cell phone (traveling)

 apparently traveling abroad might be in the works (again) and I hate phones
that folks call & pester me on but I seems I need a this century cell to go
to south Americas & New Zealand areas... I have time to shop since it's a
few months off. want to buy/rent phone for a month to month gig (no long
term contract) nice features to have: big numbers & durable.

 
Not sure about New Zealand, but for South America:  I purchased a very
cheap, no frills, large button Nokia phone that uses SIM cards.  It
works almost worldwide.  I go to a country, purchase a SIM card for
about $40 and then the recharge card for it.  For South America, it
cost me about $12 for a recharge card and I didn't use all of the
minutes it purchased.  I think Orange Mobile is one of the larger
carriers with SIM cards that work in most countries.  I have a total
of 3 SIM cards that work everywhere I've been but in the USA.

That's the only experience I have.  Some of the folks who worked for
me used a global phone that they purchased through Verizon or Sprint,
but it is insanely expensive.  Like... $500 for the month, including
the phone.  Personally, I'll pay about $50 for the SIM and recharge
card and change them out when I get where I'm going.

John

 Hi!

On Wed, 16 Nov 2011 22:00:33 -0500, john wrote:

Have a look at the Nokia 3720 classic. It's a triband, dunno if this will
work where you intend to go. GF has it and it looks like a pretty durable
no-nonsense mobile to me. Those smartphones sometimes can't even survive
two days on standby before they need a recharge. Probably not what you
would you're after over there.

Cheers,
Volker

P.S.: The Sonim XP1 "rugged phone" sucks. Big deal. Don't ask why I know
that.

--
@:  I N F O at B A R T H E L D dot N E T
3W: www.bartheld.net

 Hi!

[Supersede: Fix typo.]

On Wed, 16 Nov 2011 22:00:33 -0500, john wrote:

Have a look at the Nokia 3720 classic. It's a triband, dunno if this will
work where you intend to go. GF has it and it looks like a pretty durable
no-nonsense mobile to me. Those smartphones sometimes can't even survive
two days on standby before they need a recharge. Probably not what you're
after over there.

Cheers,
Volker

P.S.: The Sonim XP1 "rugged phone" sucks. Big deal. Don't ask why I know
that.

--
@:  I N F O at B A R T H E L D dot N E T
3W: www.bartheld.net

 
Nokia X1, quadband and dual SIM. Not many features, but the ones you
require are there.

-- Tiago