Suggestions? Cell phone for a few weeks in Europe...

[MikeSmoke]

Looking for suggestions from people based in the US who travel to Europe.

I'll be in Europe this coming month, my cell phone won't take a SIM card, and my carrier (Verizon) only offers one phone that's suitable - and I don't want to buy that phone.

So I'm looking at options for cell service for a few weeks in Europe - what are people's recommendations? The US services that rent you a phone like RangeRoamer? Buying a phone over there? How have you handled it?

Thanks

[AaronM]

iPhone

[eppoclappo]

It may be a little complicated, but this is the solution I suggest:

1) Order a sim card here http://www.united-mobile.com
Works great throughout the whole of Europe.
2) In the first European city you visit, enter a phone shop and buy the
phone that you like most. (make sure it has a pre-paid card service)
3) In most cases the sim is locked for these kind of cell phones, so you
must find a shop that supplies unlock services; in some cases it can
be done in the same shop where you bought your phone, but it's more
common that you end up in a more shabby store for it. I'm sure local
webmasters are able to show you where those kind of unlock shops are.
4) Once the phone is unlocked replace the sim that came with the phone
for the sim from United Mobile and there you go: you've got yourself a
cell phone number from the tiny European country Liechtenstein which
you can use all over Europe for the same rate and no worries about
roaming fees when people call you.

Enjoy your stay in Europe!

[eppoclappo]

Originally Posted by AaronM

iPhone

Officially the iPhone isn't supported in Europe yet.
It can only be used overhere right now if you are willing to hack the iPhone software.

[venus]

you can rent a phone from verizon
http://www.vzwrentinternational.com/...ell_phone.aspx

[MikeSmoke]

Originally Posted by eppoclappo

It may be a little complicated, but this is the solution I suggest:
Enjoy your stay in Europe!

Thanks :-) That was one of the things I was considering, but as we'll be on our honeymoon I'd rather not spend time there looking for phone stores if there's an easier way

[MikeSmoke]

Originally Posted by venus

you can rent a phone from verizon
http://www.vzwrentinternational.com/...ell_phone.aspx

we've looked at that but the prices are exhorbitant - $1.49 per minute

[MikeSmoke]

Does anyone have any experiences with services like RangeRoamer or Cellular Abroad?

[uno]

I had a sprint/nextel that cost me from $1/min to $3/min. Those were some damn expensive vacations.

[baddog]

So, if you already have a phone with a SIMS card, what are the least expensive options?

[Trax]

you can get a european card contract for 20 bucks
go to any t-mobile store... fill out some shit - takes 5 mins... load 20 bucks on the card and plug the sim into your phone (you need a sim phone though that supports triband... shouldnt be a big deal these days)
your minutes wont expire and you can use it whenever you get back

[MikeSmoke]

Originally Posted by baddog

So, if you already have a phone with a SIMS card, what are the least expensive options?

Not sure, my phones won't take sim cards, so i haven't been looking into that issue....

[eppoclappo]

Originally Posted by MikeSmoke

but as we'll be on our honeymoon I'd rather not spend time there looking for phone stores if there's an easier way

Just convince your very best European webmaster friend(s) that they still should give you a present for your wedding. Set up a wish list of the kind of phones you like. They do the shopping & unlocking for you and give you the phone at the airport where you arrive.

[MikeSmoke]

Originally Posted by eppoclappo

Just convince your very best European webmaster friend(s) that they still should give you a present for your wedding. Set up a wish list of the kind of phones you like. They do the shopping & unlocking for you and give you the phone at the airport where you arrive.

That would be a very good idea except that I don't have any webmaster friends in Rome

[NemesisEnforcer]

I've been using CellularAbroad for my trips to Europe. Check them out.

[Rhesus]

Look around a bit if you have time, international calling rates within the EU have now been capped at E.50/min I believe. Orange and Vodafone (the latter being the biggest network) frequently have promotions for international calls at low rates, especially when bought from the UK. Then you just get a cheap phone w/ their sim card here.

[MikeSmoke]

Originally Posted by NemesisEnforcer

I've been using CellularAbroad for my trips to Europe. Check them out.

Do you rent or buy?

[Violetta]

not that it matters, but where are you going??

[MikeSmoke]

Originally Posted by Rockatansky

not that it matters, but where are you going??

Italy

[NemesisEnforcer]

Originally Posted by MikeSmoke

Do you rent or buy?

I purchased the SIM card from CellularAbroad. I walked into a T-Mobile authorized reseller and asked the owner if he had any old GSM phones that he could part with for cheap. He handed me an unlocked Nokia 8890 and told me that I could have it. The phone is about 7 years old but it works well.

[MikeSmoke]

Originally Posted by NemesisEnforcer

I purchased the SIM card from CellularAbroad. I walked into a T-Mobile authorized reseller and asked the owner if he had any old GSM phones that he could part with for cheap. He handed me an unlocked Nokia 8890 and told me that I could have it. The phone is about 7 years old but it works well.

Gotcha, thanks for the help.

[MikeSmoke]

Thanks for all the advice - I used to spend a lot of time in Europe - but that was way back in the day when cell phones were almost non-existent, and you had to find a PTT in order to make a phone call back to the States

(not to mention that you also didn't have to worry about using or recharging your laptops, ipods, etc......)

[Marshal]

great suggestions here! www.united-mobile.com has great roaming prices!