Russian cell phone

[392ihc]

Hello my friends,
I am planning my next trip to FSU.  My last post on here were from Odessa in which I indicated I had serious doubts about ever returning!  That trip to UA was a WMVM kind of trip.  Now everything is different.  This time I am going to Moscow to see only one woman.  Long story but I can easily tell that this lady is completely different.  I don't know exactly how to explain it but it is great with her.  We chat on msn almost every day, send sms, and I call her on the weekend.  So....I have my ticket to Moscow for the end of October!  She has helped me find an apartment and even offered to pay the booking money to reserve it!  Of course I refused.
All of which leads me to my question!  I have a cheap Nokia KyivStar phone I bought in UA.  I know it will work in Russia but I will have roaming charges.  Can I have this phone doctored to work in Russia with a different number?  Or would it be easier to buy a cheap Russian mobile phone?  I may not even buy one actually since she has already told me she will stay in my apartment with me......but I would like to know.

Thanks in advance !!

Mike in Wyoming!

[TwoBitBandit]

Your Ukrainian phone will work fine in Russia if you just get hold of a new sim card.  (A sim card is a little electronic chip that fits in the phone and identifies your phone to the network.)

HOWEVER, getting a sim card in Russia is harder than in Ukraine.  You have to show a Russian passport to get one.  If you're dealing with a Russian company for flats/interpreters/whatever they can probably help you get one.

[392ihc]

Thanks for the info......my Russian lady should be able to get one then!

[yarm]

I bought a beeline a sim card this August at Sheremetyevo, and nobody asked me for a passport or anything of that sort.

[Kunstkammer]

HOWEVER, getting a sim card in Russia is harder than in Ukraine.  You have to show a Russian passport to get one.  If you're dealing with a Russian company for flats/interpreters/whatever they can probably help you get one.

Yeah, um, no.  And besides even if this rule was actually enforced by a merchant, you could go to the next person selling them and get one.  Also, in any case, I'm sure the person he is visiting has a Russian passport, no?

[Kunstkammer]

So after buying a Beeline sim card in SPb today, I asked the dude working at the store about the passport thing.  You need a passport.  Not a Russian passport.  Oh, the store was Ультра so it wasn't some shady dude selling sim cards on the street or anything.

[groovlstk]

So after buying a Beeline sim card in SPb today, I asked the dude working at the store about the passport thing.  You need a passport.  Not a Russian passport.  Oh, the store was Ультра so it wasn't some shady dude selling sim cards on the street or anything.

Two Bit was pointing out that it's not as easy to get a mobile phone or sim card in Russia as it is in Ukraine, where it's like buying a magazine. I bought a mobile phone in SPB a few years back and had to fill out a long form in addition to showing them my passport, which was photocopied. No big deal, of course, but it's a good FYI for new guys.

[Kunstkammer]

Well, all I had to do was sign my name verifying my identity.  Hardest part was trying to ignore the <insert derogatory term for Caucasian here> trying to slyly offer to sell me stolen phones while I was talking to the clerk.

[Stirlitz]

A passport is usually required but if you look hard, you can find where they will not bother you with that.