You are here:
- Home
- Shopping
- Cell Phones/Pagers
- Cellular Phones
- 'disposable' cell phone?
Cellular Phones/'disposable' cell phone?
Advertisement
Question
I am going to Ireland and have already purchased an international phone and charged it with prepaid minutes. Everything was OK until I realized that my fellow students and friends IN Ireland, who I would need to communicate with daily would be charged an international call when trying to reach me. I was advised to keep the phone for international, but when I land in Ireland buy a 'disposable' cell phone for local use only. Does that make sense? Is there such a thing? If so, where would I get it? Thanks so much in advance for your help.
Hi Bill -
It's very kind of you to think about your friends. If the phone number of the international phone is a local number to Ireland, then it is a local call to your friends. If the number is a US number, then you are correct that your friends in Ireland would have to pay for an international call. What you have been told to do buy purchasing a "disposable" phone is a good idea. Is the phone actually disposable? Not really, but the term is used to basically say a very low cost phone that you can use with a prepaid SIM and get a local number and use while you are abroad without having to spend a lot of money. You could also buy a US phone that is quad band and unlocked and put a local SIM in that phone and use it in Ireland. You would get the "disposable" phone once you get to Ireland. I wouldn't suggest trying to procure it ahead of time. Just get it locally when you get there. Hope this helps and let me know if you need any additional information. Thanks. DebiN
- Ask a Question
| Rating(1-10) | Knowledgeability = 10 | Clarity of Response = 10 | Politeness = 10 |
| Comment | Debi, Thank you so much for your timely, informative reponse. We're actually going to implement your solution...buy the low cost phone with local # and sim card. Thanks again....highest rating coming your way! Bill | ||
Related Articles
- Communication - Ireland Travel
- The Disposable Cell Phone or Phone-Card-Phone
- International Roaming – Saving Money by Replacing Your SIM Card
- Calling Cards - Save Money While Traveling by Using Calling Cards Instead of Your Cell Phone
- Prepaid Cell Phone SIM Cards in Southeast Asia – International Cell Phone Roaming in Southeast Asia
DebiN
Expertise
I can answer questions on cellular phones, the physical device, the network, contracts, billing, ordering, porting and what to look for when purchasing cell phones. I am located in the United States. I am an expert on BlackBerrys, Treos, HTC devices and iPhones as well as cellphones and aircards. I have over 15 years of experience in both the wireless and wireline world with the carriers. I have a lot of knowledge regarding the wireless providers - their services, prices and policies, both GSM AT&T and T-Mobile) and CDMA (Verizon, Sprint/Nextel). I am very familiar with the individual devices and their specifications. I can also answer questions regarding BlackBerrys, iPhones and other PDAs, both Palm-based and Windows-based. I can troubleshoot most any problem someone is having with their cellular device or with the provider.
Experience
Over 20 years in the Telecom industry working for the carriers with individuals, small business, medium business and large corporations(Fortune 500). Also worked as a professor in Maryland for 10 years teaching telecommunications.
Organizations
I belong to several organizations
Education/Credentials
Master's in Telecommunications
Awards and Honors
Received several awards for papers that I have published over the years
©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.