Cell phone

Where are you going? In most places you can buy cheap phones at phone stores like Vodaphone, Orange, Carphone Warehouse, etc. Prices vary, but you should easily be able to buy a cheap phone and SIM card for less than $50, with some call time credit included. You might find a shop in the airport, or on the street. There are lots of options.

Charyl, It would help to know if you presently have a Cell phone and if so which network you're with? If you're only planning to make occasional calls, roaming with your home network may be an option. It would also help to have some idea what you plan on using the phone for?

Well, we would use the cell phone to confirm reservations or check on local activities. I haven't yet checked with our cell phone company (AT&T) since travel guides recommend getting a cell phone once we're in Europe.

Charyl, My first suggestion would be to take the "travel guides" with a grain of salt, as they're not always accurate for all circumstances. Which model of AT&T cell phone are you using? If it's fairly recent, it's almost certain that it's a quad-band model and therefore will work in Europe. If it's a Smartphone (iPhone, Android), you'll have to be EXTREMELY careful with cellular data roaming as it can be VERY expensive! For occasional use or text messaging, roaming with your home provider can be a cost effective method. I'd suggest checking with AT&T regarding their roaming travel packs. Cheers!

I think sometimes people overestimate how much they will use a phone for local calls. How is your Spanish or your Catalan? Are you really going to call to check on local activities in Spain? Ken might have the best idea if you plan to only use the phone on a limited basis. AT&T has an international plan that would allow you to use your regular phone (provided that it is able to operate in Europe). It's not the cheapest, but it would be the least hassle for a few calls. If you were planning on making lengthier calls home, though, you would want to find another method.

For example... a basic pay-as-you-go handset from Vodafone will run about €25, plus about the same amount for minutes. You chew up minutes faster if you use the phone outside the country where you bought it. Vodafone is just one example, there's at least one similar company in just about every country in Europe.

One other little wrinkle I discovered on my trip last month: I looked into buying a Vodaphone while I was in the UK, thinking I could then use it when I was in Spain (same trip) and on future trips. I spoke with a guy at Vodaphone, who said I could top up my minutes online easily enough when I was in Spain. But the SIM would expire (as they do) after six months or so of inactivity after my trip. On next year's trip to Spain only, though, I would not be able to replace my UK Vodaphone SIM with a Spanish Vodaphone SIM. The phone I bought in the UK had to have a UK SIM (even though it's the same company, it's not the same company). Consequently, I decided against buying the phone at all. All companies may not be the same, but that's how Vodaphone works.

Like Nancy said, there are lots of companies. It seems most people just choose the phone and plan they want from a large number of competitors. You can make the purchase in the Airport. If you suspect the price may be too high, just skip it and go to the next place - there are probably a handful of competitors in every major airport. If you haven't picked up a phone before downtown, you will have plenty of options. Many, if not all, major department stores have a cell phone section. On the street you will also run across phone stores (that sell multiple company products) and dedicated stores/kiosks that sell only one company's products (Orange, Vodaphone, etc.). Regardless of which you choose, the competition really keeps the prices reasonable. I prefer the most basic phone with cheap minutes. I found multiple offers at 25 euros that included 10 euro of calling time at 6 euro cents per minute. I try to use up a SIM card in one country and purchase another local SIM in the next (at any of the stores mentioned above). Each SIM card gives your phone a new number, not an issue as long as you realize it. My best advice is let the store clerk set up your phone and/or SIM so you know it works before you leave the store. Sometimes trying to set it up in an unfamiliar language can be daunting. Bring the phone home, take the battery out, and save it for your next trip to Europe - then you only need to pick up a local SIM card. I haven't had the issue Nancy describes but the UK, like the US, does a lot of things different from the rest of the Continent.