Pre-Paid SIM / Iphone question when traveling

[WiscoEddie]

I was just curious of what you all recommend for a pre-paid SIM card when traveling in Europe. AT&T's international rates seem very expensive. My wife and I are traveling to Europe next week and she has an Unlocked IPHONE, we are looking to get a pre-paid SIM so we can browse the internet as well as do some texting and calling if needed. Does anyone have any recommendations for this? I was kind of checking out the Orange card (Dolphin Plan).

We will be traveling from London>Paris>Amsterdam>Munich>Italy if anyone has any advice we would appreciate it.
Thanks Much!

[Digital Panda]

Hi, just wanted to contribute to this topic, I also am traveling to Europe soon and have a similar question. If anyone has an answer for Wisco, it would be much appreciated here as well.

I will be spending the week in Paris, France. :)

[WiscoEddie]

I did find this place, a friend of mine also traveling said he was going to try and use this one.

http://www.telestial.com/

Looks decent and covers most of europe. I was looking at the Passport Plus World. You buy the SIM ($29+shipping) and it comes with $10 of airtime. So if you make a 1 minute phone call it might be .69/minute. Where as Data is $2.50/MB or more depending on where you are. You can buy additional "airtime" in $10 or $25 increments.

Here's another one....

http://www.gosim.com/

Rick Steves has this to say about phones..

http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/tips/mobilephones.htm

So after my research in all this, i think we've decided to just wing it. My wifes iphone is unlocked we are just going to look for a SIM when we get over there.

[ranesy]

I would highly recommend one of the following vendors - T Mobile or Vodaphone. Just visit their kiosk (at the airport) and pick up a prepaid SIM. Don't bother with any of the lesser known vendors, their customer service is horrible and it is inconvenient to recharge the SIM when the orig. minutes run out. Also many times the smaller vendors have spotty coverage when going from one country to another within Europe. (I have had a couple of bad experiences with smaller vendors while traveling in Europe).

[WiscoEddie]

Thanks for the reply! We leave tomorrow so i certainly appreciate it!

[DisrupTer911]

For $5.99/mo AT&T offers $.99 international minutes.
Jus call to start and stop usage of it.

When I wentto Europe I used that and wifi much mor often for Internet. International data is $15/Mb or some crazy amount.

[EvoSix]

AT&T is $20/MB for data now for international roam. I was in europe 3 weeks ago and was in AMS for 5 days, Nurburg Germany for 3 days, then Paris for 3 days. I bought a Netherlands Vodaphone SIM prepaid for 10euro's then bought a topoff (credit) worth 40. Applied for unlimited internet which was 10euro's and was pretty much set if your hardly calling. The charge rates for data was around 3euro when i was in germany and france which wasn't that bad. This was on my iphone btw which was mainly used for GPS which worked great. I pretty much winged it myself also.

[yogestee]

I hope I'm not too late with this reply..

I have a local Lao SIM card.. I've had the same number for over four years.. Cheap as chips, around 8 bucks for the card and no silly forms to fill in.. I buy about $6 worth of credit at a time which lasts me quite awhile.. Last check I have about $40 worth of credit on my card as I need to refresh every few months to keep my number.. In the event my SIM expiring, all I need to do is go to an outlet to have it reactivated..

When I travel out of the country, I buy a local SIM card.. I have a Thai SIM card which has expired.. Next time I go to Thailand I'll just go to an outlet to get my SIM reactivated..

I have SIMs from Vietnam and Cambodia also, but damn if I can find them:rolleyes:

[thedge]

I used Vodaphone when I was in Ireland and the UK. Bought two, for two blackberries. Worked great.

[NotASpeckOfCereal]

SIMs are cheap - in the UK they are about £2 or £3 and throughout the rest of Europe it's easy to buy them as you go or just use intl rates.

[NotASpeckOfCereal]

dbl post sorry

[richarddd]

If you're going to stay in a country more than a few days, it's often worth buying a local SIM.

Here's a good wiki on data plans
http://paygsimwithdata.wikia.com/wiki/Pay_as_you_go_sim_with_data_Wiki

[RobCoombs]

Thanks, I am travelling to Italy and France in October, this is all helpful

[yogestee]

If you're going to stay in a country more than a few days, it's often worth buying a local SIM.



Exactly..