How much for triband mobile phone?

[lisagirlyUK]

HI,

I have asked before about walkie talkies and have looked on the various different forums and have agreed with my husband that it might be easier to get a couple of mobile phones instead. Obviously I want to do this as cheaply as possible but want something decent that will do the trick!!

Can we rent these? Or is it cheaper to buy? If so, where form and how much would we be looking at per phone?

Thanks

 

[florry]

we got the walky talkies from Walmart ever so cheap $14 each My kids use them now when they are out playing so I can keep an eye on them !

 

[wayneg]

Last time I looked into renting a triband the costs were stupid(this was 2 or 3 years ago, may have changed).

There are loads of websites with all sorts of deals. Saw some last month with 12 months free line rental, free phone and 200 minutes of xmin calls each month. This month can only find similar deal but dual band phones not Triband.
Best I can find is half price line rental or free line rental for 12 months on off peak tariff.
Offers change all the time.
Hope this helps
Wayne

 

[rob@rar.org.uk]

A good proportion of modern phones are triband, and providing you are happy to get into a 12-month contract a new triband handset can be free. We recently got new Sony Ericsson T610 phones (which are triband) on a basic 12 month contract with Orange and did not have to pay anything for the handsets.

Before you commit to using UK mobile phones in Orlando have you looked into the cost of calls while you are there. Mobile telephony in the US with UK mobile phones is very expensive, especially if you are calling another UK mobile phone which is also in the US. A call from one end of Main Street to the other would involve TWO international calls if both phones are UK-based. There have been a number of threads on the use of walkie talkies or even buying US pay as you go handsets as the cost of using UK phones is very high.

Regards

Rob

 

[florry]

Rob

Agree with what you are saying.. there were eight of us on our last trip and the walkies were a much cheaper option.

 

[jockey]

Lisagirlyuk - Try this website, they have US mobiles for $29 including 100 mins airtime. They would be useful for calling each other at the parks etc but not for calling home to the UK - cheaper to use a phone card for this!


www.tracfone.com

 

[lisagirlyUK]

thanks for the info.

sorry I probably ddin't make myself very clear on my posting - I dont want to buy a triband in the uk - would just buy one in orlando to use out there for as cheaply as possible.

I would still rather go down the walkie talkie route buy H says he has heard its better to get a couple of mobiles.

 

[jockey]

Lisagirlyuk, I find the disadvantage with the walkie talkies is that other people are on the frequency and it can become congested!!! I am considereing a tracphone solely for use on holiday in the US. If the airtime expires you can activate the phone again on your next trip.

I am also considering using my Uk triband phone, I am currently with 02 and its only 25p per text in the US, if we get lost in the parks we can just text to meet up!!! Used this method last year and it did not increase my bill too much!!

 

[rob@rar.org.uk]

Sending the occasional text and using UK phones to signal each other (but not answer the call) might be a good compromise. I would be very reluctant to use a UK mobile phone to call another UK mobile phone in Orlando as the costs will add up very quickly.

Regards

Rob

 

[lisagirlyUK]

we all have new mobiles but they are not Triband so we are just looking at purchasing 2 phones we can use to contact each other purely for the holiday. SO we are just looking for 2 phones that we can make a few calls on to the other phone while we are out ther and thats it - so want to buy these and the airtime as cheaply as possible.

 

[patdavies]

If you are looking to purchase mobile phones in US to use PAYG in US then you don't need triband - since you won't be using them in Europe. Simply get the cheapest 'phones available in Orlando. If you have triband then you can purchase a US SIM card which will give you local calls in US.

Triband simply refers to the ability to use UK, Europe and US frequencies.

They will cost more than walkie-talkies, but will not have loads of other people on the frequency.

BTW, it is illegal to use US W/T in UK and vice-versa. In both cases, you are crossing emergency frequencies.

 

[lisagirlyUK]

That clears a few things up!!! I feel like a bit of a dunce now!!!! lol!

Yep, thats basically what we want - 2 or 3 pay as you go phones - as cheap as possible!! Do you have any idea how much we would look at paying?

Thanks!!

 

[patdavies]

IisagirlyUK,

I don't know, as I use my UK Sony P800 (with Orange) when in the US.

A quick search of Best Buy (near Florida Mall) shows a Siemens PAYG for $49.99; but I recall several mobile phone shops in the Orlando area so you could probably beat this.

The Walmart website doesn't show any phones, but I would swear that they hads some on sale in store at Easter. Top up cards, I believe, use the 'old' UK system of purchasing a card for a set value and entering a code. I don't think they have electronic top up.......but I could be wrong.

 

[jockey]

Lisagirlyuk

The pay as you go US phones are on the tracphone web site mentioned above!! They are around $29 with 100 mins airtime!

 

[lisagirlyUK]

yup - thats the sort of thing I was looking for (as we will have to buy 2 or 3) but its only on offer til 10 June - booh!!!! We'll have to keep an eye out when we go out there. I will probably sell them when I come back too as we wont be able to afford another holiday like this for a very very long time!!!!!loL!

 

[MalcolmC]

Last year when we were over, WalMart at Haines City had both TracPhones as well as PAYG T-Mobiles.

The prices weren't too expensive, if I remember correctly, but these phones tend to be older models- like something that would have been on sale here about 4 years ago!!

 

[lisagirlyUK]

Thanks for the info. I dont really mind how new the model is as long as its cheap and it works!

Thanka again fo the info - we'll be going straight to Walmart as soon as we get there!