My husband is a Marine and will be going to Iraq in Feb. and I'm trying to see if he can take a cell phone

Question

He is just now finishing training and he said that he has no idea if they could that the best thing would be to ask other marines and their family's. They make cell phones that work over there know he would not be able to get calls or leave it turned on that could be bad but could he have it to call home? If anyone knows plz help

Answer 1

My husband is currently deployed to Iraq on a 15 month deployment and he calls home all the time either from a calling card or a landline, however my friend purchased her husband a cell phone, it has to be a GSM cell phone...heres the website she used to get it http://www.phonecards4cheap.com/gsm/
personally its much cheaper for my hubby to call home through a calling card or landline, I purchased a calling card through Spawar and it only charges my husband 4 cents a minute to call home from Iraq. I really recommend using the calling card. Here is the website. http://www.oif.spawareurope.net/
Stay strong and good luck

Answer 2

Usually they call home from phone/internet cafes set up by MWR. However, my husband did have a cell phone for a couple of months during his last deployment. He bought it from an Iraqi, so it worked over there. When he ran out of minutes, I called him at a certain time of day every day. Sometimes he answered, sometimes he didn't, but if he could talk, I knew that's the time he'd have the phone on. I paid 35 cents a MINUTE to call him though. Some of the internet cafes only charge 4 cents a minute, so it was a huge expense. Plus, when they moved to a different FOB, his phone no longer got service anyway, and it was never good quality - the phone cut out a lot.

My advice is to wait until he gets there to see what the conditions are like. He may have access to a phone easily, without having to buy a cell phone. In most places, the phones and internet are well established by now (versus when the war first started and it would be 4 weeks between 10 minute phone calls for us). There's really no way of knowing what the phone situation will be like until he gets there - you'd hate to buy a cell phone that won't work because he is stationed in a remote desert village!

Answer 3

I am not sure if they are permitted as another post said but you and your hubby would have to pay the international cell phone rate if he did/could use his phone. I checked with Verizon and the rate is $1.45 a minute and you would both be charged that rate. (My SIL called my mobile from Italy, thank goodness I missed the call!) You could check with other carriers but I doubt they would be much cheaper.

You husband will likely have access to phones and will get morale calls home. You will likely be able to call him as well, check with the Family Center at your camp/post/base, most have morale call programs. Of course, he will need to be in place and have a number for you to give the folks at the Family Center so they can program in the details. Depending on where he is based, it is possible that he will have internet access as well and will be able to send e-mails home.

My husband is deployed to A-stan and we have Skype and do PC to PC calls using wireless internet and his laptop. At some bases, personal wireless access can be purchased for about $35 a month or the base where he is may have an internet room where he could do this as well if your husband doesn't have a personal laptop. You would both just need either speakers and a microphone or a headset for this to work. My husband also calls me using his morale calls and I get e-mails, too.

Of course, how often he will be able to call or write will be contingent on the base he is deployed to, his commander and his mission. My husband has a staff job so he can probably e-mail more than a convoy commander would.

Good luck to you. It is tough, I know but hang in there.

Answer 4

No. Civilian cell phones are prohibited in country. It was a NJP offense last time I was over there for having one. The reason being, if something bad happens all out going communications are shut off for a while. That way if a Marine is killed or wounded some sh** head wont call home and tell everyone. Or leak info out to the media about an upcoming operation.

Answer 5

Husbands been to Iraq 2 times and afghan once, neither time he could but some cells were given out once there, but mostly it was calls home from secure landlines the guys had to call from, for security reasons.

Answer 6

i believe that they issue a few cell phones so that the soldiers can call home.

Answer 7

Of course he can, not sure if it will be compatable to the Iraqi communications system though might ned another chip.