Using cell phones in Europe

[Bronco]

As discussed in a recent thread, I'll shortly be upgrading to a quad band GSM cell phone with Cingular wireless service. Meanwhile, it looks like the next trip on the docket will be to Ireland. If I wanted to use my phone while on the trip, what would I have to do? Is international roaming something I can contract for directly through Cingular, or would I need to establish temporary coverage through an Irish company?

 

[Gollnick]

Call Cingular and ask.

In theory, all you should have to do is buy a pre-paid SIM card in Ireland (there'll be kiosks selling them at the airport) and pop that card in and you'll have service in Ireland.

But, if you got your phone through Cingular in the US, then it is locked to Cingular. If you get off the plane and go and buy a prepaid SIM card in Ireland, it will fit right into your phone, but it still won't work. Cingular could give you an unlock code for your phone... but they probabaly won't do that because once the phone is unlocked they can't lock it again. And once your phone is unlocked, you can switch carriers with it by just switching SIM cards. You could get a T-Mobile SIM card and be up and running with T-Mobile instead of Cingular. Cingular loss-led the phone (sold -- or even gave -- it to you at a loss) hoping to make up the loss by selling you service. So, they don't want you do to that. As a result, they locked the phone to Cingular. (I don't know how Cingular works, but T-Mobile will only give you the unlock code after you've had the phone for a certain number of months, in other words, after they've made up the loss they took when the sold or gave you the phone.)

Cingular may have a deal with some carrier in Ireland, but I'll bet it costs a fortune to use it. Your best bet in Ireland may end up being to simply rent a phone at the airport. This is the falacy of the quad-band cell phone; technically, it is capable of working in Ireland, but the locking stuff that has to be done in the American market won't allow it in practice.

European cell carriers don't generally loss-lead the phones; they don't even sell phones. You buy your phone at an electronics store for full price. They you get a pre-paid card from whatever carrier you want to use. The idea of subscription cell phone is somewhat (not exclusively) unique to America.

 

[kamkazmoto]

You can go down to any of the Asian Communities, Rowland Heights or Westminister are your best bets and get a Quad band GSM phone from them that is directly from Asia. Those phones are not locked onto a specific carrier and will work with any SIM card . I have done this several times. If you have any specific questions shoot me an email. You can usually get better deals too. My black razor came with a case, charger and headset.

 

[Bronco]

Thanks for the info, gents. Following along Chuck's line of thought, and in the event that I can get the phone unlocked, I would assume then that these kiosk SIM cards are basically disposable and available in various denominations (like a pre-paid phone card), correct? And whether I'm calling back to the states, or making local calls in Ireland, I would just use the card until its pre-paid value is exhausted- and then just throw it away and purchase a new one if need be. Is that about the long and short of it? Is it likely that the kiosk will have approximate per minute charges calculated based on local call usage, intra-Ireland long distance, and international?

Finally, any serious ESD concerns while I'm temporarily storing my stateside SIM card outside the phone?

 

[Bronco]

kamkazmoto, with regards to picking up an unlocked phone of Asian origin down in Westminster, for example, aren't most Asian countries operating on non-GSM networks? I think Europe is pretty much GSM across the board. Could there be a compatibility issue there?

 

[Gollnick]

Thanks for the info, gents. Following along Chuck's line of thought, and in the event that I can get the phone unlocked, I would assume then that these kiosk SIM cards are basically disposable and available in various denominations (like a pre-paid phone card), correct?

Exactly.

And whether I'm calling back to the states, or making local calls in Ireland, I would just use the card until its pre-paid value is exhausted- and then just throw it away and purchase a new one if need be.

Yes, but use it up in Ireland because it won't work in America. Or just give it to a friend there when you leave if there's any value left in it.

Is it likely that the kiosk will have approximate per minute charges calculated based on local call usage, intra-Ireland long distance, and international?

Yes. They should. And there'll be a number you can call that will tell you how much value is left on your card.

Finally, any serious ESD concerns while I'm temporarily storing my stateside SIM card outside the phone?

No. They're made to withstand handling. Just don't loose it. They're only about 3/4" x 1/2".

 

[Andrew Taylor]

enlarging on what Mr Gollnick says. Your quad band phone will work in Ireland. You need to contact your supplier to request international roaming as it isn't normally automatic. The downside if someone phones you from the US, you pay the international leg. If you phone out, you pay international, plus a bit for the local network. When you get to Ireland and turn your phone on, it will find the network provider (with the strongest signal), that your provider has a deal with. My UK Orange Network phone roams in Canada and finds the Rogers Network. I have a Motorola Quad Band phone.

You can go into a phone shop (there are lots in cities and large towns) and get a Pay As You Go (PAYG) SIM card from an Irish carrier as long as your phone is unlocked from a single provider. Of course your phone number will change to (say) a Vodaphone or Orange number. Fine for dialling out locally to local numbers, expensive for phoning the US and not good forthe folks back home that have your old number. Before you go, move all your important saved numbers from the SIM card to the phones internal memory. If your phone is locked, you can normally find a phone shop that will unlock them for a small fee (10.00 - 15.00 pounds in the UK). With new PC connectible phones, it is usually done via a laptop or using a laptop with a database of phones and the keystrokes needed.

Remember "The future's bright, the future's Orange"

This might be useful

http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=555328

Ireland has three mobile phone networks. The 86 prefix is used by
Digiphone. 85 is the Meteor system. And 87 is Vodaphone.

and this in general

http://www.alltheweb.com/search?cat...+phone+networks"&rys=0&itag=crv&_sb_lang=pref

Oh, yes and drink lots of Guinness. If you want to impress the barman that you know all about Guinness and they take it very seriously, order a 'pint of stout', let them say Guinness, Murphys or Beamish if there is a choice. If they only have one, still ask for 'stout'. So order a "pint of stout" "and a Bushmills while I'm waiting". It takes 5 minutes to pour a pint of Guinness so it gives you something to do. If you are going to have another one, order it when you pint is 2/3rds down. When you are well in with the barman, ask if he has any good poteen (pronounced potcheen) under the counter?

Are you going to the north, the south, or 'bandit country' (the border)?

 

[Bronco]

Thank you for the edification, Chuck.

Of course your phone number will change to (say) a Vodaphone or Orange number. Fine for dialling out locally to local numbers, expensive for phoning the US and not good forthe folks back home that have your old number.

Yes, the phone number changing is something I hadn't considered with the PAYG SIM card option. That would make it difficult to be reached by someone back home in case of emergency. Hmm. Is there any reason the following wouldn't work:

- Get my phone unlocked

- Contact Cingular prior to departure to have international roaming activated. Leave my regular SIM card installed in the phone the majority of the time so as to be reachable from stateside.

-Purchase a PAYG SIM card locally in Ireland, but pop it in the phone only when making local calls.

Oh, yes and drink lots of Guinness. If you want to impress the barman that you know all about Guinness and they take it very seriously, order a 'pint of stout', let them say Guinness, Murphys or Beamish if there is a choice. If they only have one, still ask for 'stout'. So order a "pint of stout" "and a Bushmills while I'm waiting". It takes 5 minutes to pour a pint of Guinness so it gives you something to do. If you are going to have another one, order it when you pint is 2/3rds down. When you are well in with the barman, ask if he has any good poteen (pronounced potcheen) under the counter?

Are you going to the north, the south, or 'bandit country' (the border)?

Now that is some truly useful advise, Andrew. Thank you for that. I'm actually quite fond of a Guinness draught here in the states, so I imagine I'm in for a real treat once I hit Eire. I'm sure after only a couple of pints, cell phone connectivity problems will fade to the insignificant. Probably won't be able to work the damn buttons at that point anyway.

At this point it looks like the trip will begin in Dublin, progress southward down the coast toward Cork, and then see the majority of time spent in the southwestern portion of the country. I think I'll leave bandit country to the professionals this time around.

 

[Nordic Viking]

Hmm. Is there any reason the following wouldn't work:

- Get my phone unlocked

- Contact Cingular prior to departure to have international roaming activated. Leave my regular SIM card installed in the phone the majority of the time so as to be reachable from stateside.

-Purchase a PAYG SIM card locally in Ireland, but pop it in the phone only when making local calls.

Bronco,
You should also ask Cingular what happens when you switch your phone on and off [with your American SIM] whilst roaming overseas. The network could possibly register you as being overseas even when you're offline and all missed calls - going to your voicemail - will then be charged, to you, as International calls.

 

[Tim-Gabz]

I used to have a prepaid for every country I worked in, and it got to be interesting when I needed to give people my number. I applied for roaming with my service provider and now roam using my Botswana GSM number through out Europe and Africa. It means that anyone who needs to get hold of me dials my Botswana number and they can get hold of me, if they really need to. Better than juggling phones.

The downside is that everyone can still get hold of you, like the boss, wife and kids asking for ...........

 

[Bronco]

The network could possibly register you as being overseas even when you're offline and all missed calls - going to your voicemail - will then be charged, to you, as International calls.

I appreciate the heads-up, NV. Fortunately, where my personal use cell phone is concerned, I'll be traveling with most of the folks that would otherwise be likely to call me. Very few business associates have access to that number.

BTW, I spoke with my local Cingular rep and it would appear as though setting up internation roaming is easily accomplished. From what she said I have the option of paying a flat rate of 99 cents a minute regardless of whether I'm making local calls in Ireland, making calls back to the states, or receiving calls from the states.

 

[Andrew Taylor]

Thank you for the edification, Chuck.

Yes, the phone number changing is something I hadn't considered with the PAYG SIM card option. That would make it difficult to be reached by someone back home in case of emergency. Hmm. Is there any reason the following wouldn't work:

- Get my phone unlocked

- Contact Cingular prior to departure to have international roaming activated. Leave my regular SIM card installed in the phone the majority of the time so as to be reachable from stateside.

-Purchase a PAYG SIM card locally in Ireland, but pop it in the phone only when making local calls.

Now that is some truly useful advise, Andrew. Thank you for that. I'm actually quite fond of a Guinness draught here in the states, so I imagine I'm in for a real treat once I hit Eire. I'm sure after only a couple of pints, cell phone connectivity problems will fade to the insignificant. Probably won't be able to work the damn buttons at that point anyway.

At this point it looks like the trip will begin in Dublin, progress southward down the coast toward Cork, and then see the majority of time spent in the southwestern portion of the country. I think I'll leave bandit country to the professionals this time around.

Aha, now we're rocking. Dublin is the home of Guinness, so take a trip round the brewery. Also, forget any pre-conceived ideas about what Guinness tastes like comparing it with the US. I owned a pub in the UK for nearly 18 years, and although I kept a good pint of Guinness, it is nothing like Irish Guinness. I have had very few ambitions in my life, but one of them was to go to Ireland and taste draught Guinness. I managed this in September 2000. After drinking a fair few pints over there on our three day break, I described my perfectly kept Guinness as watery bitter liquid and Irish Guinness like mother's milk. One of the reaons for this apart from the River Liffy water is that Irish Guinness is a 'real ale'. It is still live, hasn't been filtered or heat treated which is why it takes so long to settle.

I did go to Cork and wasn't that impressed as it is just another large, windy city full of blowing garbage. It was raining too! Take a look by all means and see what you think. What you might like to do though is to drive a little further south to Kinsale. There is a great hotel with a bar called the Blue Anchor Inn. We stayed at a horrendously expensive hotel, the biggest in Kinsale as I just needed sleep at whatever price. My brother and sister in law moved out, they just told the hotel manager it was beyond their price, and the guy just said "no problem". They went to a place in the curve of the street opposite the Blue Anchor (about 50 yards going out of the village) and stayed in a B&B house with a lovely little Irish lady in her late 60s. All the restaurants there are fantastic and the best seafood ever. If you like fish, order Black Sole which is a speciality. It is the gourmet capital of Ireland. An Irish chef I had working for me told me this and I thought he was mad, but he was right!

Couple of other places, Waterford for its crystal factory, although there is one in Kinsale called 'Kinsale Crystal' Also Wexford on the east coast. There are 51 bars in the high Street. As a guy told us, one for every week of the year. There is a great bar called 'The Undertaker Bar'. It is on a corner and has a little liquor store and a bar to the left. Notice the old shotgun on the wall. The place was very friendly although at first they all eye you up and the place goes quiet. Just say hello to the room and then launch into the stout and Bushmills routine. Finally for the Guinness, a guy in the Undertaker Bar suggested be purchased some DRAUGHT Guinness in a can. It is just like on tap, but it must say 'Draught' on the front of the can. You might like to slip 4 cans in your case home?

Getting back to the phone, you are right on the money and is what I thought too. If you get calls and they aren't delivered, but put to voice mail, you will only pay when you collect the calls <I think>

I am sure you will have a fantastic time.

 

[Bronco]

I owned a pub in the UK for nearly 18 years, and although I kept a good pint of Guinness, it is nothing like Irish Guinness.

I'd heard that was the case. Now I absolutely believe it.

I did go to Cork and wasn't that impressed as it is just another large, windy city full of blowing garbage. It was raining too! Take a look by all means and see what you think. What you might like to do though is to drive a little further south to Kinsale.

As it turns out, an overnight in Kinsale, by way of Wexford, is precisely what's on the itinerary. Too funny. I very much appreciate the tip on the Blue Anchor Inn though as we haven't secured lodging there yet. After that, the balance of the trip will be spent in and around Kenmare. Seems to be a good enough staging area for exploring the surrounding parts of the country. I think the consensus is to pretty much avoid the major cities as much as possible. Thanks again for the excellent pointers.

 

[kamkazmoto]

kamkazmoto, with regards to picking up an unlocked phone of Asian origin down in Westminster, for example, aren't most Asian countries operating on non-GSM networks? I think Europe is pretty much GSM across the board. Could there be a compatibility issue there?

Sorry it took so long for the reply but all the SE Asian countries that I know of, China, Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Viet Nam, and Cambodia are operating on the GSM network. The only real hold out that I know of is the US.

 

[Andrew Taylor]

One further tip. The roads are very rural, narrow and bendy. It takes a lot longer to get from A to B than you might expect, especially when a tractor pulls out of a field in front of you. Coming from California, you will also marvel at how green everything is and want to stop and take pictures. There is a photo-opportunity about every 2 miles.

Do post a report when you get back. I'll bookmark the thread

 

[Trainman]

As discussed in a recent thread, I'll shortly be upgrading to a quad band GSM cell phone with Cingular wireless service. Meanwhile, it looks like the next trip on the docket will be to Ireland. If I wanted to use my phone while on the trip, what would I have to do? Is international roaming something I can contract for directly through Cingular, or would I need to establish temporary coverage through an Irish company?

Using an Ireland sim is a better choice as Cingular has no service in Ireland ( Mobile Networks in Ireland are Vodafone Ireland, O2, Meteor, 3 ) . For that you have to unlock your phone to pop any GSM sim on your phone . You can unlock your phone using the unlock code provided by SuperUnlockCodes.com .

 

[ron_m80]

When traveling abroad, take an unlocked phone and buy a pre-paid local card. The only hitch to this will be you will not know your phone number until you get to your destination.

Enjoy your trip.

 

[mckrob]

Buy a cheap phone when you get over there, they can be had for 10pounds. I was working in Northern Ireland this summer and found O2 to be the best option, and the phones come unlocked so you can use it elsewhere with another provider.

https://www.o2.co.uk/shop/phones/nokia/100/

http://freesim.o2.co.uk/ (Pay&GoGoGo sim)

The SIM card comes with a little bit of credit, but you can top up easily with a credit card, or buy top-up vouchers at any grocery or variety store. International rates back home are pretty reasonable, and unlike North America, there is no charge to your phone for incoming domestic or international calls. And texting to/from north america is dirt cheap.

Make sure your North American phone is set up for international roaming before you go ( if its a smart phone turn off your data roaming before you leave home), then you can leave it turned on; in case of emergencies people can still reach you (this will only cost you if you answer the phone). It's a pain carrying two cell phones but it works.

Another slightly more complicated option is to pay to have your smart phone unlocked before you go. Set up a Skype-in phone number before you go and set up call forwarding on your home cell phone to forward to your Skype number. When you arrive in Ireland pickup a prepaid sim with a data plan, then you can still get incoming calls from your home mobile through skype as well as having a local mobile number for local calling.

 

[CWL]

Sorry it took so long for the reply but all the SE Asian countries that I know of, China, Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Viet Nam, and Cambodia are operating on the GSM network. The only real hold out that I know of is the US.

The USA isn't holding out, we just had an already existing infrastructure based on aging copper wire and govt. mandated regional carriers forced to compete with each other. The US is trying to un-regionalize itself.

Small countries and emerging nations like the ones above never had this problem, so they could go straight to wireless as it is easier and cheaper to set up cells than to lay wire in this age. This isalso true for Europe, as prior to the EU, each nation ran separate and expensive telecommunication systems.

I have 3 GSM chips for use in Asia, Europe and the USA.

 

[A.W.U.K.]

Buy a cheap phone when you get over there, they can be had for 10pounds. I was working in Northern Ireland this summer and found O2 to be the best option, and the phones come unlocked so you can use it elsewhere with another provider.

https://www.o2.co.uk/shop/phones/nokia/100/

http://freesim.o2.co.uk/ (Pay&GoGoGo sim)

The SIM card comes with a little bit of credit, but you can top up easily with a credit card, or buy top-up vouchers at any grocery or variety store. International rates back home are pretty reasonable, and unlike North America, there is no charge to your phone for incoming domestic or international calls. And texting to/from north america is dirt cheap.

Make sure your North American phone is set up for international roaming before you go ( if its a smart phone turn off your data roaming before you leave home), then you can leave it turned on; in case of emergencies people can still reach you (this will only cost you if you answer the phone). It's a pain carrying two cell phones but it works.

This

ETA:

http://shop.tescomobile.ie/phones/displayPhone.aspx?p=141

Just pop into the nearest Tesco and get a Samsung pay-as-you-go mobile for less than 20 Euros.