Data SIM in Europe for Travel

[Guest GateheaD]

Hey,

I'm heading to Europe for a month and a bit in 2 weeks, figured while I'm there I should get a SIM that will let me use the internet when I cant find Wifi, prepaid prefered because If I go over im sure they would love chasing me up for the money.

I'll be in London, France and maybe Belgium for the most parts, stops in Greece and Ireland but I guess if theyre not covered I understand.

Anyone seen such a SIM for pretty cheap?

P.S. Will mainly be using this for google translate :)

[Guest tiekenei]

Hey,

I'm heading to Europe for a month and a bit in 2 weeks, figured while I'm there I should get a SIM that will let me use the internet when I cant find Wifi, prepaid prefered because If I go over im sure they would love chasing me up for the money.

I'll be in London, France and maybe Belgium for the most parts, stops in Greece and Ireland but I guess if theyre not covered I understand.

Anyone seen such a SIM for pretty cheap?

P.S. Will mainly be using this for google translate :)

There are 2 options for Belgium: Mobile Vikings which gives you 1 GB of data for 15 euros or BASE, which'll put you at 10 euros for 500 MB.

Mobile Vikings has got the best price/data ratio, but you can only order a SIM via their website, which might be a bit of a hassle when just visiting for a couple of days. I'd advise you to go to a BASE shop in one of the major cities (Bruges, Ghent, Antwerp, Brussels, ... ) -assuming you'll be visiting these- and just get a prepaid SIM there.

For mobile data all you then need to do is this: http://www.base.be/en/mobile/mobile-intern...=5#quicktabs-24

"BASE prepaid card customers:

Send a free text message with SURF10 to 1914. "

I myself am heading towards the UK for 2 weeks and plan on getting a PAYG SIM from 3 (www.three.co.uk).

Can't help with France, sorry. :)

[Guest GateheaD]

There are 2 options for Belgium: Mobile Vikings which gives you 1 GB of data for 15 euros or BASE, which'll put you at 10 euros for 500 MB.

Mobile Vikings has got the best price/data ratio, but you can only order a SIM via their website, which might be a bit of a hassle when just visiting for a couple of days. I'd advise you to go to a BASE shop in one of the major cities (Bruges, Ghent, Antwerp, Brussels, ... ) -assuming you'll be visiting these- and just get a prepaid SIM there.

For mobile data all you then need to do is this: http://www.base.be/en/mobile/mobile-intern...=5#quicktabs-24

"BASE prepaid card customers:

Send a free text message with SURF10 to 1914. "

I myself am heading towards the UK for 2 weeks and plan on getting a PAYG SIM from 3 (www.three.co.uk).

Can't help with France, sorry. :)

This is a good start, Thanks :)

[Guest phillevy]

Sorry to sort of hijack the thread, but are there any options like this for travel to the USA?

[Guest ri2la]

SNAP anyone know any options for NZ?

[Guest conord]

Hi All,

I believe 3 (Three) offer a prepay SIM that allows you to data roam for free between UK and Ireland, You'll have to check with other countries though...

Their prepay is called threepay, and they have a package called 3 like home

www.three.ie

CD

[Guest venturerider]

What about France? I'll be there for a couple of weeks. I would love to get an unlimited data SIM while I'm there.

[Guest samclam]

I had problems trying to get cheap a Data SIM in France. They charge around €30 just for an SFR Pay Go SIM and the only other option is Orange but they acted like they'd never even heard of Pay Go DATA.

Cutting a long story short: Get a cheap SFR Pay Go SIM on eBay then when in France I was told you pay ¢50 for every WAP (data) session.

For UK definitely get a Three Pay Go SIM, top up £10 then go to My 3 in phone browser > Balance & Free Stuff > Buy Mobile Top Up > 1 month for £5. I think you get 2GB and they don't really notice if you tether. Also if you get hold of the Three Specific Skype app you can make free Skype calls over GSM (except for UK landlines).

The other good thing about Three is you can use their data service in any other '3 like' country ie Ireland, Italy, Australia, maybe some others, for no extra charge.

[Guest wywywywy]

Cutting a long story short: Get a cheap SFR Pay Go SIM on eBay then when in France I was told you pay ¢50 for every WAP (data) session.

Do you happen to know what is their definition of "one WAP session"?

Thanks.

[Guest trstn]

UK I'd probably recommend SIM only pay as you go from o2, £10 credit and you get unlimited internet (and o2 are pretty good with the unlimited part)

Comparison of sim only payg deals here: http://www.carphonewarehouse.com/mobiles/s...im-card-tariffs)

Hope you get to see more than just London whilst you're here, most of the country is accessible fairly cheaply within 2 or 3 hours on a train. You should definitely check out places like Brighton, Bournemouth, Manchester.

Happy travelling

Edited June 22, 2010 by trstn

[Guest vincefn]

What about France? I'll be there for a couple of weeks. I would love to get an unlimited data SIM while I'm there.

There are a number of reasonable offers for 3G access in France, but you may have a hard time finding a prepaid SIM specifically for 3G data access (there are prepaid card with 3G access but the cost for the data access is probably outrageous).

However you can get prepaid 3G usb keys, but of course that's a different use... But you may be able to extract the SIM card from those, and use it only for data access. Never done that though.

Personally I'm using "zero forfait" which has a 300Mb/month plan @14,90€ or 1Gb/month @ 24,90€ - but it's not prepaid (you could take it for just 1 month though).

[Guest Hank Freid]

Hey,

I'm heading to Europe for a month and a bit in 2 weeks, figured while I'm there I should get a SIM that will let me use the internet when I cant find Wifi, prepaid prefered because If I go over im sure they would love chasing me up for the money.

I'll be in London, France and maybe Belgium for the most parts, stops in Greece and Ireland but I guess if theyre not covered I understand.

Anyone seen such a SIM for pretty cheap?

P.S. Will mainly be using this for google translate :D

It could be really useful in your travel, Now we can check various information about different attractive places of destination & also chq our other business matters as well. I come across this page while i am looking for neat & clean accommodation while i have some decent & attractive post from Hank Freid as well.