Prepaid Micro Sim for Europe

[rfranzq]

I would second the Piranha Mobile SIM. It probably would be the easiest to get and will be less than $20 including postage [which is included in price.] It includes £5.00 Credit. And does use £ for accounting purposes.

[EDF30]

Thanks for all the replies

I checked Piranha site and it's not very detailed, just says you get x amount of credit depending on which sim you buy. Plus whose network are they using in the various countries? I am not an expert and don't want hassles where I need to enter codes each time I cross a border. Most important is good cell coverage in all areas, alps, country, freeways, cities. The call rates seem fine but what about data?

I will try to be more clear.

I have unlocked Nexus 4. I will be visiting Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Italy, and France. I can turn off data for all apps on the phone when I want to, so it does not try to connect to internet, acts only as a phone. I will have free wifi every night and also have majic jack for calls to usa at night. I wont be making or recieving many calls, and none to USA etc. Only to call my hotels, make dinner reservations etc in Europe.

What I want is a micro sim that will allow me to make maybe 3-4 calls a day in the various countries, and if needed, I may need to check emails during the day while on the road. Most important is good cell coverage while on the road during the day, so I am a bit wary of 3rd party operators. This trip will last about 3 weeks, so I would prefer to get one microsim from a major provider that has decent calling rates, good coverage and reception, and maybe 1gb of data for the trip.

Thanks for your help!

[rfranzq]

Originally Posted by EDF30

I checked Piranha site and it's not very detailed, just says you get x amount of credit depending on which sim you buy. Plus whose network are they using in the various countries? I am not an expert and don't want hassles where I need to enter codes each time I cross a border.
........................The call rates seem fine but what about data?.........................................Most important is good cell coverage while on the road during the day, so I am a bit wary of 3rd party operators.

Use the rate checker on the home page of Piranha. It shows which networks are available. And the rates--and the data rates are there also.
If you have the phone set to automatically choose networks you will not need to 'enter codes.'
With Piranha you will get 2 or 3 operators in each country rather than possibly one if you go with '1st party operator'.

If you choose one SIM from a big time operator you risk the quality of one operators ability to connect with its sister networks. Perhaps you will choose the wrong one!

Anyone else have an opinion on this??


additional stuff:
You can get the SIM while still home and test it on your phone here to check that it is working.

[EDF30]

Originally Posted by rfranzq

Use the rate checker on the home page of Piranha. It shows which networks are available. And the rates--and the data rates are there also.
If you have the phone set to automatically choose networks you will not need to 'enter codes.'
With Piranha you will get 2 or 3 operators in each country rather than possibly one if you go with '1st party operator'.

If you choose one SIM from a big time operator you risk the quality of one operators ability to connect with its sister networks. Perhaps you will choose the wrong one!

Anyone else have an opinion on this??


additional stuff:
You can get the SIM while still home and test it on your phone here to check that it is working.

ok thanks, starting to get this now

So better to get a sim that roams on most of the networks in each country rather than be stuck with just one provider like vodaphone. I see the data rates now, looks like about 50 cents per MB, not great but will probably work as I won't use it that much, will do most emails surfing etc at night with free wifi. Looks like the 35 pound ($52 usd) version might just fit the bill for a 3 week trip. Reading the user manual, Piranha uses call back for all roaming calls, does this work ok? Seems a bit cumbersome but I guess doable for a few calls a day. Setting up mobile data roaming looks a bit complicated, each country I have to chose and enable a carrier, enter some codes. The European Union is not really a union is it?

SMS messages looks normal, Voip is nice.

So if I go this route, just order the sim from Piranha to ship to my US address a couple weeks before my trip, test activate it to make sure it works, then reactivate upon arrival in Europe?

[rfranzq]

Originally Posted by EDF30

Reading the user manual, Piranha uses call back for all roaming calls, does this work ok? Seems a bit cumbersome but I guess doable for a few calls a day. ..............So if I go this route, just order the sim from Piranha to ship to my US address a couple weeks before my trip, test activate it to make sure it works, then reactivate upon arrival in Europe?

Call back works, and saves a lot of money.

No need to reactivate: it stays active for over a year.

You can use any leftover credit in the US.
Or sell it or give it away.

OR get the cheapest card and add some money before you leave the US and add more later. That way you would not overpay for the SIM and credit.


UPDATE: In all fairness, you should read this thread I started for its wisdom.

http://www.prepaidgsm.net/forum/inte...html#post41610

[EDF30]

Thanks for all the help from the experts!

I think I will try the Piranha sim, I can have it shipped to my house before my trip, test it out and learn how it works.

I checked the providers for the various countries I will visit. Hopefully I will have good coverage on my journey. I love the internet and forums like this one, as you can find out just about anything from experts that have been there and done that.

Netherlands

KPN
TMobile
Vodafone

Germany

Eplus
02
Tmobile
Vodafone

Austria

Mobilkom
Orange
Tmobile

Italy

Tim

France

Bougues
Orange
SFR


Is TIM a good nationwide coverage network for Italy? I will spend a week of the trip going to Venice, Lake Como, and Italian Riviera.

Thanks again for all the help!

[tux]

TIM was the incumbent mobile phone company... it has the best coverage in general.

P.S.: post #100