Cell Phone Info Needed
Oct 26th, 2006, 02:10 PM
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Cell Phone Info Needed
Hello,
I will be in the UK in November, the Netherlands in December, and back in the UK in January. My US cell phone is not compatible with European cell phone standards. Can anyone suggest a pre-paid/pay as you go cell phone/service that I could purchase in the UK and also use in the Netherlands? Thank you. Tom
I will be in the UK in November, the Netherlands in December, and back in the UK in January. My US cell phone is not compatible with European cell phone standards. Can anyone suggest a pre-paid/pay as you go cell phone/service that I could purchase in the UK and also use in the Netherlands? Thank you. Tom
Oct 26th, 2006, 02:26 PM
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Tom...
There are many answers to the question and a thousand and one variables...
How long will you be in the UK...UK mobile packages are among the cheapest and easiest to use since obviously there are no language problems. You will need a GSM phone with the European frequencies (900 and 1800 mhz)...phones sold in the US labelled as tri band world phones often lack 1800 because of the US's inability or refusal whichever you want to go along in the early 1990's with decisions made to standardize things.
You can wait till you get to the UK and get a package. If you're calling the US a great deal you can march into any Carphone Warehouse store and buy a package including a carrier called Mobile World...frankly they are just about as dirt cheap as you can get to call the USA (5p/minute except for a brief period during the early evening when it increases to 7.5p/minute)...calls within the UK are fairly cheap too..however Mobile World does not allow roaming so it will be useless in Holland.
OTO you can buy a sim package from Vodafone UK....their calls to the US are not cheap but you can go out and get a calling card which would make calling the USA basically a UK call on the vodafone UK network...you could then sign up for vodafone passport and use the vodafone sim card in Holland...the Vodafone passport allows you to receive calls in Holland on the Vodafone UK sim for 75p total no matter the length of the call but calling back to the US will be expensive except you can use the same ld card noted above and calls to the UK local number to access that network will be the same as if you are in the UK except for a 75p charge for each call (not per minute)....
Or getting the Mobile World phone unlocked (Carphone Warehouse will not do it but most any store front on Oxford Street will do it for about 8 quid) you can buy a local prepaid Dutch sim....their rates to the USA are not great but again you can buy a ld card in Holland and call into the Dutch access number at local Dutch rates.
Or you can read up on international cards, get one from United Mobile as has been described, buy an unlocked phone on ebay (hopefully with both 900 and 1800), buy a United Mobile sim card on their web site and open up an account as I have described on countless posts with callbackworld...this will work in both the UK and the Netherlands.
Which is best? I really don't know...it depends basically on your exact calling patterns...for example if you just want a number you can receive calls, united mobile with callbackworld will be fine and you can make a few calls within the countries noted...if most of your calls will be in the UK, Mobile World might be best (they literally give away the sim cards and charge you only for the calls and you can't really beat 5p/minute to call the USA from the UK) but then you'll need another sim card for Holland...again it depends.
I've probably confused you even more but if you can be more specific with your needs, I might be able to give you a recommendation.
Or you can go onto www.prepaidgsm.net...on the forum go to the European section and pose your needs there and you will find several people from the UK who can give you good information.
There are many answers to the question and a thousand and one variables...
How long will you be in the UK...UK mobile packages are among the cheapest and easiest to use since obviously there are no language problems. You will need a GSM phone with the European frequencies (900 and 1800 mhz)...phones sold in the US labelled as tri band world phones often lack 1800 because of the US's inability or refusal whichever you want to go along in the early 1990's with decisions made to standardize things.
You can wait till you get to the UK and get a package. If you're calling the US a great deal you can march into any Carphone Warehouse store and buy a package including a carrier called Mobile World...frankly they are just about as dirt cheap as you can get to call the USA (5p/minute except for a brief period during the early evening when it increases to 7.5p/minute)...calls within the UK are fairly cheap too..however Mobile World does not allow roaming so it will be useless in Holland.
OTO you can buy a sim package from Vodafone UK....their calls to the US are not cheap but you can go out and get a calling card which would make calling the USA basically a UK call on the vodafone UK network...you could then sign up for vodafone passport and use the vodafone sim card in Holland...the Vodafone passport allows you to receive calls in Holland on the Vodafone UK sim for 75p total no matter the length of the call but calling back to the US will be expensive except you can use the same ld card noted above and calls to the UK local number to access that network will be the same as if you are in the UK except for a 75p charge for each call (not per minute)....
Or getting the Mobile World phone unlocked (Carphone Warehouse will not do it but most any store front on Oxford Street will do it for about 8 quid) you can buy a local prepaid Dutch sim....their rates to the USA are not great but again you can buy a ld card in Holland and call into the Dutch access number at local Dutch rates.
Or you can read up on international cards, get one from United Mobile as has been described, buy an unlocked phone on ebay (hopefully with both 900 and 1800), buy a United Mobile sim card on their web site and open up an account as I have described on countless posts with callbackworld...this will work in both the UK and the Netherlands.
Which is best? I really don't know...it depends basically on your exact calling patterns...for example if you just want a number you can receive calls, united mobile with callbackworld will be fine and you can make a few calls within the countries noted...if most of your calls will be in the UK, Mobile World might be best (they literally give away the sim cards and charge you only for the calls and you can't really beat 5p/minute to call the USA from the UK) but then you'll need another sim card for Holland...again it depends.
I've probably confused you even more but if you can be more specific with your needs, I might be able to give you a recommendation.
Or you can go onto www.prepaidgsm.net...on the forum go to the European section and pose your needs there and you will find several people from the UK who can give you good information.
Oct 26th, 2006, 05:47 PM
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Dear xyz123,
Wow! Thanks for the info. You're right, I'm a bit confused, but definitely further along than I was when I first asked my question. If it's useful, here's a more specific description of the sort of connectivity I'll need. In the UK, where I'll be for a week in November and in January, I'll need to make a few UK calls on each visit and have a number where I can receive a few calls (probably fewer than a dozen each way each visit)from w/in the UK. In Holland, where I'll be for two weeks, I'll need to make a relatively few internal calls and probably receive only a couple of internal calls. In both countries I may need to make a few calls to the US, but those aren't a priority. Any further advice you'd have will be greatfully appreciated. Tom
Wow! Thanks for the info. You're right, I'm a bit confused, but definitely further along than I was when I first asked my question. If it's useful, here's a more specific description of the sort of connectivity I'll need. In the UK, where I'll be for a week in November and in January, I'll need to make a few UK calls on each visit and have a number where I can receive a few calls (probably fewer than a dozen each way each visit)from w/in the UK. In Holland, where I'll be for two weeks, I'll need to make a relatively few internal calls and probably receive only a couple of internal calls. In both countries I may need to make a few calls to the US, but those aren't a priority. Any further advice you'd have will be greatfully appreciated. Tom
Oct 26th, 2006, 06:21 PM
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Since you will spend much more time in the UK here's what I would probably advise you to do (although it is a close call)..
1. When you arrive in the UK, go into a carphone warehouse store. Buy their cheapest mobile world package...mobile world sim cards are free you pay for the air time and can top it up...buy it with the cheapest gsm phone they sell...(it will probably be locked...ask them if they sell any unlocked phones which I doubt)...while in London, you can get the phone unlocked for about 8 quid at many different store fronts especially on Oxford Street. As I said, you will have a UK number which you of course have to communicate to people calling you...or you can open up an account with kall8 who will give you a US toll free number that you can tell your friends and as soon as you find out the UK number, you can program via the web calls to that number to forward to the UK sim....calls to you will cost you between 30 and 40¢ per minute (this is the kall8 charge to forward to a UK sim)...
Upon arrival in Holland, go into any mobile phone store and ask for the cheapest Dutch prepaid sim...then change the programming of the kall8 number to the Dutch mobile number...in Holland it will probably pay to buy a long distance card to call the USA via a local Dutch number...
Upon arrival back in the UK, just switch back the sim card, go into an internet cafe and program the kall8 number to go to the UK sim card...with mobile world you won't have to worry about an ld card to call the USA as the charge for calls to the USA on Mobile World are as I noted 5p/minute...
Kall8 charges $2 to set up a US toll free number and $2/month for maintenace...you can cancel at any time or use the kall8 toll free number to forward to your US phone so you'll have a US toll free number.
There may be cheaper ways with a bit more hassle but this is pretty hassle free.
1. When you arrive in the UK, go into a carphone warehouse store. Buy their cheapest mobile world package...mobile world sim cards are free you pay for the air time and can top it up...buy it with the cheapest gsm phone they sell...(it will probably be locked...ask them if they sell any unlocked phones which I doubt)...while in London, you can get the phone unlocked for about 8 quid at many different store fronts especially on Oxford Street. As I said, you will have a UK number which you of course have to communicate to people calling you...or you can open up an account with kall8 who will give you a US toll free number that you can tell your friends and as soon as you find out the UK number, you can program via the web calls to that number to forward to the UK sim....calls to you will cost you between 30 and 40¢ per minute (this is the kall8 charge to forward to a UK sim)...
Upon arrival in Holland, go into any mobile phone store and ask for the cheapest Dutch prepaid sim...then change the programming of the kall8 number to the Dutch mobile number...in Holland it will probably pay to buy a long distance card to call the USA via a local Dutch number...
Upon arrival back in the UK, just switch back the sim card, go into an internet cafe and program the kall8 number to go to the UK sim card...with mobile world you won't have to worry about an ld card to call the USA as the charge for calls to the USA on Mobile World are as I noted 5p/minute...
Kall8 charges $2 to set up a US toll free number and $2/month for maintenace...you can cancel at any time or use the kall8 toll free number to forward to your US phone so you'll have a US toll free number.
There may be cheaper ways with a bit more hassle but this is pretty hassle free.
Oct 27th, 2006, 02:12 AM
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Hi Tom,
If you will be making/receiving only a few calls, you might want to consider the $49 cell phone from www.mobal.com.
You get a UK number.
Calls are not cheap, but you pay only for what you use and you don't have to buy additional SIM cards.
If you will be making/receiving only a few calls, you might want to consider the $49 cell phone from www.mobal.com.
You get a UK number.
Calls are not cheap, but you pay only for what you use and you don't have to buy additional SIM cards.
Oct 28th, 2006, 08:43 AM
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One caveat - if you buy an international prepaid sim, it may not work on your phone, even if you have an unlocked phone with frequencies 900 and 1800. I had this problem with United Mobile. It makes outbound calls on a Motorola Razr, but not on a Motorola v190. I would love to see a list of phones for which United Mobile and other prepaid international sims do work as intended, but apparently no such list exists.
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Nov 5th, 2006, 09:41 PM
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xyz - Please give me some input about the problem I had using the United-Mobile/cbw system. I just returned from Europe. I was able to use the system quite successfully at first. Then I was no longer able to get a call back from cbw. Each time I would try repeatedly to get cbw to work - unsuccessfully. I tried reviewing my account on their web site but the account section was not working and still is not. My problems with the phone more or less coincided with their internet problem. Now that I am home I reviewed my account at United-Mobile and discovered some of those times I was charged by United for completed calls to cbw. I don't think I ever let this happen since I was religious about listening for the ring tone and then hanging up immediately. Finally I began using United-Mobile to make calls since I could not get cbw to work. I quickly got a recorded message that I was running out of money on my card. I tried calling United to recharge and each time I was connectd and then cut off. This continued til I used up all the money on the card. I ended up having to buy a calling card in Greece to call United to recharge. What do you think I was doing wrong with cbw. Since I used it successfully at first I am mystified. Have you heard of others having problems in the time period from about Oct. 10 to the present? Could it be my phone? Any help would be appreciated. I know you have been very successful using this system.
Nov 5th, 2006, 09:48 PM
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Some Motorola provided by US cariers have to be set manually on 'rest of the world' frequencies (most brands and some Motorola models switch automaticallly but not all of them), you have to look at the users' guide.
Nov 5th, 2006, 11:56 PM
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>It makes outbound calls on a Motorola Razr, but not on a Motorola v190.
The problem is the "SIM Toolkit" function, which is available on some phones on others it isn't. However, if you're unable to dial directly from you phone, you can in most cases dial from the new "dialling menu" you'll find. In MOST cases this works, even on a V190. It doesn't work at all on only a few phones, the Motorola A925 being one of them.
The problem is the "SIM Toolkit" function, which is available on some phones on others it isn't. However, if you're unable to dial directly from you phone, you can in most cases dial from the new "dialling menu" you'll find. In MOST cases this works, even on a V190. It doesn't work at all on only a few phones, the Motorola A925 being one of them.
Nov 6th, 2006, 12:06 AM
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>Could it be my phone?
Most likely it won't be your phone. CBW has those problems from time to time, including extremely low audio quality. Keep in mind that the amount they charge per minute is less than the interconnect fee they would have to pay. If they are using traditional phone lines, they would be loosing money every time someone uses their service with united mobile. They must make the connection another way, maybe routing a call through the internet and terminating somewhere in Switzerland or Liechtenstein itself, which would minimize fees for them. However it isn't very reliable.
Most likely it won't be your phone. CBW has those problems from time to time, including extremely low audio quality. Keep in mind that the amount they charge per minute is less than the interconnect fee they would have to pay. If they are using traditional phone lines, they would be loosing money every time someone uses their service with united mobile. They must make the connection another way, maybe routing a call through the internet and terminating somewhere in Switzerland or Liechtenstein itself, which would minimize fees for them. However it isn't very reliable.
Nov 6th, 2006, 02:42 AM
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Recently callbackworld has been suffering some computer problems and while I wouldn't go so far to say they are unreliable, they have had their share of computer problems unfortunately recently You can read up on some of these problems on www.prepaidgsm.net.
I know it's no consolation to you now bgut according to that forum, cbw is functioning although slowly...it's the price we have to put up with I suppose to get 14¢/minute action to call the USA...
Logos is quite correct...it is obvious they use an ISP most likely but then again so do almost all of the cheap ld carriers where you buy calling cards for €5 for oodles of minutes. And the connections with those ld cards are no better (or worse) than CBW and certainly not of landline quality (but then again what would you expect for the money you are paying).
The hope on the prepaidgsm forum is they can get their action back together and resolve the issues...management at CBW claims they have and that it is functioning now.
Wish I had a better answer but like anything else that is cheap, sometimes we all get what we pay for (but I'd rather be able to have the opportunity to call at 14¢/minute rather than $0.99 that my carrier charges for international roaming and of course then there is the free receiving of calls almost anywhere and of course the naitive rates on using UM for a mobile carrier aren't bad so a quick 1 minute call and then having the person call you back will work also.
I'm just not ready to ditch cbw just yet.
I know it's no consolation to you now bgut according to that forum, cbw is functioning although slowly...it's the price we have to put up with I suppose to get 14¢/minute action to call the USA...
Logos is quite correct...it is obvious they use an ISP most likely but then again so do almost all of the cheap ld carriers where you buy calling cards for €5 for oodles of minutes. And the connections with those ld cards are no better (or worse) than CBW and certainly not of landline quality (but then again what would you expect for the money you are paying).
The hope on the prepaidgsm forum is they can get their action back together and resolve the issues...management at CBW claims they have and that it is functioning now.
Wish I had a better answer but like anything else that is cheap, sometimes we all get what we pay for (but I'd rather be able to have the opportunity to call at 14¢/minute rather than $0.99 that my carrier charges for international roaming and of course then there is the free receiving of calls almost anywhere and of course the naitive rates on using UM for a mobile carrier aren't bad so a quick 1 minute call and then having the person call you back will work also.
I'm just not ready to ditch cbw just yet.
Nov 6th, 2006, 06:48 AM
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Thanks so much. At least it was not me. I appreciate your comments. I will also check out the web site you suggested. I wish I had thought of calling and having that person call me back. Oh well. I will do better next time.As you say - you get what you pay for and when it worked it was super. Now that I recall there were one or two times I got the call back but when I entered the # I was calling nothing happened. Maybe I was too impatient and it would have gone thru if I had waited longer.Thanks.
