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barrysharp
02-06-2003, 12:24 PM
I have a Sony-Ericsson T68i GSM/GPRS cell phone (My Service provider is AT&T Wireless) that supposedly is usable in Europe. My service plan does allow me to make international calls with it while in the USA.

Can this cell phone be used in Sweden/Norway? Should I stop by at a local AT&T store and buy a SIM card to avoid the excessive AT&T long distance international calling rates. I assume buying a SIM card for this purpose would also mean my cell phone number would be different so long as I have the new SIM card in place!

Has anyone ever done this with their own cell phone to facilitate having an operational cell phone at their disposal while they travel about Europe?

Thanks in advance.

bavioder
02-06-2003, 01:24 PM
You will need to get your phone unlocked in order to use any other carriers sim card.  If you know a disgruntled employee at a cell-phone store, he should be able to un-lock it.  Otherwise, you are  stuck using World Connect which is outrageously priced.  Check e-bay for unlocked phones.

barrysharp
02-06-2003, 01:44 PM
My phone is locked to AT&T Wireless. AT&T Wireless exists in Europe so I would think they could provide me with a local SIM card and new tel. number and then I should be on my way so to speak. I'll discuss this with my AT&T service people I think.

stevel0923
02-06-2003, 02:03 PM
Correct me if I am wrong but I read somewhere that Volvo OSD will provide a cell phone during your travel in Europe in case of emergencies. Considering how its all paid for, I wouldn't bother bring your own phone. Here's an excerpt and the official link....


</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">
When you order your new Volvo through the Overseas Delivery Program, you&#39;re automatically entitled to the free rental of a GSM phone that you can use anywhere in Europe for seven days. All you have to pay for are the call charges, which you can easily charge to your credit card.

How it works

A WorldCell&#39;s rental phone is Fedexed to you before you travel. It provides you with one number that you can be reached at no matter where you are in Europe. Your phone also comes with a personalized voicemail box for your convenience. After you return from your trip, all you have to do is use the FedEx envelope provided to return the phone.
[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>

http://new.volvocars.com/overseas/osd_ifmcworldcell.asp

bavioder
02-06-2003, 02:06 PM
AT&amp;T wireless is in Europe with a product called World Connect. &nbsp; The problem is that it is &#036;7.99 a month and &#036;1 a minute air time charges. &nbsp;If you had an unlocked phone you could get a cheap sim card from another provider and get a lot cheaper rates than &#036;1 a minute.

barrysharp
02-06-2003, 03:18 PM
</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Correct me if I am wrong but I read somewhere that Volvo OSD will provide a cell phone during your travel in Europe in case of emergencies. Considering how its all paid for, I wouldn&#39;t bother bring your own phone.[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>

Yes this is true -- but you have to pay for each call made/received and there&#39;s no info on the call rates. I want to know about call charges and I&#39;m thinking I have better control over this using my own T68i cell phone that will operate in Europe. I can use my T68i as is and keep my current cell phone number but the call rates would be high as it would be like me calling Sweden from the USA even though I was physically in Sweden.

It should be a simple matter of swapping out my SIM card and pop in a locally supplied one and get a much better call rate -- at least this is my current thinking. I should be able to get a prepaid SIM card, right? Anyone in Europe correct me if I&#39;m wrong about this please.

The main reason for having my cell phone operational and to secure low call rates to USA is because my 35 yr old son will be travelling with me and he&#39;s in the filming business in LA and makes tons of calls and receives tons of calls -- it&#39;s the way the entertainment industry works -- they contantly stay in touch and do business and make contacts etc.

BTW what&#39;s the cell phone GSM coverage like in Sweden and Norway? I&#39;m told GSM is very popular in Europe and is only now starting to catch on in parts of USA.

Is it illegal for driver to use cell phone when driving? If so, what&#39;s the fine if you&#39;re pulled over -- just want to forewarn my son about this aspect.

bavioder
02-07-2003, 08:24 AM
I guess I was not clear. &nbsp;AT&amp;T GSM phones are locked to only except AT&amp;T SIM Cards and connect to the AT&amp;T Network. &nbsp;Therefore, you will only be able to use it at AT&amp;T rates and plans through the World Connect which is outrageous expensive(&#036;1 a minute both sending and receiving calls). &nbsp;Now if you unlock your phone, then you can except a SIM card from a another carrier using the GSM network which is more affordable than using the World Connect Plan. &nbsp;If you got to sweden and pick up a prepaid sim card and put it into your phone it will not work, just the same as if you placed a voicestream sim card into your phone in the US. &nbsp;I know all of this from frequent trips on business to Europe and using the World Connect program and prepaid phone cards. &nbsp;

Here is a whole discussion of the topic:
http://www.wirelessadvisor.com/waforum....id=3928 (http://www.wirelessadvisor.com/waforums/messageview.cfm?catid=25&threadid=3928)


Also everyone in Sweden seems to be talking on their cell phone all of the time. &nbsp;I wouldn&#39;t worry about coverage except in areas in the middle of no where.

barrysharp
02-07-2003, 11:49 AM
Well -- I greatly appreciate the updates on the cell phone issues related to cost.

It may be easier/sufficient and with much less expense to use internet cafe facilities to conduct communication via Email etc. I wonder how pervasive internet cafe facilities are in Sweden/Norway -- and do hotels etc provide internet hookups for portables?

Does FDC provide internet access? Will they allow me to hookup my portable computer to the internet?

bavioder
02-07-2003, 01:39 PM
Most hotels have a business lounge with internet access. &nbsp;I didn&#39;t see many internet cafes in cities.

lausch
02-10-2003, 12:29 PM
You might also consider renting an i2000plus from Nextel.

Nextel Worldwide Rental Program (http://www.nextel.com/services/worldwide/nww_rental_program.shtml)

The per minute rate while in Sweden, to anywhere in the world (i.e. US plus over 80 other countries) is just &#036;1.29.

wiz
02-10-2003, 09:55 PM
You MUST have an unlocked phone to use a local Euro SIM card (about &#036;35). Phone technology is much more sophisticated and pervasive in Europe than in the U.S., I was in Finland last year and as someone remarked about Sweden, the Finns seem to be on the phone all the time. A mobile phone will work just about anywhere.

Internet cafes are common in the big cities, not so much in the smaller ones. Increasing use is being made of SMS - a text messaging system limited to around 140 characters. I have T-Mobile service with a Handspring Treo, and used SMS constantly in Prague last year - cost is around 10c per message to anywhere in the world - its great&#33; http://xc70.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif