suggestions for phone for US/Germany/Italy/Switzerland/Austria use

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Kitty Panza - 30 Mar 2006 18:27 GMT

I'm looking at buying a new cell phone. I'm going with Cingular because
that is what my husband has, so we would save on calls to ourselves.
I'll be traveling over to Europe, primarily Germany, Italy, Switzerland
and Austria, during January and February the next few years. I'd like
to be able to use my phone on my travels so that I can just give out my
one phone number.

I'd like suggestions for what phone would be worth considering. I'd
like to have the largest, most clear screen possible as my primary
issue. Camera is not needed.

On the topic of international calls - is there any huge difference in
cost between just using my Cingular vs doing a pay-as-you-go phone plan
in Europe?

Thanks!

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John Navas - 30 Mar 2006 18:52 GMT

>I'm looking at buying a new cell phone. I'm going with Cingular because
>that is what my husband has, so we would save on calls to ourselves.
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>like to have the largest, most clear screen possible as my primary
>issue. Camera is not needed.

Motorola V557.

>On the topic of international calls - is there any huge difference in
>cost between just using my Cingular vs doing a pay-as-you-go phone plan
>in Europe?

There is a huge difference. You'll need to unlock a Cingular-branded phone to
use an overseas SIM. After you've had the phone for 30 days, ask Cingular for
the unlock code.

See the FAQ below for more information on international usage.

Signature

Best regards, SEE THE FAQ FOR CINGULAR WIRELESS AT
John Navas <http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Cingular_Wireless_FAQ>

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Kitty Panza - 30 Mar 2006 22:30 GMT

> [POSTED TO alt.cellular.cingular - REPLY ON USENET PLEASE]
>
[quoted text clipped - 20 lines]
>
> See the FAQ below for more information on international usage.

Thanks. I will take a look at that phone. I had been thinking of
T-Mobile for my service, but I'd end up using more of my time talking to
my husband on his Cingular phone. I've heard about the unlocking deal.

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SMS - 30 Mar 2006 23:25 GMT

> On the topic of international calls - is there any huge difference in
> cost between just using my Cingular vs doing a pay-as-you-go phone plan
> in Europe?

A big difference.

You should check out "http://www.prepaidgsm.net/" for more options in
each country. This is really the best site for information on your options.

International SIM cards with free (for you) incoming calls can be found at:

"http://www.telestial.com/view_product.php?PRODUCT_ID=MSIM-EX01" or
"http://www.telestial.com/view_product.php?PRODUCT_ID=MSIM-MB01".

I'd use this service to have a single phone number for free incoming
calls, but I'd probably use a calling card in the county you're in for
outgoing calls, rather than pay around 60 cents/minute. It's a
Luxembourg phone number.

The least expensive method for pay-as-you-go in Europe involves a
separate SIM card for each country, since one SIM card that works all
over Europe will be expensive. The downside of that is that you have a
different phone number in each country, but you could sign up for a U.S
number at Stanaphone.com for $4.95 per month, and then set up forwarding
to your GSM phone in Europe. In this way you could get a country
specific SIM card in each country, but your phone number in the U.S.
would stay the same. This would avoid your callers having to dial a
Luxembourg phone number as used by the international SIM cards. However
you'd have to log on to stanaphone to change the forwarding number
whenever you changed SIM cards. And of course, you'd be paying for all
the international charges from stanaphone, rather than your caller
paying to call a mobile phone.

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SMS - 31 Mar 2006 22:15 GMT

> I'm looking at buying a new cell phone. I'm going with Cingular because
> that is what my husband has, so we would save on calls to ourselves.
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> like to have the largest, most clear screen possible as my primary
> issue.

Largest screen in a non-PDA quad band phone would probably be the
Cingular 2125. A Razr would also fit your requirements.

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