Hi all. I am travelling to Europe on Thursday. I am currently in
China. Unfortunately my mobile phone SIMM card (Australian) has
developed a fault and is no longer useable. I need to be easily
contactable for a variety of reasons.
My question is this. Can I buy a "throwaway" mobile phone SIMM card
in Denmark preferably (my first stop) that I can insert in my phone
and use throughout Europe? I believe there are types that I can
"top-up" the money via phone.
If this is so, the following questions:
What is the best company to use?
Can I get the cards from the airport?
Any other advice.

Thanks heaps.

PD

You can certainly get "pay-as-you-go" (i.e. you buy "top-up" cards which you
use to enter an activation/top-up number into the phone) deals pretty much
anywhere in the UK. Walk down any high street (what we call the main
shopping street in any town or village over here) and you will be shocked at
the number of mobile phone shops, anyone of which will be happy to make you
a deal. Top-up can also be done by credit-card. If you fail to use the
phone for a period (about 3 months I think), then the SIMM just expires and
you loose the number - probably exactly what you want.

I would suggest a morning of shopping around. Only problem is that your
number will change to a UK number so you'll need to tell all your friends
the new number.

Also, what sort of handset do you have? If it's a standard dual-band GSM,
or tri-band, you're sorted. If it's a "US only" model, then you may not be.
Again, the phone shops should be able to help you figure this out.

Paul DS.

[email protected] (Mortar Man) wrote in
news:[email protected]:

    > My question is this. Can I buy a "throwaway" mobile phone SIMM card
    > in Denmark preferably (my first stop) that I can insert in my phone
    > and use throughout Europe?

Yes. Not knowing about networks available in Denmark, you should make sure
that the SIM you buy is roaming enabled. This is not a given with prepaid
SIMs, even though nowadays the majority are.

    > I believe there are types that I can
    > "top-up" the money via phone.

Usually via your credit card which you need to register with the provider
beforehand. This might give you problems. More straightforward is to buy
vouchers in Denmark and use them along your trip.

Regards

--
In den Staub mit allen Feinden Brandenburgs!

Mortar Man wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > Hi all. I am travelling to Europe on Thursday. I am currently in
    > China. Unfortunately my mobile phone SIMM card (Australian) has
    > developed a fault and is no longer useable. I need to be easily
    > contactable for a variety of reasons.
    > My question is this. Can I buy a "throwaway" mobile phone SIMM card
    > in Denmark preferably (my first stop) that I can insert in my phone
    > and use throughout Europe? I believe there are types that I can
    > "top-up" the money via phone.
    > If this is so, the following questions:
    > What is the best company to use?
    > Can I get the cards from the airport?
    > Any other advice.
    > Thanks heaps.
    > PD
You don't say where you (and your phone) are from, but in any case the
answer is - it all depends.
normally this should work, but it is possible that your phone is tied to a
specific phone company's SIM (specifically to stop you doing what you intend
to do). AFAIK in Europe such phones usually carry the logo of you telephone
company. If it doesn't, you should be able to buy a pay-as-you-go SIM.

You'll need to buy lots if you're making international calls.

In article ,
Wolfgang Schwanke wrote:

    > [email protected] (Mortar Man) wrote in
    > news:[email protected]:
    >
    > > My question is this. Can I buy a "throwaway" mobile phone SIMM card
    > > in Denmark preferably (my first stop) that I can insert in my phone
    > > and use throughout Europe?
    >
    > Yes. Not knowing about networks available in Denmark, you should make sure
    > that the SIM you buy is roaming enabled. This is not a given with prepaid
    > SIMs, even though nowadays the majority are.
    >
    > > I believe there are types that I can
    > > "top-up" the money via phone.
    >
    > Usually via your credit card which you need to register with the provider
    > beforehand. This might give you problems. More straightforward is to buy
    > vouchers in Denmark and use them along your trip.

I would add to this that you may want to get a new SIM in each country
(depending on length of stay) and get a Calling Card w/ either local or
toll fee access for any calls back to H.K... Program the access
number,a pause then your PIN. HUGE savings.

Of course, your phone must be 'unlocked'... not hard to do though.

jay
Wed, Apr 9, 2003
mailto:[email protected]



    >
    > Regards

--

Legend insists that as he finished his abject...
Galileo muttered under his breath: "Nevertheless, it does move."

Go Fig wrote in
news:[email protected]:

    > I would add to this that you may want to get a new SIM in each country
    > (depending on length of stay) and get a Calling Card w/ either local
    > or toll fee access for any calls back to H.K... Program the access
    > number,a pause then your PIN. HUGE savings.

The OP mentioned that his main objective is to be reachable by others.
This makes it a clear case for not changing phone numbers.

Regards

--
In den Staub mit allen Feinden Brandenburgs!

The only thing I can add is that you should try to get a SIM card that does
NOT have an activation fee. I don't know about Denmark but I was in Spain
recently and I had a choice of getting a SIM card from Movistar or Vodafone.
For 50 Euro, Movistar gave you a SIM card but only 30 Euro worth for calls,
meaning there was a 20 Euro activation fee. Vodafone offered a SIM card for
30 Euro with 30 Euro worth for call, in effect, no activation fee. As some
posters have mentioned, once the balance goes down to zero you can buy the
"top-off" cards practically anywhere.

"Mortar Man" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > Hi all. I am travelling to Europe on Thursday. I am currently in
    > China. Unfortunately my mobile phone SIMM card (Australian) has
    > developed a fault and is no longer useable. I need to be easily
    > contactable for a variety of reasons.
    > My question is this. Can I buy a "throwaway" mobile phone SIMM card
    > in Denmark preferably (my first stop) that I can insert in my phone
    > and use throughout Europe? I believe there are types that I can
    > "top-up" the money via phone.
    > If this is so, the following questions:
    > What is the best company to use?
    > Can I get the cards from the airport?
    > Any other advice.
    > Thanks heaps.
    > PD

Be aware you can not always "top up" outside of the original country you
purchased the SIM. It is important to ask if you have roaming enabled and
if you can re-charge outside of the country of origen. Otherwise you
might find yourself having to buy a new SIM in each country you visit.






"CB" wrote in
news:[email protected]:

    > The only thing I can add is that you should try to get a SIM card that
    > does NOT have an activation fee. I don't know about Denmark but I was
    > in Spain recently and I had a choice of getting a SIM card from
    > Movistar or Vodafone. For 50 Euro, Movistar gave you a SIM card but
    > only 30 Euro worth for calls, meaning there was a 20 Euro activation
    > fee. Vodafone offered a SIM card for 30 Euro with 30 Euro worth for
    > call, in effect, no activation fee. As some posters have mentioned,
    > once the balance goes down to zero you can buy the "top-off" cards
    > practically anywhere.
    >
    > "Mortar Man" wrote in message
    > news:[email protected]...
    >> Hi all. I am travelling to Europe on Thursday. I am currently in
    >> China. Unfortunately my mobile phone SIMM card (Australian) has
    >> developed a fault and is no longer useable. I need to be easily
    >> contactable for a variety of reasons.
    >> My question is this. Can I buy a "throwaway" mobile phone SIMM card
    >> in Denmark preferably (my first stop) that I can insert in my phone
    >> and use throughout Europe? I believe there are types that I can
    >> "top-up" the money via phone.
    >> If this is so, the following questions:
    >> What is the best company to use?
    >> Can I get the cards from the airport?
    >> Any other advice.
    >> Thanks heaps.
    >> PD
    >
    >
    >

Yes and no, because it depends who the carrier is. When I was in Barcelona,
I used Vodafone Spain and they told me I could "top up" anywhere in Europe.
In fact, on my returning from Spain, I had a layover in Amsterdam and the
phone still worked and so I used up whatever little remaining credit I had
left. When it was all used up, there was an intercept and I was asked if I
wanted to buy more minutes via a credit card. I'm not sure about the roaming
charges. Still, it seems to me this whole mobile thing is more up to snuff
in Europe and Asia.

But, even if you cannot "top-up" in another country, as long as you can get
a SIM card without an activation fee, ie. if you pay 30 Euros you get 30
Euros worth of calls, and as long a the minimum is not that high, say 30
Euros, then it really doesn't matter. The minimum with Vodafone Spain was 30
Euros and though I only stayed there 3 days, I used up most of that credit.
Of course, there is the slight incovenience of having to actually go to the
store, buy it and put the SIM card in the phone, and having to change mobile
phone numbers when you get a SIM card. But then again, getting a local SIM
card avoids all roaming charges.

"Emilia" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > Be aware you can not always "top up" outside of the original country you
    > purchased the SIM. It is important to ask if you have roaming enabled and
    > if you can re-charge outside of the country of origen. Otherwise you
    > might find yourself having to buy a new SIM in each country you visit.
    > "CB" wrote in
    > news:[email protected]:
    > > The only thing I can add is that you should try to get a SIM card that
    > > does NOT have an activation fee. I don't know about Denmark but I was
    > > in Spain recently and I had a choice of getting a SIM card from
    > > Movistar or Vodafone. For 50 Euro, Movistar gave you a SIM card but
    > > only 30 Euro worth for calls, meaning there was a 20 Euro activation
    > > fee. Vodafone offered a SIM card for 30 Euro with 30 Euro worth for
    > > call, in effect, no activation fee. As some posters have mentioned,
    > > once the balance goes down to zero you can buy the "top-off" cards
    > > practically anywhere.
    > >
    > > "Mortar Man" wrote in message
    > > news:[email protected]...
    > >> Hi all. I am travelling to Europe on Thursday. I am currently in
    > >> China. Unfortunately my mobile phone SIMM card (Australian) has
    > >> developed a fault and is no longer useable. I need to be easily
    > >> contactable for a variety of reasons.
    > >> My question is this. Can I buy a "throwaway" mobile phone SIMM card
    > >> in Denmark preferably (my first stop) that I can insert in my phone
    > >> and use throughout Europe? I believe there are types that I can
    > >> "top-up" the money via phone.
    > >> If this is so, the following questions:
    > >> What is the best company to use?
    > >> Can I get the cards from the airport?
    > >> Any other advice.
    > >>
    > >> Thanks heaps.
    > >>
    > >> PD
    > >
    > >
    > >

Sorry, you obviously misunderstood.

I don't know what you mean by "yes & no'....

I IS important to ask when purchasing the SIM card whether it can be
recharged outside the country of origin and it IS important to ask if
roaming will be enabled. This is not really an opinion. Although you seem
to have had an experience which allowed you to both roam & recharge out
of the country of original purchase, this is NOT always the case.




"CB" wrote in
news:[email protected]:

    > Yes and no, because it depends who the carrier is. When I was in
    > Barcelona, I used Vodafone Spain and they told me I could "top up"
    > anywhere in Europe. In fact, on my returning from Spain, I had a
    > layover in Amsterdam and the phone still worked and so I used up
    > whatever little remaining credit I had left. When it was all used up,
    > there was an intercept and I was asked if I wanted to buy more minutes
    > via a credit card. I'm not sure about the roaming charges. Still, it
    > seems to me this whole mobile thing is more up to snuff in Europe and
    > Asia.
    >
    > But, even if you cannot "top-up" in another country, as long as you
    > can get a SIM card without an activation fee, ie. if you pay 30 Euros
    > you get 30 Euros worth of calls, and as long a the minimum is not that
    > high, say 30 Euros, then it really doesn't matter. The minimum with
    > Vodafone Spain was 30 Euros and though I only stayed there 3 days, I
    > used up most of that credit. Of course, there is the slight
    > incovenience of having to actually go to the store, buy it and put the
    > SIM card in the phone, and having to change mobile phone numbers when
    > you get a SIM card. But then again, getting a local SIM card avoids
    > all roaming charges.
    >
    > "Emilia" wrote in message
    > news:[email protected]...
    >> Be aware you can not always "top up" outside of the original country
    >> you purchased the SIM. It is important to ask if you have roaming
    >> enabled and if you can re-charge outside of the country of origen.
    >> Otherwise you might find yourself having to buy a new SIM in each
    >> country you visit.
    >> "CB" wrote in
    >> news:[email protected]:
    >> > The only thing I can add is that you should try to get a SIM card
    >> > that does NOT have an activation fee. I don't know about Denmark
    >> > but I was in Spain recently and I had a choice of getting a SIM
    >> > card from Movistar or Vodafone. For 50 Euro, Movistar gave you a
    >> > SIM card but only 30 Euro worth for calls, meaning there was a 20
    >> > Euro activation fee. Vodafone offered a SIM card for 30 Euro with
    >> > 30 Euro worth for call, in effect, no activation fee. As some
    >> > posters have mentioned, once the balance goes down to zero you can
    >> > buy the "top-off" cards practically anywhere.
    >> >
    >> > "Mortar Man" wrote in message
    >> > news:[email protected]...
    >> >> Hi all. I am travelling to Europe on Thursday. I am currently
    >> >> in China. Unfortunately my mobile phone SIMM card (Australian)
    >> >> has developed a fault and is no longer useable. I need to be
    >> >> easily contactable for a variety of reasons.
    >> >> My question is this. Can I buy a "throwaway" mobile phone SIMM
    >> >> card in Denmark preferably (my first stop) that I can insert in my
    >> >> phone and use throughout Europe? I believe there are types that
    >> >> I can "top-up" the money via phone.
    >> >> If this is so, the following questions:
    >> >> What is the best company to use?
    >> >> Can I get the cards from the airport?
    >> >> Any other advice.
    >> >>
    >> >> Thanks heaps.
    >> >>
    >> >> PD
    >> >
    >> >
    >> >
    >
    >

I understand your point but I disagree. However, I don't think you fully
undestood my point. To me, IT IS NOT important to to be able roam and
recharge away from the country where the SIM card originated. For me, it is
far preferable to get a local SIM card where you don't have to worry about
roaming charges, which can be hefty, and you don't have to worry about the
ability to recharging, because you can just go to any local newstand. My
only caveat was that I would NOT want to pay an activation fee when I bought
the SIM card and from first hand experience, Vodafone DID NOT have such
activation fees. Another carrier in Spain, Movistar, had such fees.

I think we're going around in circles on this one.

"Emilia" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > Sorry, you obviously misunderstood.
    > I don't know what you mean by "yes & no'....
    > I IS important to ask when purchasing the SIM card whether it can be
    > recharged outside the country of origin and it IS important to ask if
    > roaming will be enabled. This is not really an opinion. Although you seem
    > to have had an experience which allowed you to both roam & recharge out
    > of the country of original purchase, this is NOT always the case.
    > "CB" wrote in
    > news:[email protected]:
    > > Yes and no, because it depends who the carrier is. When I was in
    > > Barcelona, I used Vodafone Spain and they told me I could "top up"
    > > anywhere in Europe. In fact, on my returning from Spain, I had a
    > > layover in Amsterdam and the phone still worked and so I used up
    > > whatever little remaining credit I had left. When it was all used up,
    > > there was an intercept and I was asked if I wanted to buy more minutes
    > > via a credit card. I'm not sure about the roaming charges. Still, it
    > > seems to me this whole mobile thing is more up to snuff in Europe and
    > > Asia.
    > >
    > > But, even if you cannot "top-up" in another country, as long as you
    > > can get a SIM card without an activation fee, ie. if you pay 30 Euros
    > > you get 30 Euros worth of calls, and as long a the minimum is not that
    > > high, say 30 Euros, then it really doesn't matter. The minimum with
    > > Vodafone Spain was 30 Euros and though I only stayed there 3 days, I
    > > used up most of that credit. Of course, there is the slight
    > > incovenience of having to actually go to the store, buy it and put the
    > > SIM card in the phone, and having to change mobile phone numbers when
    > > you get a SIM card. But then again, getting a local SIM card avoids
    > > all roaming charges.
    > >
    > > "Emilia" wrote in message
    > > news:[email protected]...
    > >> Be aware you can not always "top up" outside of the original country
    > >> you purchased the SIM. It is important to ask if you have roaming
    > >> enabled and if you can re-charge outside of the country of origen.
    > >> Otherwise you might find yourself having to buy a new SIM in each
    > >> country you visit.
    > >>
    > >>
    > >>
    > >>
    > >>
    > >>
    > >> "CB" wrote in
    > >> news:[email protected]:
    > >>
    > >> > The only thing I can add is that you should try to get a SIM card
    > >> > that does NOT have an activation fee. I don't know about Denmark
    > >> > but I was in Spain recently and I had a choice of getting a SIM
    > >> > card from Movistar or Vodafone. For 50 Euro, Movistar gave you a
    > >> > SIM card but only 30 Euro worth for calls, meaning there was a 20
    > >> > Euro activation fee. Vodafone offered a SIM card for 30 Euro with
    > >> > 30 Euro worth for call, in effect, no activation fee. As some
    > >> > posters have mentioned, once the balance goes down to zero you can
    > >> > buy the "top-off" cards practically anywhere.
    > >> >
    > >> > "Mortar Man" wrote in message
    > >> > news:[email protected]...
    > >> >> Hi all. I am travelling to Europe on Thursday. I am currently
    > >> >> in China. Unfortunately my mobile phone SIMM card (Australian)
    > >> >> has developed a fault and is no longer useable. I need to be
    > >> >> easily contactable for a variety of reasons.
    > >> >> My question is this. Can I buy a "throwaway" mobile phone SIMM
    > >> >> card in Denmark preferably (my first stop) that I can insert in my
    > >> >> phone and use throughout Europe? I believe there are types that
    > >> >> I can "top-up" the money via phone.
    > >> >> If this is so, the following questions:
    > >> >> What is the best company to use?
    > >> >> Can I get the cards from the airport?
    > >> >> Any other advice.
    > >> >>
    > >> >> Thanks heaps.
    > >> >>
    > >> >> PD
    > >> >
    > >> >
    > >> >
    > >>
    > >
    > >

I completely agree with you, in that I would also get a new card per
country. But that would be so I can make out going calls. As well as
getting the best deal price wise. I certainly wasn't arguing with you on
that point. I was just adding to your advice.

That being, if the OP was interested in being available for others to
call him/her, then the info I provided may be interesting IN ADDITION to
the info you provide. In that case having one number while on a trip
involving several countries is perhaps preferable. If that is his/her
intention then he might be surprised to find that the SIM will not work
in other countries.





"CB" wrote in
news:Uo1la.570$%[email protected]:

    > I understand your point but I disagree. However, I don't think you
    > fully undestood my point. To me, IT IS NOT important to to be able
    > roam and recharge away from the country where the SIM card originated.
    > For me, it is far preferable to get a local SIM card where you don't
    > have to worry about roaming charges, which can be hefty, and you don't
    > have to worry about the ability to recharging, because you can just go
    > to any local newstand. My only caveat was that I would NOT want to
    > pay an activation fee when I bought the SIM card and from first hand
    > experience, Vodafone DID NOT have such activation fees. Another
    > carrier in Spain, Movistar, had such fees.
    >
    > I think we're going around in circles on this one.
    >
    > "Emilia" wrote in message
    > news:[email protected]...
    >> Sorry, you obviously misunderstood.
    >> I don't know what you mean by "yes & no'....
    >> I IS important to ask when purchasing the SIM card whether it can be
    >> recharged outside the country of origin and it IS important to ask if
    >> roaming will be enabled. This is not really an opinion. Although you
    >> seem to have had an experience which allowed you to both roam &
    >> recharge out of the country of original purchase, this is NOT always
    >> the case.
    >> "CB" wrote in
    >> news:[email protected]:
    >> > Yes and no, because it depends who the carrier is. When I was in
    >> > Barcelona, I used Vodafone Spain and they told me I could "top up"
    >> > anywhere in Europe. In fact, on my returning from Spain, I had a
    >> > layover in Amsterdam and the phone still worked and so I used up
    >> > whatever little remaining credit I had left. When it was all used
    >> > up, there was an intercept and I was asked if I wanted to buy more
    >> > minutes via a credit card. I'm not sure about the roaming charges.
    >> > Still, it seems to me this whole mobile thing is more up to snuff
    >> > in Europe and Asia.
    >> >
    >> > But, even if you cannot "top-up" in another country, as long as you
    >> > can get a SIM card without an activation fee, ie. if you pay 30
    >> > Euros you get 30 Euros worth of calls, and as long a the minimum is
    >> > not that high, say 30 Euros, then it really doesn't matter. The
    >> > minimum with Vodafone Spain was 30 Euros and though I only stayed
    >> > there 3 days, I used up most of that credit. Of course, there is
    >> > the slight incovenience of having to actually go to the store, buy
    >> > it and put the SIM card in the phone, and having to change mobile
    >> > phone numbers when you get a SIM card. But then again, getting a
    >> > local SIM card avoids all roaming charges.
    >> >
    >> > "Emilia" wrote in message
    >> > news:[email protected]...
    >> >> Be aware you can not always "top up" outside of the original
    >> >> country you purchased the SIM. It is important to ask if you have
    >> >> roaming enabled and if you can re-charge outside of the country of
    >> >> origen. Otherwise you might find yourself having to buy a new SIM
    >> >> in each country you visit.
    >> >>
    >> >>
    >> >>
    >> >>
    >> >>
    >> >>
    >> >> "CB" wrote in
    >> >> news:[email protected]:
    >> >>
    >> >> > The only thing I can add is that you should try to get a SIM
    >> >> > card that does NOT have an activation fee. I don't know about
    >> >> > Denmark but I was in Spain recently and I had a choice of
    >> >> > getting a SIM card from Movistar or Vodafone. For 50 Euro,
    >> >> > Movistar gave you a SIM card but only 30 Euro worth for calls,
    >> >> > meaning there was a 20 Euro activation fee. Vodafone offered a
    >> >> > SIM card for 30 Euro with 30 Euro worth for call, in effect, no
    >> >> > activation fee. As some posters have mentioned, once the balance
    >> >> > goes down to zero you can buy the "top-off" cards practically
    >> >> > anywhere.
    >> >> >
    >> >> > "Mortar Man" wrote in message
    >> >> > news:[email protected]...
    >> >> >> Hi all. I am travelling to Europe on Thursday. I am
    >> >> >> currently in China. Unfortunately my mobile phone SIMM card
    >> >> >> (Australian) has developed a fault and is no longer useable.
    >> >> >> I need to be easily contactable for a variety of reasons.
    >> >> >> My question is this. Can I buy a "throwaway" mobile phone
    >> >> >> SIMM card in Denmark preferably (my first stop) that I can
    >> >> >> insert in my phone and use throughout Europe? I believe there
    >> >> >> are types that I can "top-up" the money via phone.
    >> >> >> If this is so, the following questions:
    >> >> >> What is the best company to use?
    >> >> >> Can I get the cards from the airport?
    >> >> >> Any other advice.
    >> >> >>
    >> >> >> Thanks heaps.
    >> >> >>
    >> >> >> PD
    >> >> >
    >> >> >
    >> >> >
    >> >>
    >> >
    >> >
    >
    >
    >