cellphones overseas

[peteeey]

My daughter will be travelling in Europe for a few months this summer and I'd obviously like to keep in touch with her.

I know that phone cards that will give you a cheap rate back to Canada are easily available over there. But I'm wondering if anyone has bought or rented a cell phone that can be used throughout Europe. And if so, do you know of a good carrier?

Anyone have such experience?

 

[papasmerf]

T Mobile iacording to some of the fellas back from Iraq, work in most of Europe
But I would get that in writting.

 

[xarir]

European cell phones use the GSM / GPRS technology which over here is the Rogers network. Depending on your package you can take a Rogers phone over there and use it as you would any other phone. Predictably the rates to call Canada from Europe are expensive (several dollars per minute).

 

[Leggy Linda]

i have heard from friends cell phones are really cheap in europe
but to call canada from there is not cheap using a cell
its better to get a calling card and use a phone booth
just tell her to call you everyday at a certain time

 

[Why Not?]

European cell phones use the GSM / GPRS technology which over here is the Rogers network. Depending on your package you can take a Rogers phone over there and use it as you would any other phone. Predictably the rates to call Canada from Europe are expensive (several dollars per minute).

Not just Rogers. Fido uses GSM technology as well and some of their phones work in Europe depending on model and plan.

 

[freakshow]

Not just Rogers. Fido uses GSM technology as well and some of their phones work in Europe depending on model and plan.

actually fido offered this before anyone, not all rogers phone have gsm capababilty.............i would check with them first even if you have it you still have to get it activated in europe after.

 

[peteeey]

Actually I'm thinking of getting a Rogers phone and plan for her, and then have her use the phone, but with a calling card.

 

[xarir]

'Tis true - FIDO works over there as well. I think actually that FIDO is marginally cheaper. But using the calling card is by far the cheapest alternative. I generated a $700+ bill on my Rogers phone when I was recently on the other side of the pond. I only used the phone about 1.5h in total but the charges added up rapidly.

 

[Mack Bolan]

New GSM card, calling card or Bell Canada Card

Get a calling card. I have a V300 from Roger's and I've used in England last week. I'm so happy my company is picking up the tab on it. You can buy at GSM card for your phone and use it locally in Europe, just like the pre-paid cells we have here. But when calling back to Canada it is far cheaper to purchase a calling card and use it. You can also get a Bell Canada calling card and any calls will be billed to your phone number.

Regards

Mack

 

[tomato_boy]

Re: New GSM card, calling card or Bell Canada Card

Yes. Good advice, but if getting a new GSM card in Europe, he'll have to make sure his phone is unlocked so that it can accept the card. Rogers and Fido lock their phones by default so that you can only use their GSM cards with the phone. Depending on which parts of Europe the phone is to be used it may need to be a tri-band (aka world phone), which accepts frequencies GSM 900, 1800, and 1900.

Get a calling card. I have a V300 from Roger's and I've used in England last week. I'm so happy my company is picking up the tab on it. You can buy at GSM card for your phone and use it locally in Europe, just like the pre-paid cells we have here. But when calling back to Canada it is far cheaper to purchase a calling card and use it. You can also get a Bell Canada calling card and any calls will be billed to your phone number.

Regards

Mack

 

[The Fruity Hare]

Also another thing for her to worry about losing or being stolen. I would just give her enough money to buy several phone cards from the different countries she is visiting. It's not that difficult or inconvenient, unless it is worth the money for the peace of mind it will allow you knowing she has a phone with her.

 

[einar]

Phone cards are great, purchased in each European city at a local seedy corner store run by immigrants. I'm serious. Go to the sleazy part of town, or near the train station, and buy a card. Make sure it works for Canada, and check the rate per minute. It will likely be very low. Perhaps 10 cents or less a minute.

Forget the world of cell phones, if you are paying the bill.

 

[Why Not?]

Actually I'm thinking of getting a Rogers phone and plan for her, and then have her use the phone, but with a calling card.

You'll still be paying the long distance charges on the cell phone if you do this. It will be a Canadian telephone number operating in Europe and the roaming charges will not be cheap. Use a phone card on a land line.

 

[mediaguy]

Canada Direct

Don't forget Canada Direct service.
A toll-free number in most countries that gets you into and a Canadian operator.
Then you can use your regular calling card for the call here.
I think the url for info is is http://www.canada-direct.com

 

[Dong Joe]

Re: Re: New GSM card, calling card or Bell Canada Card

Yes. Good advice, but if getting a new GSM card in Europe, he'll have to make sure his phone is unlocked so that it can accept the card. Rogers and Fido lock their phones by default so that you can only use their GSM cards with the phone. Depending on which parts of Europe the phone is to be used it may need to be a tri-band (aka world phone), which accepts frequencies GSM 900, 1800, and 1900.

Not all tri-band phones are best suited for Europe. North american tri-bands exist supporting 850, 1800, and 1900 MHz.

Just make sure the phone can do 900 and 1800 MHz, the predominant frequencies in Europe.

I recommend an unlocked phone with a european prepaid SIM card. Use a calling card for calls to Canada.

Dong Joe

 

[zzap]

I bought one of these before my last Asian tour and I was very happy with it. Not only was the price right @ $89.00, a price that I could deal with if I lost the phone... I bought 2 at this price and took another as a backup.
http://www.cellularking.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=PC&Category_Code=ERICPHONE

The phone comes UNLOCKED and you can put any service provider SIM in it. It's got alot of features too and is really loud... you can use it in a club with the music blasting.

The R520 supports GSM 900/1800/1900 frequencies, allowing communication with one phone throughout 120 countries in five continents.

Since I had 2 with me I started to us them both at the same time, one with a Rogers SIM in it so I could receive calls from back home and the other with a locally bought SIM to make and receive calls locally within the Country I was in. Saved me a ton of money using locally bought SIM's.

All in all it was a great phone for the money....

 

[peteeey]

Update: I got in touch with someone who works for one of the large cell phone companies, who told me to get one of these phones unlocked and buy a SIM card while over there. She said that's the cheapest way to go. I intend to do that and also get my daughter to buy a phone card for a land line for longer phone calls.

Thanks everyone for your advice.

I bought one of these before my last Asian tour and I was very happy with it. Not only was the price right @ $89.00, a price that I could deal with if I lost the phone... I bought 2 at this price and took another as a backup.
http://www.cellularking.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=PC&Category_Code=ERICPHONE

The phone comes UNLOCKED and you can put any service provider SIM in it. It's got alot of features too and is really loud... you can use it in a club with the music blasting.

The R520 supports GSM 900/1800/1900 frequencies, allowing communication with one phone throughout 120 countries in five continents.

All in all it was a great phone for the money....

 

[Bob Terwilliger]

Does anyone know if it's possible to get by with a phone in Europe that's just 1800 band, and no 900?

 

[peteeey]

http://www.cellular-news.com/coverage/

 

[lickrolaine]

RBC

Just got a flyer from RBC,they offer 5.9 cents to Canada and US per minute.France and Germany for 7 cents and the UK for 6 cents.They also have personal 1-800 numbers so friends and family can call you direct.May be a good way to monitor the bills and the amount of calling time? Then she could purchase an emergency only phone there,they are cheap here.