[jtflyer]

Hi everyone,

I will spend four months in India from September to December; I will be living in Kolkota but will travel a lot through india and nearby countries (Nepal and Bengladesh).

I will bring my (unlocked) Curve 9300 from France and plan on purchasing a sim card. Can I do it? Do I have to first unsuscribe from my french BIS?

What kind of plan/provider do you advise me to join? (i want to be able to use bbm, my e-mails, internet and maybe a few phone calls)

Can I buy the sim card in Kolkota Aiport? Do I need documents to subscribe?

Sorry for all the questions,

Thanks in advance,

jtflyer

[ayushagnihotri]

1. Yes, your 9300 will work.
2. No, you don't have to unsubscribe your existing BIS.
3. I would suggest you go for any private operators' prepaid BIS plans.
All the major operators in India offer BIS.
My personal preference of operators is Airtel. It is the biggest private operator in India, and objectively, the best as well.
4. No, I don't think you could buy the SIM at the airport itself.
Though, right outside the airport, you will find a number of small shops selling SIMs from all the operators. You can also find customer centres throughout the city from the various operators.
5. Yes, you'd need a few documents to activate a SIM, viz, your photo identity proof, which your passport may fulfill and a local address proof.

And welcome to India, September to December are the best months for visiting India. Though Kolkata is fine for work related stay, I would suggest you visit some other tourism worthy places whenever you get the time, to enjoy your stay in India, and take back fond memories.

[jtflyer]

thank you very much for your very precise answers!

I've visited airtel website and found this plan:
- Monthly Internet-Mail Service
- Rs. 399
- 30 days
- Unlimited emails (POP/IMAP) + Instant Messaging + Internet Browsing

I think it would completely need fill my needs and it's quite cheap. do you know if I can use BBM and e-mails right after purchasing the SIM card?

How's Airtel network? Will I be able to send BBMs from pretty much everywhere?

thanks again,

jtflyer

[bhrgvr]

JT...
the connection should work right out of the box but can sometimes take upto 24 hrs for the card to be activated, depending on the operator. Airtel yes is the best and you can get upto 90% coverage through out the country. You might want to purchase a separate sim card for Nepal and Bangladesh as they would be roaming for SIM cards purchased in India and the data and call charges are high.

To be on the safe side... I suggest that you have the SIM card shipped out to you from the hotel that you are staying in... I hope you enjoy your stay here...

[digitalnirvana]

Welcome to India I am from Kolkata myself if any doubts just pm. You won't get sim just outside the airport though but there are shops on the main road outside of the airport. I suggest you ask the help desk at the airport for directions.

Sent while mobile.