My cellular service does not have an international plan.
I came across a site: OneSimCard.com which offers a cellular phone rental while you are there, and rents for one week and then a daily charge based on how many days you are going to be travelling.
Anyone hear of or try this type of service? Looking for input, both good and bad.
Thanks!!
Because I go to Europe often I bought second hand cell phone and bought minutes for about $20. I am still using that phone while in Europe and it certainly cost me less than renting. The phone itself didn't cost me more than $10.
Do you need to call home, or just make local calls?
In Madrid I purchased an Orange phone for about 40 euros with a credit of 20 euros time...cheaper than renting...and if I rent (which I have in the past), you may be routed to another call service with codes, etc., to plug in. Purchase was easier and I will have it again in the future....
Caroltracy8
If youre going to make a habit of traveling internationally, i would just buy an inexpensive PAYG phone on your first stop or where ever you can. Also, make sure you can add minutes to your plan outside of the country you buy your phone in.
Chances are you will be able to use the phone at home too.
happy trails.
Renting a phone is the most expensive way to go. It's easy to purchase a cheap PAYG phone when you arrive (and they usually come with minutes). Do check to make sure they are reloadable in other countries if you want to use it somewhere other than where you bought it. I ran into a little wrinkle on my last trip that I was not expecting. I went into a Vodaphone store in Scotland to purchase a PAYG phone. I intended to use it not only in Scotland, but in Spain. Buying, using, and reloading was no problem for that trip, but a problem arose when I talked about the next one, which might be straight to Spain. Because it was going to be unused for more than six months, my SIM would expire and I would have to buy a new one (which I expected). But it turns out that UK Vodaphone and Spain Vodaphone are not connected. The PAYG phone was "locked" to the UK and would not accept a Spanish Vodaphone SIM. That phone would have been worthless on my next trip.
Thank you so much for the input.
To answer a few questions.... I may want to do brief calls home such as "we arrived!" and also to be accessible from those at home in case there is an emergency. Otherwise, it IS a vacation so I didn't want to be technologically tethered.
Also, we get so used to having our phones and using them I wondered about wandering off (assuming I could just text and say "where are you?") and forgetting that I cannot. But that is me being worrisome rather than smart.
Again, I appreciate the input and will look in to the PAYGo phone when we arrive.
caroltracy8,,
"To answer a few questions.... I may want to do brief calls home such as "we arrived!" and also to be accessible from those at home in case there is an emergency. Otherwise, it IS a vacation so I didn't want to be technologically tethered.
Also, we get so used to having our phones and using them I wondered about wandering off (assuming I could just text and say "where are you?") and forgetting that I cannot. But that is me being worrisome rather than smart."
Being tethered is a personal choice and YOU have the control NOT to be so. Its just a matter of turning off your device or not carrying it with you. Unless youre in the back 40 you shouldn't have any issues with help if you need it.
Also, unless your friends are of the night owl types, you will be in a different time zone and most likely 8+ hours ahead of them. I bring my phone but dont turn it on unless i need to. I also got a new note 3 for this years trip, but again the only time it will be on is when im in my room planning my trips. Im not sure it will be on me 24/7 when im wondering around or not. For now my plan is to leave it in the room and have a paper map if i can find/use a decent one locally.
im sure whatever you end up doing, you will figure out what and how you want to do it.
Happy trails.
Carol, FWIW I use EuroBuzz. They're having a special for March - 2 phones and SIM and S&H for $59. I have been very pleased with the service, the phones themselves, and the voice sound quality when calling the USA.
To send a text costs $0.79; to receive one is free. You can call and receive calls from home, too. $0.79/minute to receive calls from the USA; your friends and family will pay whatever the rate is for them to call the UK. Calls to anywhere in Europe AND the USA are $0.79/minute. Simple. $0.79. All you have to do is charge them before leaving home (USA adapter included) and that's it! NOTE: they are dual-band European phones; they will not work WITHIN the USA. They are a post-paid company - you only pay them AFTER you've made a call. It will show up on your credit call bill like any other charge. No needing to top-up your minutes, or worrying about how many minutes you have left on your SIM. The phone number never expires, so you can throw it in a drawer and use it on your next trip - whenever that may be. The SIM is for Europe, too - it's not limited to one country, so you don't need to buy one for each country you'll be visiting.
FYI, this is the same company as Mobal world phones, only restricted to Europe.
Thank you so much. Good information here!
I appreciate all of you taking the time to answer and help a fellow traveller.
(going to Florence, Italy at the end of the year to celebrate New Year's Eve!)
