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American Traveling in Europe with T68i???? |
ShaneMcFarland
Joined: Apr 22, 2003
Posts: 142
From: Detroit, MI (blech!) USA
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Oh yeah....also, will I be able to check my email from over there using the same settings or not? I don't have to change the settings every time I get a new SIM card do I? If I do where will I get said settings?
And I need a new SIM every time I enter another country as well? | |
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DudeShagT300
Joined: Nov 03, 2002
Posts: 147
From: Birmingham
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In England sim cards are available lots of places Carphone Warehouse is probably easiest. They cost between 10-20pound and come with varying amounts of call time. I would check your email question in that forum, your phone will keep the setting i think but can't guarantee it will work. Feel free to email of any questions about UK networks, cost, services etc.
This message was posted from a T300 |
Vlammetje
Joined: Mar 01, 2003
Posts: > 500
From: Den Haag
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OK rate plans (what I could find this fast)
Orange NL:
EUR 0.35 per minute (standard tarif)
EUR 0.23 per sms sent (receiving sms is free unless it's a subscription)
EUR 25.00 for the SIM (this is including EUR 15,- worth prepaid)
KPN NL (they also have a different brand called KPN HI)
EUR 0.35 per minute (standard tarif)
I don't know ow much for sms, or how much the actual SIM card is. It comes with EUR 10,- worth already)
T Mobile NL
EUR 0.35 per minute
EUR 15,- for the SIM-card (including the full EUR 15,- as prepaid balance)
Vodafone Izi Go (prepaid SIM only)
EUR 0.35 per minute (standard tarif)
I THINK the SIM costs EUR 15,-, but I am not sure. It has EUR 5,- ready to use value on it.
O2 NL
EUR 0.35 per minute (standard tarif)
All rate plans are more or less the same, it's just that the SIM card itself differs in price and price-value. I said 'standard tarif' because there are also 'peak' tariffs (usually 0.45) and 'low' tariffs (between 0.10 and 0.20) The lows are usually evenings after 8PM and on weekends. The peaks I'm not sure, sorry.
You can get it at any telecom store (there are plenty around)
As 4 email settings, I suspect you'd have to change them 4 every SIM. Best ask the sales ppl at the store, they should know. You can get settings off the internet (receive sms with settings as well) if you take the time to subscribe to the site. Otherwise ask while your in the store. Oh, and I just thought of something else: check be4 you buy the SIM whether or not the prepaid card supports the email function in the messages menu. Some don't. Then you would only be able to access via WAP.
Good luck! Marga
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krazykritter
Joined: Mar 13, 2003
Posts: 91
From: Arlington, TX
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Wait before you go wishing for all your in coming calls free, check out how much the caller pays to call you! Someone has to pay for the airtime. So if you as the mobile user isn't paying for it, your caller has to pay for it.
Matthew Stevens
Nokia 3650
Jabra BT200, BluePen BT Dongle
T-Mobile USA |
ShaneMcFarland
Joined: Apr 22, 2003
Posts: 142
From: Detroit, MI (blech!) USA
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Vlam: Wow, thanks for all the info. A great help!
Kitty: Well, yeah. But I don't have to pay for it..  |
louierh
Joined: Apr 23, 2003
Posts: 2
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In most, if not all countries in Europe, you do not pay for incoming calls, as long as you are not roaming. This means a different (pre-paid) SIM card for each country you visit in Europe. Take note, for instance, that in Germany, you might need to present proof of residence, before you can buy a pre-paid SIM card. This varies from dealer to dealer, and is sometimes not strictly enforced, but it would be wise to remember this.
And yes, you will definitely need to change settings (data settings, but not email settings) everytime you change SIM cards, when you check your email from your mobile phone, regardless if you connect thru GPRS or GSM. Each provider has its own APN (for GPRS), and IP address (for GPRS and GSM). That might not be a big problem because you can store different data settings in your phone, and just choose the correct one when you change SIM, but of course, you have to remember to change it!
You also have to make sure that your pre-paid SIM card can connect thru GPRS (if you want to use that) because some providers do not allow GPRS access unless you have a postpaid contract with them.
If you check your email a lot, then getting a pre-paid SIM card, and connecting thru GPRS or GSM is definitely cheaper than the roaming charges you will incur from GRPS Roaming or GSM Roaming, aside of course, from the fact, that you will have to pay incoming roaming charges. But if you don't expect to use your phone so much while in Europe, or you don't expect to receive too many calls, then, you might as well stick to your own SIM card. You have to take into consideration the cost of the pre-paid SIM card (here in Germany, it's about 25 Euros with 15 Euros credit). Then, there is the hassle that you have to inform all those who want to call you of your new/current number everytime you cross borders. Imagine yourself in a place where there is a tri-border with a pre-paid card from Holland, like Maastricht in Holland. You move less than 50 kms to any direction, and for all you know, you are already roaming with your pre-paid card, using the network from Germany or Belgium, and that becomes even more expensive with a pre-paid card. You realize that you are roaming, you change SIM Cards, and you have to start informing your friends that you are now using a different SIM card, and therefore, and different number!
There are definitely pros and cons, and though using a pre-paid SIM card might seem the cheapest option, but cheapest can sometimes become the most expensive!
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muskeetu
Joined: May 21, 2004
Posts: 9
From: Belo Horizonte, Brazil
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I'll probably be visiting Canada in a couple months... Is there just the same as in the US? I mean, do we have to pay for the incoming calls too? What are the prices per minute?
reading this post I got curious about the prices in the US. Seems that, as long as the receiver also pays for the call, the price is cheaper than in the Europe (and Brazil), because you divide the price by 2.
Gamer
http://www.flickr.com/photos/maucarvalho/
http://m3c.textamerica.com/ |
Aivar
Joined: Jan 14, 2003
Posts: > 500
From: Estonia
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Usually you have to pay for incoming calls during roaming. But there are some exceptions. For example, I as a client of Estonian GSM-operator EMT don't pay anything while I use certain networks in Latvia, Lithuania and Finland. Some Estonian GSM-operators also allow free incoming calls for their clients in Sweden and in Russia.
I don't know how many GSM-operators in the whole world allow calls free of charge for their clients abroad. I guess, it's quite a new possibility.
You asked what the prices per minute are. It's very different. You have to ask it from your home GSM-operator. Probably they have price-tabel available in the internet (home page).
You wrote: "Reading this post I got curious about the prices in the US.
Seems that, as long as the receiver also pays for the call, the price is
cheaper than in the Europe (and Brazil), because you divide the price by 2."
I doubt about that. The price-policy is very different and sometimes not very logical for customers.
By the way, you are welcome to travel to Estonia  We have the whole country covered by GSM-network
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Access the forum with a mobile phone via esato.mobi
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Posted: 2003-04-24 18:44
