mobile phone

kj1234

if i buy a sim card when i get to candolim in goa to put in my mobile phone, will i be able to use my phone in india? any advice appreciated. dont askme if its locked to a specific network in england as i am not sure how to check, and if so, not sure how to unlock it.
would it be v expensive to buy the chepest phone out there when i get there (i will be travelling around india after my goa excursion and need to contact other people in different parts of india) and can anyone tell me wot to buy and from where?!

Indiafan

You may ask your network supplier if it is locked or not. If not (like in Finland) you may buy a sim card and use it instantly. Airtel is good and cheap. You need a copy of your passport and a passport photo. I went to Mapsa for my sim card because wanted to have an internet access also.

In Mapsa you may buy a cheap phone also if required. All the shops are at the same road which goes up from the middle of market.

I used my computer, bluetooth and phone to access internet (Airtel). Rs 5 per hour and could use it all in Goa and Karnataka.

GoanCanuck

You would be better off buying the phone in India. A new phone costs about 25 pound sterling.

TracyB

I'm just taking my own cell phone with me...It works in India...can text message for 40 cents...call for 1.99 per minute.....Just won't make any long distance calls..For that will use Canadian calling card and connect to Canadian operator with a regular phone...

shere

It is cheaper to buy and use an Indian sim. After a few calls it has paid for itself.

davey

If your phone is locked it usually costs too much to have it unlocked, if so buy one in India then hook up with the new sim card, really cheap and available all over India.

jivan

the best thing is to have an inexpensive Rs. 1000/2000 25/50$ & after using it u can either sell it/gift it whatever u wanna do with it. Also if it gets stolen or lost u don't lose much sweat. Just be careful to have a backup of u'r contact no's just in case.

Durga

Will I be able to buy a sim card or mobile phone in Dharmsala? I am there for four weeks and would really love to be ale to contact my family regularly. I am moving onto a Bangalore after, will I have to wait til then?
Durga

jivan

there are 2 places mcleodganj (the upper part) expensive & the lower dharamshala (inexpensive). Even in mcleodganj u can buy mobile phones but if u have time then move around in dharamshala. You should be able to get mobile phones for u in the range as given above. Of course if one wants to cheat then he can change the whole of electronics but then everything in india is through faith.
If u want to the genuine material & money is not an issue then u can go through most of the mobile phone majors india websites & see where they've a retail store near your location. Happy hunting!

Annett

and an SMS with Airtel would cost you only 8 Rupees

goangoangone

Idea in Goa.....SMS to a UK number 5/-. SMS local 1/-.

__________________
GoanGoan......here

jivan

Something wrong here, SMS should cost u only R 1/- local or are u talking about SMS to UK?

Annett

...to Ireland or Germany (last year in April)

kj1234

hi, please could somebody clarify mobile phone use abroad?
i read that i need to register to buy a sim card and i need photo id for this - is this correct? i have an old phone in england, and plan to take this to india and buy a sim card out there, but is it likely to accept a new sim card?
how do i find out if the card is "locked" to a specific network (ie vodafone>), and how do i get it unlocked?....confused...:dontg etit

muzzi

I don't know how useful this is, but here is my experience:

I live in Australia, and recently, during a visit to Thailand, I used my mobile phone to make regular contact with friends and family.

As I was on a plan/contract here in Australia, all I needed to do was turn on global roaming and then wherever I was in Thailand, I could make a call using my phone (providing I had coverage) The problem with this approach is that calls are very expensive, and by the time I got back I had a bill totaling several hundred dollars (AUD)

Unfortunately I cannot advise about purchasing a sim in India, it is something I will look at when I am over there, but if you aren't staying too long in India, and only use the phone for emergencies and the occasional 'I am still alive!' call home, global roaming is pretty convenient.