Travel Technology - Where to get phone in Germany for 1 week?

I need to have access to a mobile phone in Germany for about a week. I travel tomorrow, so perhaps something that I can get at the Munich airport or one of the cities near Heidelberg. I'll be there for a week and just need something to keep in touch with the states while I am gone.

Should I swing by T-mobile or ATT in the states before I leave, or try to get something in Germany? I need help...THANKS!

If you are on AT&T or T-Mobile, and have a quad band phone (most newer models), your phone will work in Germany provided you have enabled international roaming. This can be done online or by calling the service center. Both ATT and T-Mo use GSM networks which are in Germany. Verizon uses CDMA, but if you get a SIM card (available for some VZW phones) it will work there too. Be prepared to spend ~$1/minute for roaming.

I only have Sprint, so I can sign up with AT&T or T-Mobile here in the States, but that seems unnecessary. What are my choices when I get to FRA?

If you are on AT&T or T-Mobile, and have a quad band phone (most newer models), your phone will work in Germany provided you have enabled international roaming. This can be done online or by calling the service center. Both ATT and T-Mo use GSM networks which are in Germany. Verizon uses CDMA, but if you get a SIM card (available for some VZW phones) it will work there too. Be prepared to spend ~$1/minute for roaming.

I am a long time att customer, however I find it outrageous, their charges abroad. I usualy use either globalcellularrental.com or I recently started using a great company called cellomobile.com , they charge you only 99 cents to the US and incoming calls are free. I even took a new offer phone from them to my recent trip to EU, and they charged me 69 cents in and out with a USA phone number ( I couldn't find it on their site) I guess, it's some kind of unadvertised corporate price which they give you when asked for it ( my friend told me about this offer). Or (the cheapest) I would suggest you to buy a sim card once in Germany, however many cons to this, no phone no. Before your trip; prepaid, which means constant refilling; language barrier, customer service is in native language (some speak english, depends who you get); phone language changes automaticaly to native language (could be changed back to english though). One more thing with my Att, which I don't have elsewhere, the taxes on cell phones account to about +25 percent of call charges, all those fcc etc. taxes, with the other options there is no taxes.


Cheers

Posted with my att blackberry

Many Bestbuy's and Microcenters sell unlocked phones. I would buy an unlocked phone and then buy a prepaid SIM card in Germany. If that doesn't work, I would buy a cheap prepaid phone in Germany (but buy a quadband). If you are transitting through a major European airport, their duty free might be another solution.

You haven't mentioned what type of calls you will be making/receiving. If you are getting/making calls from German numbers, getting a cheap German pay-as-you-go SIM (I like Smobil) is probably your best deal. Otherwise, look at the posts above.

As for the phone itself, if you have 7+ days until you go, also check out ebay for a cheap unlocked GSM phone (with quad-band). The unlocked phone can be used with any provider's SIM card, provided they operate on GSM. You should be able to get one for <$50.

most places in europe you can get cheap pay as you go mobile phones. shops and supermarkets sell them. you can get a cheap local sim only deals too. lots of mobile phone shops an supermarkets sell them.

if your own phone is unlocked and has the right bands for EU, you can just pop the sim in your own phone.

if you have a laptop and internet access / wifi/ hotel etc have you considred skype for the long distance calls? i find it very handy for calling home etc, where they are all on skype and we can chat away for free