General Chit Chat - Page 93

Leila · #**921** 06-09-2008, 03:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wayne_harris

Thanks to you all for your help with the mobile's. I went into car phone warehouse today and asked if I brought a pay as you go over here and took it to egypt, then put an egyptian sim card in would it work over there, they said no, they have put a block on it, because people were buying phones over here and selling them abroad. I dont believe that at all. I asked the same question in the orange shop and he said, no only an orange sim card would work in it, so I then said, it would if I got the phone unlocked, and he said yes. So I think I have an old mobile lying around somewhere, so I will use that. All I want to know now is that do you need a trio or dual band to beable to use it out there. Is there anyone on here that has used a mobile form over here with an egyptian sim card?

Cheers Dawn

Yes!! each time I bought from Carphone Warehouse, lat time end of July! before then in April, no problems at all. As they have your details on their database they can see how many phones you have bought and when. I just bought a cheap one, plus the sim card on cheapest network. I was told that none of their pay as you go phones are locked now but previously they were locked so depends on how much trouble you want to go to and how old your 'old' phone is. Just check though, as the cost of the phone depends on the type of sim you buy!
I had to use a random bloke to top up my Etisalat credit as I bought the credit from a vendor in the street and not from a phone shop. The phone shops however do seem pretty obliging on the whole and will help.

danny · #**922** 06-09-2008, 08:51 AM

You can get mobile phones here in Egypt from as little as £15, cutting out the guesswork of whether your UK phone is compatible or not. For making calls to landlines in the Uk I use a service called call2dotcom and it costs 10p a minute from an egypt mobile to a UK landline.(you need access to the internet to make your call but it is directed through a real telephone system not the internet)
Skype is handy but not everyone in the UK has it so I find the call2dot com system better as I can dial anyone at home regardless of whether they have internet access or not. You can set up your calls in advance also so if yo have limited acces to internet you can enter a time later on in the day for your call to be made when you may not have access to the internet.

wellheld · #**923** 06-09-2008, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by danny

You can get mobile phones here in Egypt from as little as £15, cutting out the guesswork of whether your UK phone is compatible or not. For making calls to landlines in the Uk I use a service called call2dotcom and it costs 10p a minute from an egypt mobile to a UK landline.(you need access to the internet to make your call but it is directed through a real telephone system not the internet)
Skype is handy but not everyone in the UK has it so I find the call2dot com system better as I can dial anyone at home regardless of whether they have internet access or not. You can set up your calls in advance also so if yo have limited acces to internet you can enter a time later on in the day for your call to be made when you may not have access to the internet.

Thanks for this info, sounds easy enough, ha ha,

will check it out, then brave an internet cafe when I get there, I'll be asking Random Bloke again meethinks.
3 days to go

wayne_harris · #**924** 06-09-2008, 12:27 PM

Hi Leila, Thanks for your help. Dont think my old phone will work then cos its very old.

Hi Danny,
How do we get call2dotcom? Although we may not need it, because we are planning on taking a webcam and chatting on MSN, dont know yet if it will work and we aren't clued up with computors, we have heard about skype but dont know much about it, just that alot of people are using it, dont even know how to get it. LOl. I know its suppose to be free to use. I probaly will buy a mobile over there then. Thank you for your help.

Cheers Dawn

wayne_harris · #**925** 06-09-2008, 12:33 PM

Hi Helen, I can see your getting really excited to go now, your so lucky!!! Your going for longer than us, lucky!!! I cant wait and am trying to write down all the things we need to take and all the things we need to buy out there. Def have to get a TV!!! LOl. Its hard to think of all the little things, and I know we def will forget a few things which we will need. Does any one know what plug adapters we will need to take out there.

Speak soon take care.

Dawn -x-

anokayperson · #**926** 06-09-2008, 12:46 PM

hi Dawn - lucky you! The adapters are the round headed ones. Another forum member suggested us getting extension leads for the rooms and then only one adaptor is needed per extension lead. If you are like our family there is the hair dryer, computer games, phones etc which will all need charging etc - and so they suggested an extension lead which has between 2 and 4 plugs - but will only need one adaptor per extension lead. Great idea I thought as I had bought virtually a plug for every electrical thing we were taking!

danny · #**927** 06-09-2008, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wayne_harris

Call2dotcom

Dawn -x-

Look it up on the internet and subscribe to it. I've been using it for a 6 months now and it is great. obviously replace the dot with a . .

wellheld · #**928** 06-09-2008, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wayne_harris

Hi Helen, I can see your getting really excited to go now, your so lucky!!! Your going for longer than us, lucky!!! I cant wait and am trying to write down all the things we need to take and all the things we need to buy out there. Def have to get a TV!!! LOl. Its hard to think of all the little things, and I know we def will forget a few things which we will need. Does any one know what plug adapters we will need to take out there.

Speak soon take care.

Dawn -x-

EXCITED!!!!!!! YOU BET!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And i feel really lucky to be able to go for 3 months and more, and that my friend is letting me use his apartment, thanks Tony, what a wonderful man.
OK you need 2 round pin adapters, voltage is compatable, but an anti surge protector is advisable for sensitive stuff.(aldi this week i believe may be cheapest) mosquito nets are available, I can find supplier if you want. I am taking my sabatier knives, because I love them, my favourite can opener(age showing?) and a brita water filter and refils(aldi last week)because it's HARD HARD water and leaves a film on my Liptons tea and does nasty things inside the kettle

(Manchester water is sooo soft)

.
If you get a tv you'll want a dvd too so take some with you.Ipod and dock too?
Most stuff is available, but possibly not to your taste,but that's all part of the experience. If you havn't got time to shop around Metro Supermarket has most stuff, but no decent sharp knives when I went, and don't laugh but i am also taking microfibre cleaning cloths (because I have them and they weigh nothing). Buy your booze before you come and at the airport for 24 or 48 hours after arrival (i believe). And have £10? cash ready for your visa, it's a mad scramble to the desks.Enjoy. XX

wayne_harris · #**929** 06-09-2008, 04:26 PM

Hi Helen,
Thanks for the info. I dont understand what you mean about the duty free shop at the airport by 24 to 48 hours. Can you explain please. Also do you know where we will be meeting yet? People keep mentioning the winking frog, I haven;t a clue where it is as I have never been over there yet. I'm sure we could find it if it's quiet local.

Cheers Dawn -x-

#**930** 07-09-2008, 04:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wayne_harris

Hi Helen,
Thanks for the info. I dont understand what you mean about the duty free shop at the airport by 24 to 48 hours. Can you explain please. Also do you know where we will be meeting yet? People keep mentioning the winking frog, I haven;t a clue where it is as I have never been over there yet. I'm sure we could find it if it's quiet local.

Cheers Dawn -x-

Hi Dawn, There are duty free shops in Hurghada and El Gouna. If you wish to make any duty free purchases, you have to do so within 48 hours of landing in Hurghada and take your passport with you as they will check your visa. Sorry, can't help with the Winking Frog, I'm sure somebody will give you directions though, or maybe if you just hop in a taxi they'll take you there.

Regarding Skype, it is very easy. I only started it very recently myself. Just go to Skype.com and download the software from their website, it takes about 2 minutes. Once it is downloaded it will search all the email addresses in your address book and find anyone that already has skype. There are instructions, that are very easy to follow. Once you are set up, you can speak to anybody who also has skype for as long as you want and free of charge, you will need to buy a headset with microphone to do this. I bought one off ebay for less than a fiver

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