PREPAID SIM CARDS!! SAVE MONEY ON ALL CALLS DURING YOUR TRIP!

GOING ON A TRIP? WE SELL PREPAID SIM CARDS AND RENT PHONES FOR INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL
& read more to learn which option is best for you.

SIM CARDS

First, what is a SIM card or Smart Card?
SIM stands for "Subscriber Identity Module: tiny cards with a microprocessor inside a microchip.
Service providers like T-Mobile, Cingular, Orange, Virgin Mobile, etc, use SIM cards and assign to each card a phone number.

Insert the SIM card, and the phone has that number and receives a signal!

What is a prepaid SIM card?
A prepaid SIM card has a phone number and predetermined value of calling time.
For example, you might buy one with an Italian phone number valued at, say, 50 Euros.
The dollar amount depends on the exchange rate at the time of purchase. Each carrier, for example France Telecom,
has its own prepaid SIM cards.

Just activate the card upon arrival in your destination country and presto! you are ready to make and receive calls.

Advantages with a prepaid SIM Card:
1 All incoming calls are free, regardless of the callers location.
2 Both rates depend on the country you are in.
3 Friends and family in your destination country save money since they dial this prepaid, local number instead of your USA phone number.

Disadvantages with a prepaid SIM card:
1 People in the USA must dial a foreign phone number to reach you.
They should ask their phone company the cost for dialling that number.
2 You must activate the SIM card upon arrival in your destination country.
3 Often, you need a different SIM card for each country you visit.
People must know your destinations and travel dates to call the right number.
4 Upfront costs are high if you do not plan to use the phone often.
5 Prepaid minutes expire 30 days after activation.

Can I buy the prepaid SIM card and use it with my own phone?

Yes, ONLY if you have an unlocked GSM with the frequency used in your destination country.
Please ask us if you are not sure! Otherwise, we can rent a phone to go with the SIM card.

Cost for prepaid SIM cards? How much credit comes with each card?

Prices are approximate since they are in local currency and exchange rates fluctuate.

Can I use the same SIM card in multiple countries?

Some carriers do provide service in multiple countries. It may be possible for you to "roam" from France
(with a French SIM card) into Switzerland, but we advise against this since roaming rates charged are unclear,
and it may not work properly. Therefore, we recommend country-specific SIM cards.

Can I reload the prepaid SIM card during my trip?

Yes. Visit any store, kiosk, or dealer with the carriers logo (like CINGULAR or T-MOBILE in the USA).
They sell cards in increments of the local currency, for example 20, 40, 50 Euros. Then, they enter the PIN code,
or show you how.

PHONE RENTALS

Rental fees run for $40 a week and $2.99 every additional day.

Advantages of renting a phone with a US number, instead of buying a prepaid SIM card:
1 Your phone bill starts at $0, as opposed to about $60 for the prepaid SIM card. If you make no calls, you pay only the phone rental.
2 People calling you from the US simply dial a USA phone number. We have phones with 561, 786, 203, and 407 area codes.
3 No need to activate the phone or card upon arrival. Simply power up your phone and dial.
4 Phones come with chargers and the appropriate electric adaptor.
5 You can talk as much as you like without adding minutes to the phone.