Europe SIM Info/Helpful Links

[ShoresGuy]

You can use any prepaid SIM in any European country regardless of who your US provider is. All you need is the unlocked phone and you can purchase a SIM of your choice in the country you plan on visiting. PrepaidGSM.net has a very clear, precise overview of prepaid SIM offers in Europe:

http://www.prepaidgsm.net/

The rules of thumb for prepaid SIM cards is Europe tend to be:

-Free incoming calls (Outgoing calls are more expensive)
-MVNO networks such as Virgin Mobile UK offer competitive prices
-Roaming is available but pricy once you leave the native SIM's country (Incoming is charged then)

There are several options which allow you to use one SIM card for most of Europe:

Riiing is getting some very good feedback:

http://www.prepaidgsm.net/forum (Search for riiing or look through the Europe and International Calling Card Forums)

http://www.riiing.com

There are some users at P-GSM.net who are from the US and have used the service:

http://www.prepaidgsm.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=360

I posted some thread links over at HoFo:

http://www.howardforums.com/showthr...threadid=594922

Enjoy

[ShoresGuy]

There are now 4 MVNOs (Mobile Virtual Network Operators) offering cheap outgoing calls and prepaid SIMs in Germany. Rather than listing them all here, I would suggest that any person seeking a cheap prepaid SIM option look here:

http://www.prepaidgsm.net/en/germania.html

As a rule of thumb in Germany, MVNOs tend to have cheaper offers and the purchasing price for a SIM is close to 50% cheaper than a regular prepaid SIM from T-Mobile, Vodafone, E-Plus or O2.

If you have any more questions after looking at PPGSM.net, post them here and I'll answer them to the best of my ability.

[Scrumhalf]

Good info, Shoresguy!

Proposal to moderator: Could this be a sticky? This is very useful stuff.

[larry]

Good info, Shoresguy!

Proposal to moderator: Could this be a sticky? This is very useful stuff.

Proposal granted.

[ShoresGuy]

Thanks, larry .

[mr3d]

Greetings,
I am researching international cell phones and service providers. The countries I need to use the phone in are France, the UK, Italy, Switzerland, Holland, and Costa Rica. On average I travel about 4 weeks each year, usually to one or two countires per trip. Most of my calls would be within a country I'm visiting, but I also need to make and receive calls to and from the US. Light to moderate use.

I'd like to compare the costs of using an unlocked GSM quad-band phone with local SIMS to using international roaming with a company such as Cingular. I know the Cingular roaming prices but have no familiarity with international SIM or per-minute pricing in these countries. Can anyone give me a general idea of these costs in these countries from recent personal experience, or point me in the right direction to find such information online?
TIA
mr3d

[ShoresGuy]

mr3d, the site you want to visit and ask questions on would be PrepaidGSM.net. You can find all national prepaid SIM offers for most EU/Western European countries here:

http://www.prepaidgsm.net/en/operators.html

All int'l prepaid SIMs such as United Mobile (formerly known as riiing, uses a Liechtenstein-based number) are listed here:

http://www.prepaidgsm.net/en/international.html
http://www.prepaidgsm.net/en/int/compare.html
http://www.united-mobile.com/cms/web...2&idcatside=26

Be aware that most people who use a service like United Mobile tend to use their Liechtenstein number in conjunction with a callback service like Enlinea or Callbackworld. They make calls to the US cheaper and normally work in most countries (there are some hiccups in the system though).

You can find more info on the forum itself:

http://www.prepaidgsm.net/forum/inde...017&hl=enlinea
http://www.prepaidgsm.net/forum/inde...011&hl=enlinea
http://www.prepaidgsm.net/forum/inde...act=SF&f=4&st=

I would recommend that you join over there and ask your pointed questions since there are a number of US-based users who have used different roaming options for extended stays in Europe.

[mr3d]

Thanks, that does look like a great forun for this type of inquiry...
And thanks for your overview and links at the start of this thread. Very helpful for a newcomer like myself.
Regards,
mr3d

[ShoresGuy]

You're welcome

That's what the internet is for ...to share information with others.

[jones]

Guidelines for Using a Cellphone Abroad
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/15/te...806&ei=5087%0A

[pacpac]

You might also want to check out 09 Mobile from 09SIM:

09SIM - 09 Mobile International Roaming Made Affordable - International Roaming SIM Cards- Prepaid SIM Card

They are providing a solution which makes paying for incoming calls in 197 countries obsolete, and is offering a flat rate of EUR 0.39/min. You have to make the calls between two 09 Mobile SIMs.

[pacpac]

You might also want to check out 09 Mobile from 09SIM:

09SIM - 09 Mobile International Roaming Made Affordable - International Roaming SIM Cards- Prepaid SIM Card

They are providing a solution which makes paying for incoming calls in 197 countries obsolete, and is offering a flat rate of EUR 0.39/min. You have to make the calls between two 09 Mobile SIMs.

Sorry, misunderstood. Free incoming to 131 countries and variable rates. Still very OK though.