Cell Phone Rental

drayman86 · Post by **drayman86** » Wed 13th May 2009 12:42 pm

Still planning, and I'm just 20 weeks or so from my trip date.

Thinking that renting a cell phone would be a good idea. I've done a bit of searching, and THIS SITE seems to have the best deal for me; I'm traveling from the states.

Anyone have a better suggestions?

Thanks!

cattales1960 · Post by **cattales1960** » Wed 13th May 2009 01:37 pm

There are tons of places that you can rent phones. I invested 100 dollars and got an unlocked phone from the US and then bought a SIM card there. Either way will work,.

sh@dy · Post by **sh@dy** » Wed 13th May 2009 01:54 pm

you could ask around the locals here on this forum if they can lend you a cellphone for the time being there....otherwise the deal you posted seems ok

Amstermove · Post by **Amstermove** » Wed 13th May 2009 04:05 pm

You could buy a Netbook and use Skype to make calls at any WiFi location.

Just my 2cents

Clayman · Post by **Clayman** » Wed 13th May 2009 11:30 pm

cattales1960 wrote:There are tons of places that you can rent phones. I invested 100 dollars and got an unlocked phone from the US and then bought a SIM card there. Either way will work,.

you can also do some googling on cellphone hacking in order to unlock the phone you already have. (if it uses sim cards that is. some providers use phones with a non changeable sim card, so unlocking it wouldnt do you much good)

drayman86 · Post by **drayman86** » Thu 14th May 2009 01:09 am

Thanks for the replies.

Sombrero · Post by **Sombrero** » Thu 14th May 2009 01:26 am

drayman86 · Post by **drayman86** » Thu 14th May 2009 10:24 am

There's also THIS option.

So, the choices are either rent for about $100 US that includes a pretty OK account credit for calls. or buy the Mobal phone for $50 US and be subject to some pretty hefty per-minute fees of about $1.50 US per minute.

My cell is from the employer, so don't want to hack it, and I don't want to chance purchasing a SIM card since not much experience with such.

Will have to decide, but likely will go with the $100 model that includes talk time. I'd LOVE to phone my buddy in the states from a coffeeshop so he can hear:

1. The striking of the lighter
2. The bubbling of the bong.
3. Me hitting myself in the head with my shoe while I exclaim "Hear that? That was my head! I am SO wasted"!

Thanks again for all the replies.

milehigh · Post by **milehigh** » Thu 14th May 2009 02:08 pm

You can buy prepaid cell phones all over town starting at 10Euros Most of them charge about .90 a minute to call to the states. Top off cards are available at all Tobacco shops and grocery stores. You would be foolish to go with one of those stupid international online deals. Just wait till you arrive and you can walk into any phone store(there are lots of them in every neighborhood. At the stores they start at about 30Euros. If you come across a FEBO first you might find one for 10Euro. Anyway you look at it is way cheaper and better service then any of those other deals. Don't sweat it really.

You can look here for some rates, etc.
www.vodafone.nl

Vodafone is the service I use and it works great.

codejd · Post by **codejd** » Thu 14th May 2009 05:14 pm

Verizon doesn't do SIM cards besides in Blackberry and one Motorola...i paid $9.99 that covered the shipping (plus return shipping) of a Motorola Z6C that works flawlessly...they charge $1.29 per minute(!) but i paid a pro-ratio of $4.99 to make it .99cents per minute. not a great deal but it works for what we need, besides they have a house phone in the apt.

drayman86 · Post by **drayman86** » Thu 14th May 2009 07:08 pm

milehigh wrote:You can buy prepaid cell phones all over town starting at 10Euros Most of them charge about .90 a minute to call to the states. Top off cards are available at all Tobacco shops and grocery stores. You would be foolish to go with one of those stupid international online deals. Just wait till you arrive and you can walk into any phone store(there are lots of them in every neighborhood. At the stores they start at about 30Euros. If you come across a FEBO first you might find one for 10Euro. Anyway you look at it is way cheaper and better service then any of those other deals. Don't sweat it really.

You can look here for some rates, etc.
www.vodafone.nl

Vodafone is the service I use and it works great.

I'll very likely take your advice and wait until I hit town and go with the pre-paid deals you mentioned.

Perhaps I could treat you to a spliff when I'm there in October as thanks?

Cheers!

cattales1960 · Post by **cattales1960** » Fri 15th May 2009 03:53 am

drayman86 wrote:There's also THIS option.

So, the choices are either rent for about $100 US that includes a pretty OK account credit for calls. or buy the Mobal phone for $50 US and be subject to some pretty hefty per-minute fees of about $1.50 US per minute.

My cell is from the employer, so don't want to hack it, and I don't want to chance purchasing a SIM card since not much experience with such.

Will have to decide, but likely will go with the $100 model that includes talk time. I'd LOVE to phone my buddy in the states from a coffeeshop so he can hear:

1. The striking of the lighter
2. The bubbling of the bong.
3. Me hitting myself in the head with my shoe while I exclaim "Hear that? That was my head! I am SO wasted"!

Thanks again for all the replies.

Alot of coffeeshops do not allow you to use cell phones while in there. Im not sure why, I just see the signs everywhere

milehigh · Post by **milehigh** » Fri 15th May 2009 07:02 am

cattales1960 wrote:Alot of coffeeshops do not allow you to use cell phones while in there. Im not sure why, I just see the signs everywhere

When you are trying to enjoy your 17 Euro a gram buzz, do you like to hear a cell phone ringing loudly and then someone telling their life story? I sure don't. Please take the cell calls outside.

Clayman · Post by **Clayman** » Fri 15th May 2009 08:32 am

do you guys not have disposable cell phones over there btw?

i figure you gotta with the amount of illlegal drugs moving around.

in the US you can go to most 7/11s and buy a 30 dollar prepaid cellphone with cash. they're literally disposable, and since smart people pay cash and dont say their names on the phone, untraceable or useable as evidence so long as you dont have it on you when you're arrested.