Israel Cell Phone Travel Tips

If you’re planning to travel to Israel, you have surely taken care of ordering  airline tickets and accommodations. However, many visitors (if not most), forget to arrange for local phone (and data) rentals. When looking for a company which rents out Israel phones and SIM cards, do your homework.

Here are just a few things to look into:

Plan Ahead – But Better Late than Never…

In all likelihood, your local cell provider charges very high rates for roaming. Roaming charges for calls range from $1.99-$3.59 per minute!!!  Data can cost as much as $20 per MB! It is therefore far cheaper to order an Israeli SIM card or phone before your trip. However, if you did not take care of a phone rental for Israel in advance, it’s not too late – we deliver in the USA or Israel.

Advertised Price Does NOT Always Mean Actual Price…

Some companies do a fine job of hiding certain charges in the fine print and you only find out about them at the end of your trip. Here are some examples of what to watch out for:

How many days are you actually paying for?

NES Mobile only charges for the days you’re actually in Israel, even if you receive the phones and SIM cards several days ahead of your trip to Israel. While there’s a 7 day minimum rental,  You only pay for the days you use it in Israel, not for the days the phone is in transit.

Other companies, charge you for the days you keep the phone, even if you’re in the USA! NES Mobile also gives you a grace period of one week to return the phone  after your return to the USA. Also remember, NES Mobile does NOT require you to return the SIM card at the end of the trip. Other companies do (and charge a penalty if you don’t do so).

Insurance & Late Fees

NES Mobile does NOT charge any insurance fees. Furthermore, our loss/stolen fees are the lowest in the industry, even when compared to the deductibles some companies charge AFTER charging you an insurance fee…

Deposits

NES Mobile does NOT charge deposits. Other companies do.

VAT (Value Added Tax- similar to sales tax)

We clearly state that there’s an additional VAT. Keep in mind that all Israeli companies are required to charge VAT, even if it’s not advertised, even if they don’t advertise it ahead of time. Read More…

What Israeli Mobile Network are they Using?

Your Israeli cell service is only as good as the network it’s on. There are several network providers in Israel and, just like in the USA, some networks have better coverage than others. NES Mobile uses Cellcom’s network which has the largest network coverage in Israel, and covers the entire country.

Quality of Devices

NES Mobile’s Mifi devices are top quality with a battery life of 4-5 hours and come with unlimited Internet in Israel. You can also use these MiFi devices while they’re charging. Please note: Some companies use Mifi devices that do NOT work while plugged into the wall (charging), so you must charge them first and only then can they be used. You cannot use them and charge them at the same time.

NES Mobile‘s cell phone rentals are usually basic, good quality models of Nokia and Samsung (such as the Nokia 100). They are all in good condition and are usually no older than 6-12 months.