Mobile phones in FSU

[Son of Clyde]

I have never used a mobile phone in Ukraine (my apartment always had a phone) and I am curious how many others have not needed a mobile phone. Did any of you use the old fashioned pay phones? I can see the rental fees are rather low for mobile phones so maybe I will rent one next time we visit Ukraine.

[groovlstk]

I ditched my mobile after I committed to the woman who is now my wife (knowing at the time that during all subsequent trips I'd be living with her 24/7). In my opinion, a mobile is optional only when a guy commits to one woman and can be with her 24/7 while in Ukraine/Russia; until then a mobile is absolutely essental.

Think of it: if you are dealing with a realtor, an agency (or three), an interpreter, meeting multiple women, etc.... relying on your apartment or pay phones will mean you'll waste scads of enormously valuable time.

[Son of Clyde]

Correct, I always met only one woman. No realators or agencies.

[Michelangelo]

Actually, cell phones are the greatest thing since sliced bread.

I have sim chips for 6 countries.  They allow me to call hotels and business contacts in the country I am staying virtually free.  They can save you when you get lost.

And in terms of dating, wow!  Vik and I were together via sms from dawn to midnight every day.  During our dating time from Oct 2005 to Aug 2006, we exchanged more than 20,000 sms.  That is a true number.

In Ukraine, she was able to send an sms as an email, making it almost free. And I could receive email and send email to her cell number free, so what a great deal it was for us.  It allowed us to walk through every day virtually minute to minute, and built our bond so much stronger.  And we also talked by cell every day.

The first day she got to NY we went to the cingular store on Broadway, and created a family plan. Now we use the cell when we get separated in Target or some other store.  The cell gives her a great sense of security in a strange new land.

For us, mobile phones have been great-- both in Ukraine and in the US.

[Jack]

Wow, trying to survive with no cellphone? 

Trying to meet many ladies,  contacting agencies, restaurants, calling for taxi's when your out and about (always cheaper when you call a taxi, it's a quoted, confirmed price and always cheaper than a regular taxi you just stop. About 50% of the time actually cheaper than the gypsy taxi), calling other guys when were out and about and trying to hook up, having a cell phone so business associates, family, friends from the states can call at any time if a need arises, calling your 8pm date at 8:20pm and asking where she is  (ohh, she's waiting for you in-front of the MacDonald's at Indep. Sq, not the one next to the metro), the call from guy who is suppose to arrive at 1pm missed his connecting flight and won't land until 4pm. Calling ahead and reserving a bowling lane or getting that call from girlfriend to stop and get a bottle of wine, getting that call at 3am while out and about from the guy who just broke his key in his lock and can't get into his flat, and on and on and on.     

I, we, would be lost without cellphones.

[Shadow]

Before I lost my wallet I used to have different prepais SIM cards. Much cheaper than using the phone in hotel or apartment, and if you have a tr-band or quad-band phone very easy to use.
Otherwise, just buy a prepaid cellphone for Ukraine and use it when you are there.

Alternatively you might take a course in smoke signals 

[Wayne B]

I have T Mobile GSM World Class...But, at $2.99 per min in the Ukraine, talk fast! Wayne.

[Turboguy]

Don't feel bad,  Cingular charges me $ 4.00 a minute and that is because I pay an extra $ 5.00 a month for the plan that gets me a $ 1.00 discount or it would be $ 5.00 a minute.