[malicenfz]

Just a dumb boot question but I'm sure the answer is NO, they don't allow you to take your phone overseas do they? I mean I took it when I went to Ukraine but the bill was like over 1K dollars.

[malicenfz]

guess not? thought there were a lot of current and or prior military here?

[Pete6]

Iraq, I do not know. I would take a spare, old phone and buy a card over there - if you can.

For calls home I would try to use a laptop PC + Skype.

And I do wish you luck, lots of it.

[itsajdamnit]

Hey, unfortunately no you can't have a phone with service if you're there as a service member. Civilian contractors can however.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[ERDude]

I've heard from folks who have simply gotten a SIM card over in Iraq for use in their phone while there.

[malicenfz]

hmm would this sim card they get work with say an old phone i have here would you happen to know that?

[itsajdamnit]

If you're in the service and you get caught with a working cell phone you will be charged though. I dunno if its worth the risk when they have phones and internet you can use anyway.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[malicenfz]

hmm thats true i dont want to mess up my honorable discharge at all i guess ill just suck it up and wait to call over there, but i wanted to know as well

[exelant]

My wife, a contractor, was just in Kuwait and Iraq. We paid about 2 bucks a minute for her TMo phone calls in Kuwait, but she wasn't allowed to take her phone with her to bases in Iraq. My nephew in the Army said they weren't allowed phones but that everyone had them anyway. If I were you, I'd wait and see what was going on. During my wife's pre trip briefing they said it was for security - the military locks bases down periodically for various reasons. You know the old saying about loose lips.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[Fico]

Let me start by saying that I have deployed to Iraq 2 times and Afghanistan once. I had my unlocked cell in Iraq and Afghanistan, what you do is buy a sim card for the local service and prepaid cards for you air time. From Iraq ( 04, 06) was about 80 cent a minute and 27 cents from Afghanistan (Apr 08) last time I was there.

Incoming calls are free in Afghanistan, cant remember Iraq but i think it was the same. What my family did at the time was buying calling cards online and i just made a quick call and told them to call me back, Work pretty good!

I wouldn't take my BB over there, its a waste because you wont have WiFi or text, only voice. I bought a Motorola SLVR unlocked and work great. Hope this help! Take care and God Speed!

Im in the Army and the policy is if you can afford it, you can have it. However they have the right to collect them in certain occasion to prevent information to get out, Mainly in case of loss of a service member.

[malicenfz]

thank you all for the useful info

[Fico]

No problem, Be safe out there brother! God Bless!

[kingjames227]

Just a dumb boot question but I'm sure the answer is NO, they don't allow you to take your phone overseas do they? I mean I took it when I went to Ukraine but the bill was like over 1K dollars.

I have been to iraq twice and yes you can take your blackberry over there. It has to be unlocked and u can insert an iraqi sim card. Trust me u can.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com