Here in Ontario, Canada I use a Roger's Hub which is a modem sized hub that plugs into the cigarette lighter on my car and is good for anywhere in Canada. I have access to e-mail and the internet on the road at all times. Cost is $38.95 per month for 3G. Is there anything comparable in Europe?
Posted by
Tuscaloosa, AL
1152 posts
David, I assume the Hub is a wifi access point (similar to the MiFi that Verizon or Sprint market in the U.S.). If so, the answer is yes, the cell companies in Europe sell similar things. They do so on a prepaid basis, too, so you don't have to sign up for a monthly plan. Check out this T-Mobile U.K. link. Note that you can use a prepaid U.K. account all over Europe. The rates are regulated by the U.K. so they won't bankrupt you even though you are roaming on another system. Finally, most unlocked Android phones will also act as a wifi access point. So if you had one of those phones and got a prepaid SIM overseas, you could use data that way, too. I did so this past summer in Germany using a U.K. SIM. Here is a link to a message posted here about my experience: For overseas DATA use, local prepaid is best solution
Posted by
OP
St. Catharines, Canada
23 posts
Your last link is very helpful. Sounds like the way to go. While traveling for 8 weeks in Europe in 2010 I used my Blackberry and purchased a SIM card for each country not knowing the cost ahead of time. Each card was approximately E35.00. The frustrating part was that all instructions were in German. Had it not been for the helpful guys where I bought the SIM, not sure if I could have gotten them to work.
Thanks for the advice.
Posted by
Kailua, Hi, USA
54 posts
David, I know of two solutions that may be similar to the Roger's Hub, both of which work in Europe. The first is from Tep Wireless: http://www.tepwireless.com/index.php They offer two products; the pocket wifi may fill your needs. The second is from DROAM: http://www.droam.nl/en/ They also offer a pocket wifi Both devices are similar in capabilities. Pricing plans differ. Tep can arrange delivery to your home address, or a hotel or business in Europe, and they have pick- up points at major UK airports. DROAM can deliver to your home address or you can pick it up in the Netherlands. When you're done with either device you mail it back in their supplied shipping envelope. I've used the Tep device in the UK, France, Switzerland and Italy with good results. Hope this helps,
Gary
Posted by
San Francisco, California, USA
199 posts
On an impulse, I purchased a World Sim card for 30 euros on an inter-Europe flight, duty free. Mainly I wanted to avoid the hassle of changing sim cards and phone numbers every time I traveled to a new country plus the cost of calls was very attractive. Prepaid. No contract. www.WorldSIM.com I haven't absorbed most of the instructions yet, nor have I figured it all out yet, but so far, I understand I get to keep the same phone number no matter which country I'm in using the phone. I get a U.K. and U.S. number, but the U.K. number is cheaper to use. Free incoming calls in 90+ countries, save up to 95% on mobile bills while traveling with it. I put this sim card in a quad band, unlocked phone I bought from eBay. Perhaps this might work for you? Good luck!
Posted by
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
12 posts
David, Being a Rogers customer myself, I can tell you most(if not all) of their phones are locked. You should check this before you leave. Being locked, you can't drop someone else's SIM card in your phone. From what I have heard, you can pay them $50 to unlock it. It might depend on the model you have. I was looking into unlocking the iPhone, but I suspect the BlackBerrys is similar. Gary