Cell Phone in Europe

We just bought our 2nd Mobal cell phone in order to have 2. I think it's a great deal - $60 for the phone with shipping and no other cost unless you use it. You can check out the countries to know what the per minute cost will be (Ukraine is very high, but most are $1.25 - 1.50 per minute). We don't use it for long phone calls, but there's no connection charge like you have with most phone booths with cards. We've had ours several years and it's been a good "keep in touch" device. We did make sure we didn't have voice mail set up because you have to pay whether you check it or not.

Search. There are a half dozen threads or more on mobile phones here.

I'm not sure what kind of budget everyone has, but I consider $1 or more per minute to be high. Mobal is rather expensive with rates. In fact I feel Mobal is a rip-off when comparing providers. Incoming calls should be free but that isn't so with Mobal. Outgoing calls for most of Europe should be 40 to 70 cents max. Incoming SMS messages should be free, and only cost 40 to 50 cents to send. Mobal charges 80 cents.

Review these: http://www.telestial.com/sim_cards.php

Thanks to the folks who replied.

Two very divergent opinions.

Anybody else care to chime in on Mobal or other favorite cell phone options.

I am going to check out the one site a kind person forwarded.

James Timothy

A popular subject - there are lots more comments from earlier posts - but I just take my Cingular Razor - I know 1-1.29/min is a lot - but its the same i use at home and worked as well if not better in germany as it did in SoCal. No other plan or anything to buy. I just have to be careful not to make to many 15-20min calls home! but for local quick calls - its the best. No cards, no hassel. just dial. I will pay a bit more for that. but thats me. If you make a lot of calls home - take an internaltional calling card like rick suggests.

Tom --

thanks. Yours is a great idea, but I have two Verizon phones,and they have absolutely no service in Europe.

They are great on Long Island -- much better than Cingular(ATT).

James Timothy