Prepaid SIM - Netherlands
#16
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Seattle, Washington USA
Posts: 972
I think you need to then look at the websites of the various carriers and compare. When comparing, be mindful of the fact that some of the carriers (like Lebara and Heijn) give an automatic bonus of doubling or more than doubling your topup, so you need to take that into account when comparing. For example, Lebara at a minimum doubles all topups (depending on the amount), so the effective rates are at least half of what the website shows.
Data worked fine for me on Lebara, although I had to manually input the APN settings.
If you look at Vodafone, in addition to the a la carte data, they have "Blox", where you pay a certain amount for a block of data.
I haven't done the comparison, but I would suggest comparing Vodafone to the MVNOs - e.g., lebara.nl, lycamobile.nl, ortelmobile.nl, and telecom.ah.nl.
Data worked fine for me on Lebara, although I had to manually input the APN settings.
If you look at Vodafone, in addition to the a la carte data, they have "Blox", where you pay a certain amount for a block of data.
I haven't done the comparison, but I would suggest comparing Vodafone to the MVNOs - e.g., lebara.nl, lycamobile.nl, ortelmobile.nl, and telecom.ah.nl.
#17
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 1
Lebara Customer Service)
If you will be using mainly voice (not data), Lebara is a much better deal:
http://lebara.nl/en/index.php
http://lebara.nl/en/index.php
If you have any doubt or query related to our services, please feel free to e-mail me at [email protected] and I will be more than willing to help.
Thanks and regards,
Pooja
(Lebara CS)
[email protected]
#18
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: London, UK
Programs: Star Alliance, KLM Flying Blue
Posts: 670
Buying a Top Up Voucher in NL for a UK Vodafone PAYG
I've got friends coming from the States to Europe. I have got them UK Vodafone Pay As You Go SIMS. After the UK they are heading onto Amsterdam. I remember in the past being able to purchase Vodafone top up vouchers in Europe that you could use to top up. Is that still the case?
#20
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gfunkdave, if you have already completed your trip then i would be very interested to know whether you were able to use the iphone for data in the netherlands....
#21
Join Date: Nov 2007
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I was able to use a Vodafone SIM I got in Germany 2 weeks ago while I was in the Netherlands 1 day, in both my unlocked iPhone 3G and an unlocked Android mobile.
The Android automatically configured the correct APN settings for data, but on the iPhone I needed to connect to a WiFi hotspot, and use http://www.unlockit.co.nz/ to generate and install the settings to get data to work.
I would guess that a visit to a local NL Vodafone shop would yield similar results.
The Android automatically configured the correct APN settings for data, but on the iPhone I needed to connect to a WiFi hotspot, and use http://www.unlockit.co.nz/ to generate and install the settings to get data to work.
I would guess that a visit to a local NL Vodafone shop would yield similar results.
#22
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 125
My husband and I will be visiting Amsterdam for a week, after which DH will spend a week in a rural part of Germany where T-Mobile is the only network with good reception. We would like to purchase a SIM card (no data) that would work well in Amsterdam but also would use the T-Mobile network in Germany.
We have unlocked prepaid Orange France mobile phones so we still have the Orange France SIM cards, but I don't know if those SIM cards can be re-activated. I don't speak French, so orange.fr is hard for me to navigate.
I assume T-Mobile Netherlands uses T-Mobile in Germany...? I've heard that Lebara also uses T-Mobile in Germany.
We'd mostly be using the phones to call each other while in Amsterdam. In Germany, the phone would mostly be used to receive calls.
Can you please advise what would the best option? We might be able to have SIM cards mailed to residential addresses in Germany or NL in advance (and then sent to our hotel), but we'd prefer to purchase the SIM cards in Amsterdam.
thanks
We have unlocked prepaid Orange France mobile phones so we still have the Orange France SIM cards, but I don't know if those SIM cards can be re-activated. I don't speak French, so orange.fr is hard for me to navigate.
I assume T-Mobile Netherlands uses T-Mobile in Germany...? I've heard that Lebara also uses T-Mobile in Germany.
We'd mostly be using the phones to call each other while in Amsterdam. In Germany, the phone would mostly be used to receive calls.
Can you please advise what would the best option? We might be able to have SIM cards mailed to residential addresses in Germany or NL in advance (and then sent to our hotel), but we'd prefer to purchase the SIM cards in Amsterdam.
thanks
#24
Moderator: American AAdvantage, Travel Safety/Security & Texas, FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Just using an iPhone for data, not really worried about voice (would be nice to have but not a necessity).
#25
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Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: ORD
Posts: 14,231
When I was in the Netherlands a year ago, I walked in to a T-mobile store and got a SIM with I believe a gig of data and a bunch of texts/minutes for something like EUR25.
Well, actually, my Dutch friend got it for me. But I was there with him!
Well, actually, my Dutch friend got it for me. But I was there with him!
#26
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I think it was last year in Frankfurt when I went to (I think) O2, and it was a bit more, I think E40. They needed an address, but the clerk just put his in. I did have to give a copy of my passport though.
#27
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Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: ORD
Posts: 14,231
Thanks, that sounds easy enough. Did you need to provide an address?
I think it was last year in Frankfurt when I went to (I think) O2, and it was a bit more, I think E40. They needed an address, but the clerk just put his in. I did have to give a copy of my passport though.
I think it was last year in Frankfurt when I went to (I think) O2, and it was a bit more, I think E40. They needed an address, but the clerk just put his in. I did have to give a copy of my passport though.
#28
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#29
Moderator: American AAdvantage, Travel Safety/Security & Texas, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2006
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Just a quick update...
We randomly happened to walk by the Apple store here in Amsterdam last Friday (it is just around the corner from the Hard Rock and near a large Starbucks). Popped in and asked one of the workers where she'd suggest we buy SIM cards. Turns out they sell them. It was 10E for a T-Mobile prepaid card, that included 5E of use. We then went to the supermarket (an Albert Heijn), and bought cards to put 20E more on.
The challenge then was navigating the phone prompts (in Dutch) to enter the code. But we figured out how to change the language to English, after that it was easy
From Friday to today so far, I've used about 15E worth of usage (most email, Facebook, maps, some browsing, and a couple texts).
We randomly happened to walk by the Apple store here in Amsterdam last Friday (it is just around the corner from the Hard Rock and near a large Starbucks). Popped in and asked one of the workers where she'd suggest we buy SIM cards. Turns out they sell them. It was 10E for a T-Mobile prepaid card, that included 5E of use. We then went to the supermarket (an Albert Heijn), and bought cards to put 20E more on.
The challenge then was navigating the phone prompts (in Dutch) to enter the code. But we figured out how to change the language to English, after that it was easy
From Friday to today so far, I've used about 15E worth of usage (most email, Facebook, maps, some browsing, and a couple texts).