Heads up in spain... I travelled around most work. Blau is Good, but the best card was YOIGO awesome! except for the annoying pop ups continously. The trick here is to find one that you can set the APN codes as that will have to be done by you. Yoigo required some help from a spanish friend and a call to Yoigo. The apn code is: internet yep thats it. Blau was well documented and I could get the code from the pamphlet. Blau was cheap to call but not so cheap with data roaming. Yoigo on the otherhand charged only 3euros max a day no matter how much you data downloaded. but if you popped on and checked your mail then popped off by turning on/off 3g it was about .2 of a euro. Where this maximum came in handy was when walking around a unfamilar town with google maps and all your goodies TomTom excetra.... you get the point compared to a ATT plan you could keep it pretty cheap if you didnt use it all the time. Like for example when you first arrive in Barcelona and have no idea where you are. I bought a 20euro sim and streched it out over two weeks. In the end though its easy to try them and find one you like. Shop around. My iphone was a jailbreak'ed. 3gs. Same thing in portugal, if you drop in and want to make calls just buy a prepaid simcard. Also you have to do a lot of convincing to some of the store clerks that this is going to work. Telemovia is like the at&t there and has everyone convinced that the devil is going to find you if you have an unlocked phone. But once you demonstrate this they all want to know the details...

Hello,
It would be my pleasure to introduce to you the Success-Mobile SIM cards.
We started off with a prepaid US number service that allows international roaming for 49cents in most countries and now we have upgraded our system and now provide other countries on the same network.
Now subscribers would have the options of having a sim card with a country number of choice from any of the following countries for both inbound and outbound.

Now you can get your SIM card and it would carry your choice number from any of the following location for both inbound and outbound calls.

... list removed ...

We would glad to work with you thereby you can now provide you with the Success-Mobile SIM cards that work just the way you want it.

Think about it and lets work.

Email: success@success-mobile.net

* UWT Mobile, http://www.uwtmobile.com
* as low as $.0.39 minute, starts at $29 for the card or free with advanced minute purchase
* Fast Delivery
* try globalcalling
* minutes last a long time card is rechargable
* yes refill it from any computer with paypal or credit card
* SIMS and calls vary from country to country check prices on their website

Hey there I'm traveling to South Korea and I don't understand how the phone service there works. I have a simply, nokia phone I got in New Zealand and also worked in South Africa. Can I use this phone and just buy a sim/minutes while in Seoul? Also, what companies are best for pre-paid and SIMs there?
Thanks!

Only one option was given for data plans (call4care) and their rates are ridiculous (1$ per 200KB?)

Any other options?

I am traveling in Germany and Holland for the next 2 weeks.
Can I get an unlimited pre paid internet only data roaming for my unlocked iPhone 3g.
I don't need to make calls since I Skype
but text would be nice.
Can you suggest anything that would be reasonable?
Thanks
Darren

I am new to this. Have not even purchased a phone yet.
Traveling to the US for a few weeks. Want a phone to
connect with people there and to phone home to Canada.
What is the best way to do this without costing me a
fortune?
If possible it would be nice to pick up my email but not
essential.
Thanks

Hi,

I'm visiting the UK for 30 days, France and Italy for 15 days each.
I will be taking a 10" notebook with an ADSL USB modem.
Can I buy SIMs which will give me mobile internet access in these countries?

thanks for any advice
Sabre

What is the best SIM card deal for Spain, and can I get one at the Madrid airport at 11 PM?

Is it easy to buy a sim card in Australia? Where can I buy it? What's the best one to buy?

I'm visiting Australia for a few weeks and need a sim card to keep contact with family. I would be making a few local calls but would be receiving some international calls. Does anyone know of a pre-paid SIM with free receiving (no hidden charges)?

Thank you:)

Hi,

I am planning to go to Beijing but I am not sure what sim card should I buy when I get there.
I have iPhone and I want to use it for browsing stuffs, emails, etc.
Could u please tell me what sim card should I buy? How much does it cost if u know?
or is there a phone plan which is similar like in Australia?

Thx.

I have an unlocked Curve 8320 that I no longer use.

I am planning on traveling to Greece this month and was wondering if I could purchase a Vodafone pay-as-you-go SIM card that will allow me to use the phone as well as the browser on the BB.

I have purchased these SIM cards for regular (non-BB) phones in the past, but wasn't sure if there is a SIM card available specifically for a Blackberry.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks.

I'll have a 2 - 3 months trip in the USA and Canada (combined). I have an unblocked iPhone 3G which I use when I travel to the US. Last time there I used an ATT prepaid sim card, but I felt it was too expensive.

Does anyone knows of a cheap solution for me to use during 2 or 3 months in USA and Canada? I would also need data transfer (internet) on my iPhone.

I have an idea, but I'm not sure it would work:

I have an unlimited landlines and cell phones calls plan with skype in the US and Canada. I also have a skype phone number in the US. Since I have the skype app in my iPhone, would it be good idea to buy just a data transfer prepaid sim card (1-5G maybe), and then only use iPhone's skype to make all my calls within US and Canada?

thanks

Foreign SIMs can be bought in at least some countries. In the UK there lots of unused US AT&T SIMs on eBay for about £5 with no credit (search for "usa sim"). Standard AT&T terms, $0.25/minute, or $1/day + £0.10/minute, activated & paid via AT&T website. I suppose there are others, haven't checked. Haven't yet tried, but sellers have good feedback and all seems above board. So you can order well before travelling, activate with $15 giving 30 days online just before departure. I expect there are similar offers in other countries; you still have to choose the company & trust the seller, but you arrive with a working phone.

If you have a UK Vodafone phone there is a very useful scheme called Vodafone Passport. Check their website for details, and in what cases (I think it's PAYG as well as contract).
http://online.vodafone.co.uk/dispatch/Portal/appmanager/vodafone/wrp?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=templateBlank&pageID=OS_0100
I have used it successfully. In a number of countries, essentially most of Europe, Australia and NZ, but no American countries, you can use your phone to make calls to the UK or within the country (but not to other countries), and receive calls to your UK number. Sent or received calls cost a flat £0.75 per call (not per minute), plus the normal call costs; e.g., a call to a UK number will cost £0.75 and the minutes will be deducted from your inclusive minutes or charged at the UK rate. You must register first (free). Make sure you have proof you registered; in my experience Vodafone don't always supply services you think you've agreed, and a roaming bill for Australia is not a pretty sight.

If you travel in the Vodafone Passport zone it might be worth getting a Vodafone SIM just for the Passport facility.

I'm from Sydney, Australia & travelling to America (California/Nevada) for 4 weeks from the 22nd of this month. I have a unlocked Apple iPhone 3GS. I emailed AT&T recently asking how much a pre-paid SIM card (with data) would cost and got a reply saying this option is not available which really surprised me (not able to purchase a American SIM card for use on the AT&T network with a iPhone). I was also informed that I can buy a pre-paid cell-phone for texting only which is exactly what I don't want!

Does anyone have any other helpful suggestions? I don't want to use my Australian (Optus) SIM card in America as it will incur very high and expensive costs. I am Deaf so must have access to texting and the net hence the iPhone being very important to me.

Thanks.

Dan.

I am from switzerland and since some of you asked about swiss sims, i'm gonna tell u guys the best deal.

Go for a m-budget-mobile sim card. We have two big chains for grocery stores in switzerland: coop and mirgos. They both sell sim cards on their information-desk/kiosks (exept in the smallest stores, where they might not be available). If you dont find the desk just go ask where to buy a sim card. But dont go for a coop mobile sim! Go for the migros one. It's the shop with the big orange M. They use the swisscom network wich is by far the best. Gr8 coverage all over the country! Calls are 0.28chf (about 30 us CENTS) a minute inside switzerland AND to all other major countries (including US, australia and almost all european countries). Text msgs are 0.1chf(11us cents) to switzerland and tje same major countries. Calls to other countries are very expenside(about 5usd a minute),use a connecting phone card for those countries. I think the sim itself is free(comes with 15chf value at a cost of 15chf) but i'm not sure about that. I'm not sure if data is available, but if it is it will be quite cheap as well.

Cheeerio

From my list of places I have been. I can confirm the following airports has shops and or kiosks to buy prepaid sims

Country
Dominican Republic
Airport - Santo Domingo
Claro, Orange, and Viva

Thailand
Airport - Bangkok
AIS, True mobile, DTAC

Argentina
Airport - Buenos Aires
Personal

Chile
Airport - Santiago
Entel PCS

Ecuador
Airport - Quito
Movistar, Porta

Colombia
Airport - Bogota
Tigo

Kuwait
Airport - Kuwait city
Wataniya Telecom

Israel
Airport - Tel Aviv
Cellcom

United Arab Emirates
Airport - Dubai
ETISALAT

For those that ask how much

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

Lets keep this list going for more airport.

I have used the 'Super EURO' prepaid phone card, and the missing time is absolutely ridiculous. This is total rip-off business. I used the card domestically no more than three times of average 10 minutes and I was out of credit. My credit from the 250 minutes suddenly dropped to 26 minutes by the time I was making the second call. Be aware, everybody!

you get get on the spot 3G SIM card at the airport and anywhere in town. They only need to make a copy of your ID. Very cheap. 5dn for the card and a 10dn recharge gets you a long way. 10dn = approx 6 EUR. However, on my iPhone 3GS, the Tunisiana was usually not working (was working well for local people next to me).
Orange.tn had an offer of unlimited Internet after a 10 dn recharge. Don't know for how long, but enough for a tourist, and worked perfectly, at least in populated areas.

By the way, excellent blog, Brad. Just the info I need. Many people don't realize how cheap and prevalent Internet is in many developping countries. No need to pay for roaming. Just visit a local store.

here are 2 services I know for that purpose: Mobivox and tonazone. Both excellent with variations.

Both give you a local number you can call to make cheap international calls.

with Tonazone you can register friends in many countries and give them a direct local (for them) number to call you whereever you are. This number will work for them only so they must allow CID (caller ID). At the same time you get a local (whereever you are) number to call anywhere you want.

When you arrive in a new country, just register your new location and local phone with them.

This is quite a brilliant idea, if you think about it: hundred of different tonazone customers give the same number in New York to (obviously) different friends; just one local number is used. Very efficient!

Not sure about any limits: e.g. how many people can simultaneously call that number, or how many friends you can have, but sound quality is excellent on both services, from my experience, so far.

I plan on getting the 3 huawei e585 mifi device when traveling to australia, new zealand and the USA.

Does anyone have experience doing this, or can offer info on the best SIM offers and companies to use?
Obviously the device will need to be unlocked, but i have all the info i need to do this myself.

This is the info i have collected so far:
Australia:
Telstra, pre-paid micro sim comes with 3gb data usage $30 (micro sim adaptor would be needed).
http://www.telstra.com.au/shop/Consumer/NGTSOProductDetailsView?catalogId=10101&storeId=10001&productId=88717&langId=-1&categoryId=29101&parent_category_rn=29101&top_category=&SMIDENTITY=NO

New zealand:
2degrees value packs, $20 for 1gb. Though only in 4 major cities.
http://www.2degreesmobile.co.nz/mobilebroadband/valuepacks

Telecom SIM, $30, you get $10 credit plus and extra $10 for registering online. you then get 10mb a day for $1 that day.
http://store.telecom.co.nz/mobile/prepaid/plans

USA:
This i'm less sure of, the only choice is T-mobile or AT&T.
T-mobile offer a web day pass on prepaid sims i believe, for only $1.5 you get unlimited mobile internet use for 24 hours, however could this be used in the e585?
http://support.t-mobile.com/doc/tm24173.xml
Could you get this $20 SIM and make use of the deal?
http://www.myworldphone.com/itemdesc.asp?ic=SIM-PREP-TM100

As far as i'm away the e585 is quad band and could accept these sims, i believe it uses EDGE / GPRS / GSM 850/900/1800/1900 Mhz HSDPA/3G:2100 Mhz

If anyone has any other suggestions please do share.

I came from China with Iphone 4, which prepaid company has Micro sim and best value? i don't use phone for long talk, only for contact and texting purpose.

TIM - tim.com.br

(GSM 1800/1900 Mhz; 3G 2100 MhZ - 850 MHZ in some local) Look it: http://fwd4.me/utq

Prepaid SIM Card costs R$ 10,00 (6.00 USD).

The prepaid 3G data plan costs R$ 0,50/day (0.30 USD) for unlimiteddownload/upload.
Nationwide calls for the same carrier (TIM) costs only R$ 0,25 (0.16USD), isn't a charge for minute, it's a single carge for a call.

Below are the MNO (Mobile Network Operator) in Malaysia:

- www.maxis.com.my - prepaid brand = Hotlink
- www.celcom.com.my - prepaid brand = XPAX
- www.digi.com.my - prepaid brand = DIGI Prepaid
- www.u.com.my - prepaid brand = 018 Prepaid Plan/U Prepaid Plan

Maxis and Celcom are both the bigger brand here with better network coverage throughout the country.
Digi is the most aggressive MNO with their price plan. Their coverage is catching up nowadays.
U Mobile is the latest MNO. Their network coverage is limited but is expanding by signing agreement with other local telco to allow local roaming in their network.
All of them provide mobile prepaid and 3G service.

Other than the above, we have few MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator) here, where they don't have their own infrastructure but tapping on other MNO's network.

- www.xox.com.my/indexConsumer.html
- www.tunetalk.com/
- www.happy.com.my/Default.aspx
- www.redtone.com/
- www.mtradeasia.com/m_mobile.html

Among the above MVNO, XOX and TuneTalk are the most aggresive, with TuneTalk the leading MVNO in Malaysia. Most of them (not all) are tapping on Celcom MNO network, with Happy is on DIGI network.

We have few new breed of mobile network providers here also, other than the MNO and MVNO above.

- www.yes.com.my
- www.p1.com.my

YES is a very new ISP, which claimed their network is fully on a 4G Wimax network. They provide voice and data service SIM-less.
P1 does not provide voice service (as far as I know) but they are another mobile Wimax network provider in Malaysia.

There's a most recent comparison chart on prepaid package that I could find. It is at here:

- http://goo.gl/Q14lm

Otherwise, you can find some local update here:

http://www.rmvalues.com/mobile/mobile.html
http://www.rmvalues.com/mobile/mobile_pre.html
http://www.rmvalues.com/blog/2010/04/11/malaysia-mobile-prepaid-new-comparison-chart/
http://www.malaysianwireless.com/
http://www.prepaidmvno.com/mvno-companies/asia-pacific-mvno-companies/malaysia-mvno-companies/

All in all, if you ask about my personal experience, I would recommend the prepaid from DIGI (with its price plan) if you are not going into the jungle in Malaysia.

(Disclaimer: I am not, by any means, connected to DIGI, or any telco mentioned above.

Hi,

The best plan i found is ulysse mobile sim card

www.ulyssemobile.com

2 numbers on the same card, really best plan for calling abroad and be reachable for local cost

Hello, I have a German Prepaid (D2) Callya Phone. Can I use it in Greece?

Pre-paid SIM/micro-SIM for Paris, France with data for use with unlocked iPhone. Not a lot of data just enough to search for places to go and routes. Thanks!

The best in Lithuania. Most of them similar
Tele2 prepaid. Its around 6 cents to tele2 and 18 cents to others network.
Bite prepaid similar rates
TeleMaxima prepaid: with 1 dollar per month charge, you get around 6 cents to all networks, but the quality of network not the best.
Ezys Prepaid. 2 cents in Ezys network and 18 cents to other networks. Thre is option to pay 2 dollars per month and call at 6 cent per minute to all networks.

Hi,

I'm a student going on a French Exchange Trip soon. I have an unlocked iPhone 4 and would like to use that handset whilst there. I was wondering if you knew of any cheap sim card deals there? I only need basic texting, calling and data nationally but I won't need international calls. I find it's really hard to research this with all the jargon on the websites and this blog is exactly what I need!

Thanks, Sarah. :)

Hi,
I currently have a cell phone, but looking to buy one for a friend who doesn't have a lot of money. He told me that in the tabac stores, they sell bundles with phone and sim. Apparently one company called Rica, and Mobilis. Has anyone heard of these companies?
I am trying to find a way to buy a cell phone if also anyone knows of a place to buy unlocked cellphones.

Thank you
Katarina

Check out this website if you are planning to visit Japan.
It gives a fair introduction of the mobile network market:

http://prepaid-data-sim-card.wikia.com/wiki/Japan