cell phones in Europe

I would just buy cheap phones in Europe and use local sim cards. Here's links to some info for each country. Greece http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g189398-i192-k3703861-Cell_phones_in_Greece-Greece.html England http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g186338-i17-k2710724-l17113976-Mobile_Cell_Phones_in_UK-London_England.html#17113976

Your phones won't work in Europe - you need GSM phones. If all you are going to do is call each other, the cheapest way to go is to use unlocked quad-band GSM phones (buy them there or on eBay) and purchase a local SIM card to use in them. You can use the same SIM card in Greece and England, but you will be under roaming rates for whichever country you didn't buy it in.

Janette, you might have a look at websites for the "travel phone" firms, such as Call In Europe, Roam Simple, Cellular Abroad, Telestial or Mobal. They offer inexpensive GSM phones (~$49.95) and plans which have consistent rates in most of western Europe (the countries you'll be in). Most of these are post-paid, which means the charges are billed to your credit card, and you never have to worry about running out of minutes in the middle of a call or "topping-up". ¶ You could also check E-Bay for unlocked quad-band GSM Phones, but you'll probably find that lots of the phones listed there cost MORE than $49.95. The "travel" firms above also sell SIM cards, so just buy a Euro SIM and you'll be ready to go when you land (although you may have to "force" the phone to search for a network). You should be able to get better prices on older "flip" style phones such as the Motorola V-551 (which is what I use at home and in Europe). If you prefer the "Bar" style phone, older models of those should be available too, but I didn't check. ¶ In the same situation, I'd probably try and find 4 of the same style of phone. The phone handset will likely be unfamiliar to your group, so that way you'd be able to help each other "learn" the operation quickly. ¶ The least expensive method for keeping in touch will be text messaging. Sent texts are usually about 60-75¢ each while received are usually FREE. You can also send texts to family and friends back home, regardless of which network they're with. However, voice calls will be more expensive so best to keep those "short"! ¶ One point to note is that travel SIM's are usually based with networks such as O2 in the UK. Anyone calling you from the U.S. will have to dial LONG distance. I'd suggest limiting the number of people that have your "travel number". Happy travels!

Another suggestion is to call your current carrier to see what they offer. Under our family plan with Tmobile we were able to activate foreign calling for free. Then each call was $1.60 a minute or just 35 cents for each text. We brought two of our phones with us and texted each other when we split up and wanted to be able to coordinate with each other. We were in England, France and Switzerland. Very easy and relatively inexpensive.

Lynne, T-mobile uses phones compatible with the European system. CDMA phones are not compatible.

Or if you have Verizon,call them because they have a global plan and can lend you a phone for free if your trip is under 30 days.