Comments on: Ask BR: Best Prepaid SIM Card For Traveling Europe? (Switzerland Specifically) http://www.berryreview.com/2009/08/04/ask-br-best-prepaid-sim-card-for-traveling-europe-switzerland-specifically/ BlackBerry News and Reviews You Can Use Sun, 12 Feb 2012 19:00:51 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: HollyA http://www.berryreview.com/2009/08/04/ask-br-best-prepaid-sim-card-for-traveling-europe-switzerland-specifically/#comment-38156 HollyA Mon, 30 Nov 2009 20:06:32 +0000 http://www.berryreview.com/2009/08/04/ask-br-best-prepaid-sim-card-for-traveling-europe-switzerland-specifically/#comment-38156 Can you tell me how to find rose-communication? I Googled it and came up with several companies but none who deal in SIM cards. I also have the same question as ronen. I need a SIM card for Switzerland. Thanks. Can you tell me how to find rose-communication? I Googled it and came up with several companies but none who deal in SIM cards. I also have the same question as ronen. I need a SIM card for Switzerland. Thanks.

]]> By: Dane http://www.berryreview.com/2009/08/04/ask-br-best-prepaid-sim-card-for-traveling-europe-switzerland-specifically/#comment-31677 Dane Thu, 01 Oct 2009 14:26:41 +0000 http://www.berryreview.com/2009/08/04/ask-br-best-prepaid-sim-card-for-traveling-europe-switzerland-specifically/#comment-31677 I've been using http://www.roamforce.com, i travel to western Europe a fair bit and it works great. Basically they sell the Sim Card and then bill you on usage at the end of each month (so it's actually post paid) - however there are some advantages to postpaid anyway (only pay for what you use, no need to worry about recharging your account mid trip etc...) I’ve been using http://www.roamforce.com, i travel to western Europe a fair bit and it works great. Basically they sell the Sim Card and then bill you on usage at the end of each month (so it’s actually post paid) – however there are some advantages to postpaid anyway (only pay for what you use, no need to worry about recharging your account mid trip etc…)

]]> By: ari http://www.berryreview.com/2009/08/04/ask-br-best-prepaid-sim-card-for-traveling-europe-switzerland-specifically/#comment-28665 ari Wed, 05 Aug 2009 14:18:54 +0000 http://www.berryreview.com/2009/08/04/ask-br-best-prepaid-sim-card-for-traveling-europe-switzerland-specifically/#comment-28665 hi ronen i know a guy in switzerland who sells all kinds of SWISS prepaid cards. He might be able to help you. There is also a possibility of purchasing an international SIM card with free incoming calls in over 50 countries, and relatively cheap outgoing calling rates. See rose-communication who is offering such a SIM card. have a save trip, enjoy switzerland. If you have any questions about Switzerland, kosher food (there is a kosher list available online) or whatever, just email me. regards hi ronen
i know a guy in switzerland who sells all kinds of SWISS prepaid cards.

He might be able to help you.

There is also a possibility of purchasing an international SIM card with free incoming calls in over 50 countries, and relatively cheap outgoing calling rates.
See rose-communication who is offering such a SIM card.

have a save trip, enjoy switzerland.

If you have any questions about Switzerland, kosher food (there is a kosher list available online) or whatever, just email me.

regards

]]> By: Fabian http://www.berryreview.com/2009/08/04/ask-br-best-prepaid-sim-card-for-traveling-europe-switzerland-specifically/#comment-28653 Fabian Wed, 05 Aug 2009 00:43:22 +0000 http://www.berryreview.com/2009/08/04/ask-br-best-prepaid-sim-card-for-traveling-europe-switzerland-specifically/#comment-28653 Since I am currently living in Switzerland (and have for a couple of years) I figured I might be able to shed some light on this question. The first point is concerning Swiss law regarding prepaid cards, which was introduced to cut down on their use for criminal purposes. In practice, all this means is that you need to show a valid passport when purchasing the card, you can buy them without a problem as a foreigner, you just can't do so anonemously. Secondly, all the big Swiss carriers (Swisscom, Orange and Sunrise) offer prepaid cards in their stores, even if you cannot buy them online. Out of these 3, Sunrise would probably be cheapest, but has the worst coverage (its still good). Swisscom has the best coverage. A popular alternative to the major carriers is the M-Budget prepaid card, sold by the Migros chain of grocery stores. They are the cheapest cards available (I believe), the only downside being that they can only be recharged at Migros stores. Cards from the major carriers can be recharged at any kiosk. In general, just be aware that Switzerland has the most expensive mobile system I've ever experiencen but then I guess that really applies to everything over here. Don't be surprised if you burn through your prepaid amount quicker than you'd anticipate. Cheers, Fabian Since I am currently living in Switzerland (and have for a couple of years) I figured I might be able to shed some light on this question.

The first point is concerning Swiss law regarding prepaid cards, which was introduced to cut down on their use for criminal purposes. In practice, all this means is that you need to show a valid passport when purchasing the card, you can buy them without a problem as a foreigner, you just can’t do so anonemously.

Secondly, all the big Swiss carriers (Swisscom, Orange and Sunrise) offer prepaid cards in their stores, even if you cannot buy them online. Out of these 3, Sunrise would probably be cheapest, but has the worst coverage (its still good). Swisscom has the best coverage.

A popular alternative to the major carriers is the M-Budget prepaid card, sold by the Migros chain of grocery stores. They are the cheapest cards available (I believe), the only downside being that they can only be recharged at Migros stores. Cards from the major carriers can be recharged at any kiosk.

In general, just be aware that Switzerland has the most expensive mobile system I’ve ever experiencen but then I guess that really applies to everything over here. Don’t be surprised if you burn through your prepaid amount quicker than you’d anticipate.

Cheers,
Fabian

]]> By: Jeff http://www.berryreview.com/2009/08/04/ask-br-best-prepaid-sim-card-for-traveling-europe-switzerland-specifically/#comment-28647 Jeff Tue, 04 Aug 2009 22:17:24 +0000 http://www.berryreview.com/2009/08/04/ask-br-best-prepaid-sim-card-for-traveling-europe-switzerland-specifically/#comment-28647 As well, if you have the T-Mobile BES add on (and have a corporate BES, or subscribe to a BES service, such as www.link2exchange.com for $10 a month) you can use data worldwide on your Blackberry, as much as you want, and never pay a penny extra. As well, if you have the T-Mobile BES add on (and have a corporate BES, or subscribe to a BES service, such as http://www.link2exchange.com for $10 a month) you can use data worldwide on your Blackberry, as much as you want, and never pay a penny extra.

]]> By: Nikolaus http://www.berryreview.com/2009/08/04/ask-br-best-prepaid-sim-card-for-traveling-europe-switzerland-specifically/#comment-28646 Nikolaus Tue, 04 Aug 2009 21:31:24 +0000 http://www.berryreview.com/2009/08/04/ask-br-best-prepaid-sim-card-for-traveling-europe-switzerland-specifically/#comment-28646 Ronen, here's my 2cents: I used my T-Mo 8320 in Portugal and where I found open wifi (bar, restaurant) I was able to make free calls back to the US. I also brought a T-Mo router with me to use in my hotel room, but there were not LAN lines in the room, just in the business center. What I have figured out since then, is that T-Mo offers a $20/month unlimited BB roaming e-mail plan, so you can still e-mail like normal, and receive attachments like voice-notes, without any extra roaming charges. I use this with my wife whenever we travel. We just e-mail voice-notes back and forth. With YouMail I receive my voicemail as e-mail MP3s too so I can still check voicemail. If you use a local sim card, then you won't be able to do all of this. Ronen, here’s my 2cents: I used my T-Mo 8320 in Portugal and where I found open wifi (bar, restaurant) I was able to make free calls back to the US. I also brought a T-Mo router with me to use in my hotel room, but there were not LAN lines in the room, just in the business center. What I have figured out since then, is that T-Mo offers a $20/month unlimited BB roaming e-mail plan, so you can still e-mail like normal, and receive attachments like voice-notes, without any extra roaming charges. I use this with my wife whenever we travel. We just e-mail voice-notes back and forth. With YouMail I receive my voicemail as e-mail MP3s too so I can still check voicemail. If you use a local sim card, then you won’t be able to do all of this.

]]> By: Jeff http://www.berryreview.com/2009/08/04/ask-br-best-prepaid-sim-card-for-traveling-europe-switzerland-specifically/#comment-28641 Jeff Tue, 04 Aug 2009 19:43:47 +0000 http://www.berryreview.com/2009/08/04/ask-br-best-prepaid-sim-card-for-traveling-europe-switzerland-specifically/#comment-28641 PS - The advantage for me is, I'm grandfathered in on the old Omnipoint roaming rate (now T-Mobile US), which is 30c a minute incoming for most countries, and was stopped in 2001, so, I don't really have to forward anything :-) PS – The advantage for me is, I’m grandfathered in on the old Omnipoint roaming rate (now T-Mobile US), which is 30c a minute incoming for most countries, and was stopped in 2001, so, I don’t really have to forward anything :-)

]]> By: Jeff http://www.berryreview.com/2009/08/04/ask-br-best-prepaid-sim-card-for-traveling-europe-switzerland-specifically/#comment-28640 Jeff Tue, 04 Aug 2009 19:28:41 +0000 http://www.berryreview.com/2009/08/04/ask-br-best-prepaid-sim-card-for-traveling-europe-switzerland-specifically/#comment-28640 As I travel 200k miles a year (Switzerland included), I am sure I have commanded the whole worldwide calling thing, but, in reality, I've probably spent more money "beating" the system, than money saved :-) Your best bet would be A) Buy a Linksys portable router, such as "Linksys WTR54GS." If you subscribe to wired internet at a hotel, you can use this to create a WiFi zone in your room, and then are able to use UMA (T-Mobile@home). It's hard to find open Wifi in hotels - as well, you would have to pay twice for your Blackberry and Laptop, as they would be 2 IP addresses without the Linksys. So, it's actually better to use wired internet, and the Linksys. FYI, the Apple airport express has issues with connecting to UMA. B) Buy a global roaming SIM card, the best I've seen at the moment, is either www.globalsimcard.co.uk (with US and UK numbers), or http://www.qikroam.com/ is actually good as well. The end result will be, that people calling your US number (via implementing unconditional call forward on the cell), you will pay about 25c a minute incoming, and, about 50c a minute to call the US C) There's also a little "cheat," available as well, by slipping your Blackberry SIM (you need BES) into a USB data card, and then using a Cradlepoint PHS300 router, for creating a portable WiFi zone, anywhere, using Euro 3g which your UMA can connect to, and all would be free ;-) Those are the easiest options. Have a good trip! As I travel 200k miles a year (Switzerland included), I am sure I have commanded the whole worldwide calling thing, but, in reality, I’ve probably spent more money “beating” the system, than money saved :-)

Your best bet would be

A) Buy a Linksys portable router, such as “Linksys WTR54GS.” If you subscribe to wired internet at a hotel, you can use this to create a WiFi zone in your room, and then are able to use UMA (T-Mobile@home). It’s hard to find open Wifi in hotels – as well, you would have to pay twice for your Blackberry and Laptop, as they would be 2 IP addresses without the Linksys. So, it’s actually better to use wired internet, and the Linksys. FYI, the Apple airport express has issues with connecting to UMA.

B) Buy a global roaming SIM card, the best I’ve seen at the moment, is either http://www.globalsimcard.co.uk (with US and UK numbers), or http://www.qikroam.com/ is actually good as well. The end result will be, that people calling your US number (via implementing unconditional call forward on the cell), you will pay about 25c a minute incoming, and, about 50c a minute to call the US

C) There’s also a little “cheat,” available as well, by slipping your Blackberry SIM (you need BES) into a USB data card, and then using a Cradlepoint PHS300 router, for creating a portable WiFi zone, anywhere, using Euro 3g which your UMA can connect to, and all would be free ;-)

Those are the easiest options. Have a good trip!

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