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 1354925 times)

Offline myi

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5360 on: July 04, 2018, 01:50:13 PM »
What's the 29 unlimited data plan? On Golan?
  Yup,  dont know if they have that now, I managed to get it when I went to get a plan.
 Plans come and go every week.
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Offline mark da man

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5361 on: July 04, 2018, 01:55:23 PM »
Kosher? Or not?
both  check cellularisrael.com  or tns has nk

Offline myi

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5362 on: July 04, 2018, 03:44:34 PM »
If you have a smartphone with data you have unlmtd calling to the US and Canada.
both  check cellularisrael.com  or tns has nk
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Offline shwarmabob

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5363 on: July 23, 2018, 02:43:28 PM »
Does Golan still have a 2G network? The dump phone I am looking at for my son only supports 2G.
Does anyone have experience with BLU Tank 3?

Offline ExGingi

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5364 on: July 23, 2018, 02:45:45 PM »
Does Golan still have a 2G network? The dump phone I am looking at for my son only supports 2G.
Does anyone have experience with BLU Tank 3?
I believe they do. Using cellcom's network. But that could obviously change at any time, and coverage could be limited.
I've been waiting over 5 years with bated breath for someone to say that!
-- Dan

Offline shwarmabob

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5365 on: July 23, 2018, 02:49:53 PM »
I believe they do. Using cellcom's network. But that could obviously change at any time, and coverage could be limited.
any suggestion for a dump phone for a bocher in Israel?

Offline ExGingi

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5366 on: July 23, 2018, 02:55:18 PM »
any suggestion for a dump phone for a bocher in Israel?
Nokia 208 (not 100 dumb, but I think it's OK) though it's discontinued and you need to find where to get it.
I've been waiting over 5 years with bated breath for someone to say that!
-- Dan

Offline mark da man

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5367 on: July 23, 2018, 03:42:24 PM »
Does Golan still have a 2G network? The dump phone I am looking at for my son only supports 2G.
Does anyone have experience with BLU Tank 3?
Golan works fine with 2g and now time soon are they switching. the  questions in if its quad band and  if he needs a kosher sim it wont work unless its "kashered"

Offline shwarmabob

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5368 on: July 23, 2018, 04:27:25 PM »
Golan works fine with 2g and now time soon are they switching. the  questions in if its quad band and  if he needs a kosher sim it wont work unless its "kashered"
it's GSM Quad band 2G (850/900/1800/1900)
The sim is not kosher, the requirement the yeshiva has is that it should be a dumb phone. This phone has no internet capabilities at all.

Offline mark da man

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5369 on: July 23, 2018, 04:32:15 PM »
it's GSM Quad band 2G (850/900/1800/1900)
The sim is not kosher, the requirement the yeshiva has is that it should be a dumb phone. This phone has no internet capabilities at all.
yes it should work

Offline jose34

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5370 on: July 25, 2018, 07:47:59 AM »
Official with Hot's add-on ( 1500 minutes) plan to  Chul or "America" you can't see how many minutes you used unless you do it yourself. Is there anyway to get a count of how many minutes you used mid - month from a network level?

Offline thaber

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5371 on: July 29, 2018, 05:17:08 PM »
Using an iPhone in Israel on the $10 a day Verizon plan, do I want International CDMA on or off?

Offline Thingywingy

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5372 on: July 30, 2018, 12:59:49 AM »
How do you get calls forwarded from American cell to Israeli cell number?
I am sometimes accused of overthinking things. I am still mulling over whether that accusation has merit.

Offline mark da man

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5373 on: July 30, 2018, 03:00:25 AM »
How do you get calls forwarded from American cell to Israeli cell number?
cellularisrael.com

Offline myi

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5374 on: July 30, 2018, 03:39:53 AM »
How do you get calls forwarded from American cell to Israeli cell number?
I assume your talking about about a kosher phone?
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Offline mark da man

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5375 on: July 30, 2018, 04:03:41 AM »
I assume your talking about about a kosher phone?
it doesn't make a difference they have on the home page virtual number

Offline Thingywingy

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5376 on: July 30, 2018, 04:24:06 AM »
I would like to do it for an iPhone and a dumb phone. The phone I will have in Israel may be an android.
both  check cellularisrael.com  or tns has nk
I don’t see anything on cellularisrael addressing this question. What is nk?
I am sometimes accused of overthinking things. I am still mulling over whether that accusation has merit.

Offline myi

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5377 on: August 01, 2018, 12:56:26 AM »
I would like to do it for an iPhone and a dumb phone. The phone I will have in Israel may be an android. I don’t see anything on cellularisrael addressing this question. What is nk?
nk=non kosher.
 What's your q?
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Offline Thingywingy

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5378 on: August 01, 2018, 01:09:34 AM »
nk=non kosher.
 What's your q?
How do you forward calls from a US cell phone to an Israeli cell? One of the US phones is an iPhone; the other is a "kosher" phone. They Israeli phone I'm forwarding to is an Android. Thanks.
I am sometimes accused of overthinking things. I am still mulling over whether that accusation has merit.

Offline myi

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5379 on: August 01, 2018, 01:14:22 AM »
How do you forward calls from a US cell phone to an Israeli cell? One of the US phones is an iPhone; the other is a "kosher" phone. They Israeli phone I'm forwarding to is an Android. Thanks.
For the android very simple use GV.
 
 Will write a post explaining it a bit clearer to understand what to do and the kosher phone off hand you can either use the service which Golan has to get a us number and forward all calls to the American number attached to the kosher phone, but it cost a few $.

  There's another service for the kosher phone which I forgot what it's called will ask the freind of mine who once meantioned something about that service.
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