Buying Cell Phone Simm chips in Germany, France, Austria, Italy
Oct 10th 2006, 12:53 am
#1
Guest
Posts: n/a
Buying Cell Phone Simm chips in Germany, France, Austria, Italy
Suggestions? I have an unlocked GSM phone and would like to use it in
these countries and not pay a huge amount for calls back to the USA or
within and between these countries.
Thanks!
these countries and not pay a huge amount for calls back to the USA or
within and between these countries.
Thanks!
Oct 10th 2006, 1:40 am
#2
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Buying Cell Phone Simm chips in Germany, France, Austria, Italy
Howdy!
I do the same thing. I bought simm cards for Germany, Switzerland, and
Liechtenstein for about $20 each. You can get refills easily at
newstands. The refills are like a cash register receipt with a phone
number and code on it to call into. Piece of cake!
Prosit,
A.C. in Houston, Thursday Zurich.
[email protected] wrote:
> Suggestions? I have an unlocked GSM phone and would like to use it in
> these countries and not pay a huge amount for calls back to the USA or
> within and between these countries.
>
> Thanks!
I do the same thing. I bought simm cards for Germany, Switzerland, and
Liechtenstein for about $20 each. You can get refills easily at
newstands. The refills are like a cash register receipt with a phone
number and code on it to call into. Piece of cake!
Prosit,
A.C. in Houston, Thursday Zurich.
[email protected] wrote:
> Suggestions? I have an unlocked GSM phone and would like to use it in
> these countries and not pay a huge amount for calls back to the USA or
> within and between these countries.
>
> Thanks!
Oct 10th 2006, 1:52 am
#3
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Buying Cell Phone Simm chips in Germany, France, Austria, Italy
Ditto. I just unlocked my sister's old used T-Mobile Samsung triband
GSM phone and will arrive in Frankfurt on the 20th. Do they sell SIM
cards at the airport? Any suggestions as to a provider?
On Oct 10, 9:40 am, "[email protected]" <[email protected]>
wrote:
> Howdy!
> I do the same thing. I bought simm cards for Germany, Switzerland, and
> Liechtenstein for about $20 each. You can get refills easily at
> newstands. The refills are like a cash register receipt with a phone
> number and code on it to call into. Piece of cake!
> Prosit,
> A.C. in Houston, Thursday Zurich.
> [email protected] wrote:
> > Suggestions? I have an unlocked GSM phone and would like to use it in
> > these countries and not pay a huge amount for calls back to the USA or
> > within and between these countries.
>
> > Thanks!- Hide quoted text -- Show quoted text -
GSM phone and will arrive in Frankfurt on the 20th. Do they sell SIM
cards at the airport? Any suggestions as to a provider?
On Oct 10, 9:40 am, "[email protected]" <[email protected]>
wrote:
> Howdy!
> I do the same thing. I bought simm cards for Germany, Switzerland, and
> Liechtenstein for about $20 each. You can get refills easily at
> newstands. The refills are like a cash register receipt with a phone
> number and code on it to call into. Piece of cake!
> Prosit,
> A.C. in Houston, Thursday Zurich.
> [email protected] wrote:
> > Suggestions? I have an unlocked GSM phone and would like to use it in
> > these countries and not pay a huge amount for calls back to the USA or
> > within and between these countries.
>
> > Thanks!- Hide quoted text -- Show quoted text -
Oct 10th 2006, 1:52 am
#4
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Buying Cell Phone Simm chips in Germany, France, Austria, Italy
I thought you need a local address/landline phone number to purchase a
simm card. Is that not the case, or did you get around the requirement
somehow, or do you have permanent address/landline at the locations?
And where do you buy them?
Thanks!
On 10 Oct 2006 06:40:31 -0700, "[email protected]"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>Howdy!
>I do the same thing. I bought simm cards for Germany, Switzerland, and
>Liechtenstein for about $20 each. You can get refills easily at
>newstands. The refills are like a cash register receipt with a phone
>number and code on it to call into. Piece of cake!
>Prosit,
>A.C. in Houston, Thursday Zurich.
>[email protected] wrote:
>> Suggestions? I have an unlocked GSM phone and would like to use it in
>> these countries and not pay a huge amount for calls back to the USA or
>> within and between these countries.
>>
>> Thanks!
simm card. Is that not the case, or did you get around the requirement
somehow, or do you have permanent address/landline at the locations?
And where do you buy them?
Thanks!
On 10 Oct 2006 06:40:31 -0700, "[email protected]"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>Howdy!
>I do the same thing. I bought simm cards for Germany, Switzerland, and
>Liechtenstein for about $20 each. You can get refills easily at
>newstands. The refills are like a cash register receipt with a phone
>number and code on it to call into. Piece of cake!
>Prosit,
>A.C. in Houston, Thursday Zurich.
>[email protected] wrote:
>> Suggestions? I have an unlocked GSM phone and would like to use it in
>> these countries and not pay a huge amount for calls back to the USA or
>> within and between these countries.
>>
>> Thanks!
Oct 10th 2006, 3:39 am
#5
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Buying Cell Phone Simm chips in Germany, France, Austria, Italy
I would buy a prepaid SIM card that can be recharged by going to any news
stand and buying a recharge card. I have used Vodafone in the past and have
not had any problems.
<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Suggestions? I have an unlocked GSM phone and would like to use it in
> these countries and not pay a huge amount for calls back to the USA or
> within and between these countries.
> Thanks!
stand and buying a recharge card. I have used Vodafone in the past and have
not had any problems.
<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Suggestions? I have an unlocked GSM phone and would like to use it in
> these countries and not pay a huge amount for calls back to the USA or
> within and between these countries.
> Thanks!
Oct 10th 2006, 4:00 am
#6
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Buying Cell Phone Simm chips in Germany, France, Austria, Italy
On Tue, 10 Oct 2006 06:52:39 -0700, <[email protected]> wrote:
>I thought you need a local address/landline phone number to purchase a
>simm card. Is that not the case, or did you get around the requirement
>somehow, or do you have permanent address/landline at the locations?
>And where do you buy them?
I bought an UK O2 SIMM card in Tescos. The are no local address
requirements. I've bought Vodafone cards at airports.
--
Martin
>I thought you need a local address/landline phone number to purchase a
>simm card. Is that not the case, or did you get around the requirement
>somehow, or do you have permanent address/landline at the locations?
>And where do you buy them?
I bought an UK O2 SIMM card in Tescos. The are no local address
requirements. I've bought Vodafone cards at airports.
--
Martin
Oct 10th 2006, 5:11 am
#7
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Buying Cell Phone Simm chips in Germany, France, Austria, Italy
On Tue, 10 Oct 2006 05:53:07 -0700, <[email protected]> wrote:
>Suggestions? I have an unlocked GSM phone and would like to use it in
>these countries and not pay a huge amount for calls back to the USA or
>within and between these countries.
If you buy four different SIM cards, you'll be losing a lot of money
on the setup fees. It might be better to buy something like the Riing
sim card, which can be used anywhere at a reasonable cost. It would
also have the advantage of keeping the same phone number for the whole
trip.
I've given up on buying local SIM cards. I just pay the roaming
charges. It ends up costing less, believe it or not. My provider (in
Italy) has an international plan that lowers roaming charges. Why
don't you see what your US provider offers in that line?
You could also save a lot of money by skipping the cell phone
altogether and using local overseas telephone cards. In Italy, for
example, there is a card called Sisal Edicard Europe & USA which
allows you to call from Italy to all European countries and the US for
a price which ranges from 3 cents to 6 cents a minute, depending on
what kind of phone you're calling from. You can get one for 5 euros,
which should be more than enough for a typical visit to Italy. I'm
sure the other countries have something similar. You dial an 800
number then enter your PIN and the number you want to call. The only
disadvantage is that you won't have a number where people can reach
you.
--
Barbara Vaughan
My email address is my first initial followed by my surname at libero dot it
I answer travel questions only in the newsgroup
>Suggestions? I have an unlocked GSM phone and would like to use it in
>these countries and not pay a huge amount for calls back to the USA or
>within and between these countries.
If you buy four different SIM cards, you'll be losing a lot of money
on the setup fees. It might be better to buy something like the Riing
sim card, which can be used anywhere at a reasonable cost. It would
also have the advantage of keeping the same phone number for the whole
trip.
I've given up on buying local SIM cards. I just pay the roaming
charges. It ends up costing less, believe it or not. My provider (in
Italy) has an international plan that lowers roaming charges. Why
don't you see what your US provider offers in that line?
You could also save a lot of money by skipping the cell phone
altogether and using local overseas telephone cards. In Italy, for
example, there is a card called Sisal Edicard Europe & USA which
allows you to call from Italy to all European countries and the US for
a price which ranges from 3 cents to 6 cents a minute, depending on
what kind of phone you're calling from. You can get one for 5 euros,
which should be more than enough for a typical visit to Italy. I'm
sure the other countries have something similar. You dial an 800
number then enter your PIN and the number you want to call. The only
disadvantage is that you won't have a number where people can reach
you.
--
Barbara Vaughan
My email address is my first initial followed by my surname at libero dot it
I answer travel questions only in the newsgroup
Oct 10th 2006, 5:19 am
#8
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Buying Cell Phone Simm chips in Germany, France, Austria, Italy
On Tue, 10 Oct 2006 19:11:03 +0200, B Vaughan<[email protected]> wrote:
>On Tue, 10 Oct 2006 05:53:07 -0700, <[email protected]> wrote:
>>Suggestions? I have an unlocked GSM phone and would like to use it in
>>these countries and not pay a huge amount for calls back to the USA or
>>within and between these countries.
>If you buy four different SIM cards, you'll be losing a lot of money
>on the setup fees.
Most prepay SIM cards that we have, have been free or contain a credit
equal to the price of the SIM card.
>It might be better to buy something like the Riing
>sim card, which can be used anywhere at a reasonable cost. It would
>also have the advantage of keeping the same phone number for the whole
>trip.
>I've given up on buying local SIM cards. I just pay the roaming
>charges. It ends up costing less, believe it or not.
I don't.
--
Martin
>On Tue, 10 Oct 2006 05:53:07 -0700, <[email protected]> wrote:
>>Suggestions? I have an unlocked GSM phone and would like to use it in
>>these countries and not pay a huge amount for calls back to the USA or
>>within and between these countries.
>If you buy four different SIM cards, you'll be losing a lot of money
>on the setup fees.
Most prepay SIM cards that we have, have been free or contain a credit
equal to the price of the SIM card.
>It might be better to buy something like the Riing
>sim card, which can be used anywhere at a reasonable cost. It would
>also have the advantage of keeping the same phone number for the whole
>trip.
>I've given up on buying local SIM cards. I just pay the roaming
>charges. It ends up costing less, believe it or not.
I don't.
--
Martin
Oct 10th 2006, 12:08 pm
#9
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Buying Cell Phone Simm chips in Germany, France, Austria, Italy
>>I've given up on buying local SIM cards. I just pay the roaming
>>charges. It ends up costing less, believe it or not.
>
> I don't.
>
Actually it makes sense. You pay 30 euro get 20 credit but only use 10-15,
repeat 4x. A lot of roaming would go as far.
--
Joseph Coulter
Cruises and Vacations
http://www.josephcoulter.com/
>>charges. It ends up costing less, believe it or not.
>
> I don't.
>
Actually it makes sense. You pay 30 euro get 20 credit but only use 10-15,
repeat 4x. A lot of roaming would go as far.
--
Joseph Coulter
Cruises and Vacations
http://www.josephcoulter.com/
Oct 10th 2006, 8:09 pm
#10
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Buying Cell Phone Simm chips in Germany, France, Austria, Italy
On Tue, 10 Oct 2006 19:08:18 -0500, Joseph Coulter
<[email protected]> wrote:
>>>I've given up on buying local SIM cards. I just pay the roaming
>>>charges. It ends up costing less, believe it or not.
>>
>> I don't.
>>
>Actually it makes sense. You pay 30 euro get 20 credit but only use 10-15,
>repeat 4x. A lot of roaming would go as far.
I have never paid anything like that EUR30 for a prepay SIM card. The
most I have paid is EUR 6. I bought a Nokia phone with a prepay Sim
card for under EUR25.
--
Martin
<[email protected]> wrote:
>>>I've given up on buying local SIM cards. I just pay the roaming
>>>charges. It ends up costing less, believe it or not.
>>
>> I don't.
>>
>Actually it makes sense. You pay 30 euro get 20 credit but only use 10-15,
>repeat 4x. A lot of roaming would go as far.
I have never paid anything like that EUR30 for a prepay SIM card. The
most I have paid is EUR 6. I bought a Nokia phone with a prepay Sim
card for under EUR25.
--
Martin
Oct 11th 2006, 3:26 am
#11
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Buying Cell Phone Simm chips in Germany, France, Austria, Italy
The local address/landline was specifically a requirement to buy a SIMM
in Germany a few years ago. Is this now not the case?
On Tue, 10 Oct 2006 18:00:09 +0200, Martin <[email protected]> wrote:
>On Tue, 10 Oct 2006 06:52:39 -0700, <[email protected]> wrote:
>>I thought you need a local address/landline phone number to purchase a
>>simm card. Is that not the case, or did you get around the requirement
>>somehow, or do you have permanent address/landline at the locations?
>>And where do you buy them?
>I bought an UK O2 SIMM card in Tescos. The are no local address
>requirements. I've bought Vodafone cards at airports.
in Germany a few years ago. Is this now not the case?
On Tue, 10 Oct 2006 18:00:09 +0200, Martin <[email protected]> wrote:
>On Tue, 10 Oct 2006 06:52:39 -0700, <[email protected]> wrote:
>>I thought you need a local address/landline phone number to purchase a
>>simm card. Is that not the case, or did you get around the requirement
>>somehow, or do you have permanent address/landline at the locations?
>>And where do you buy them?
>I bought an UK O2 SIMM card in Tescos. The are no local address
>requirements. I've bought Vodafone cards at airports.
Oct 11th 2006, 4:43 am
#12
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Buying Cell Phone Simm chips in Germany, France, Austria, Italy
On Wed, 11 Oct 2006 08:26:17 -0700, <[email protected]> wrote:
>On Tue, 10 Oct 2006 18:00:09 +0200, Martin <[email protected]> wrote:
>>On Tue, 10 Oct 2006 06:52:39 -0700, <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>I thought you need a local address/landline phone number to purchase a
>>>simm card. Is that not the case, or did you get around the requirement
>>>somehow, or do you have permanent address/landline at the locations?
>>>And where do you buy them?
>>I bought an UK O2 SIMM card in Tescos. The are no local address
>>requirements. I've bought Vodafone cards at airports.
>The local address/landline was specifically a requirement to buy a SIMM
>in Germany a few years ago. Is this now not the case?
I don't know I have never bought a German Sim card. I am sure a
German can/will tell you. There is no requirement in UK, Australia
Belgium and NL where I have bought/acquired Sim cards.
--
Martin
>On Tue, 10 Oct 2006 18:00:09 +0200, Martin <[email protected]> wrote:
>>On Tue, 10 Oct 2006 06:52:39 -0700, <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>I thought you need a local address/landline phone number to purchase a
>>>simm card. Is that not the case, or did you get around the requirement
>>>somehow, or do you have permanent address/landline at the locations?
>>>And where do you buy them?
>>I bought an UK O2 SIMM card in Tescos. The are no local address
>>requirements. I've bought Vodafone cards at airports.
>The local address/landline was specifically a requirement to buy a SIMM
>in Germany a few years ago. Is this now not the case?
I don't know I have never bought a German Sim card. I am sure a
German can/will tell you. There is no requirement in UK, Australia
Belgium and NL where I have bought/acquired Sim cards.
--
Martin
Oct 12th 2006, 7:44 am
#13
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Buying Cell Phone Simm chips in Germany, France, Austria, Italy
"Martin" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Wed, 11 Oct 2006 08:26:17 -0700, <[email protected]> wrote:
>>On Tue, 10 Oct 2006 18:00:09 +0200, Martin <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>On Tue, 10 Oct 2006 06:52:39 -0700, <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>>I thought you need a local address/landline phone number to purchase a
>>>>simm card. Is that not the case, or did you get around the requirement
>>>>somehow, or do you have permanent address/landline at the locations?
>>>>And where do you buy them?
>>>I bought an UK O2 SIMM card in Tescos. The are no local address
>>>requirements. I've bought Vodafone cards at airports.
>>The local address/landline was specifically a requirement to buy a SIMM
>>in Germany a few years ago. Is this now not the case?
> I don't know I have never bought a German Sim card. I am sure a
> German can/will tell you. There is no requirement in UK, Australia
> Belgium and NL where I have bought/acquired Sim cards.
There used to be a requirement for a local address and ID.
As I didn't have a full residents permit I was told that if, on further
enquiry, the address that I gave didn't check out the phone would
be disconnected without warning.
That was about 5 years ago, no idea if the rule is current (and
no, I wasn't disconnected)
tim
news:[email protected]...
> On Wed, 11 Oct 2006 08:26:17 -0700, <[email protected]> wrote:
>>On Tue, 10 Oct 2006 18:00:09 +0200, Martin <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>On Tue, 10 Oct 2006 06:52:39 -0700, <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>>I thought you need a local address/landline phone number to purchase a
>>>>simm card. Is that not the case, or did you get around the requirement
>>>>somehow, or do you have permanent address/landline at the locations?
>>>>And where do you buy them?
>>>I bought an UK O2 SIMM card in Tescos. The are no local address
>>>requirements. I've bought Vodafone cards at airports.
>>The local address/landline was specifically a requirement to buy a SIMM
>>in Germany a few years ago. Is this now not the case?
> I don't know I have never bought a German Sim card. I am sure a
> German can/will tell you. There is no requirement in UK, Australia
> Belgium and NL where I have bought/acquired Sim cards.
There used to be a requirement for a local address and ID.
As I didn't have a full residents permit I was told that if, on further
enquiry, the address that I gave didn't check out the phone would
be disconnected without warning.
That was about 5 years ago, no idea if the rule is current (and
no, I wasn't disconnected)
tim
Oct 13th 2006, 2:42 am
#14
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Buying Cell Phone Simm chips in Germany, France, Austria, Italy
I recall reading (though I don't remember where) that the German
Supreme Court recently struck this practice down as unconstitutional.
On Oct 12, 3:44 pm, "tim\(yet another new home\)"
<[email protected]> wrote:
> "Martin" <[email protected]> wrote in messagenews:0m7qi2d8784527lugdmonhpkol38r8c43p@4ax .com...
> > On Wed, 11 Oct 2006 08:26:17 -0700, <[email protected]> wrote:
> >>On Tue, 10 Oct 2006 18:00:09 +0200, Martin <[email protected]> wrote:
> >>>On Tue, 10 Oct 2006 06:52:39 -0700, <[email protected]> wrote:
> >>>>I thought you need a local address/landline phone number to purchase a
> >>>>simm card. Is that not the case, or did you get around the requirement
> >>>>somehow, or do you have permanent address/landline at the locations?
> >>>>And where do you buy them?
> >>>I bought an UK O2 SIMM card in Tescos. The are no local address
> >>>requirements. I've bought Vodafone cards at airports.
> >>The local address/landline was specifically a requirement to buy a SIMM
> >>in Germany a few years ago. Is this now not the case?
> > I don't know I have never bought a German Sim card. I am sure a
> > German can/will tell you. There is no requirement in UK, Australia
> > Belgium and NL where I have bought/acquired Sim cards.There used to be a requirement for a local address and ID.
> As I didn't have a full residents permit I was told that if, on further
> enquiry, the address that I gave didn't check out the phone would
> be disconnected without warning.
> That was about 5 years ago, no idea if the rule is current (and
> no, I wasn't disconnected)
>
> tim- Hide quoted text -- Show quoted text -
Supreme Court recently struck this practice down as unconstitutional.
On Oct 12, 3:44 pm, "tim\(yet another new home\)"
<[email protected]> wrote:
> "Martin" <[email protected]> wrote in messagenews:0m7qi2d8784527lugdmonhpkol38r8c43p@4ax .com...
> > On Wed, 11 Oct 2006 08:26:17 -0700, <[email protected]> wrote:
> >>On Tue, 10 Oct 2006 18:00:09 +0200, Martin <[email protected]> wrote:
> >>>On Tue, 10 Oct 2006 06:52:39 -0700, <[email protected]> wrote:
> >>>>I thought you need a local address/landline phone number to purchase a
> >>>>simm card. Is that not the case, or did you get around the requirement
> >>>>somehow, or do you have permanent address/landline at the locations?
> >>>>And where do you buy them?
> >>>I bought an UK O2 SIMM card in Tescos. The are no local address
> >>>requirements. I've bought Vodafone cards at airports.
> >>The local address/landline was specifically a requirement to buy a SIMM
> >>in Germany a few years ago. Is this now not the case?
> > I don't know I have never bought a German Sim card. I am sure a
> > German can/will tell you. There is no requirement in UK, Australia
> > Belgium and NL where I have bought/acquired Sim cards.There used to be a requirement for a local address and ID.
> As I didn't have a full residents permit I was told that if, on further
> enquiry, the address that I gave didn't check out the phone would
> be disconnected without warning.
> That was about 5 years ago, no idea if the rule is current (and
> no, I wasn't disconnected)
>
> tim- Hide quoted text -- Show quoted text -
