Ok I have recieved my unlocked quad band GSM phone I bought from Ebay. I know I will need a SIM card for it and will purchase this when we get to Germay.
To make phone calls can I just use phone cards to call home. We only want to call our kids once or twice a day to check in.
Can they use a phone card from the US to call us using our land line if they need to contact us? Would it be cheaper that way verses using our local phone service?
Thanks,
Wendy
Whether a phone card would be cheaper than having your kids call on the landline directly depends on what you pay for international long distance on the landline. You'd have to check with your phone company about that. It can also be difficult to tell how many minutes you will get on a phone card, since it depends on where you will be. Using a phone card to call a cellphone will be more expensive (use minutes faster) than calling a landline. I recently had a friend visit from Spain. He used a phone card to call home, but found that calling his wife's cellphone used up his minutes quickly. If he called his home landline, it was much cheaper.
As for using a phone card from your cellphone to call home, you would still be using minutes on your SIM card when you were on the phone card. Again, it depends on the terms of your SIM card. Using a phone card from a pay phone might be cheaper, or might not.
Ok so what I am asking is I have a unlocked cell phone I am taking with me. I will get the SIM card in Germany.
What is the cheapest way for me to call home?
Wendy
The cheapest way to call home will probably be a phone card, calling from a payphone. The per-minute price of your SIM card will be next best (could be fairly comparable). Just don't use the phone card from the cellphone or you are paying per-minute for the card AND for the SIM time.
I have to disagree with Steve (sort of). The cheapest way to call a European number from the U.S. may be from your home line but there is a big IF. It may be cheaper but only if you have signed up for an international calling plan.
For example, if AT&T provides your home phone service, here are the rates:
Normal rate to Germany with no special calling plan: $3.12 a minute. A calling card will easily beat this rate.
If you subscribe to the "AT&T Worldwide Occasional Calling Plan" the rate is $1.56 a minute. This costs only $1 extra a month, but you must also be subscribed to an AT&T domestic state-to-state long distance plan. A calling card will also likely beat this rate.
Sign up for the "AT&T Worldwide Value Calling Plan" and the rate does drop to $.09 a minute. That costs $5.00 a month and you must also subscribe to a domestic long distance plan. Okay, that is probably a pretty good rate, but you have to sign up for it before you go.
Wendy, do your kids have cell phones? If so, check with your cell phone carrier as they offer international rates. For example, I have Verizon and they have a $4.99/mo international calling plan that you can add that then charges you something like 35cents a minute depending on what part of Europe you're in. I did this when my daughter went to Spain with her grandma last year because she didn't have a cell phone with her. The tricky part is that I had to call her at noon California time to reach her at 2100 Spanish time when she was tucked in for the night in her hotel. Your kids may feel better also knowing that they can call you. Your land line may also offer this service or a phone card using your landline will probably be cheapest.
