Comments on: Cell phone rentals http://electrolicious.com/2004/08/cell_phone_rent Daily affirmations of a word mercenary Wed, 20 Aug 2008 11:05:50 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: renee http://electrolicious.com/2004/08/cell_phone_rent#comment-4672 renee Thu, 26 Aug 2004 04:50:50 +0000 #comment-4672 Maybe see if someone has an unlocked GSM phone you can borrow? The sim cards are super cheap and can be bought anywhere phones are sold and the refill cards can probably be bought in cafes, tobbaconists and similar places. The rates are reasonable and I assume all of your incoming calls would be free, unlike with prepaid plans here (MY experience is with Italy, not France). Also all of the networks have plans with networks in countries so if you do leave the country you will pick up another service. Renting definitely seems like it is a rippoff, especially since you will have no clue what you are spending. Pre-paid numbers are MUCH more popular and user friendly overseas, unlike here. Maybe see if someone has an unlocked GSM phone you can borrow? The sim cards are super cheap and can be bought anywhere phones are sold and the refill cards can probably be bought in cafes, tobbaconists and similar places. The rates are reasonable and I assume all of your incoming calls would be free, unlike with prepaid plans here (MY experience is with Italy, not France). Also all of the networks have plans with networks in countries so if you do leave the country you will pick up another service. Renting definitely seems like it is a rippoff, especially since you will have no clue what you are spending. Pre-paid numbers are MUCH more popular and user friendly overseas, unlike here.

]]> By: xaotica http://electrolicious.com/2004/08/cell_phone_rent#comment-4671 xaotica Wed, 25 Aug 2004 19:40:07 +0000 #comment-4671 i thought that too (time travelling) ;) i thought that too (time travelling) ;)

]]> By: alison http://electrolicious.com/2004/08/cell_phone_rent#comment-4670 alison Wed, 25 Aug 2004 15:17:09 +0000 #comment-4670 i read your post really quickly, and i thought for a second that it said "Hey folks who've spent a month <b>time travelling</b>." you'd be hard-pressed to find any of those folks. i read your post really quickly, and i thought for a second that it said “Hey folks who’ve spent a month time travelling.” you’d be hard-pressed to find any of those folks.

]]> By: Ariel http://electrolicious.com/2004/08/cell_phone_rent#comment-4669 Ariel Wed, 25 Aug 2004 02:58:49 +0000 #comment-4669 Nancy, thanks for the suggestion about the pre-pay phone. I hadn't thought of that! Mark, I have a Sanyo 8100 from Sprint. Sadly, it's not GSM compatible. Nancy, thanks for the suggestion about the pre-pay phone. I hadn’t thought of that!

Mark, I have a Sanyo 8100 from Sprint. Sadly, it’s not GSM compatible.

]]> By: mark http://electrolicious.com/2004/08/cell_phone_rent#comment-4668 mark Wed, 25 Aug 2004 02:49:49 +0000 #comment-4668 I would not rent, under any circumstances 'cause the companies that rent phones just screw you. Best way to go is to do what Nancy suggests and get a pre-paid card which you can refill (like Virgin Mobile). The question then is where do you get your phone? You could get one there or (a) if you have a GSM phone (TMo, Cing, ATT) get it "unlocked" (e.g. not tied to the carrier)--you can Google the codes to do this or pay a shop in Europe or (b) buy an "unlocked" GSM phone on eBay or otherwise scrounge one here in the US, or (c) buy one in Europe. When we were in Amsterdam in May we looked into buying a 2nd unlocked phone and they were running ~E50. I would not rent, under any circumstances ’cause the companies that rent phones just screw you.

Best way to go is to do what Nancy suggests and get a pre-paid card which you can refill (like Virgin Mobile).

The question then is where do you get your phone? You could get one there or (a) if you have a GSM phone (TMo, Cing, ATT) get it “unlocked” (e.g. not tied to the carrier)–you can Google the codes to do this or pay a shop in Europe or (b) buy an “unlocked” GSM phone on eBay or otherwise scrounge one here in the US, or (c) buy one in Europe. When we were in Amsterdam in May we looked into buying a 2nd unlocked phone and they were running ~E50.

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