My wife and I are driving through Spain and France in a few weeks (from
Barcelona to Bergerac)... in separate cars (it means I don't have to talk to
her ;-).

So we'll need to use our mobile phones.

We're both T-Mobile users from the UK.

What's the best (i.e. cheapest) way to use mobiles in Spain and France (in
fact, we'll be in France more of the time)?

I think that T-Mobile phones are locked. Is that a problem?

Cheers.

Bobby

"Bobby" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > My wife and I are driving through Spain and France in a few weeks (from
    > Barcelona to Bergerac)... in separate cars (it means I don't have to talk
    > to her ;-).
    > So we'll need to use our mobile phones.
    > We're both T-Mobile users from the UK.
    > What's the best (i.e. cheapest) way to use mobiles in Spain and France (in
    > fact, we'll be in France more of the time)?
    > I think that T-Mobile phones are locked. Is that a problem?
Get PMR466 walkie-talkie for when you are travelling in convoy. Get a decent
set for around £40 a pair. Car-to-car range is around 1/4 mile. No call
charge and is legal to use.
Cheapest is using local sim card in both phones - your phones have to be
unlocked. T-Mobile UK normally lock their PAYG phones, but not always on
contract. It's easy enough to unlock yourself (for most Nokia) or through a
phone shop for around £10. Spanish sims will work in France and vv, but you
pay more as you'll be roaming. Get sim cards in each country if you think
you use up the initial credit or you'll return soon. Roaming on T-Mobile is
convenient but call and receiving charges will be high. See
www.prepaidgsm.net for suggestions on local sim cards. You can also get
Riiing sim card - no charge for receiving, around 30p/min for calling and is
valid throughout Europe. See http://www.oneroam.co.uk/sim-cards.aspx

Alec

You seem knowledgeable, so here is a question ---
I haven an unlocked Nokia in the U.S. I want to use it in Britain when I am
there. But I would like to be able to tell my associates my phone number
before I leave the U.S. Is it possibe to get a sim card ( perhaps by mail
or by having a friend buy it for me) and to find its number without waiting
till I arrive with my phone?
rjf

"Alec" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > "Bobby" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    > news:[email protected]...
    > > My wife and I are driving through Spain and France in a few weeks (from
    > > Barcelona to Bergerac)... in separate cars (it means I don't have to
talk
    > > to her ;-).
    > >
    > > So we'll need to use our mobile phones.
    > >
    > > We're both T-Mobile users from the UK.
    > >
    > > What's the best (i.e. cheapest) way to use mobiles in Spain and France
(in
    > > fact, we'll be in France more of the time)?
    > >
    > > I think that T-Mobile phones are locked. Is that a problem?
    > >
    > Get PMR466 walkie-talkie for when you are travelling in convoy. Get a
decent
    > set for around £40 a pair. Car-to-car range is around 1/4 mile. No call
    > charge and is legal to use.
    > Cheapest is using local sim card in both phones - your phones have to be
    > unlocked. T-Mobile UK normally lock their PAYG phones, but not always on
    > contract. It's easy enough to unlock yourself (for most Nokia) or through
a
    > phone shop for around £10. Spanish sims will work in France and vv, but
you
    > pay more as you'll be roaming. Get sim cards in each country if you think
    > you use up the initial credit or you'll return soon. Roaming on T-Mobile
is
    > convenient but call and receiving charges will be high. See
    > www.prepaidgsm.net for suggestions on local sim cards. You can also get
    > Riiing sim card - no charge for receiving, around 30p/min for calling and
is
    > valid throughout Europe. See http://www.oneroam.co.uk/sim-cards.aspx
    > Alec

"Bob Fusillo" <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

    > You seem knowledgeable, so here is a question ---
    > I haven an unlocked Nokia in the U.S. I want to use it in Britain
    > when I am there. But I would like to be able to tell my associates my
    > phone number before I leave the U.S. Is it possibe to get a sim card
    > ( perhaps by mail or by having a friend buy it for me) and to find its
    > number without waiting till I arrive with my phone?
    > rjf
    >

Assuming you have a tri or quad band phone, it is possible. best way is
to have some one buy it for you in England nad then send it to you, the
alternative is to buy from one of the US companies that resell. Or you
could get lucky and find a used on on ebay. (most of those are not great
deals as they are the US cmpnies reselling at higherthan European
prices. Check the costs at

http://www.prepaidgsm.net/index.html

And make sure that your tri band has the right frequency rate for the
plan you buy (quad band phone and you are good to go regardless.)



--
Joseph Coulter
Cruises and Vacations
http://www.josephcoulter.com/

In article <[email protected]>,
Bob Fusillo <[email protected]> wrote:
    >You seem knowledgeable, so here is a question ---
    >I haven an unlocked Nokia in the U.S. I want to use it in Britain when I am
    >there. But I would like to be able to tell my associates my phone number
    >before I leave the U.S. Is it possibe to get a sim card ( perhaps by mail
    >or by having a friend buy it for me) and to find its number without waiting
    >till I arrive with my phone?
    >rjf

http://www.expansys-usa.com/d_gsm.asp#E

If you buy a Vodafone SIM, you can put in in your phone while still in the
US, enter a code on the keyboard, and have the phone number displayed on
the screen.