vB Easy Archive - How much for SIM card?

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How much for SIM card?
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Posted by: jmssucla

I'm traveling to Germany, Austria, and Italy soon with my unlocked quad-band GSM phone. I'd like to buy a local SIM card and a few minutes. How much should I expect to spend? 10 EUR for the SIM and 10-15 EUR credit?

Posted by: coppercox

E-bay has some users selling sim cards with german numbers. Although they are a bit more expensive ($25-30) you get all incoming calls free and will know your number before you leave home. You get some minutes added also (10 euros) with those purchases and can top off minutes by purchasing cards at most gas stations and supermarkets in europe.
If you goto the german e-bay site you can get it drastically cheaper but many will not ship to the U.S. so if your hotel accepts packages for you have it mailed and waiting when you arrive. Also reading german helps you understand what your getting.

Posted by: jmssucla

How much can I expect to spend for a SIM card once in Germany? Shouldn't be too hard to find them at convenience stores, gas stations, or ATMs.

Posted by: coppercox

5 euros will get you the cheapest sim card in Germany. That will usually include 5 euros of airtime also. You can buy more minutes with top off cards.

Posted by: rockjock

I was just in Germany a few weeks back, for 19.95 euros you get the sim card and 10 euros of call time, and thats with Vodafone so you are sure to get coverage all over europe. Instructions are in english also, so when you check your balance its in english. You can pick it up at the airport or any vodafone shop. Top up cards are easy to find and to use.

Oh and incomming calls are free.. forgot to mention that. balance is good for a year.

Posted by: psionandy

Quote:

Originally Posted by rockjock

I was just in Germany a few weeks back, for 19.95 euros you get the sim card and 10 euros of call time, and thats with Vodafone so you are sure to get coverage all over europe. Instructions are in english also, so when you check your balance its in english. You can pick it up at the airport or any vodafone shop. Top up cards are easy to find and to use.

Oh and incomming calls are free.. forgot to mention that. balance is good for a year.

although you're going to get cheaper rates for uk calls if you buy a new vodafone sim in the UK... Even though vodafone is the same company, it doesn't really provide cheap roaming across borders.

Posted by: rockjock

T OP said Germany Austria and Italy so while it will not be super cheap, the germany austria one is cheap and italy was not that bad at all. I was stationed near the German Dutch border and from time to time I would get bumped to the Vodafone.NL and the cost for calls was the same. The rates are not all that bad at all compared to canada LOL so I am sure he/she wqill be fine.

G

Quote:

Originally Posted by psionandy

although you're going to get cheaper rates for uk calls if you buy a new vodafone sim in the UK... Even though vodafone is the same company, it doesn't really provide cheap roaming across borders.

Posted by: x52

Hi guys!

Here in Italy you will find Sim cards on sale for as little as 5,00 € with 5,00 € of credit inside!

In some shops they even give them for free!

I would suggest you buying a local Sim card everywhere you go, because the prices for local calls (which I guess you need to make, in order to book hotels and so on...) are much lower this way!

Also, remember you won't pay anything to receive a call, all across Europe, you will only pay the outgoing calls you make!
Have a nice stay in Europe!

Posted by: blk835

I recommend a prepaid international SIM card from OneSimCard.com. It costs 40 dollars and comes with 10 dollars worth of airtime included. It works in over 150 countries so you don't have to keep buying new prepaid sim cards. The number never expires and you can add funds to the card via the website or directly through the phone. Rates can be much cheaper than using local carriers, especially in Europe. I used mine in Europe before and the sound quality was great. Never had any problems. Hope this helps

Posted by: rockjock

OneSim's rates were too high from what I read, the coverage was spotty and it was far easier to just go with the Vodafone sim and be able to use it all over europe. If there is an issue you are a customer of Vodafone not a 3rd party with no local support.

Once you are done with the sim you can easily sell it and make back your euros.

G

Quote:

Originally Posted by blk835

I recommend a prepaid international SIM card from OneSimCard.com. It costs 40 dollars and comes with 10 dollars worth of airtime included. It works in over 150 countries so you don't have to keep buying new prepaid sim cards. The number never expires and you can add funds to the card via the website or directly through the phone. Rates can be much cheaper than using local carriers, especially in Europe. I used mine in Europe before and the sound quality was great. Never had any problems. Hope this helps

Posted by: scotsboyuk

The comments about free incoming calls are somewhat misleading. Each European country has its own networks, there is no single European network that covers the entire continent. When you use a SIM card outside of its home country you are roaming and you may be charged for incoming calls. The only way to guarantee that you will receive free incoming calls in each country is to buy a SIM card in each country.

Within the European Union the maximum you can be charged for making a call whilst roaming is 0.49 euros/min and 0.24 euros/min for receiving a call. These charges only apply to EU networks.