Best Smart Phone SIM for Europe

[BBoomer]

The last discussions on this topic that I can find are a few years old, and given that there has been some progress made in the EU regarding cross country compatibility in recent times, I am interested to find out travellers experiences in using one sim for Central Europe.
Cheers

 

[robtemt]

I have been looking for similar information. So just commenting in order to subscribe. We only need Italy, France, and UK, and will need a month for a few calls and some data (would be best if we can use google maps while driving across all three countries).

 

[Isochronous]

I need Germany/Poland/Hungary. Any suggestions?

 

[Colin 2905]

I need Germany/Poland/Hungary. Any suggestions?

As per my OT comment in your "Shopping in Germany" thread, I'm leaning towards Vodafone's pre-paid "CallYa Smartphone Special" for my trip in a couple of months. (It includes EU roaming without a surcharge, not that I'll be going anywhere else this trip.) If I can buy one when I arrive at DUS I will, otherwise my options are to head into a Vodafone shop in Düsseldorf itself, or wait until I get to Berlin later that day; there's a Vodafone shop 60m from the hotel I'll be staying at. €10 will get me 750MB and 200 minutes or SMS's to German numbers, good for 28 days (I'm only going to be there for ten).

In your "Shopping in Germany" thread, marki mentioned a "Play" SIM from Poland which might suit you better if you can somehow get one beforehand. Might suit BBoomer too.

For robtemt, a 3 UK SIM might be worth looking into, especially if the UK happens to be your first port of call. Check out their "All You Can Eat" and "Feel at Home" offers.

 

[bad]

The best time to have any phone in the EU is after 15 June 2017

I need Germany/Poland/Hungary. Any suggestions?

 

[Colin 2905]

The best time to have any phone in the EU is after 15 June 2017

Some of us need something before then, though.

I've been poking around the DUS web site, looking for shops that might be able to sell me a Vodafone "CallYa Smartphone Special" SIM card when I land there in a couple of months. There's a "mobilcom debitel" shop on Level 2 that looks promising; they have the starter packs on their web site, and theirs come with €15 credit instead of the standard €10.

 

[robtemt]

For robtemt, a 3 UK SIM might be worth looking into, especially if the UK happens to be your first port of call. Check out their "All You Can Eat" and "Feel at Home" offers.

Thanks Colin, I'll look into that one!

 

[PLANT]

Going Truphone......just purchased SIM online.....for Trip later in year!

 

[cgichard]

Thanks Colin, I'll look into that one!

A couple of caveats;
This from Molotov on the Whirlpool travel forum a week ago: "Keep in mind that the all-you-can-eat style packages only include calls/sms to UK numbers, even in feel-at-home countries, so if you want to call or any number that's not a UK number you'll need extra credit in your account beyond what the package costs. Same goes for data/calls/sms in non-feel-at-home countries."

And, from my own experience: Online top-up is only with a UK credit card and it has to be registered to a UK address.

 

[phily]

And, from my own experience: Online top-up is only with a UK credit card and it has to be registered to a UK address.

There's always a workaround for these restrictions. I've used mobiletopup.co.uk to pay for a virtual top-up voucher for my Three SIM, which I then use to go online to my Three account and add the topup voucher. Mobiletopup charged me just £1 for the service. They also provide virtual topup vouchers for many other telcos.

 

[moa999]

Please read these very useful guides:
European Union - Prepaid Data SIM Card Wiki - Wikia
and more particularly
European Union2 - Prepaid Data SIM Card Wiki - Wikia


I've recently gotten the Orange Mundo SIM from Spain (also sold by Simcorner as their Go Europe SIM) from an ebay seller, and have it activated ready to use.
Its E1/day for 100Mb which suits my needs perfectly
Bit of fiddling with translation from a Spanish site, but not too bad.

Other main recommended option is the 3 UK SIM from above.

But all very much depends on where exactly you are travelling

 

[moa999]

Going Truphone......just purchased SIM online.....for Trip later in year!

Truphone isn't bad - and probably the easiest to setup from Australia.

European rates are generally 9c/Mb or 25c/Mb which is good so long as you have low data usage, but can add up if you chew 100Mb a day
Just don't stray near Switzerland (2.25), Turkey (9.00) or come back via Thailand (2.70)

 

[drivatruk]

Another option is the vodafone $5 roaming from Australia. Only payable if there is any use of your phone in a 24 hour period. Also handy when visiting differant Countries in a short period. You can get in on Month to Month plan that can be cancelled at anytime. Good data allowances available.

 

[auriga]

I've recently gotten the Orange Mundo SIM from Spain (also sold by Simcorner as their Go Europe SIM) from an ebay seller, and have it activated ready to use.
Its E1/day for 100Mb which suits my needs perfectly
Bit of fiddling with translation from a Spanish site, but not too bad.

Would love to hear more details about your experience with the Mundo SIM.
How much did you pay, was it already activated when you receive the SIM, and why did you have to use Spanish site?

 

[moa999]

Would love to hear more details about your experience with the Mundo SIM.
How much did you pay, was it already activated when you receive the SIM, and why did you have to use Spanish site?

Paid A$13.86 for the SIM Inc postage (about 2wks).
Had to send a scan of my Australian passport. Was inputted, but not activated until I used the SIM.

You have to login to the Spanish suite (as it's a Spanish SIM) to confirm subscription to Go Europe Plan (can be done by text) and also top-up
(SimCorner does this all, just charges a premium for it)

 

[auriga]

Paid A$13.86 for the SIM Inc postage (about 2wks).
Had to send a scan of my Australian passport. Was inputted, but not activated until I used the SIM.

You have to login to the Spanish suite (as it's a Spanish SIM) to confirm subscription to Go Europe Plan (can be done by text) and also top-up
(SimCorner does this all, just charges a premium for it)

Thank you!!!

 

[Freq Flier 2013]

To revisit this topic. I will be in Dubai for 5 days and then Uk, Spain and Italy mainly. Is there a --data only-- SIM card that I can use across all countries? I do not want to use my Optus $10 per day roaming or go to Vodafone. What are my options?

 

[VPS]

Three UK extends Euro roaming on prepaid SIMs for voice, data - Australian Business Traveller This might help - not sure if it will cover Dubai though

 

[Freq Flier 2013]

Three UK extends Euro roaming on prepaid SIMs for voice, data - Australian Business Traveller This might help - not sure if it will cover Dubai though

Thanks will take a look. Great article by Ausbt.

 

[sezza]

I've used both the vodafone $5 international access and also global sim provided by covermore.

Both worked well and I had phone access in all the countries I went to. Not sure how cost effective they are, but it was convenient.