Which cell phone to take?/

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
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Dear Board Members or Lurkers:

This evening we will be leaving SDQ for FLL in order to spend a week with our Grandson and our daughter in West Palm Beach.

SOOOOOOOOOO, the QUESTION is: Do I take my ORANGE cell or my Tricom (in a former life a USA Verizon cell phone) cell phone??

AND, how do I go about getting service there for a week>? Or are there alternatives>?

Thank all y'all kindly!!

HB
 

Rocky

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Apr 4, 2002
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www.rockysbar.com
Dear Board Members or Lurkers:

This evening we will be leaving SDQ for FLL in order to spend a week with our Grandson and our daughter in West Palm Beach.

SOOOOOOOOOO, the QUESTION is: Do I take my ORANGE cell or my Tricom (in a former life a USA Verizon cell phone) cell phone??

AND, how do I go about getting service there for a week>? Or are there alternatives>?

Thank all y'all kindly!!

HB
I know nothing about the cellphones there, but just wanted to wish you bon voyage.:bunny:
 

Matilda

RIP Lindsay
Sep 13, 2006
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Call Orange client services and they will arrange for roaming so your phone will work there
 

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
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Yes, roaming is out of the question, it is way, way over our budget.
I figuered I could go to a cell place and get a different chip or a prepaid chip, something of that sort...
It's just for a week, after all.

Merci, for that "bon voyage!"

HB
 

Ken

Platinum
Jan 1, 2002
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Hillbilly,

Take your Orange phone. When you get to Florida, go to a Walmart and buy the package they sell for about US$10 that includes a Cingular SIM card. Follow the instructions in the package to get a phone number and buy time from Cingular. Make calls. Keep in mind that in the US you get charged for both incoming and outgoing calls.

This is what I did when I went to the US.
 

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
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Thank you all so much. Orange it is!!

Much appreciated by this technologically deficient hillbilly.

HB
 

cobraboy

Pro-Bono Demolition Hobbyist
Jul 24, 2004
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Any unlocked phone with a SIM card will work, you just have to get a new SIM and phone # in the states. Cingular is now AT&T, available in a ton of places.
 

GALK

New member
Mar 12, 2006
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Does the SIM card have a time limit?
I assume that the minutes you buy do have a time limit.
 

GALK

New member
Mar 12, 2006
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Thanks for the brilliant advise.

At least in Europe the minutes you buy expire after one calenderyear if not used.
 

Alyonka

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Jun 3, 2006
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The best is NOT to use your cell phone abroad and not trust what customer service people tell you about plans and roaming charges. They are EXPENSIVE and they will charge for even voice messages that someone leaves you. The best way is to either get a sim card for your phone or buy and prepaid phone with certain number of minutes on it in the country you are visiting. It is better not to risk it.
 

Ken

Platinum
Jan 1, 2002
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Does the SIM card have a time limit?
I assume that the minutes you buy do have a time limit.

If you are like Hillbilly and going to use the phone for only a short period of time, after a period of time the phone number will be lost. You can keep same Sim card, but you will have to reregister with the company you are using as service provider.

The minutes have a predetermined life. Usually the more minutes on the card, the longer the card is good for.
 

SantiagoDR

The "REAL" SantiagoDR
Jan 12, 2006
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Late response - but future referrence

Wal-mart has a TracFone Motorola GSM C139-4 on sale for only $15 U.S. (Normally $18.95 U:S.) and you can get a 30 unit card for $10 U.S.

Don SantiagoDR


PS: MrMike I loved your response about minute limits, still laughing!
 

GALK

New member
Mar 12, 2006
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If you are like Hillbilly and going to use the phone for only a short period of time, after a period of time the phone number will be lost. You can keep same Sim card, but you will have to reregister with the company you are using as service provider.

The minutes have a predetermined life. Usually the more minutes on the card, the longer the card is good for.

For my yearly vacation in Europe I'm ok, i bought a mobilephone and buy the minutes, the number remains the same.
Unfortunately, if you exceed 12 month after your last charging the remaining time expires.

I do approx. 10 to 12 trips per year to the US each only 1 or 2 days and up to now I stay without mobilephone because I could not find an easy and inexpensive solution.
 

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
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HB in Wonderland.

We went to WalMart. Bought an $18,95 GO with $10 worth of time and a new cell phone. Small Motorola model C-139 (nothing fancy)
We'll get a 20% bonus when we crank up the phone a little later today. Minutes are rounded up (5 sec. use = 1 minute charge); ring time is charged after a few seconds; and there are other charges....but, all told it is the cheapest i have found...

I brought my Tricom (Veriozon in a former life) cell phone and will see what they offer too...and try to document it.

thank you all for the information. Ain't the internet wonderdful?

HB
 

Rocky

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Apr 4, 2002
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HB in Wonderland.

We went to WalMart. Bought an $18,95 GO with $10 worth of time and a new cell phone. Small Motorola model C-139 (nothing fancy)
We'll get a 20% bonus when we crank up the phone a little later today. Minutes are rounded up (5 sec. use = 1 minute charge); ring time is charged after a few seconds; and there are other charges....but, all told it is the cheapest i have found...

I brought my Tricom (Veriozon in a former life) cell phone and will see what they offer too...and try to document it.

thank you all for the information. Ain't the internet wonderdful?

HB
So now that you have a phone, you have no excuse to not phone me to chat about the meaning of life.
Enjoy your stay abroad.
 

SantiagoDR

The "REAL" SantiagoDR
Jan 12, 2006
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HB in Wonderland.

We went to WalMart. Bought an $18,95 GO with $10 worth of time and a new cell phone. Small Motorola model C-139 (nothing fancy)

Now HB, did you do that because of my post just above yours by 2, or just a coincidence? ;) lol