Hello fellow Spain travelers, The only mistake I made in my Spain trip was in not taking the time to rent a cell phone. I was just reminded of this when I read an article in this month issue of Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel my favorite travel magazine. On page 12, a traveler asks Arthur Fromer:
quote:
Of all the methods you've discussed for avoiding hotel telephone rip-offs when you travel--prepaid telephone cards, toll-free access numbers, callback services--which is the best ?
His response:
quote:
Better than all of them is the use of a cell phone.
There were many times, when I wanted to make a quick call to find out if a restaurant was open, etc., but, was unable because I was in a location where a phone was not readily accessible. Also, when traveling with independent-minded teenagers, like I was, it would have been great if when my son was in the Gym, I could have taken off to the Corte Ingles and shop, then give him a quick call to firm up our dinner plans, instead f waiting for him and losing good Shoe shopping time!
I sure will not make this mistake next year!
Posts: 697 | Location: Florida | Registered: 24 August 2001
Even though Cell phone prices differ at times with periodical special offers it is a great advantage for anyone thinking about coming to Spain to rent a cell phone before they get here so that they can get the phone number in advance and print up business cards in their home country and bring them with them to Spain. You will find that any decent looking business cards here take time and cost a fortune to make. Also, you can use the number as a way of staying in contact with people in case of an emergency or anything should arise. Rocco.
Well Jer, I plan to rent mine from a guy that has a Dali clock on his website onspanishtime! :jeje: BTW how early do we need to contact you to rent the phones to reserve them?
Rocco, What a great idea! You can buy the inexpensive cards and use a Laser or inkjet printer to make them!
Posts: 697 | Location: Florida | Registered: 24 August 2001
Hi - just a question - and it may be a dumb one at that... but I have no idea. I will be moving back stateside and have an LG B1200 mobile phone, that I would like to take with me. Will this phone work in the US with either a contract service or prepaid card. The manual didn't help me and the online information was just confusing. Thanks for any help. Anne
Posts: 22 | Location: Pozuelo de Alarcon, Spain | Registered: 06 July 2001
Hi Anne, sorry to see you leaving us and heading back.
Not a dumb question at all, in fact, a pretty common one.
Unfortunately YOUR PHONE is (as are most sold here) GSM dual band and operates on the 900 and 1800 Mhz frequencies only which in a nutshell means that you can sell it or give it away here before you leave, it will not work in the U.S.A.
For a cell phone to work back there it needs to be compatible with the 1900 Mhz frequency.
If you are planning to move back to Spain or visit often and want to buy a phone that is similiar in features to your LGB1200, I recommend one of the Sony Ericsson models (T200, T300, T68i, etc...) that are triband (work on all 3 frequencies 900/1800/1900) and hence usable worldwide. BE SURE IT IS TRIBAND ("Tribanda" in Spanish) BEFORE YOU MAKE THE PURCHASE.
I just bought a T200 and it is great!!! The T200 is nearly identical in design and functionality to your LGB1200 but it is triband and also has a camara that you can buy and attach to it. Maybe you can sell yours and buy one.
A friend also just came over here to Spain and brought his Triband Sony Ericsson T300 that is on the T-mobile network in the U.S.A. and all he had to do here was pop in a SPANISH SIME CARD. select the new frequency and he was ready to go He could also have stayed on the T-mobile roaming network but the calling rates are very high on roaming. He replaced the T-mobile chip with a Movistar Activa chip and now his incoming calls are free and outgoing are resaonably priced, much better off for his long stay here.
No problem Anne, you can post it on the shopping forum to try and sell it if you like.
Other good places to take out an ad if you need to are InMadrid, The Broadsheet, Segundamano, etc...
One more thing, if you buy a triband phone here to bring back to the U.S.A. , make sure it is "libre" (unlocked) and not set into only one cell carrier (Movistar, Vodafone, Amena) or you will not be able to use it on any U.S. carrier plans.
Just a note to go back to the 'business cards issue' if you don't know how to print them off on your PC, visit www.vistaprint.com a company based in the USA which do cheap BC's and other stationary. Quality and service is good. (Although I print my own now)
Q
Posts: 40 | Location: London | Registered: 15 April 2002
- rent or buy a cell phone from me for your stay in spain, more info at 
- already have a cell phone, get a spanish SIM card for it at 
The T200 is nearly identical in design and functionality to your LGB1200 but it is triband and also has a camara that you can buy and attach to it. Maybe you can sell yours and buy one.![[search]](graemlins/search.gif)
