Direct plans don’t have the same bells and whistles as Xtra, but they don’t have the bugs either. Xtra phone lines operate by the grace of a lot of technical shtick, so the lines are less stable and glitches happen more often. If you want a hassle-free plan, go with Direct. And if you want alle mailos at a great price, Xtra fits the bill. Go in with your eyes open, though.

Nope (sorry!). But we’ve still got you covered with calling cards at great rates.

First, check if it’s a kosher phone (with this symbol on it: ). Kosher plans will only work with Israeli kosher phones. If it’s kosher, go ahead. You can even reactivate your old SIM card and use the same plan. Just enter the last 9 digits on the card when you place your order. We’ll process it with your order to check if it can be used. If there’s any problem, we’ll let you know (and add a new SIM card to your order.) Oh, and thanks for your past business. :)

Not at all. You won’t be charged a penny for your monthly plan until the plan’s start date. (That’s when the line will become active.)

It depends.
For rentals on the Xtra plan, you’re good to go as long as your phone is unlocked.
For long term kosher plans your SIM will only work in an Israeli kosher phone with this symbol. (See here for more details).
An Xtra (formerly Cellular One) kosher SIM card works in any unlocked phone. You can check here to see which Israeli kosher phones it’s compatible with.
Please note: Many yeshivos and seminaries have rules about which phones can be used, Once your order is placed, standard cancellation fees apply, so check their guidelines before you order!

You’ll get your Israeli phone number (and your virtual US phone number, if you ordered one) by email a few days before your plan starts. That should give Bubby enough time to put it on her speed dial :).

That one’s up to you. Your plan will start on the day you choose when you place your order. Your monthly billing won’t begin until that date. The plan will end at midnight of the end date you choose. (And then your phone turns into a – nope, kidding. You just won’t be able to make calls with it.)
This part’s important: your plan will end on the service end date you selected, unless you request to change it. If you didn’t select a service end date, your plan will remain active until you request to cancel it. Make sure you enter an end date so you don’t end up paying for a service you no longer need!

Our plans are for 30 days at a time, prepaid. Starting from your start date, (day of the month) you’ll be charged monthly for the next 30 days. One predictable charge, no surprises.

Just this: plans are subject to a "non-excessive use" clause.
In plain English that means only person to person calls, and not hotlines (ie: story lines, shiur lines, etc.) If a line is used in a way that greatly exceeds normal usage, it will be disconnected. Oh – also, these plans are long term plans with a 4 month minimum. If you cancel the plan earlier, you’ll be charged an early termination fee.

Of course you can. We offer Rav Kavs and plug adapters as a service to customers who want to hit the ground running. If you don’t want to order yours in advance, no worries. They can be bought in the airport or on any bus once you get here.

if you ordered a Direct kosher talk-only plan, do not (I repeat: DO NOT – ) turn on the phone before landing in Eretz Yisrael, or it will lock the SIM card! Not a great start for a trip…