Who's been to Europe recently?

[Tandum]

I've been told we're going to France in June. I got a handle on most of the stuff I need a handle on but I can't find an answer to a SIM card question.

I'll be buying some Orange prepaid sim cards in Paris on arrival. Will these work in Germany and the UK. I can't find the answers on the Orange web site, there is no mention of roaming at all.

We're doing a day trip in a car rental from Strasbourg to the Black Forest for cake and a cable car ride (http://www.schauinslandbahn.de/en/weather/wetter-details) so I guess I'll find out when we cross the border but a heads up would be good.

Anyone know. Orange Mobicarte prepaid sim and Pochette Prêt à surfer sim for the iPad.

[Wavytone]

Who's been to Europe recently? yes
Will the cards work across borders ? some do (Vodafone and resellers including 3 and Orange), others don't.

In the UK if you are in country areas my own experience buying several prepaid SIMS on all networks showed the EE was by far the best for coverage and reliability.

In the UK Vodafone was OK in major cities but hopeless in country areas much as it is here - even on the M6 motorway between London and Edinburgh.

If you are thinking of using a data SIM in a smartphone or iPad for GPS navigation an general web access -as we did - you have a choice. You CAN save a few pounds - not much more - with the cheapies, while it will work in cities don't expect it to work in the countryside. If you pay more for a SIM from the major market players it will work everywhere. Up to you if you value penny-pinching over inconvenience.

[Tandum]

Cheers Wavy,
I have a Europe SD in my Garmin for GPS but I don't trust it and want a backup.

In New York a couple of years back we picked up a car at JFK, set the GPS to Gettysburg. In all my test runs here it took us south down the turnpike then west to Gettysburg. On the day, it took us back across Manhattan in peak hour, past our Hotel and west through a Tunnel. First ever drive in a left hand drive car. I can still hear the wife yelling at me :)

http://prepaid-data-sim-card.wikia.com/wiki/Prepaid_SIM_with_data

That site has all the info and EE looks the go for the UK and you can get em everywhere, but if these French Orange cards are still working then I'd like to use em up.

I won't need to make phone calls, maybe some txt but mainly Internet from the iPad.

[jenchris]

I spend6 months a year in Europe .. mostly uk.
I have a 3 sim for my phone which I use as a hot spot for my lappy.
I was in strasbiurg last year... it worked fine and the calls and data were no extra.
I even was able to use it here for a couple of months for no extra cost.
A 40 dollar plan gave me unlimited data and 2000 mins call time throughout Europe.

[Tandum]

Cheers Jen,
I'm sure if you can just drive across the border then the phones will follow. I'm thinking we should just check account balances before and after the day trip to look at cuckoo clocks to get an idea of roaming costs on these prepaid cards.

20 EUR 600 MB 1 month free dom. calls, SMS, MMS

That's what they charge to load the phone card.

Data is 15 Euro for 2 gig for a month.

[jenchris]

No roaming costs at all with my 3.

[UniPol]

My wife and I went to Italy last year and France/UK the year before that and used the Telstra prepaid travel pass sim. We had no issues whatsoever, quite cheap and the reception was perfect. I think you just apply through the post office which was very convenient.

[Tandum]

Cheers Jen, I found a Three network, 3gig, 3month tablet sim on ebay for under $40. It looks like it has no roaming fees in certain countries and will keep the iPad working almost everywhere we're going.

UniPol, they are charging $250/gig for data on that card. Someones making a profit there.

[Merlin66]

Robin,
Can you buy that 3 sim in Oz, or do you have to wait until you get to the UK??
I can see it available, but no shipping to Oz.

[Tandum]

It's shipped from the UK for GBP5. Does this link (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/331824193500?_trksid=p2060353.m2749 .l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT) work?
It should be active and have roaming enabled when it arrives so should work out of the packet here.
It doesn't work in all european countries or rather some countries will incur roaming fees.
And it will be a UK number.

He's got a 12gig card in his store for just under $70 if you need lots of data.

[edit]
Ken, also found this SIM card guy (http://stores.ebay.com.au/simdropshop/iPad-Tablet-Dongle-WiFi-SIMs-/_i.html?_fsub=9057775013) who has (3) network cards at better prices. Also note these only do 3G.

[torana68]

I just took my Optus phone and told everyone back here only ring in an emergency, I have a UK sim for Garmin I'd be happy to sell :)

[Merlin66]

Robin,
Thanks....
My wife and I are doing an Italy/France/Spain/Ireland/Scotland/Portugal series of tours later this year and she's looking for a "flexible" country sim for her iPAD.

[Camelopardalis]

Also consider that public wifi is common in some countries, especially the UK, in many public places, train stations, motorway services, etc. That's before you consider the junk shops (Maccas, Sbux for example) that all offer free wifi.

[Tandum]

Dunk, Orange france run a wifi network and the maps show an access point every 100 meters across Paris. Pretty useless in the Pyrénées though :) We'll be on a road trip over there so really need cellular.

[Camelopardalis]

Hey Robin, I appreciate that, was inferring more that you factor that in to your SIM considerations.

Also read the fine print of any SIM you purchase, since while the EU has officially banned data roaming charges, it doesn't fully come into effect until June 2017...

[jenchris]

90% of pubs in uk have free wifi.
But obviously you have to have a uk sim.

[Tandum]

A Uk sim and also be in the UK :)

These (3) sims do not have cheap rates in Germany.

But They seem to be cheaper than any data deal here in OZ.

1P per meg is very cheap.

If I needed a sim for here I'd keep this one alive.

[graham.hobart]

I second that poor reception malarkey- I bought an Orange Sim card in Manchester train station and I lost reception within about 20 mins of leaving the station- hardly worked at all in rural Leicestershire. :sadeyes:

[lazjen]

Has anyone tried http://www.travelsim.net.au/ ?