Originally Posted by
GUWonder
1. Determine what kind of bands your GSM phone will cover.
2. Take a photo copy of your passport and visa with you, go to a store and pick up whatever pre-paid GSM company will best cover where you will be travelling in India.
Airtel and then Hutch are pretty good nationally; Idea, not so much so for my purposes nowadays.
Here's some potential picks and which bands they use in various regions of India:
http://www.gsmworld.com/roaming/gsminfo/cou_in.shtml
I use Hutch. Prepaid card for 999 INR (about $22) will get you a permanent number, that you can add minutes/rupees too...i usually put 3300INR on (about $75USD) when i enter India and it lasts for about 3 weeks (and i talk locally and internationally as well)...if you are planning to ever return to india, it is probably the best option...otherwise, you can just buy a prepaid card in the amount you want, which you can use for up to about 60 days...
One note to GU Wonder's post...when you go to the HUTCH store, you must also bring 2 passport sized photos (in addition to a copy of your passport) and proof of a local address (hotel bill will do, so if you ask them to print you one out after your first day that will work...)...
You can refill it just about anywhere....if you will be traveling, be sure to activiate roaming so you dont get charged more for time out of the area you purchase the card in...but in areas in your city of origin, INCOMING CALLS ARE FREE...have everyone call you and save $$...
Good luck..