What is the cheapest way to make and receive (cell?) phone calls while
traveling in Ireland? I live in Boston and have Verizon w/Motorola
V60i, and I will be flying into Shannon for one week, starting end of
this week. If cell phone, can I use mine, or should I rent one, and if
so, where?

EnglishPaulM

Cheap is a relative term:

I'd suggest: 
http://www.worldcell.com/international.html
 
Their handset rental is $75 per week with either a $8 per day after
one full week or $50 for a second week.  The per minute rate from
Ireland to the USA is $2.29 per minute with incoming calls at $0.99
per minute and local calls in Ireland at $0.99 per minute.

You should call  888-WorldCell (888-967-5323) to arrange a phone
immediately if you are to have it in time for your departure. They
will Fedex it to you if need be.

The Worldcell web site has some interesting FAQ's and guidelines for
your trip.

If I can clarify your request, please don't hesitate to ask.

seedy

If you wish to take the time to search out other companies which offer
the same service as worldcell, you may wish to examine the following:

Global Phone Works 
http://www.globalphoneworks.com 
 
Planet Fone 
http://www.planetfone.com 
 
Action Cellular: 
http://www.globalphone.net 
 
UniverCell: 
http://www.rentalcell.com 

Search Strategy:  "cell phones" + international
                   personal experience

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Request for Answer Clarification by englishpaulm-ga on 24 Sep 2002 19:30 PDT

Thanks for your awesome and quick response!

Do you know where I might also find information about cheapest phone
cards for visits to Ireland with calls to USA? I wonder if that would
be tons cheaper than renting a cell?

--Paul

---

Clarification of Answer by seedy-ga on 24 Sep 2002 23:04 PDT

EnglishPaulM;

Although a separate question from your earlier one, I have quicly
found two phone cards which can be used from Ireland.  A Google search
on "phone cards" + Ireland will being up dozens more all with rates
and connection charges.

http://www.swiftcall.ie/Phonecards/swifty.html

http://www.crowntelecom.com/Irish_Phone_Cards.htm

You may also wish to consider AT&T USA Direct.  I have often used this
service before cell phones were available to rent.  You call an access
number (different for each country) which connects you with a dial
tone in Atlanta which you can use to make a credit card call as if you
were in the USA.  You can dial 800 numbers using this service.  ie:
For Ireland the access code is 0080022255288.  You ask the operator at
a hotel to dial that number for you, or direct dial it, or use a
public phone to dial the number, or an offic phone. When you hear the
tone, dial the phone # in the USA, when you hear the tone, enter your
credit card # or your phone credit card plus pin.   You will be
connected immediately.  I don't know the cost per minute on this
service but it compares with the phone card rates I believe.  It is
incredibly easy...
http://www.travel.att.com/traveler/country/index.jsp?country=ireland

Thank you for using GA for your travel needs.

seedy

Many supermarkets carry a range of phonecards and can show you a rate
card for each provider.

So I'm back from Ireland, it was great. I did buy phone cards over
there, but be careful about the fine print. All the cards over there
had rates which claimed only 4-6 cents per minute to the US. But that
was if you dialed their Dublin number, which of course cost a lot from
a payphone if you are not in Dublin. If you instead used their toll
free number, the charge was 30 cents a minute. Still not a terrible
deal (e.g., much cheaper than renting a cell phone which costs $1.50 a
minute) but a bit misleading from the posters in the stores selling
these.

Search prepaid phone card. Your PIN number via E-Mail right and you
can start using calling card immediately.
http://www.telephone-card.org