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Help recommend renting GSM cell phone and GPS in Europe

1K views 16 replies 13 participants last post by  bmwgrrl 
#1 ·
Has anyone rented a GSM cell phone for use while in the Germany, Switzerland, Austria areas?

How about the same with a portable GPS that has maps for the areas of Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Liectenstein included?

Thanks for any help or guidance.

Regards,
Marc
95M3
 
#2 ·
if you have a gsm phone, go and get it unlocked. you can buy a simm card from telestial.com to work in those countries. i usually get the global riiing card because it works in all countries instead of buying indiv. cards for each country. go check out their website, they are in san diego.
 
#4 ·
Is it cheaper to buy a card from teh destination... and in that case, would it be available in like the airport or the hotel?

I also read somewhere that incoming calls are free in Europe. Is that true or is this for some certain carriers? :dunno:
 
#5 ·
daoushy said:
I also read somewhere that incoming calls are free in Europe. Is that true or is this for some certain carriers? :dunno:
Abroad the person making the call to a cell phone pays for the call. So even when you run out of outgoing minutes you can still receive calls.

Before people start asking their family/friends to call them while in Europe to shoot the breeze, calling rates to cell phone should be checked as it may lead to sticker shock. You phone company may charge 7 cents a minute to a land line phone in Germany but it may be 40 cents per minute to a cell phone. :yikes:
 
#6 ·
With Razor V3 phone, you do not need SIMM card, they are 4 band and set to work in most countries. Using a Cingular phone in Europe is $1.76 per minute.
 
#8 ·
glenmal said:
With Razor V3 phone, you do not need SIMM card, they are 4 band and set to work in most countries. Using a Cingular phone in Europe is $1.76 per minute.
ummm the sim is in the phone, all GSM phones need a sim card! That is how you can dial out and tells your service provider. It can be changed for a different one if the phone is unlocked. It is located behind the battery! If using cingular/tmobile you must activate international calling prior to the trip!!!
T-Mobile (Deutchtelekom) is $1 per minute using your US number. A prepaid sim can also be bought as mentioned by an earlier poster, but your phone needs to be unlocked if it is a branded (has provider name on it). It varies by provider on cost/time frame to unlock. As was stated earlier buy a cheapo UNLOCKED GSM phone off of Ebay and get a prepaid sim card and then when you are done put it back on ebay! :)
 
#9 ·
daoushy said:
Is it cheaper to buy a card from teh destination... and in that case, would it be available in like the airport or the hotel?

I also read somewhere that incoming calls are free in Europe. Is that true or is this for some certain carriers? :dunno:
I believe this is true - it is the same in Australia - you don't pay when people
call you - only when you call them.
 
#10 · (Edited)
mapezzul said:
ummm the sim is in the phone, all GSM phones need a sim card! That is how you can dial out and tells your service provider. It can be changed for a different one if the phone is unlocked. It is located behind the battery! If using cingular/tmobile you must activate international calling prior to the trip!!!
T-Mobile (Deutchtelekom) is $1 per minute using your US number. A prepaid sim can also be bought as mentioned by an earlier poster, but your phone needs to be unlocked if it is a branded (has provider name on it). It varies by provider on cost/time frame to unlock. As was stated earlier buy a cheapo UNLOCKED GSM phone off of Ebay and get a prepaid sim card and then when you are done put it back on ebay! :)
I had no problem getting my phone unlocked by T-Mobile and it was free. It usually done for long term customers. If you are having trouble getting the phone unlocked you can look here for assistance: http://unlock.nokiafree.org/. Also if you use T-Mobile phone with a T-Mobile Sim card you must be signed up for international calling, it is free. If you do not sign up you will not be able to use your T-Mobile abroad although you phone may be unlocked.

Buying a SIM card abroad may not be your best alternative if you do not plan to make a lot of calls. A SIM card will run you about 20 Euros but you only get 10 Euros credit for outgoing minutes (incoming calls are free). Another way to keep in touch is via text message (T-Mobile charges 30 cent per message).
 
#11 ·
glenmal said:
With Razor V3 phone, you do not need SIMM card, they are 4 band and set to work in most countries. Using a Cingular phone in Europe is $1.76 per minute.
Not true at all. All GSM mobiles require a SIM (it's Subscriber Interface Module, not SIMM).
 
#12 ·
Jspira said:
Not true at all. All GSM mobiles require a SIM (it's Subscriber Interface Module, not SIMM).
:stupid:

I'd listen to Jonny here ;) He is the authority in BMW, Mobile Phone as well as BlueTooth. Don't you fellas read the CCA publication Roundel ??!! :D
 
#14 ·
#16 ·
bmwgrrl said:
You might want to post on garmin forum (http://forum.bargainpda.com/forumdisplay.php?f=53) your request to rent a gps. The people over there are very nice and one might offer to loan you theirs if you ask very nice.

If I can get my hands on City Select Europe for cheap I'll offer to lend you mine :D
I'm doing my ED in November and was thinking of doing the same.
City select europe is not cheap at all. I bought this 3 cd set from gpsnow.com for $299.
This is garmin's way of making money.

-jc.
 
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