Travel India Info

How to use your foreign cell phone in India Note: Article continues from previous page - To visit previous page click HERE

Dual Sim Card Phones

Dual Sim card phones are available worldwide. These cell phones (referred to as mobile phones in India) have slots to insert two Sim cards. The user can switch to the Sim card of his choice manually without switching Sim cards. The only drawback is that only one Sim card can be used at one time. A new phone being marketed in India eliminates the need of manually selecting a Sim card as both Sim cards are simultaneously active. The Spice Mobile dual Sim card phone (Model D-88) sells in India for Rupees 9849 which is approximately US$230. The Spice Dual handset also has a 1.3 mega pixel; camera that is capable of capturing high quality images. Other features of the Spice Dual mobile phone include a special integrated music and video player and video recording and playback. The presence of the in-built option for two SIM cards allows the user to make or receive calls from any SIM at any time as well as receive and send text messages. The Spice Dual phone has a 256MB built-in memory card. But, the phone also offers the option of expandable memory.

Converting Full size Sim Card to Micro Sim

size

The majority of Sim cards tourists will find in India are the regular size. The trend of micro Sim cards in now becoming popular as new smart phones come to the market. While micro Sim cards are now becoming available in India, they are treated as a special order and have to be ordered from the service provider. This can take several weeks and since tourists visiting India do not normally have the time to go through the red tape to get a micro Sim card in India. There is an alternative in some cases that may work for such tourists.

How to fit Full size Sim card in a Micro Sim

card slot

More and more foreign phones are now made to use a micro Sim card. When traveling to India, this creates a problem as most retailers provide the regular (larger) Sim card. The solution here is to simply cut the Indian Sim card to convert it into a micro Sim. While a simple scissor can be used to cut Sim card, it is not that easy for most people as they run the risk of ruining the Sim card if cut improperly. The alternative is to either get the person from where you buy the Indian Sim to cut it for you for a small charge, or buy a Sim cutter. The cost of a Sim cutter can vary anywhere from just two dollars to twenty dollars depending on where you buy it.

How much does a cell phone cost in

India?

Just about everyone in India seems to own a cell phone. Even though many poor class people use their cell phones to receive calls (incoming calls are usually free) there is of course the cost of buying the phone. I was quite curious to find out what the people on the street shell out to buy a basic phone. First of all you can buy just about any type of phone in India today. Prices are surprisingly cheaper on some phones when compared to USA prices. The cheapest phone I found here was a brand new Nokia for Rupees 750. This works out to approximately 19 US$. This is WITHOUT any contract with any cell phone provider in India. Just about any phone can also be repaired in India and the repair costs for very reasonable price. Check out the prices of some of the prices advertised outside a store for Nokia phones. While they may not carry the Nokia Windows phone, the Nokia phones they sell are still reliable to use. The Nokia N-73 being sold for Rupees 11720 in India is being advertised for 212 British pounds in the UK which works out to approximately 16500 Indian Rupees. When buying good quality phones, it's always better to purchase phones in the country where you reside. This will ensure that you receive appropriate customer and warranty service.