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  1. #1
    Brsmnky007
    Guest
    I'll be going to Europe for a while this summer equipped with my SE T616.
    I'm looking for advice for the cheapest way to make calls, what to expect
    for rates for both voice and SMS, whether the 1800 MHz band is easily
    available nearly everywhere, any general international traveling tips that
    anyone may have. Thanks in advance!





    See More: Travelling in Europe...




  2. #2
    Richie
    Guest

    Re: Travelling in Europe...

    You should no problem purchasing a phone card in whatever country you visit.
    Just go to a phone store and purchase a SIM card and insert it into your
    phone -- very convenient. The 1800MHz band is available everywhere in
    Europe (however for best coverage and choice of SIM 900/1800MHz would be
    best).

    "Brsmnky007" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    news:[email protected]...
    > I'll be going to Europe for a while this summer equipped with my SE T616.
    > I'm looking for advice for the cheapest way to make calls, what to expect
    > for rates for both voice and SMS, whether the 1800 MHz band is easily
    > available nearly everywhere, any general international traveling tips that
    > anyone may have. Thanks in advance!
    >






  3. #3
    Brsmnky007
    Guest

    Re: Travelling in Europe...


    "Richie" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    news:%[email protected]...
    > You should no problem purchasing a phone card in whatever country you
    > visit. Just go to a phone store and purchase a SIM card and insert it into
    > your phone -- very convenient. The 1800MHz band is available everywhere
    > in Europe (however for best coverage and choice of SIM 900/1800MHz would
    > be best).


    I appreciate the quick response... any idea on the per minute rates of those
    pre-paid SIMs? Also the per message rate on international SMS? BTW... how
    is GSM coverage outside cities? I have always been under the impression
    that it is more consistent than here in the US.





  4. #4
    Sbeep
    Guest

    Re: Travelling in Europe...

    As far as the cost is concerened its hard to say because each country has a
    different price structure. In any case its a LOT cheaper than in the USA
    especially as you do not pay for incoming calls. GSM is practically 100% all
    over Europe, it depends, of course, on which operator you use, but I live
    and move around all over the place here and always have a signal.


    "Brsmnky007" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    news:[email protected]...
    >
    > "Richie" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    > news:%[email protected]...
    >> You should no problem purchasing a phone card in whatever country you
    >> visit. Just go to a phone store and purchase a SIM card and insert it
    >> into your phone -- very convenient. The 1800MHz band is available
    >> everywhere in Europe (however for best coverage and choice of SIM
    >> 900/1800MHz would be best).

    >
    > I appreciate the quick response... any idea on the per minute rates of
    > those pre-paid SIMs? Also the per message rate on international SMS?
    > BTW... how is GSM coverage outside cities? I have always been under the
    > impression that it is more consistent than here in the US.
    >






  5. #5
    steve
    Guest

    Re: Travelling in Europe...

    I guess it matters how you define cheaper. If by cheaper you mean more
    expensive... ;-)

    I have bought sims in Romania and France. The calls cost between .25
    euros and .50 euros per minute. Incoming is free, so if you can get
    everyone to call you it can work out.

    You pay a premium when you buy the sim, like a one time charge.
    Recharging gets cheaper the more times you do it, there are lots of
    promotions where you get more minutes by recharging more often.

    I found coverage to be available anywhere there were people. I was
    travelling with a 900/1800 phone.

    Hope this helps,
    steve
    [email protected]

    In article
    <[email protected]>, Sbeep
    <[email protected]> wrote:

    > As far as the cost is concerened its hard to say because each country has a
    > different price structure. In any case its a LOT cheaper than in the USA
    > especially as you do not pay for incoming calls. GSM is practically 100% all
    > over Europe, it depends, of course, on which operator you use, but I live
    > and move around all over the place here and always have a signal.
    >
    >
    > "Brsmnky007" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    > news:[email protected]...
    > >
    > > "Richie" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    > > news:%[email protected]...
    > >> You should no problem purchasing a phone card in whatever country you
    > >> visit. Just go to a phone store and purchase a SIM card and insert it
    > >> into your phone -- very convenient. The 1800MHz band is available
    > >> everywhere in Europe (however for best coverage and choice of SIM
    > >> 900/1800MHz would be best).

    > >
    > > I appreciate the quick response... any idea on the per minute rates of
    > > those pre-paid SIMs? Also the per message rate on international SMS?
    > > BTW... how is GSM coverage outside cities? I have always been under the
    > > impression that it is more consistent than here in the US.
    > >

    >
    >




  6. #6
    Richie
    Guest

    Re: Travelling in Europe...

    Steve,

    I agree with you that the per minute phone rates in Europe are definitely
    more expensive than in USA. My experience is that China, Hong Kong,
    Singapore and USA have the lowest phone rates.

    Most other countries are however more tourist friendly than USA as it's much
    easier to find a prepaid SIM card (maybe because of the denser population
    and the ability to get everywhere on foot or public transport).


    "steve" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    news:081220041229144248%[email protected]...
    >I guess it matters how you define cheaper. If by cheaper you mean more
    > expensive... ;-)
    >
    > I have bought sims in Romania and France. The calls cost between .25
    > euros and .50 euros per minute. Incoming is free, so if you can get
    > everyone to call you it can work out.
    >
    > You pay a premium when you buy the sim, like a one time charge.
    > Recharging gets cheaper the more times you do it, there are lots of
    > promotions where you get more minutes by recharging more often.
    >
    > I found coverage to be available anywhere there were people. I was
    > travelling with a 900/1800 phone.
    >
    > Hope this helps,
    > steve
    > [email protected]
    >
    > In article
    > <[email protected]>, Sbeep
    > <[email protected]> wrote:
    >
    >> As far as the cost is concerened its hard to say because each country has
    >> a
    >> different price structure. In any case its a LOT cheaper than in the USA
    >> especially as you do not pay for incoming calls. GSM is practically 100%
    >> all
    >> over Europe, it depends, of course, on which operator you use, but I live
    >> and move around all over the place here and always have a signal.
    >>
    >>
    >> "Brsmnky007" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    >> news:[email protected]...
    >> >
    >> > "Richie" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    >> > news:%[email protected]...
    >> >> You should no problem purchasing a phone card in whatever country you
    >> >> visit. Just go to a phone store and purchase a SIM card and insert it
    >> >> into your phone -- very convenient. The 1800MHz band is available
    >> >> everywhere in Europe (however for best coverage and choice of SIM
    >> >> 900/1800MHz would be best).
    >> >
    >> > I appreciate the quick response... any idea on the per minute rates of
    >> > those pre-paid SIMs? Also the per message rate on international SMS?
    >> > BTW... how is GSM coverage outside cities? I have always been under
    >> > the
    >> > impression that it is more consistent than here in the US.
    >> >

    >>
    >>






  7. #7
    JTH
    Guest

    Re: Travelling in Europe...

    Everyone has given you good feedback to your question. One thing that has
    not been mentioned is to be sure that your cellphone is "unlocked". If it
    is not, you will not be able to use the prepaid SIM cards. Some carriers
    lock the phones so that you can only use their SIM card in it. There are a
    varitey of websites that offer to unlock your phone. I found one that
    generated the unlock codes for my Nokia for free!

    Country specific are the cheapest route to go, especially if you are staying
    in one country. If you have a county specific SIM card, then your incoming
    calls are free (the caller pays) while you are in that country. Some of the
    country specific SIMS will let you roam in another country, while some will
    not.

    You can get SIM cards that work in every country, but then you pay for
    outgoing and incoming calls, and at a higher rate than if you had a country
    specific SIM.

    Happy traveling,

    JT Head

    "Brsmnky007" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    news:[email protected]...
    > I'll be going to Europe for a while this summer equipped with my SE T616.
    > I'm looking for advice for the cheapest way to make calls, what to expect
    > for rates for both voice and SMS, whether the 1800 MHz band is easily
    > available nearly everywhere, any general international traveling tips that
    > anyone may have. Thanks in advance!
    >
    >







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