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 1355330 times)

Offline yeshivabucher

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5480 on: May 05, 2019, 02:34:32 PM »
Anyone know of a place where I can get a virtual number online  don't need alot of minutes just need to have one

Offline Moe Ginsburg

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5481 on: May 05, 2019, 07:27:50 PM »
Anyone know of a place where I can get a virtual number online  don't need alot of minutes just need to have one

Many VoIP companies offer numbers in Israel. Check CallCentric, Future-Nine and VoIP.ms

Offline jose34

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5482 on: May 06, 2019, 09:38:48 AM »
In theory, for $2 per month Zadarma.com will give you a virtual Israeli mobile (or landline) number which you can forward to any SIP phone (or use their software). For incoming SMS to work they go crazy asking you to send copies of your passport and then reject them.

Offline yeshivabucher

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5483 on: May 06, 2019, 03:54:33 PM »
Anyone know of a place where I can get a virtual number online  don't need alot of minutes just need to have one
need an American number to ring to isreali

Offline mark da man

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5484 on: May 06, 2019, 05:31:15 PM »
jivetel 8554445483

Offline Moe Ginsburg

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5485 on: May 06, 2019, 10:44:31 PM »
need an American number to ring to isreali
Any VoIP company can do that. Try LocalPhone or CallCentric.

Offline jose34

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5486 on: May 08, 2019, 07:37:18 AM »
Does Golan allow you to use your cellphone as a personal hotspot?

Offline yeshivabucher

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5487 on: May 08, 2019, 07:52:56 AM »
Does Golan allow you to use your cellphone as a personal hotspot?

iirc yes

Offline yeshivabucher

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5488 on: May 08, 2019, 07:54:48 AM »
Does any carrier have a sign up bonus currently

Offline menashe04

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5489 on: May 12, 2019, 10:15:21 PM »
I have h20 wireless and will be traveling to israel. I understand I can do call forwarding so that I get my calls to whatever american forwarding number I'll have to my israeli cell. Is there a way to forward my us texts?

Offline BCL

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5490 on: June 11, 2019, 06:49:49 PM »
For a 3 week vacation, I need a phone and plan. Only need data for directions and whatsapp. Can I get some recommendations?

Offline grodnoking

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5491 on: June 11, 2019, 06:59:56 PM »
For a 3 week vacation, I need a phone and plan. Only need data for directions and whatsapp. Can I get some recommendations?
Go to a hot or golan booth in the mall. Get a plan, but remember all the info you give them including a made up tz and/or passport number. Then cancel via email (check cellular Israel website for how). Should cost $20 total (35-40 nis for plan and 35-40 nis for sim) with a plan with 240 minutes to America.
Obviously if you would rather spend more money and save time there might be better options.
I'm not who you think I am.

Offline BCL

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5492 on: June 11, 2019, 07:43:44 PM »
Go to a hot or golan booth in the mall. Get a plan, but remember all the info you give them including a made up tz and/or passport number. Then cancel via email (check cellular Israel website for how). Should cost $20 total (35-40 nis for plan and 35-40 nis for sim) with a plan with 240 minutes to America.
Obviously if you would rather spend more money and save time there might be better options.
Any mall? (I am based in RBS)
Passport number is Israeli? What does a number look like?
They give me the phone?
I am guessing that I don't tell them it is for a month.

Offline grodnoking

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5493 on: June 11, 2019, 09:50:22 PM »


Any mall? (I am based in RBS) *check google maps for a place that sells their service. They are usually not owned by the company but rather they get a cut. Dont tell them one month because they only get a cut if you stay on for 3 months).
Passport number is Israeli? What does a number look like? *either they'll ask for American passport but they will probably require a tz which if you get the right guy, they will make up. Not sure what numbers work but its 9 digits *
They give me the phone? *just a sim*
I am guessing that I don't tell them it is for a month. *correct*

I'm not who you think I am.

Offline mark da man

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5494 on: June 12, 2019, 03:41:42 AM »
For a 3 week vacation, I need a phone and plan. Only need data for directions and whatsapp. Can I get some recommendations?
spend a few more dollars and save yourself an headache golanusa.net, i had good experience with them

Offline Moe Ginsburg

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5495 on: June 12, 2019, 08:33:32 AM »
spend a few more dollars and save yourself an headache golanusa.net, i had good experience with them

How does Golan save you from a headache?

Offline mark da man

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5496 on: June 12, 2019, 09:10:07 AM »
How does Golan save you from a headache?
who said anything about "golan" saveing you a headache?! 

Online NTorch

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5497 on: June 12, 2019, 10:05:14 AM »
We have been using Golan for our kids in yeshiva in Israel and for trips to Israel for the last three years and have had only good experiences with them.

Offline Moe Ginsburg

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5498 on: June 12, 2019, 10:05:38 AM »
@mark da man  GolanUSA.net

Offline shwarmabob

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #5499 on: June 12, 2019, 11:06:39 AM »
After ordering a new SIM how much time does Golan give you to activate it? If I remember correctly there is some time limit before they start complaining. This is for Golan in Israel, not the Golanusa.