe you can help me... I am going to visit her for about a week and a half. My phone, unlike hers, is not a quad band. With hers, we just went to Tmobile here in the states and had them unlock it so while she is there she is using the Wind sim card and it has worked great for her. I would have to borrow a quad band unlocked gsm phone or buy one. If I buy one from Tmobile, they'll make me activate another line in order to get a discount on the phone. We don't need another line and my phone still works fine too so I am not really in the market for a new phone per se. Of course, now that I have said that my phone will probably die. Alex, my daughter, is wondering why I would even need a phone but I figure it would be nice to be able to reach her if I had to call her from Malpensa airport, the train station, from my hotel or her apt while she is in class and I am out exploring Milan while she is in class or at her internship. Anyways, what do you guys recommend? My husband also said I could probably rent a phone for a week once I get there. Just looking for some practical cost effective ideas. Thanks in advance.