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I bought a cell phone in Viet Nam 2 years ago, for about $50.00. That included the SIM card/phone number and lots of minutes/Dong. Since then I have taken that phone to London and Sydney, picked a network, and had the new SIM card installed and the service activated with no problems. I buy minutes/AUD/Pounds to recharge it as necessary. That way I am avoiding the hassles and expenses of replacing my simple US cell phone with a tri- or quad-band phone, and can just stash it away when we go overseas.
Kate
One consideration for those choosing a Mobal is the consequences of losing the phone or SIM. At about $2 per minute, if you lose a phone you can be on the hook for about $3000 per day until the loss is reported to Mobal's New York office.
A safer alternative to the unlimited-liability Mobal.com SIM is the prepaid "Global (Hop Abroad Mobile Hop GSM 900/1800/1900) Prepaid SIM Card" from MyWorldPhone.com.
It only works in 70 nations (compared to 140 for Mobal), and it costs a lot up-front ($110 v. free+shipping), but minutes on MyWorldPhone cost much less than minutes on Mobal.
To my way of thinking, the high potential cost of losing a Mobal makes the MyWorldPhone a better deal for most folks.
I'm sorry I got the Mobal SIMs, and am thinking of destroying them for peace of mind.
Last edited by Middle_Seat; Sep 14, 06 at 2:45 pm.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Middle_Seat
A safer alternative to the unlimited-liability Mobal.com SIM is the prepaid "Global (Hop Abroad Mobile Hop GSM 900/1800/1900) Prepaid SIM Card" from MyWorldPhone.com.
It only works in 70 nations (compared to 140 for Mobal), and it costs a lot up-front ($110 v. free+shipping), but minutes on MyWorldPhone cost much less than minutes on Mobal.
To my way of thinking, the high potential cost of losing a Mobal makes the MyWorldPhone a better deal for most folks.
I'm sorry I got the Mobal SIMs, and am thinking of destroying them for peace of mind.
Ohhhh. Thanks for point that out. Im going to Africa and was thinking of getting a world card of some sort. Im not sure yet since I may not have any coverage for much of the trip anyway. But if I do it will not be the Mobal because of this, but the Hop Aboard or one of the other prepaids.
__________________
"And the only sound that's left after the ambulances go
Is Cinderella sweeping up on Desolation Row"
Here's my 2c worth - picked up on a flight sat next to another international traveller complaining of the high charges....
Get an Indian SIM and use this for roaming around the world. Best rates of all the countries and cheapest roamign charges. THen use the US SIM card only in the US
I haev nto valiated this but it is worth exploring
Here's my 2c worth - picked up on a flight sat next to another international traveller complaining of the high charges....
Get an Indian SIM and use this for roaming around the world. Best rates of all the countries and cheapest roamign charges. THen use the US SIM card only in the US
I haev nto valiated this but it is worth exploring
That's pretty wild! But for a last-minute 10-day trip to Paris that's coming up too fast to order online, what's the best pre-paid SIM card to buy and stick in my ancient unlocked GSM tri-band once I land at CDG or get into the city? I'll be making a number of local calls but probably sending few or no SMSs. The options are many and confusing -- has anyone had personal experience?
First post from a newbie here. Had a quick glance round, and did not see this one mentioned - but apologies if I duplicate anyone else's post.
I travel extensively around Europe, and how I reduce my roaming is by using a sim card from www.sim4travel.com. For about £30 you can buy a Lichtenstein sim card that has toll free roaming in most destinations. Check out their web site for more info.
What then do is when I am travelling, I put my o2 mobile on divert using their international caller discounted rate to the sim4travel sim , it then costs me 19p per minute for the diverted call and free roaming.
Plus texts and calls are discounted cheaper than most contracts whilst roaming. It may not be as cheap as buying a sim per country, but at least you only have one extra phone to carry and use in all destinations.
That's pretty wild! But for a last-minute 10-day trip to Paris that's coming up too fast to order online, what's the best pre-paid SIM card to buy and stick in my ancient unlocked GSM tri-band once I land at CDG or get into the city? I'll be making a number of local calls but probably sending few or no SMSs. The options are many and confusing -- has anyone had personal experience?
I have a regular account with Orange France, www.orange.fr because I like having a permanent number for use on business cards.
There are three cell phone operators in France: Orange, SFR and Bouygues. You will get different opinions on which of the first two is the best.
Orange's prepaid service is called Mobicarte. You buy a SIM card ("carte à puce") which gives you an initial amount of talk time. If you understand French, there is more information at http://mobile.orange.fr/0/visiteur/P...eterligne.html
If you are coming into CDG via one of the US carriers like AA, I can give you very precise directions to a shop that will sell you what you need and also is staffed by folks who know a reasonable amount of English. The kiosques at CDG operated by Relay do not usually stock the SIM cards although some of them have the "scratch off" recharge cards.
If you want to buy your SIM card in Paris, a few good places would be the huge FNAC electronics store on the Champs Elysees (the cellphone department is on the left side at the street level), the Virgin Megastore, also on the Champs Elysees and any of Orange's own "boutiques" such as the one on the Place de la Madeleine.
Since I am jumping into this thread, I may have missed something. If you have a problem with Orange, knowing French, or getting someone who knows French is essential in talking to customer service.
Let me know if I can answer any questions and Bon Voyage!
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I know that Australia isn't really part of Europe, but I've got a similar question. I'm flying into Sydney for vacation and could use a number while I'm there, I already have a quad-band unlocked phone, is it easy getting a pre-paid SIM card at the airport? I checked online and there are a few companies that will send a SIM card to the USA, but at a ridiculous markup. Aussie companies don't seem to want to ship to the US.
There is another strategy - the charges are outrageous under most of the plans IMHO
THey have come down but some time back I used calling cards to decrease the call cost for international calls. Buy a calling card in tne country you are in and dial that local number to make the international calls - with a local SIM you can make reasonably priced interantional calls - it is all a question of what you can tolerate from a convenience standpoint
Oh - I also heard and have mentoned elsewhere that India has the chpeaest rates for roaming and international calls and ti coud be worht signing on wiht an indian provider to raom everhwere (except your home country) as this is the chepaest adn most conveneinent for keeping one phone number)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mindwurkz
I know that Australia isn't really part of Europe, but I've got a similar question. I'm flying into Sydney for vacation and could use a number while I'm there, I already have a quad-band unlocked phone, is it easy getting a pre-paid SIM card at the airport? I checked online and there are a few companies that will send a SIM card to the USA, but at a ridiculous markup. Aussie companies don't seem to want to ship to the US.
Cant remember at the airport but easy to find in the cities. I think I got my Optus card in Brisbane at a place near my hotel. But easy to get hooked up with a prepaid in Oz once you get there.
__________________
"And the only sound that's left after the ambulances go
Is Cinderella sweeping up on Desolation Row"
Since my search of this forum for "iskoot" yielded nothing, I'll ask here if anybody has had any experience with this company and what they seem to be offering:
I have a regular account with Orange France, www.orange.fr because I like having a permanent number for use on business cards.
There are three cell phone operators in France: Orange, SFR and Bouygues. You will get different opinions on which of the first two is the best.
Orange's prepaid service is called Mobicarte. You buy a SIM card ("carte à puce") which gives you an initial amount of talk time. If you understand French, there is more information at http://mobile.orange.fr/0/visiteur/P...eterligne.html
If you are coming into CDG via one of the US carriers like AA, I can give you very precise directions to a shop that will sell you what you need and also is staffed by folks who know a reasonable amount of English. The kiosques at CDG operated by Relay do not usually stock the SIM cards although some of them have the "scratch off" recharge cards.
If you want to buy your SIM card in Paris, a few good places would be the huge FNAC electronics store on the Champs Elysees (the cellphone department is on the left side at the street level), the Virgin Megastore, also on the Champs Elysees and any of Orange's own "boutiques" such as the one on the Place de la Madeleine.
Since I am jumping into this thread, I may have missed something. If you have a problem with Orange, knowing French, or getting someone who knows French is essential in talking to customer service.
Let me know if I can answer any questions and Bon Voyage!
I haven't checked in here for a bit and here's the answer I needed--thanks! After looking at the Orange site I'm a bit less intimidated. My French is rather rusty but should be adequate, once I pick up some cyber-vocabulaire. Since I have to collect tickets at FNAC anyway, that sounds like the best plan.
