Going to Germany, Any Issues bringing my GSM Quad Band Phone?

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Scott Townsend - 07 Apr 2005 01:33 GMT

I'll be traveling to Germany. I have a Siemens SX-66 Quad band Phone. Will
I have any issues? Should I Call someone at Cingular and let them know?

Thanks,
Scott<-

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Stanley Reynolds - 07 Apr 2005 02:35 GMT

> I'll be traveling to Germany. I have a Siemens SX-66 Quad band Phone. Will
> I have any issues? Should I Call someone at Cingular and let them know?

Yes call them you need international roaming enabled ask, about the rates,
then ask them how to unlock your phone so you can use a prepaid sim check
here :
http://www.gsm-prepaid.net/en/index.html
http://www.planetomni.com/SIM_CTRY_germany_DTL.shtml
http://www.cellularabroad.com/germanyppsc.html
If you read German :
http://www.tchibo.de/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/eCS/Store/de/-/EUR/TdTchBrowseCat
alog-Start;sid=kxB-te20-kF-tazpnGd00e43BYaVAlfeAtY=?CategoryName=mobil&source=AK
F

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Stanley Reynolds - 07 Apr 2005 03:02 GMT

> If you read German :

http://www.tchibo.de/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/eCS/Store/de/-/EUR/TdTchBrowseCat
alog-Start;sid=kxB-te20-kF-tazpnGd00e43BYaVAlfeAtY=?CategoryName=mobil&source=AK
F

Even if you don't read German the 19.95 with a 10.00 credit is a good deal,
free incoming calls and sms, .19 to send a sms. amounts are in EUR
1 EUR = 1.28776 USD or 1 USD = 0.776542 EUR

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Stanley Reynolds - 07 Apr 2005 03:37 GMT

Found the roaming rates 1.29 usd per min.

http://www.cingular.com/customer_service/roaming_gen

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Robert Saville - 07 Apr 2005 03:59 GMT

Free incoming sound good, but to call a "free incoming" number from US is
very costly. Last year after checking all of the cell costs, I decided to
use the land lines and prepad\id cards.

Bob

> Found the roaming rates 1.29 usd per min.
>
> http://www.cingular.com/customer_service/roaming_gen

Reply to this Message

Stanley Reynolds - 07 Apr 2005 05:13 GMT

> Free incoming sound good, but to call a "free incoming" number from US is
> very costly. Last year after checking all of the cell costs, I decided to
> use the land lines and prepad\id cards.

For me in the usa vontage VOIP would be $0.29 usd to call a german cell
phone vs $0.04 for a german land line.
If I call from the usa using a calling card to a german cell phone it's .06

http://cheapphonecards.com/cccart/customer/product.php?productid=170&XCARTSESSID
=03595b001ed385153beb6388e39bcc9f

It's no where near the 1.29 cingular wants for roaming. If you want to roam
they do offer a discount program at the web page with the rates. Think the
discount is down to .99 usd. I also used landlines and a calling card on my
trip to europe but it was a personal vs a working trip, internet email was
free to cheap most places less than $1 us for 30 min. Using SMS messages
would be cheap and you don't have to think about the time difference.
Vistors to the US from europe I know call home abt 1 or 2 times a week using
prepaid calling cards and SMS several times a day. Guess your budget will
determine what is best for you, but at a $1 a min there are lots of cheaper
options.

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Bubba DeBub - 07 Apr 2005 17:37 GMT

Yup, Bend over :-(

> Found the roaming rates 1.29 usd per min.
>
> http://www.cingular.com/customer_service/roaming_gen

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Joseph - 07 Apr 2005 04:47 GMT

>I'll be traveling to Germany. I have a Siemens SX-66 Quad band Phone. Will
>I have any issues? Should I Call someone at Cingular and let them know?

International roaming is not on by default. You have to notify
cingular and they may do a further credit check to see if they think
you are worth the risk of high roaming bills.

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Bubba DeBub - 07 Apr 2005 17:36 GMT

You will get raped and sodimized on the roaming charges. Are you prepared
for that?

> I'll be traveling to Germany. I have a Siemens SX-66 Quad band Phone.
> Will I have any issues? Should I Call someone at Cingular and let them
> know?
>
> Thanks,
> Scott<-

Reply to this Message

Joseph - 08 Apr 2005 01:21 GMT

>You will get raped and sodimized on the roaming charges. Are you prepared
>for that?

Some people are into that!

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svnnahsdaddy4701 - 20 Apr 2005 03:25 GMT

Dude, seriously get off it. We get what you are saying which is stupid if
you need to use the phone there if you are say oh I dont know on business
and driving and need the phone while you are on the road. Oh, driving around
and say there happens to be a family emergency back home in the states,
wouldnt you like people to be able to get a hold of you? BTW, you are the
type that give rednecks a bad name.

For coverage with GSM, you can also check www.gsmworld.com Not sure if
anyone else has mentioned it but it shows coverage maps, the carriers, the
frequencies and all for GSM. I use it all the time. Plus you can zoom in a
little as well.

Night yall.

> You will get raped and sodimized on the roaming charges. Are you prepared
> for that?
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
>> Thanks,
>> Scott<-

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Jack Zwick - 20 Apr 2005 13:17 GMT

> Dude, seriously get off it. We get what you are saying which is stupid if
> you need to use the phone there if you are say oh I dont know on business
[quoted text clipped - 19 lines]
> >> Thanks,
> >> Scott<-

One should get their phone unlocked (Quad bands sold prior to 11/04
were), and buy a prepaid Sim in Germany. FAR CHEAPER than the dollars
per minute Cingular would charge you.

If you have a newer phone, call Cingular, and tell them you're going
to Europe and need your phone unlocked.

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tommy - 20 Apr 2005 15:06 GMT

>> Dude, seriously get off it. We get what you are saying which is stupid if
>> you need to use the phone there if you are say oh I dont know on business
[quoted text clipped - 26 lines]
>If you have a newer phone, call Cingular, and tell them you're going
>to Europe and need your phone unlocked.

That is just what I did. I will be in Greece in June. I called
Cingular CS and put in a request for my unlock code for my V551. In 5
days I got a call from the agent and she emailed me my code with
instructions. Got hold of a friend's T-Mobil SIM, unlock code worked
fine.

I checked the prices for airtime of prepaid SIM's in Greece and the
prices are great.

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Lester Mosley - 21 Apr 2005 09:21 GMT

> >One should get their phone unlocked (Quad bands sold prior to 11/04
> >were), and buy a prepaid Sim in Germany. FAR CHEAPER than the dollars
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
> I checked the prices for airtime of prepaid SIM's in Greece and the
> prices are great.

I almost bought a GSM phone when in Germany, but all the pre-paid would
not work in the US as well. - about the same prices for a pre-paid
phone there as here in the states..

You can buy Sims cheap and the "refill cards" cheap as well that you
just enter a code and then you got more time!

I just wish the "free incomming" worked when they called us in the
states on that "local" number!

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Joseph - 21 Apr 2005 12:54 GMT

>I just wish the "free incomming" worked when they called us in the
>states on that "local" number!

You are perhaps unaware that for the "free" incoming in Europe anyone
who calls them pays the equivalent of sometimes up to ten times the
cost for a local call. The call may be free for you but hardly for
the calling party. Someone pays the airtime. It's not free! The
person who's calling you pays dearly for the "privilege" of calling
you. There's no negotiating as the persons calling you will pay the
tariffed rate. TANSTAAFL (there's no such thing as a free lunch.)

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nospam@ptd.net - 21 Apr 2005 14:23 GMT

>>I just wish the "free incomming" worked when they called us in the
>>states on that "local" number!
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
>
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Unless of course you were a Voicestream (from Omnipoint to t-mobile)
customer a few years ago when all incoming minutes really were free.
I think that went on for over a year because they couldn't figure out
how to bill it.

But then it really wasn't free for Voicestream was it, since they ate
the roaming charges.

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Lester Mosley - 22 Apr 2005 09:41 GMT

> >I just wish the "free incomming" worked when they called us in the
> >states on that "local" number!
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> you. There's no negotiating as the persons calling you will pay the
> tariffed rate. TANSTAAFL (there's no such thing as a free lunch.)

I was very aware of this.. I've called friends in .de and paid 3.5c a
min to their house, and about 27 cents a min to their cell.

PS. I think yah got an extra A there

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Joseph - 15 May 2005 21:22 GMT

>> >I just wish the "free incomming" worked when they called us in the
>> >states on that "local" number!
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
>
>PS. I think yah got an extra A there

TANSTAAFL=There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch. No extra A's
anywhere that I can see.
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Scott Townsend - 08 Apr 2005 06:43 GMT

Thank you all for your input...
Scott<-

> I'll be traveling to Germany. I have a Siemens SX-66 Quad band Phone.
> Will I have any issues? Should I Call someone at Cingular and let them
> know?
>
> Thanks,
> Scott<-

Reply to this Message