Emergency Cellphone in the Netherlands

I use Mobal. The per-minute cost is higher than some, but since you only plan to use it in emergencies that won't be a problem. The benefit to that over Callineurope is that your phone number is permanent, which should be of importance to you since you say that you intend to use the phone on subsequent trips. No need to reactivate the service after a period of nonuse. With Callineurope you either have to use $20 worth of time every three months to get another three months of activation, or your number disconnects and you have to buy a new SIM card (and a new number).

Why not just leave an itinerary of where you are staying. In an emergency they can contact your hotel. Thats how we used to do it... I guess I am out of snyc..

For what you want, I second Mobal. I've had my phone from them since 2004 and have appreciated having the same phone number all that time--much easier on friends and relatives.

I understand well why you think having an emergency cell phone is a good idea. I had a family emergency this past summer while I was in Europe and really appreciated being able to keep in constant touch with my Stateside relatives without having to stay glued to my hotelroom waiting for messages.

I also understand that for many people the relatively high per minute charges of services like Mobal would cramp their calling and texting style. For them, it wouldn't be practical.

But, answering the question you asked, as an emergency phone that you are not likely to use a lot of minutes on and that let you keep your number permanently, Mobal fits the bill.

You can pick up a cheap phone over here for 30 euro or less. People can call you if it is an emergency.

I do hope we do not get into another discussion about why people like to have a phone with them or not. When one is overseas, it is nice that if there were an emergency, that one can be reached. If the only way you can be reached is with a message from a hotel, that can be very unsatisfactory. When I leave the hotel in the morning, I may not be back until late that night. If one of my family members would pass away or have a severe emergency and my family would call the hotel in the morning right after I have left for a day of sightseeing, then I have just lost 10-12 hours that I could have been using to get back to the States. Making last minute flights is not that easy, and if you try to do it a ten at night, even more difficult. That means waiting til the next day and then really hoping you catch a flight back. One has then lost a full day before even embarking on the trip back home.

Of course we all hope that such a scenario never happens, but unfortunately it does sometimes. Many of us like to be a little bit prepared. Forking out 30 euro for some peace of mind is minimal and allows many people to travel without having to worry about such things as what I described above.

I appreciate all the input. Like I said, the phone is for emergencies only, and emergencies happen at inopportune times. Being available by phone is a double edged sword and I have traveled for 25 years without one but now it seems prudent.

I looked at Mobal and it does seem to make more sense given the stable phone number and other advantages. Thanks again.

Dan,

You indicated that "My current phone is not compatible with the European system". Which network are you with?

If you're with Verizon, they offer rental of a GSM-compatible phone for what appears to be fairly reasonable cost. Check their website or speak with a CS representative for the details.

If you're with Sprint or one of the others, you could consider either a rental or a purchase (use on future trips?) from one of the "travel phone" companies. Have a look at Cellular Abroad, Call In Europe, Roam Simple, Mobal or Telestial to see which of their rates look the best.

As the others have mentioned, you could also either purchase an inexpensive PAYG phone when you arrive in Europe OR buy a quad-band,unlocked GSM Phone off E-Bay and then just buy a PAYG SIM card when you arrive. There are lots of choices!

To answer your last question, I haven't had any "first hand" experience with any of these firms, but I have been considering one of these providers for a future trip so have been monitoring the rates for all of them. I've used roaming until now with my home network, but the roaming rates have increased significantly recently! The current rate on my plan now is Cdn$2.00/minute for most calls and 75¢ for each text, plus applicable taxes. That's why I'm now considering less expensive alternatives.

Happy travels!

That method doesn't provide a permanent number, Steve, which is something Dan has said he wants. It also doesn't let him give his family a number to reach him before he leaves.

Go to Skype.com and set up a Skype account. Load $10 of credit on the account (and perhaps set it up with a credit card for an automatic refill). Then buy a Skype-In number. This will be a local number that others can use to call you on Skype. Give out your Skype-In number to those you want to have a number should they need to reach you in an emergency. Purchase an unlocked quad-band phone (800/900/1800/1900 bands) off ebay. When you get to Europe, purchase a prepaid SIM card. Put it in your phone. Find a computer, log onto your Skype account, and then set it so Skype will forward all your calls to your new European SIM number.

This sounds more complicated than it is, but it will give you the cheapest way for others to reach you without the need to furnish the ones back here with a number once you get over there. One advantage to this approach is that you pay for the long distance part of the call, and you pay it at Skype's lower rates. This doesn't impose a burden on those at home to pay what could be some really high rates to keep you informed.