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 1563422 times)

Offline bznt

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: Apr 2013
  • Posts: 2673
  • Total likes: 71
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 1
    • View Profile
  • Location: new york
Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5840 on: May 21, 2023, 09:43:18 AM »
Tripletel first 2 plans, what is considered kosher vs none kosher ? Is it IMEI based?
A TCL flip 2 would be considered kosher ?

Offline yfr bachur

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Sep 2018
  • Posts: 1754
  • Total likes: 1977
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 2
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
  • Location: Yerusholayim -> נחליאל
Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5841 on: May 22, 2023, 04:04:59 AM »
Tripletel first 2 plans, what is considered kosher vs none kosher ? Is it IMEI based?
A TCL flip 2 would be considered kosher ?

The Israeli standards for "kosher" phones are a little different from the rest of the world, because of the widely accepted vaad and standards supported by all the gedolim.
Phone numbers are recognizable as kosher (or not).
the list of kosher prefixes is: 05041, 05271, 05276, 05331, 05341, 05484, 05485, 05567, 05832.
All people who care, know the list. Recently 05532 has been added.

Generaly, kosher sims only work in kosher phones, and kosher phones only use kosher sims, though there may be exceptions, especially if you "know a guy".
Text capable phone are not considered kosher, though if "you know a guy" they are sold as Tomech/Toem Kasher ("Kosher sim-compatible/supportive")
Any US phone is not kosher by israeli standards.

As an aside, a general request to visitors to EY: Please be cognizant of the standards of the communities that you are visiting. Dress appropriately (sorry a tank top and cargo shorts is not a respectful way to dress in residential comunities here). Don't display technology in communitys that try to shelter their youth from it... The driving may be crazy to your perception but please dont assume that anything goes - especially parking.

Offline ad120

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: Nov 2013
  • Posts: 2580
  • Total likes: 109
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 1
    • View Profile
  • Location: Monsey, NY
Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5842 on: May 22, 2023, 01:44:55 PM »
As an aside, a general request to visitors to EY: Please be cognizant of the standards of the communities that you are visiting. Dress appropriately (sorry a tank top and cargo shorts is not a respectful way to dress in residential comunities here). Don't display technology in communitys that try to shelter their youth from it... The driving may be crazy to your perception but please dont assume that anything goes - especially parking.
Israel is a country with many different kinds of communities.

Offline yfr bachur

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Sep 2018
  • Posts: 1754
  • Total likes: 1977
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 2
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
  • Location: Yerusholayim -> נחליאל
Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5843 on: May 23, 2023, 09:07:40 AM »
I'd like to comment on rules 2 and 4 in the wiki.
Quote
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 #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

The stores (agents) that sell you the sim only get paid if you keep the plan active and in use for 4-6 months.
It is a shayla of gneivas daas (and possibly gneivas mamon) for a tourist (or anyone, but most locals know this!) to open a plan for less than this amount of time.
If you are planing on opening a plan for a short amount of time - be open with the vendor.

Israel is a country with many different kinds of communities.

I know, it was misswriten.
How about
Quote
sorry a tank top and cargo shorts is not a respectful way to dress in many if not most residential comunities (that tourists frequent) here

Offline ilherman

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Jun 2013
  • Posts: 8973
  • Total likes: 262
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 35
    • View Profile
  • Location: Brooklyn
Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5844 on: June 14, 2023, 11:03:56 PM »
Will my kyocera cadence phone work in Israel with an Israeli Sim?
You can say what you think when you think what you say.

Offline bznt

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: Apr 2013
  • Posts: 2673
  • Total likes: 71
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 1
    • View Profile
  • Location: new york
Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5845 on: June 14, 2023, 11:56:01 PM »
Will my kyocera cadence phone work in Israel with an Israeli Sim?
I checked with Tripletel and they said the cadence will not work with their service

Offline Sam 77

  • Dansdeals Platinum Elite + Lifetime Silver Elite
  • *****
  • Join Date: Mar 2022
  • Posts: 728
  • Total likes: 586
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 1
    • View Profile
Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5846 on: June 15, 2023, 05:10:56 AM »
Will my kyocera cadence phone work in Israel with an Israeli Sim?
works for some

Offline ilherman

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Jun 2013
  • Posts: 8973
  • Total likes: 262
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 35
    • View Profile
  • Location: Brooklyn
Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5847 on: June 15, 2023, 11:43:08 PM »
works for some
What does this mean?
You can say what you think when you think what you say.

Offline bznt

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: Apr 2013
  • Posts: 2673
  • Total likes: 71
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 1
    • View Profile
  • Location: new york
Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5848 on: June 16, 2023, 01:13:40 AM »
What does this mean?
Works for some carriers. Check the gsm bands the carrier you plan to use operate on. And compare it to your phone

Offline Sam 77

  • Dansdeals Platinum Elite + Lifetime Silver Elite
  • *****
  • Join Date: Mar 2022
  • Posts: 728
  • Total likes: 586
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 1
    • View Profile
Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5849 on: June 16, 2023, 04:29:41 AM »
What does this mean?
Its a gamble works for some dosent work for others

Offline ilherman

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Jun 2013
  • Posts: 8973
  • Total likes: 262
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 35
    • View Profile
  • Location: Brooklyn
Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5850 on: June 16, 2023, 05:20:13 PM »
Its a gamble works for some dosent work for others
What does it depend on? If the GSM bands match? Or something more complicated?

Some work and some don't u mean some Israeli carriers?
You can say what you think when you think what you say.

Offline ilherman

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Jun 2013
  • Posts: 8973
  • Total likes: 262
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 35
    • View Profile
  • Location: Brooklyn
Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5851 on: June 16, 2023, 05:23:52 PM »
I checked with Tripletel and they said the cadence will not work with their service
Missed this...

Is it because the GSM bands don't match?
You can say what you think when you think what you say.

Offline Dovdovmoneytree

  • Dansdeals Platinum Elite + Lifetime Silver Elite
  • *****
  • Join Date: Aug 2017
  • Posts: 509
  • Total likes: 25
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
    • View Profile
  • Location: USA
Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5852 on: June 16, 2023, 05:50:23 PM »
What's my best option for a phone while visiting Israel for 3 1/2 weeks? I have an unlocked Motorola G7 Power. TIA!

Side note- Is UnlimitedIsrael that much better (coverage, call quality, data...) than say 012mobile (I thnk that's Globusim??)? Seem to get alot more for much less with Globusim.

Offline Dovdovmoneytree

  • Dansdeals Platinum Elite + Lifetime Silver Elite
  • *****
  • Join Date: Aug 2017
  • Posts: 509
  • Total likes: 25
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
    • View Profile
  • Location: USA
Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5853 on: June 19, 2023, 02:31:50 PM »
What's my best option for a phone while visiting Israel for 3 1/2 weeks? I have an unlocked Motorola G7 Power. TIA!

Side note- Is UnlimitedIsrael that much better (coverage, call quality, data...) than say 012mobile (I thnk that's Globusim??)? Seem to get alot more for much less with Globusim.

Bump

Offline Definitions

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Jan 2018
  • Posts: 1792
  • Total likes: 481
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 3
    • View Profile
Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5854 on: June 19, 2023, 09:06:34 PM »
Bump
I'm not familiar with coverage quality between carriers. I was happy with Freedomhot.com
My Tapatalk notifications don't always work.

Offline bznt

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: Apr 2013
  • Posts: 2673
  • Total likes: 71
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 1
    • View Profile
  • Location: new york
Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5855 on: June 19, 2023, 11:52:14 PM »
Missed this...

Is it because the GSM bands don't match?
Yes

Offline ilherman

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Jun 2013
  • Posts: 8973
  • Total likes: 262
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 35
    • View Profile
  • Location: Brooklyn
Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5856 on: June 20, 2023, 12:35:01 AM »
Where can I check which bands Israeli carriers run on?
You can say what you think when you think what you say.

Offline bznt

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: Apr 2013
  • Posts: 2673
  • Total likes: 71
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 1
    • View Profile
  • Location: new york
« Last Edit: June 20, 2023, 05:04:11 AM by bznt »

Offline shmuelb

  • Dansdeals Platinum Elite + Lifetime Gold Elite
  • ******
  • Join Date: Mar 2011
  • Posts: 772
  • Total likes: 11
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
  • Location: Israel
  • Programs: Amex Plat, AAdvantage, Elal Matmid, Southwest, Delta Silver Medallion Skymiles, Hertz #1 Gold 5 Star, National Emerald Club Executive.
Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5858 on: June 22, 2023, 09:09:23 AM »
What's my best option for a phone while visiting Israel for 3 1/2 weeks? I have an unlocked Motorola G7 Power. TIA!

Side note- Is UnlimitedIsrael that much better (coverage, call quality, data...) than say 012mobile (I thnk that's Globusim??)? Seem to get alot more for much less with Globusim.

Are you looking for data? Unlimited calling? Calls to USA? Did you try Cellular Israel? cellularisrael.com
siyag lachachma :-)

Offline thaber

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: May 2008
  • Posts: 3985
  • Total likes: 503
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 4
    • View Profile
Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5859 on: June 27, 2023, 11:21:14 PM »
I just got the tripletel sim which seems great for trips. Getting it for my daughter's flip phone, so don't need data. Although they have data options.
I am confused by their voice options because it says that all plans include Voice and text to Israel and us but then they have a plan with voice only kosher, voice only non-kosher, and Voice and text