|
|
|
| Using mobile in France and Spain |
|---|
| message from Bobby on 27 Jun 2005 |
My wife and I are driving through Spain and France in a few weeks (from
Barcelona to Bergerac)... in separate cars (it means I don't have to talk to
her ;-).
So we'll need to use our mobile phones.
We're both T-Mobile users from the UK.
What's the best (i.e. cheapest) way to use mobiles in Spain and France (in
fact, we'll be in France more of the time)?
I think that T-Mobile phones are locked. Is that a problem?
Cheers.
Bobby
|
| chancellor of the duchy of besses o' th' barn and prestwich tesco replied to Bobby on 27 Jun 2005 |
You've got several options, but it really depends how much you'll want
to use the phone. With heavy usage, you might want to consider buying
local sims for both phones. (You could always buy one sim, but calling a
UK mobile might be pricy, and you'll still have to pay for the incoming
call on the UK mobile if you call it from the French, or Spanish, SIM.)
No, but if they're locked you'll have to get it unlocked. This can be
done cheaply though. Search achives for different options.
Assuming that you won't be chatting a lot on the phone while driving (I
don't know if this is illegal or not in those countries, but I'd advise
you check!) then a combination of very short calls and/or text messages
from your t-mobile phones might be sufficient for your needs.
Whatever you do, try not to chat for a long time with your UK contract
SIMs. The roaming costs are artificially high, and it's better to starve
them of as much of that extra income as you can!
|
| Joe replied to chancellor of the duchy of besses o' th' barn and prestwich tesco on 27 Jun 2005 |
I believe it's been illegal in both countires since 2003.
|
| Wireless Reader replied to Joe on 27 Jun 2005 |
You had better tell that to the millions in both Countries using mobile
phones.
If of course you were referring to driving while using a mobile - it is
legal in the same way as it is in the UK - but the French and Spanish
authorities seem to pay even less attention to the law breakers than our
own.
|
| chancellor of the duchy of besses o' th' barn and prestwich tesco replied to Wireless Reader on 27 Jun 2005 |
Frankly, I see plenty of people breaking the law in the UK too. Of
course, there is this silly notion that a handsfree set makes much
difference, whereas various studies have shown it's the act of talking
to someone not present which is the most distracting element of a mobile
phone call. I'm just as concerned about people talking on handsfree kits
as I am people doing it 'illegaly.'
|
| Peter replied to chancellor of the duchy of besses o' th' barn and prestwich tesco on 27 Jun 2005 |
On Mon, 27 Jun 2005 10:40:51 +0100, this_address_is_for_spam@yahoo.com
I take it you never carry passengers in your car then?
|
| chancellor of the duchy of besses o' th' barn and prestwich tesco replied to Peter on 27 Jun 2005 |
Given I no longer drive, no. However, the studies (US based I think)
that are available on this found that there was a difference in talking
to someone _in_ the vehicle, and someone on the phone.
|
| Peter replied to chancellor of the duchy of besses o' th' barn and prestwich tesco on 27 Jun 2005 |
On Mon, 27 Jun 2005 16:25:56 +0100, this_address_is_for_spam@yahoo.com
Next time you're ion a car (as a passenger) take a look at any cars
containing 2 or more women - I've observed that they cannot talk to
each other without either the driver turning towards the passenger and
vice verca or, worse still, the driver turns to the rear seat
passengers - not generally capable in looking ahead while talking to
another person in the car.
|
| Steve Christie replied to chancellor of the duchy of besses o' th' barn and prestwich tesco on 27 Jun 2005 |
Yep. When you're talking to someone in the passenger seat in particular,
you'll spot trouble up ahead together and mutually shut up. Your passenger
might even spot the bother first (while you're nervously checking your fuel
gauge) and inform you. He or she certainly won't keep yapping on unlike a
person on a mobile ("Hello?.....Steve? It's all gone quiet, YOOOHOOO, lost
your signal? Maybe it's me. HELLLOOOO...") Perhaps a hands-free kit is even
worse than a mobile - at least you can drop a mobile instinctively and
perform some maneouvres that would impress even the boyos who examine the
advanced driving test. A hands-free kit is stuck in your ear, however, and
though you have two free hands in both scenarios (dropped and hands-free)
you've still got that voice yelling away.....depends how quickly you can
tear it out of your ear......how long does that take?
|
| Peter replied to Steve Christie on 27 Jun 2005 |
My hands free doesn't include anything that needs to be torn from my
ear.
|
| Ivor Jones replied to chancellor of the duchy of besses o' th' barn and prestwich tesco on 27 Jun 2005 |
[snip]
Hmm. I've been talking to people not present for over 20 years on amateur
radio (use of hand microphones on which isn't illegal BTW, although I do
use a handsfree system). I've never had an accident as a result. I also
use PMR at work whilst driving a bus and I've never had an accident due to
those either (we have fixed microphones and footswitch PTTs).
Incidentally, I recommend learning to drive a bus with 80+ screaming
schoolkids on. If you can cope with *that* then any distractions posed by
a mere phone call pale into insignificance ;-)
Ivor
|
| chancellor of the duchy of besses o' th' barn and prestwich tesco replied to Ivor Jones on 27 Jun 2005 |
But, just because something is shown to cause more accidents doesn't
mean it _will_ always cause accidents- which is the same case with even
hand-held mobile phones.
|
| Alan Summerfield replied to Bobby on 27 Jun 2005 |
What about a walkie-talkie? They sell from about 13 GBP a pair with a
3Km range (terrain permitting)...
Try http://www.maplin.co.uk/ and search for "way radio"
Alan
|
| Ivor Jones replied to Alan Summerfield on 27 Jun 2005 |
If you mean 446 MHz then forget it, you'd be ok over a quarter of a mile
or so but 3km..? Forget it unless you're both on hilltops with nothing in
between.
Ivor
|
| OldBill replied to Ivor Jones on 28 Jun 2005 |
A 30 quid pair of PMRs from Maplins worked well for us when driving
through France last year. Also good when parties split up while shopping.
|
| Ivor Jones replied to OldBill on 28 Jun 2005 |
[snip]
Over what range and with what obstructions..? Car to car they should be
fine as long as you're together on the road, but in a built up area such
as a shopping centre with loads of people and shop walls etc. in the way
you won't get far.
Ivor
|
| mobileshoporg replied to Bobby on 29 Jun 2005 |
Buy a pair of walkie-talkies, but keep them discreet through customs.
The French have odd rules about them.
|
| Ivor Jones replied to mobileshoporg on 29 Jun 2005 |
Why..? 446 sets are legal throughout the EC.
Ivor
|
| U n d e r a c h i e v e r replied to Ivor Jones on 30 Jun 2005 |
so is speaking English... but inadvisable in the presence of French
customs in my experience.
|
|
