Back in 2010 just for the language practice I bought a cheapie cell phone in Kazan. I wanted phone service in Budapest this trip, but American phones use different systems and frequencies than European/Russian phones. So I ordered a Europe-compatible SIM card from telestial.com and installed it in my Russian cell phone. Voilà! European cell phone service. I'll use it again when I get to Bishkek.

This phone is a brick. I can't tell you how many times I have dropped it and had it survive. Whereas I dropped me next-to-the last smart phone once, and the screen stopped working.