Staying in touch while traveling to Israel is now simpler than it ever was. There are several solutions to stay connected while traveling to Israel and keep in touch with friends and family back home, and stay connected to your favorite sites and apps.
The rise of smartphones and ever-present Internet services and apps, has made keeping in touch while traveling Israel both easier and more of a priority than it used to be in the past.
Tourists to Israel have to be watchful for a potential minefield of hidden fees from the US carriers. Many horror stories can be told of careless travelers who unsuspectingly end up owing thousands of dollars in cell phone roaming charges while traveling to Israel, which can happen almost instantly when using a US cell phone on an international roaming plan. For example, AT&T’s international data rate for a smartphone costs about $20 per 1 MB!!! Which means that to open an email with a picture in it, or to download a 2-3-minute video on YouTube could cost you as much as $40. In addition, the cost of making international phone calls can easily top $2 or $3 a minute between the various US providers.
Fortunately, there are several cost effective options to use your cell phone while in Israel (delivery for all the options below is available across the USA so you can have your SIM or Phone prior to your trip to Israel). All plans can be seen at our short-term plans page:
Using Your Own Phone in Israel
For most travelers to Israel, the expenditure outlay of adding international roaming connectivity to a personal smartphone plan doesn’t make fiscal sense. However, travelers to Israel could still bring their own phones with their contacts, emails, and apps. Firstly, you need to make sure your phone will work in Israel, and for that you need to make sure that the phone has GSM capability. One way to figure that out is to check if the phone takes a SIM card. The second requirement is that the phone must be unlocked to use another carrier’s SIM card. Even if your phone is locked by your carrier, many US carriers will be willing to unlock your device for the duration of your trip to Israel; just call them and ask. Currently, NES Mobile’s rate for unlimited calls to the US & Israel, Unlimited texts within Israel, and Unlimited Data is just $7.90/day + VAT. A cheap option when compared with $2-3 per minute charge by US carriers.
Renting a Phone in Israel
This option is better suited to people who want a local Israeli phone number and a basic phone as well. Currently, NES Mobile rents our phones (with SIM cards in them) with a Budget plan for just $1.90/day + VAT and pay-as-you-go rate of just $0.19 per minute/SMS + VAT to the US or Israel. In addition, NES Mobile offers an unlimited calls to USA or Israel for just $6/day + VAT.
VOIP in Israel
Another cost-effective option for tourists to Israel who want to make calls but don’t necessarily need a working phone in their pocket 24/7 is an Internet-based VOIP service like Skype. The call quality may not always be so clear, but you can call another person on Skype for free. In the case of smartphones, you could opt to rent a SIM for Data only from NES Mobile from just $6/day + VAT.
Local US number on your Israel Phone
If you need a US number to be reached on (so your friends and family can call you on a local number) it’s just $1/day for UNLIMITED incoming calls. NES Mobile can assign a number with a local USA, UK, and many other countries of your choice – directly on your Israeli NES Mobile cellular number.