⌛ cell phones

Hi,
I'm visiting the Philippines for 2 1/2 weeks starting Oct 15. I will be traveling around Luzon and a few destinations in the Vasayas. My U.S. cell phone won't work in the Philippines. While visiting I would like to pickup a cell phone that I can use booking hotels, flights, etc.

I'm familiar with the GSM concept and sim cards. What phone, carrier, etc. should I consider?

Thanks, Michael

 

buy a pay as u go sim card here and just top up the credits. outlets are available everywhere

 

Hello Mike,

Please ask your provider if you can activate your US number as roaming in the Philippines. If not possible, if you have an unlocked GSM phone, you can just by a SIM Card from either SMART or GLOBE networks and it should work. Here's the link for the two giant network providers in the Philippines (GLOBE: Globe - Home; SMART: Home - Smart Communications

Cheers,

Enteng

 

Well, if you intend to stay here only a short time, I suggest you buy the cheapest phone available, like any of the ordinary Nokia models. There is no need for you to buy an expensive thing since you will only be using it a short time, and you can immediately purchase a sim card for as low as Php 10 to Php 30, globe or smart. You simply find a store that sells cellphones, then go from there.

 

I agree with Rarity

 

There is a lot of cheap cellphones, and cheap sim cards to get you going. Lots of phone shop stores, no problem.
Putting your US phone number into roaming in the Phils??? not a good idea, very expensive in minutes as one of my friends discovered.

 

Does anyone over there use Vonage? I know i have a friend in England who uses Vonage and he has a U.S. phone number and it is used like he is still residing in the U.S. So, the people he calls in the U.S. or that call him from the U.S. have no extra costs.

 

Vonage works as long as you have electricity and an internet connection that is fast enough.

 

INCREDIBLY expensive -- we relocated here in August and used our U.S. phones for a few days -- outrageous phone bill from AT&T...

Follow Rarity's good advice and purchase an inexpensive phone in one of the shops downtown, along with a SIM card and a load (start with about 100p). They will test the phone and battery for you (but on the rare instance they do NOT, be sure to ask them to test it). You will get a (very) limited warranty, but hold onto your receipt. I ended up going back in less than one week to get a replacement battery for my "cheap phone," which they did, with my receipt, at no charge. I purchased one of the least expensive (refurbished) phones, and with the SIM card and a 100p load it was less than 900p in total (yes, I was really going cheap my first few days here, lol).

Enjoy your visit -- we love it here!!!!

 

I'm in the same boat as you.I've talked with Nokia and they say if I go to a Nokia Concept store a 1661 model is 2060php not too bad, and its free to run on any network...as for smart or globe I'm still investigating