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 1354964 times)

Offline myi

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5140 on: August 01, 2017, 10:11:50 PM »
unless you want to pay per message for the SMS being forwarded to your phone number, you would have the SMS forward to an email address. Most US carriers have an email gateway for SMS, so for example on Verizon, you would put XXXXXXXXXX@vtext.com and it will send to your phone.

http://www.verizon.com/about/news/vzw/2013/06/computer-to-phone-text-messaging
gotch ya, assuming im going to get an american number with my plan,which i can use to forward all my messages.
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Offline myi

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5141 on: August 01, 2017, 10:17:02 PM »
unless you want to pay per message for the SMS being forwarded to your phone number, you would have the SMS forward to an email address. Most US carriers have an email gateway for SMS, so for example on Verizon, you would put XXXXXXXXXX@vtext.com and it will send to your phone.

http://www.verizon.com/about/news/vzw/2013/06/computer-to-phone-text-messaging
Since you brought up this topic do all cellular carriers have a standard email getaway? have you seen lately a list for all of them?
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Offline Live N Learn

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5142 on: August 01, 2017, 10:57:23 PM »
Since you brought up this topic do all cellular carriers have a standard email getaway? have you seen lately a list for all of them?

https://martinfitzpatrick.name/list-of-email-to-sms-gateways/
".איזהו חכם, הלומד מכל אדם"

Offline myi

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Offline beeweegee

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5144 on: August 02, 2017, 04:48:50 PM »
Sorry for not reading the thread-this is pretty time sensitive. My sister is flying to Israel last second for personal reasons, flying tonight and staying about a week. What is her best easy option (pick up in airport?) for her if she needs unlimited to US and Canada, and to be able to call in Israel too, and like 2 or 3GB of data?

Thank you!!

Offline nafnaf12

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5145 on: August 02, 2017, 04:53:13 PM »
Sorry for not reading the thread-this is pretty time sensitive. My sister is flying to Israel last second for personal reasons, flying tonight and staying about a week. What is her best easy option (pick up in airport?) for her if she needs unlimited to US and Canada, and to be able to call in Israel too, and like 2 or 3GB of data?

Thank you!!
leaving from where? if from monsey you can pm me
A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.

Offline beeweegee

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5146 on: August 02, 2017, 04:56:33 PM »
leaving from where? if from monsey you can pm me
Shes already in EWR

Offline Hjay

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5147 on: August 02, 2017, 05:17:05 PM »
Sorry for not reading the thread-this is pretty time sensitive. My sister is flying to Israel last second for personal reasons, flying tonight and staying about a week. What is her best easy option (pick up in airport?) for her if she needs unlimited to US and Canada, and to be able to call in Israel too, and like 2 or 3GB of data?

Thank you!!
If she needs in the airport this won't help but there's a guy in Ramat Eshkol who rents with reasonable prices: 058-692-3346  / 914-336-4760

Offline beeweegee

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5148 on: August 02, 2017, 05:59:22 PM »
If she needs in the airport this won't help but there's a guy in Ramat Eshkol who rents with reasonable prices: 058-692-3346  / 914-336-4760
Ill pass it along, thanks!

Offline Sam Finkelstein

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5149 on: August 07, 2017, 04:53:58 PM »
Where can I buy a cheap certified kosher phone?
Formula for success: rise early, work hard, strike oil. –J. Paul Getty

Offline HKFS

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5150 on: August 08, 2017, 06:44:35 PM »
Where can I buy a cheap certified kosher phone?
Any cell store in a chareidi area.

Offline Yissroel

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5151 on: August 09, 2017, 05:44:25 AM »
Any cell store in a chareidi area.
where are you located
www.cellularisrael.com, Cheapest Cellphone Deals In Israel - Sales and Rentals

Offline myi

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5152 on: August 10, 2017, 07:14:06 PM »
Any cell store in a chareidi area.
what do you call cheap? 
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Offline Sam Finkelstein

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5153 on: August 10, 2017, 08:17:39 PM »
where are you located

New York City.
Formula for success: rise early, work hard, strike oil. –J. Paul Getty

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5154 on: August 11, 2017, 06:44:18 AM »

Offline myi

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5155 on: August 13, 2017, 10:28:14 AM »
Will a t-mobile GSM phone work for an Israeli plan if I get the phone unlocked?  (a simple slide phone,not a smart phone.)
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Offline ExGingi

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5156 on: August 13, 2017, 10:59:26 AM »
Will a t-mobile GSM phone work for an Israeli plan if I get the phone unlocked?  (a simple slide phone,not a smart phone.)
Need to know phone model, and check the bands. Probably should be OK. But not too hard to check.
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Offline myi

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5157 on: August 13, 2017, 11:00:36 AM »
Need to know phone model, and check the bands. Probably should be OK. But not too hard to check.
How would I check? With what info would I be able to check with? 
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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5158 on: August 13, 2017, 11:05:06 AM »
How would I check? With what info would I be able to check with?
You need to know which bands the phone can work on. Then check if those bands are used by the Israeli carriers you want to use. Generally your phone should support 3G (UMTS) bands, or else you might be out of luck (I believe also in the US at least AT&T discontinued support for 2G GSM bands). Just making sure it works on 3G isn't enough, as there are a few bands. Post phone model or search google to see which bands it supports, then search google for the bands the carrier you want to use in Israel supports.

I've been waiting over 5 years with bated breath for someone to say that!
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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5159 on: August 13, 2017, 11:48:04 AM »
You need to know which bands the phone can work on. Then check if those bands are used by the Israeli carriers you want to use. Generally your phone should support 3G (UMTS) bands, or else you might be out of luck (I believe also in the US at least AT&T discontinued support for 2G GSM bands). Just making sure it works on 3G isn't enough, as there are a few bands. Post phone model or search google to see which bands it supports, then search google for the bands the carrier you want to use in Israel supports.


And this is what the phone looks like and the name of it, if that helps?
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