UMTS in India

Hi Ischi, I can't answer your questions on UMTS, I have no experience with this I am afraid.

However, can tell you that pre-paid sim cards are readily availible on a variety of networks, and with a ton of different recharge options. If you are going to be travelling around the country, you should look to buy a sim card that isn't state specific, or you will find as soon as you leave the state you purchased it in, you will be paying roaming rates and could find it difficult to find an outlet to recharge it.

If you ask at the shop where you hope to buy, they will give you a countrywide option and also lifetime/one year validity options. Both of these are more expensive than a bog standard recharge, but will save you a lot of hassle later on.

I have two experiences of getting hold of sim cards. In Goa, it has always been simple, you have to fill out a form, with two passport photos and a xerox of your passport and visa, and you can purchase your sim, which will be activated within an hour. If after a few days you suddenly find it stops working, you may need to go back to the store you bought it from and get them to actually send your documents through to the phone company, and then all will be fine. In Bangalore when I went to get a sim card, I had to provide all of the above PLUS proof of address, which as we were staying in a company flat and werent paying any bills, we couldnt give, but with a little persuasion and perhaps an extra Rs/100 we soon got our sims.

I would say get the phone you want in Germany, you are right, handsets really aren't that cheap in India. If you get a handset locked to a German network, there are many places in India that will unblock it for you.

Hope this answers some of your questions, and makes sense! Reply to this