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 1373904 times)

Offline nyslv

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cell phone for israel
« Reply #3020 on: December 06, 2013, 07:45:48 AM »
looking to get a cell phone for my teenager, looking for it to have some type of a keyboard but don't want them having access to internet...so the keyboard should be for texting only .. also the phone needs to have a sim card capability, since we do live in Israel..  any ideas out there.

TIA
isaac

Offline IsraelGuy

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #3021 on: December 07, 2013, 10:55:10 AM »
how many times did you have to change your phone number during this time?

Just once, but that's because I was gone for two months, and when I discussed changing my plan while I was away they neglected to tell me that it could only be changed once a month. So I dropped my old number and got new sims instead of waiting another 25 days without mobile internet.

Offline Ebys33

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #3022 on: December 07, 2013, 05:50:32 PM »
It's over

Offline hertzinstl

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #3023 on: December 07, 2013, 05:52:26 PM »

Offline Ebys33

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #3024 on: December 07, 2013, 05:52:56 PM »
The free 3 months promo from Golan

Offline hertzinstl

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #3025 on: December 07, 2013, 05:54:40 PM »
You mean like this?

And the golan 3 months promotion is now gone....
They now have 59 shekel a month for unlimited.

Offline Moishebatchy

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #3026 on: December 07, 2013, 07:34:24 PM »
fwiw, cellcom is 75 shekel for switching customers.

as an existing customer, i got it for 80

Got what for 80 NIS?

Offline njmacman

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #3027 on: December 07, 2013, 11:12:09 PM »
Just switched my son from Hot to Golan- 59 shek per month for first year. Since we travel, we have 10 agurot per minute plan from Hot.

Offline DovtheBear

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #3028 on: December 08, 2013, 01:09:04 AM »
Anyone know how much it would cost to rent a hotspot for 2 weeks?
"להסתובב זה לא אומר להיות חופשי"

Offline how

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #3029 on: December 08, 2013, 01:30:01 AM »
Did anyone see that Hot offers a plan for 13 agurot a minute with no monthly fees?
BUMP

Isn't this a good deal for people who want to keep their number when they come for short visits?

Offline Jkhein

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #3030 on: December 08, 2013, 01:34:51 AM »
BUMP

Isn't this a good deal for people who want to keep their number when they come for short visits?
Yes I saw. Its very good.

Offline how

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #3031 on: December 08, 2013, 02:07:39 AM »

Offline Ebys33

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #3032 on: December 08, 2013, 02:39:19 AM »

Yes I saw. Its very good.
Someone that comes a few times a year

Offline moish

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #3033 on: December 08, 2013, 08:03:09 AM »
Got what for 80 NIS?
unlimited calling and data

Offline Ebys33

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Re: cell phone for israel
« Reply #3034 on: December 08, 2013, 10:24:34 AM »

looking to get a cell phone for my teenager, looking for it to have some type of a keyboard but don't want them having access to internet...so the keyboard should be for texting only .. also the phone needs to have a sim card capability, since we do live in Israel..  any ideas out there.

TIA
isaac
You can buy any quad band unlocked phone online , which is compatable for all phone services in israel .

Offline how

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #3035 on: December 08, 2013, 03:06:32 PM »
Is it possible to switch a kosher phone number to HOT ?

Offline Hidden

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Re: Cell Phones in Israel
« Reply #3036 on: December 08, 2013, 03:19:39 PM »
It is possible

Offline shimino1

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Churning the Golan Telecom signup bonus
« Reply #3037 on: December 08, 2013, 03:58:37 PM »
Golan telecom now has an aowsome signup bonus: 4 free months of unlimted calling texting and data, including calls to the US and 54 other countries.
After that you can cancel, or downgrade to a 10 shek a month plan with no penalty.

For those who allready have Golan, and want take advantage of the aowsome signup bonus but still keep your old number here's how:
You go to one of the other phone companies that offer say 1 free months so that all you have to pay is for the sim card (20-50 shek), then you go back to Golan a day later and you get the signup bonus again.
IMPORTENT: you might only be able to do this with an agent and not online (the agents can manually overide the sastym).

If you want almost 5 free months, wait till the 26th of the month becuse they start counting your cycles from the 25th of the month AFTER you sign up.
« Last Edit: December 08, 2013, 04:02:48 PM by shimino1 »

Offline Jkhein

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Re: Churning the Golan Telacom signup bonus
« Reply #3038 on: December 08, 2013, 04:00:23 PM »
Link to sign up bonus?

Offline hertzinstl

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Re: Churning the Golan Telecom signup bonus
« Reply #3039 on: December 08, 2013, 04:05:23 PM »
I thought the bonus is over