Phone service options abroad
Apr 27, 2019 10:06:42 #
cincykid wrote:
I use Verizon. For European trips the last couple years I've used their plan which offers 100 texts & 100 minutes for $40. I have a Galaxy s8. It worked fine. Call Verizon & ask about their various programs that work with your phone. They were very helpful. The one thing they emphasized was setting your phone so that it doesn't download app upgrades which can increase charges.
I think you’ll find that Verizon has significantly increased the cost of that plan, like maybe double. My wife used it a couple years ago and was generally satisfied. When I priced the plan for two phones last August for a trip to Japan last year, I purchased local data SIM cards instead and used WhatsApp for calls. Worked fine and cost significantly less. They still offer the $10 a day plan and love it when you use it! Our son-in-law frequently travels internationally. He switched to google fi a couple years ago and swears by it. In Europe, I think it uses T-Mobile.
Apr 27, 2019 10:31:55 #
ricardo7
Loc: Washington, DC - Santiago, Chile
The expensive bit is using the navigation and google maps.[/quote]
If you have the Google Maps app on your phone you can download
map areas using their off-line maps feature. Then you don't need
to be on-line to navigate with Google Maps.
If you have the Google Maps app on your phone you can download
map areas using their off-line maps feature. Then you don't need
to be on-line to navigate with Google Maps.
Apr 27, 2019 11:11:41 #
1Feathercrest
Loc: NEPA
Izzy, I suspect that you are correct in that they "gauge" their customers to decide how much to "gouge" them.
Apr 27, 2019 11:34:59 #
Apr 27, 2019 11:35:21 #
PixelStan77 wrote:
I have been with Consumer Cellular for years. Honest,low cost. I pay for my phone and my wife's phone a total of $50. Unlimited, talk, text, etc
No charge for that new sim card or to install it. Target is a consumer cellular agent.
No charge for that new sim card or to install it. Target is a consumer cellular agent.
Another vote for Consumer Cellular. They use Verizon’s towers so the coverage is excellent. I pay $60 per month for 2 IPhones with unlimited calls and 3GB of data per month (which we have never exceeded). Half the price I used to pay for Sprint.
Apr 27, 2019 11:39:58 #
PixelStan77 wrote:
I have been with Consumer Cellular for years. Honest,low cost. I pay for my phone and my wife's phone a total of $50. Unlimited, talk, text, etc
No charge for that new sim card or to install it. Target is a consumer cellular agent.
No charge for that new sim card or to install it. Target is a consumer cellular agent.
My two cents......I left Verizon about 7 years ago, moved to Consumer Cellular, and never looked back.
Apr 27, 2019 11:42:34 #
Don W-37
Loc: Bangkok, Thailand
Hi,
Here's another option sort of like WhatsApp. It's called Line, and it's from Japan. As long as you have a WiFi connection you can send free text messages, and photos. You can make free calls, and also video calls. (Not sure if video is free or not.) Almost everyone in Thailand uses it. My wife uses it to talk to her daughter in Chicago and another daughter in Berlin, Germany. Sometimes they talk for hours. You download the app for free and have your contacts do the same. And then you sync up. I like free! It has literally saved me thousands of dollars. PM me if are interested. I use it, but my wife is the Line expert in our family. She's on a trip but will be home tomorrow evening.
Good luck,
Don
Here's another option sort of like WhatsApp. It's called Line, and it's from Japan. As long as you have a WiFi connection you can send free text messages, and photos. You can make free calls, and also video calls. (Not sure if video is free or not.) Almost everyone in Thailand uses it. My wife uses it to talk to her daughter in Chicago and another daughter in Berlin, Germany. Sometimes they talk for hours. You download the app for free and have your contacts do the same. And then you sync up. I like free! It has literally saved me thousands of dollars. PM me if are interested. I use it, but my wife is the Line expert in our family. She's on a trip but will be home tomorrow evening.
Good luck,
Don
Apr 27, 2019 11:50:47 #
As long as we've gotten in the mode of comparing plans. Wife & I have been with Verizon since 2011, usually two phones with unlimited T & T plus 2gb shared data for about $80/mon (incl tax, fees), after veteran's discount. Recently, went with their 65+ plan which is unlimited data, T & T for $88/mon (incl tax, fees). Pretty happy with that plan for only $8 more. Still leaves us with the international issue, of course.
Apr 27, 2019 12:47:01 #
IzzyKap wrote:
In about a month I’ll be traveling in France and I... (show quote)
I am on roaming when I'm going to Canada and can call the US and Europe and vice versa for 15$ a month
I am with Sprint, never have any problems
Apr 27, 2019 12:49:52 #
IzzyKap wrote:
In about a month I’ll be traveling in France and I... (show quote)
You are correct. New sim card = new number. We have Verizon and signed up for the international roaming. We just log in when we arrive and then turn off the cellular unless we really need it. There is a daily charge for each day you connect to the system. But we still have WiFi in the hotels, coffee shops, etc.
The first time we bought a SIM card in France, but then everything defaulted to French, which I do not speak.
HTH
Apr 27, 2019 14:16:30 #
Amielee
Loc: Eastern Washington State
joehel2 wrote:
I have Verizon and signup for their international ... (show quote)
My wife and I have the same plan. Used it in Europe (France & Germany.) No changes to the phone sim cards.. Great plan and I agree with everything you have said.
Apr 27, 2019 15:16:36 #
Apr 27, 2019 15:31:39 #
WhatsApp is very useful and I do use it with my international friends. However, most of my contacts don’t use it and wouldn’t be able to reach me. Also, my travel arrangements (e.g. airlines, hotels, car rentals) have my cell phone number as a point of contact if need be.
Apr 27, 2019 16:07:35 #
I used a T mobil sim card in Europe. Any T mobile store will sell you one for a very reasonable price. You can get it to call the US or any other country. We used the data for navigation and it comes very handy
whether you walk or drive as specially when you seat in a taxi you will know the route he is taking not too overcharge you. If you buy a sim card for EU it is good for all EU countries you may have to change servers from country to country but it is easy. I used an old I phone which is unlocked worked perfectly
Do not buy Sim cards in the US they may not work. With the Sim card you can use Wi Fi in many stores no cost involved. Have a great trip
whether you walk or drive as specially when you seat in a taxi you will know the route he is taking not too overcharge you. If you buy a sim card for EU it is good for all EU countries you may have to change servers from country to country but it is easy. I used an old I phone which is unlocked worked perfectly
Do not buy Sim cards in the US they may not work. With the Sim card you can use Wi Fi in many stores no cost involved. Have a great trip
Apr 27, 2019 17:17:02 #
mtcoothaman
Loc: Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
billmck wrote:
We just got back from two weeks in the Netherlands and Belgium. My iPhone 7 was paid off, and AT&T unlocked it for me. I bought a Vodafone SIM card when I arrived. It cost me about $21 USD and gave me 30 days of service and 3 GB of data. It also gave me a Dutch phone number and I couldn't receive calls to my US number, but it worked great for me. Previously I'd used AT&T's international roaming plan for $10 a day, but that got expensive.
My wife used a Two 10 euro Vodaphone SIMs last year . Bought in Lisbon at the airport but worked in France and Spain too. Each card lasts 30 days and gave 3 G data-more than enough for all her FB posts , calls etc. The number was a Portugese one. I still had my normal phone on roaming so we had good phone access. This year when we go away we will do similar.
If you want to reply, then register here. Registration is free and your account is created instantly, so you can post right away.