Israel GPRS rates
 

I just made a few phone calls to find out rates in Israel and thought I'd share:

Cellcom Talkman Prepaid:
150 shekels a month internet unlimited
100mb 40 shekels
200mb 70 shekels

1.2 a min to talk
0.68 shekels to sms

---
Orange Big Talk Prepaid
100MB 27 shekels
5GB 99 shekels
20GB 149 shekels

1.2 a min to orange
1.27 a min to others

0.68 shekels to sms


I think Orange sounds like the better deal since it's hard to go over 5GB so 99 shekels is better than 150 shekels for Cellcom's unlimited.

This is information I got from calling Cellcom / Orange.

For some unknown reason Pelephone do not publish their data rates on the web. Their prepaid voice rates are the best in the country - NIS 0.49 per minute and NIS 0.50 per SMS to all networks, with a monthly fee of NIS 9.9. It is worth asking at a Pelephone sales point, as their HSPA is the fastest data network in the country.

The market is expected to change soon with the introduction of several MVNO's in the coming months, followed by two new MNO's during 2012.

The first MVNO to go on air will belong to the Rami Levi supermarket chain, expected to start selling SIM cards on December 5. Rumors are that a prepaid SIM card will cost NIS 40, air time about NIS 0.20-0.25 /min to all networks and data NIS 50 for 5 GB. The MVNO will use Pelephone's HSPA 850/2100 network (with no GSM service).

I intend to update as new operators will go on air.

For further information see my previous post and use a translation service.

what about keeping your number ?
With orange, if you don't use you sim for a year you still keep your number, and there's no monthly fees, what happen if your balance don't have enough ?

Also, can we move from bigtalk to pelephone prepaid whithout changing the phone # ?

Israeli regulations permit a line to be be disconnected after 12 months of no use.
Personally I have only postpaid contracts (with all 3 GSM carriers) but a relative has a prepaid line that was charged with NIS 100 more than 10 years ago and is used no more than once or twice a year - the remaining credit was valid as of about 3 months ago.
As for Rami-Levy's new MVNO - as far as I understand the monthly fee will be deduced only if the balance is positive, and there will be no retroactive charges if the balance will be 0 even for several months.
As far as I know numbers can by ported to MVNO's.

Hey guys!

I'm happy to find this post. I'm going to Israel soon an I have a Cellcom Talkman prepaid. How is it possible to activate Internet (for facebook and twitter) for 1 month?

Do you recommend another Provider?

Thank you.
Best wishes,
steinik

The Israely cellular market has undergone deep changes since this thread was updated more than a year ago. Several MVNO's and two MNO's started operating, introducing very cheap packages. Unfortunately for visitors from abroad, except one MVNO (Rami Levi) all new plans are postpaid and require an Israeli credit card. The three "old" companies (Pelephone, Cellcom and Orange, did not change their (high) prepaid rates. I suggest that you run a search in this forum, I posted several updates.

If you need a prepaid SIM buy a Rami-Levy card - the card will cost NIS 39, there is a monthly fee on NIS 4.90 as long as your balance is positive. Voice calls are NIS 0.39/min (1/1 second debit), SMS 0.29, data NIS 0.39/MB. a 5 GB data package costs NIS 69 and a 10 GB NIS 99, valid for 1 month.

The problem with Rami Levy is that the SIM cards and top ups can be purchased only at the chain's supermarkets, mostly in suburban shopping areas and a handful other networks such as the Ivory computer stores.

If you can buy a postpaid SIM (with the help of an Israeli friend, an Israeli credit card is required) I suggest that you get a HOT-mobile or Golan Telecom SIM - a NIS 99/month plan will provide you with unlimited calls inside Israel an to landlines in about 30 countries including Germany, and 3GB of data. Golan will be easier to deactivate when you leave, using an excellent web site (although they will call you to confirm), while disconnecting from HOT can be done only through their awful customer service. 012mobile, Orange's cheap brand, has a similar plan but with only 1 GB, and the Orange data network appears to be the slowest data network in the country.

As to handsets - all Israeli 3G networks are based the European 2100 band. However, the Pelephone and Cellcom networks, an as result also HOT, Golan and Rami-Levy, use also the 850 MHz band, so a hanset supporting both bands is rcommended althuogh a 2100 set may be sufficient in the populated areas.

I might be back this December and looking into options. Have used Cellcom and Orange in the past, I know that one of these, at least, has been disconnected due to more than 12 months without use (and I could not get it to register in the US to make a call or text, to keep it active).

And I had trouble getting either of the Israeli sims activated for data.

Piranha simcard has good rates for calls, and they told me it would cost $8 to get an Israeli number added for a month (on top of basic US and UK numbers). Data is off the charts expensive, so I'd use wifi and my mifi with abroadband sim.

An Israeli SIM card costs nowadays around NIS 40-50 (USD 10-12).
There is a good chance that your Orange and Cellcom lines can not be registered in the US because the roaming option is blocked (which is the default by Israeli regulations), and will be active once you get back here.
In any case, if you need mobile data in Israel the best option - if a local friend can help you - is a postpaid Golan or HOT line. If a prepaid line is needed Rami-Levy will be the cheapest.

looks like you can order an Orange sim direct from the post office in Israel,
SIM Big Talk card - Israel Post Shop

about $10, with around $7.50 of credit on it, and another $2.50 to ship worldwide, not bad at all.

I figure you have to add a data package once there.

1. The Orange Big Talk Voce rates are extremely expensive (ILS 1.20 inside the network, ILS 1.23-1.28 to other networks. Rami-Levy is far cheaper one third of that.
2. If you come for a short stay you can buy "Unlimited" Orange Big-Talk topups for local (inside Israel) calls and texts - ILS 20 for 2 days, ILS 70 for a week, ILS 130 for two weeks and ILS 199 for 30 days. A 20 GB data topup will cost ILS 149 and is valid for 30 days.
3. Orange Big Talk is for more convenient then Rami-Levi as topup cards are available in most shopping centers and post offices, and adding credit can be done also online or by customer service if you have access ti an Israeli credit card. The same is true for Pelephone and Cellcom.
4. The cheapest plan is HOT's postpaid plan. Unfortunately, except Rami-Levy, no new carrier, either MNO or MVNO, offers prepaid plans.