My wife and i will be traveling to Croatia next month and leaving out kids with grandparents. We want to be able to call back home to check in, but also for the grandparens to be able to touch base with us if need be. We've heard of buying "cheap" mobile phones once we get there that we can then use to call home. Any suggestions?
Posted by
Windsor, ON, Canada
118 posts
We purchased a phone from T-Mobile and used it to confirm bookings and call home. It was pretty cheap and we just purchased a bunch of minutes. We'll be using it again this summer.
Posted by
OP
Raleigh, NC, USA
4 posts
Ryan, thanks for the suggestion. Did you get the T-Mobile phone there?
Posted by
Seattle, wa, usa
8 posts
Bring your laptop and call using SKYPE for free if you are gonig computer to computer or a couple cents a minute if you can a land line.
Posted by
Windsor, ON, Canada
118 posts
Yes we did. There are locations everywhere. When we ran out of minutes due to calling home often we just popped in the local T-Mobile and bought more minutes.
Posted by
OP
Raleigh, NC, USA
4 posts
Ryan, what was the cost of the t-mobile phone, if you don't mind me asking?
Posted by
Windsor, ON, Canada
118 posts
I'm sorry I don't. I do believe it was under $50. If you go this route look into a one time package. We found this out towards the end and it seemed like a better deal than buying minutes.
Posted by
Minneapolis, MN, USA
13 posts
Skype works great. If you want a real cell phone connection, I have had good luck all over the world using an international roaming SIM in a GSM phone. The cost is not ultra-cheap, but it is uniform from most countries (at $0.49/minute). The Passport SIM from ekit also provide a US number that your friends can use to call you. You'll need an UNLOCKED GSM phone to use it. If you don't have one, you can purchase a cheapo one to use. You can find info at http://www.telestial.com/. I have also had good luck with the eBay store http://stores.ebay.com/ekit-Mobile-USA/. The cheapest option is to purchase a Croatian SIM. You can likely find one at http://www.telestial.com/.
Posted by
owatonna, mn, usa
17 posts
Use Google voice on your smart phone anywhere there is a wifi spot.
Posted by
OP
Raleigh, NC, USA
4 posts
Actually, we ended up getting one of our Verizon phones switched to international use. We used it very minimally, so it worked out well. I'm glad we didn't wait to purchase a "cheap" throwaway phone once we got there. We never saw anywhere to buy one until Dubrovnik, which was Day 7! Thanks for all the feedback!