Phone service options abroad
Apr 26, 2019 17:15:48 #
In about a month I’ll be traveling in France and Italy for several weeks. I have an unlocked iphone XS with Verizon service. I have purchased the phone outright so it’s not tied to a contract. I am trying to identify an optimum method for mobile service abroad. I haven’t used a foreign SIM card before but I assume that it wouldn’t be tied to my existing numbers. So calls and texts to that number wouldn’t reach me. Is that correct? Does anyone have experience with Google Fi on iPhones? Google Fios is in beta for iPhones. Any suggestions? Thank you in advance.
Apr 26, 2019 17:20:56 #
IzzyKap wrote:
In about a month I’ll be traveling in France and I... (show quote)
Izzy, I use Consumer Cellular. I discussed traveling to France and Italy that I will be doing. They sent me a replacement SIM card that I can use in the US as well as foreign locations.
Apr 26, 2019 17:36:20 #
Thank you PixelStan. Unfortunately, Verizon doesn’t seem to have that option. They prefer to gauge customers. Are you happy with Consumer Cellular? What was the additional cost for this from them!
PixelStan77 wrote:
Izzy, I use Consumer Cellular. I discussed traveling to France and Italy that I will be doing. They sent me a replacement SIM card that I can use in the US as well as foreign locations.
Apr 26, 2019 20:35:53 #
IzzyKap wrote:
Thank you PixelStan. Unfortunately, Verizon doesn’t seem to have that option. They prefer to gauge customers. Are you happy with Consumer Cellular? What was the additional cost for this from them!
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.
Apr 27, 2019 05:37:51 #
I have Verizon and signup for their international travel plan. I have used the phone throughout Scandinavia, China, and Europe. When I am in a foreign country, if I use the phone, I am charged $10 for usage for that entire day. I am only charged for days that I use the phone. There are no other charges. It may seem expensive but once you are signed into the plan, you do nothing to turn it on, start it, etc. For my ten-twelve day trips, I think it isn’t expensive considering you do nothing to have coverage internationally.
Apr 27, 2019 06:24:32 #
peterg
Loc: Santa Rosa, CA
joehel2 wrote:
ATT has a similar plan.I have Verizon and signup for their international ... (show quote)
Apr 27, 2019 07:09:48 #
bob.mueller
Loc: Sarasota FL
Just sign up for viber and or WhatsApp and have your friends sign up and you can communicate for free
Apr 27, 2019 07:12:11 #
Apr 27, 2019 07:27:32 #
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.
Apr 27, 2019 08:17:33 #
jbk224
Loc: Long Island, NY
joehel2 wrote:
I have Verizon and signup for their international ... (show quote)
I'm with Joe. For years I traveled and kept a separate phone and purchased local sim cards or, at one time, an international sim card. Verizon's $10 plan works great for me. It gives me plenty of bandwidth, if needed, and is so simple and transparent. You can enjoy your trip and not worry about your phone.
Apr 27, 2019 08:23:42 #
Traveling with a phone roaming and open to receiving data can get expensive. We have att service and before a trip we prepurchase the roaming service at a fraction of the cost of letting it roam. We also turn off some of the location services and data flow unless we are in a WiFi zone. The expensive bit is using the navigation and google maps.
Apr 27, 2019 08:39:47 #
joehel2 wrote:
I have Verizon and signup for their international ... (show quote)
I have done the same as you. You are going to spend how much on a 10 day or two-week vacation and all of a sudden a phone charge becomes important.
Apr 27, 2019 08:51:09 #
peterg
Loc: Santa Rosa, CA
John Howard wrote:
To save money, the most important step is to turn off Data Roaming. The $10/day plan offered by ATT and others is a relatively cheap way to connect. I just returned from a 3-week trip to Europe and used free wifi exclusively; never used the $10/day plan. There are smartphone apps that let you download and use maps off-line.Traveling with a phone roaming and open to receiving data can get expensive. We have att service and before a trip we prepurchase the roaming service at a fraction of the cost of letting it roam. We also turn off some of the location services and data flow unless we are in a WiFi zone. The expensive bit is using the navigation and google maps.
Apr 27, 2019 08:56:00 #
T-mobile, free global roaming.. Do watch for data usage, though Verizon and ATT typically warn you. Ive signed off on a few $1000 bills from people using their gps or getting updates and not paying attention. Whatsapp its great if you have free wifi
Apr 27, 2019 10:00:32 #
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.
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