Topic Wiki

*=More info below
Company  Price  Sim  Talk/SMS  Web  Free Int'l  Signup Bonus  Israeli CC  Real TZBlackerry
Hot99₪49₪Unlimited3GB31 countries49₪/6 months*  Yes*Yes*
Golan99₪49₪UnlimitedUnlimited  53 countries  ₪59 /1st yearYesNoNo
01292₪Unlimited3GB42 countries*44₪/6 months  YesYes29₪
Rami Levy89₪59₪Unlimited1GB  No1₪/3 monthsYesYesNo
PelephoneYes*Yes*Free
Partner129/135₪*0₪*Unlimited  1GB/3GBAdd'l 20₪NoNoNo*39₪
CellcomA lot of $180₪  NoNo75₪

Rule #1- The Israeli cell phone service market is difficult. But cheap.
Rule #2- It is illegal for a company to "lock you in" a contract. ALL plans may be cancelled at any time with no penalty. Though, they do prevent you from opening and closing plans by charging a sim card "fee". This fee must always be paid even if paid for once before, and ranges from 39₪ to 180₪.
Rule #3- For those places that need an Israeli credit card, you may need to get one from an Israeli bank with a passport and income information although YMMV.
Rule #4- It is rarely, if ever, worthwhile to rent a "vacation plan" or prepaid, as the price for a regular unlimted plan for a month is less that a vacation plan for a week. Get a GSM phone that covers 900/1800 bands and save your money
Rule #5- All Israeli plans, whether regular or prepaid, include free incoming calls/texts.

Hot- 99₪ a month - includes unlimited calls, text and data (3 gb, then slow) and unlimited to 32 countries. Free home internet supply included. They currently have an offer if you port a number from a different network, to get the first six months for just 49₪ a month. You can move your package to a 10₪ a month plan, which includes 50 minutes and texts. You can also freeze the line once a year for up to 3 months. Regarding signup- you can use an American CC and fake TZ over the phone as one user has done.

Golan - Service is passable, but can be subpar in certain areas. There are two plans with Golan. There's the 99₪ unlimited talk/text/internet/international calling plan, which also gives you up to 2 virtual foreign numbers. This plan also includes for many countries unlimited global data roaming (6GB high-speed), incoming calls & texts, and calls & texts to Israel. They also offer a ₪29 per day data-roaming plan which gives 100MB a day in these countries. These roaming options can be very useful for foreigners regardless of whether they need Golan for Israel. See their website for details.There's a promo deal to get the 99 plan for ₪59 /month for the 1st year. There's also a ₪10 a month plan, which includes 60 min for domestic/US & CA and landlines in many countries, unlimited SMS and 10 MB of Internet, with add'l mins ₪.18 domestic, ₪.08 to US/CA and landlines in many countries, and data ₪.09 /MB. Its great for those short trips here. SIM should work in an iPad for data; you can also order a car SIM which will allow you to have 2 SIMs which draw from same plan.
[To get the sim in the USA before your trip:  golanusa.net will ship it to you for $14 (more for rush) and the 49 nis for the sim. Golan bills on the 25th of the month.  The days before the first 25th are freeprorated.(So for a trip between the 26th and the 24th of the month, you don't pay the 59 nis or 99 nis plan fee.)]

012mobile - Runs on Partner service, you will get an 054 number (unless you ported). Unlimited - 49₪ for the first 6 months and 92₪ from thereon after for unlimited everything too. Includes 3GB Data and 500 minutes to US/CA (any phone) and 40 other countries (landlines only). 9₪ plan includes 60 minutes, 60 SMS, and 100MB data. Additional domestic minutes/SMS are ₪ .09, Int'l calls to to US/CA (any phone) and 40 other countries (landlines only) are ₪ .25 per min. Add'l data bundles are available starting from ₪ 19 for 1 GB. 5GB Laptop/Tablet (data only) is 98₪.

Pelephone - Online, they accept fake TZ and US CC.

Partner - 129₪ a month for unlimited talk, text, and 1GB. 135₪ for 3GB. Family plans are cheaper.Free sim for online orders. Extra 20₪/mo. for 500 min. int'l calling. Extra 39₪ for Blackberry. May need to give 500₪ deposit that you (may) get back when you cancel the plan.  One can freeze line without charges for up to 3 months when not needed (not sure if allowed more than once per 12 months).

Freedomhot.com - 2/19/2023 - They have local pickup in lots of major frum areas and delivery too. They accept US CC. Runs on Hot Mobile. Copying and pasting from their website.
All monthly plans include: Unlimited Calls & Texts to Israeli phone numbers Unlimited outgoing calls to USA and Canada and landlines to 33 additional countries.
Unlimited incoming calls and texts from anywhere in the world. Prices include all taxes.
59 Shekels - 70GB LTE Internet Data
79 shekels - 150GB LTE Internet Data
KOSHER - Voice Only - 64 Shekels
One-time SIM card fee: 49 Shekels
Optional: add a virtual USA number for $15 per month

Misc. Info
APN settings

On Hot Mobile you can check how much data was consumed either by downloading the app or by texting גלישה  to phone number 530 from your hot mobile phone,you can as well try calling this number *6733.

Note by Menucha:
Please note: as of 4/1/13, most carriers reduce period of intro rates and at times increased cost for monthly intro. I suggest we leave the above as is, but please keep in mind new changed, which are not negotiable and based on govt agreements. monthly flat rate is still great and same. (post intro)
Also, while reps wont tell you, typically you will get longer intro rate if you activate account on your own on line, and not via rep (phone or store). confirmed with carrier. Enjoy! flat monthly, even without intro rate is still one of the lowest you will come across in the west!

Israeli cellphone rentals:

1) Talkinisrael.com
Phone: +972587564477
Whatsapp: +972536299365
Email: info@talkinisrael.com 
if you should have any problems feel free to send me a pm and I will try to help you the best I can.
Plans for sale here are primarily for long term rentals.(students and the like.)


2) Israel Rent-a-cell SIM card or eSIM with calling and data. Also you can get SIMs for Israel Kosher phones!
Contact at Israelrentacell@gmail.com or WhatsApp 972-55-333-1234
Overnight or standard delivery in USA/delivery in Israel! Pickup locations in Lakewood and Israel.
* Unlimited calls and texts in Israel
* Unlimited calls to USA, Canada and landlines in 35 countries
* Unlimited incoming calls
* 70 GB of data (can add an extra 80GB of data)
* eSIMs available!
* Free voicemail
Student discount available, $29.97 monthly, including tax! Never surprise charges or hidden fees!

3) Cellular Israel - 072-224-3300 or 718-289-0195 Full Service - short term and long term, rent phones, Kosher phones, SIM cards, mifi devices, Waze by the day or month. American Customer Service!
info@cellularisrael.com

4) Simforisrael@gmail.com free delivery to anywhere

5) UnlimitedIsrael (DansDeals Advertiser with many positive reviews on DDMS & DDF) is the leading provider of SIM card & iPhone rentals for Israel in the US.
  • Unlimited calls & texts within Israel
  • Unlimited calling to the US and Canada
  • Lightning Fast 4G Internet Speeds
  • Unlimited 4G data
  • Sim Cards - $5/day
  • iPhones - $45/week
  • Kosher Phone - $4/day
  • Mifi Hotspot - $6/day
Use code SUAVE10 for 10% off any order
« Last edited by shmuelb on August 06, 2023, 12:48:30 PM »

Author Topic: Cell Phones in Israel  (Read 1378738 times)

Offline Live N Learn

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #4060 on: June 03, 2015, 06:43:34 AM »
Yes, definitely since Pesach time...

+1 Even earlier.
".איזהו חכם, הלומד מכל אדם"

Offline yochiek93

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #4061 on: June 03, 2015, 09:42:11 AM »
weird, connect to wifi and try sending the text again.
tried it and it didnt work i also tried manually (got the codes) and it said sim error

Offline yitrap

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #4062 on: June 03, 2015, 10:00:33 AM »
tried it and it didnt work i also tried manually (got the codes) and it said sim error
Try going into an orange store maybe get a new sim? try a different sim first to see that it works

Offline yochiek93

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #4063 on: June 03, 2015, 10:31:24 AM »
Try going into an orange store maybe get a new sim
did that and still no luck

Offline yitrap

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #4064 on: June 03, 2015, 10:31:58 AM »

did that and still no luck
Did you try someone else's SIM?

Offline yochiek93

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #4065 on: June 03, 2015, 11:02:31 AM »
Did you try someone else's SIM?
tried a golan sim as well and still no luck im going to reset the phone and see what happens

Offline yakov116

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #4066 on: June 03, 2015, 11:05:43 AM »
tried a golan sim as well and still no luck im going to reset the phone and see what happens
Is data roaming on?
Money talks...mine says goodbye!

Offline yochiek93

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #4067 on: June 03, 2015, 11:07:19 AM »

Offline Jkhein

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Offline kalman

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #4070 on: June 14, 2015, 04:08:46 PM »
Can the Moto X from Verizon be used in Israel? Is it automatically unlocked? What about data?

Offline David Smith

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #4071 on: June 14, 2015, 04:27:06 PM »
Can the Moto X from Verizon be used in Israel? Is it automatically unlocked? What about data?
Yes, its gsm global unlocked. Check the bands the service you want uses, and check moto x specs to see if it has it, but it should.
Who do you think you are fooling? You think you are going to pull a quick one on your Creator? Good luck with that.
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Offline Emkay

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #4072 on: June 21, 2015, 12:23:20 PM »
I was referred to one by a friend. Used him. He was great. Got a 59shek a month plan. It's like the 99 plan just no American number.
do you have this reps contact info or location?

Offline gedman

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #4073 on: June 23, 2015, 10:03:00 PM »
Which iPhone models are compatible with Israeli cell providers (i.e. Golan)?  I read somewhere that phones must be GSM to work in Israel.

On the one hand, I see Israel services that claim that all iPhone 5 phones are compatible (https://www.talknsave.net/faq.aspx?i=10)
On the other hand, I see that there are iPhone 5 phones that are CDMA only (https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201296 - model A1453, for example).

Can someone help me to understand?  I want to bring a Verizon iPhone 5 to Israel and use on Golan, but want to be sure I buy the right phone.

Offline DanH

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #4074 on: June 24, 2015, 01:54:57 AM »
If it has a slot for a sim card, it will work internationally.
For tech help feel free to Telegram me @DanTechSupp

Offline yitrap

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #4075 on: June 24, 2015, 01:58:30 AM »

Which iPhone models are compatible with Israeli cell providers (i.e. Golan)?  I read somewhere that phones must be GSM to work in Israel.

On the one hand, I see Israel services that claim that all iPhone 5 phones are compatible (https://www.talknsave.net/faq.aspx?i=10)
On the other hand, I see that there are iPhone 5 phones that are CDMA only (https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201296 - model A1453, for example).

Can someone help me to understand?  I want to bring a Verizon iPhone 5 to Israel and use on Golan, but want to be sure I buy the right phone.
A Verizon iPhone will have a SIM slot and should work with Golan, the model you're referencing is iinm a cdma + SIM as opposed to just SIM without cdma, there used to be a cdma only but I think the last phone like that was the 4.

Offline Mech

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Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #4076 on: June 24, 2015, 05:30:35 AM »
Which iPhone models are compatible with Israeli cell providers (i.e. Golan)?  I read somewhere that phones must be GSM to work in Israel.

On the one hand, I see Israel services that claim that all iPhone 5 phones are compatible (https://www.talknsave.net/faq.aspx?i=10)
On the other hand, I see that there are iPhone 5 phones that are CDMA only (https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201296 - model A1453, for example).

Can someone help me to understand?  I want to bring a Verizon iPhone 5 to Israel and use on Golan, but want to be sure I buy the right phone.
I have yet to see an iPhone with a SIM card slot not work. (Posting from an iPhone 5c on Golan)

Offline Hidden

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #4077 on: June 24, 2015, 06:30:24 AM »
Can the Moto X from Verizon be used in Israel? Is it automatically unlocked? What about data?
I tried a moto e Verizon in Israel, hot mobile doesn't work on 3g because it seems that the 2100 band is missing, but it seems to me that Golan will work as they use cellcom which also uses 850 band. (Didn't try yet but it seems so)
Probably the moto x will be the same

Offline gedman

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #4078 on: June 24, 2015, 10:40:33 PM »
Thanks for the help thus far.
If I buy a used iPhone 5 on ebay, is it safe to assume that the owner will have removed the SIM card (Verizon, ATT, whatever)?  If the phone wasn't factory unlocked by the original owner, how can I proceed to have it unlocked if it has no SIM card?
Thanks for the newbie help.  ::)

Offline DanH

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #4079 on: June 25, 2015, 12:00:32 AM »
Thanks for the help thus far.
If I buy a used iPhone 5 on ebay, is it safe to assume that the owner will have removed the SIM card (Verizon, ATT, whatever)?  If the phone wasn't factory unlocked by the original owner, how can I proceed to have it unlocked if it has no SIM card?
Thanks for the newbie help.  ::)
You can easily take out the SIM yourself. 
Unlocked for international use?  All Verizon iphone's are unlocked for international GSM.
For tech help feel free to Telegram me @DanTechSupp