International cell phone plans

he.who.forgets

Any other Americans traveling across the pond purchasing an international plan from their cell provider for the tour? If so, what kind of deals are you getting? Any and all comments about international cell phone usage welcome!

eyejacker

If anyone finds a good prepaid German phone plan with lots of internet usage included, please do post it here.
thanks

I will be using my Greek number and roaming, in general, so I can't help OP... Sorry!

Black Diamond

Yes.. Setting it up this weekend

RKCNDY

I'm not going across the pond, but when I went to Canada, I bought a Canadian calling/data plan.

From that trip, I learned that it is much easier to buy more texts, I texted people far more than called...and I used a lot of data (I'm addicted to this place).

JOEJOEJOE

I am an AT&T customer:

I added the world traveler plan, which for $5.99, allows me to make international calls while abroad for $1.00/minute.

I also added the international text plan....$10 for 50 texts....there are other plans that allow you more texts.

If you plan on a lot of data usage, you can add an extended data plan.....be careful of using too much data time...you will flip out when you get your bill! Make sure your browser is closed on your smart phone!

dimitrispearljam

Black Diamond wrote:

Yes.. Setting it up this weekend

you will have different number???

i gave all the hotties your american number!~!!! :P

Suziemay

JOEJOEJOE wrote:

I am an AT&T customer:

I added the world traveler plan, which for $5.99, allows me to make international calls while abroad for $1.00/minute.

I also added the international text plan....$10 for 50 texts....there are other plans that allow you more texts

Gonna do this, but will mostly use my phone for texting. The phone plan will be just be to call my ticket buddies if for some reason the texting is not working. If I make phone calls, it will be on Skype through wireless internet access. Do not plan to make lots of international phone calls on your American cell phone plan, you are much better off buying a local SIM card -- someone local will have to give you advice on this, but you will need to make sure you have an unlocked phone if you do this. Most US phones come locked unless you bought it without a plan.

Also don't use data roaming, it will cost you an arm and a leg. Wait till you find a wireless signal. You can probably get a chip just for data or so I've been told, but I'm not savvy like that.

RKCNDY

Suziemay wrote:

Most US phones come locked unless you bought it without a plan.

You can call your carrier and ask for the unlock code. I know, I used to work for AT&T.

he.who.forgets

All really great info. Thanks guys, keep it coming :P

JOEJOEJOE

Suziemay wrote:

JOEJOEJOE wrote:

I am an AT&T customer:

I added the world traveler plan, which for $5.99, allows me to make international calls while abroad for $1.00/minute.

I also added the international text plan....$10 for 50 texts....there are other plans that allow you more texts

Gonna do this, but will mostly use my phone for texting. The phone plan will be just be to call my ticket buddies if for some reason the texting is not working. If I make phone calls, it will be on Skype through wireless internet access. Do not plan to make lots of international phone calls on your American cell phone plan, you are much better off buying a local SIM card -- someone local will have to give you advice on this, but you will need to make sure you have an unlocked phone if you do this. Most US phones come locked unless you bought it without a plan.

Also don't use data roaming, it will cost you an arm and a leg. Wait till you find a wireless signal. You can probably get a chip just for data or so I've been told, but I'm not savvy like that.

I too am very unsavvy, but I learned how to shut down my browser so that the meter isn't running in case I leave websites open accidentally.

Lost In Ohio

Download Skype.

Hook your smartphone up to WiFi.


Problem solved (if you have a smartphone.)

RKCNDY

or if you are in a WiFi area: https://play.google.com/store/apps/deta ... y50YWxrIl0.

free text/calls

there are many free walkie-talkie type apps on the market. Just make sure your contact person has the app too. Can't beat free.

Suziemay

RKCNDY wrote:

Suziemay wrote:

Most US phones come locked unless you bought it without a plan.

You can call your carrier and ask for the unlock code. I know, I used to work for AT&T.

You can? I didn't know they gave those out. Why do they lock them then if you can just call them to get the code?

Indifference

AT+T = $120 for 800MB data plan.

Oops that was old price - $120 now. Still steep.

RKCNDY

Suziemay wrote:

RKCNDY wrote:

Suziemay wrote:

Most US phones come locked unless you bought it without a plan.

You can call your carrier and ask for the unlock code. I know, I used to work for AT&T.

You can? I didn't know they gave those out. Why do they lock them then if you can just call them to get the code?

it's some sort of 'protection' they say "oh we can't unlock the phone...you have to sign up for our contract" but if you don't buy a contract, they have to unlock the phone right? I mean people were buying the iphone when it first came out and taking them to Verizon. Tell them you are traveling overseas, will buy a SIM card there, and you need the unlock code, they are supposed to give it to you.

81

Indifference wrote:

AT+T = $200 for 800MB data plan.

ouch.

Suziemay

81 wrote:

Indifference wrote:

AT+T = $200 for 800MB data plan.

ouch.

Yah, don't know why they bother. Seriously, not worth it. You can probably find wi-fi for your data needs!

LloydXmas

not sure what kind of phone you have, but you should be able to call att and tell them you're traveling. I remember when I visited Ireland, they had sim card stations for each major carrier. I bought one and refilled it when I needed more. Not sure if they still have that system. (just make sure you don't lose your AT&T sim card too.

DS1119

RKCNDY wrote:

it's some sort of 'protection' they say "oh we can't unlock the phone...you have to sign up for our contract" but if you don't buy a contract, they have to unlock the phone right? I mean people were buying the iphone when it first came out and taking them to Verizon. Tell them you are traveling overseas, will buy a SIM card there, and you need the unlock code, they are supposed to give it to you.

Fairly sure an ATT iPhone has never or still can't work on the Verizon netwok.

LloydXmas

DS1119 wrote:

RKCNDY wrote:

it's some sort of 'protection' they say "oh we can't unlock the phone...you have to sign up for our contract" but if you don't buy a contract, they have to unlock the phone right? I mean people were buying the iphone when it first came out and taking them to Verizon. Tell them you are traveling overseas, will buy a SIM card there, and you need the unlock code, they are supposed to give it to you.

Fairly sure an ATT iPhone has never or still can't work on the Verizon netwok.

the 4s is compatible with both I think.

RKCNDY

DS1119 wrote:

RKCNDY wrote:

it's some sort of 'protection' they say "oh we can't unlock the phone...you have to sign up for our contract" but if you don't buy a contract, they have to unlock the phone right? I mean people were buying the iphone when it first came out and taking them to Verizon. Tell them you are traveling overseas, will buy a SIM card there, and you need the unlock code, they are supposed to give it to you.

Fairly sure an ATT iPhone has never or still can't work on the Verizon netwok.

a phone will work on any network, you need to unlock it, then get the carrier's SIM card to put into the phone you intend to use.

Some features may not be available on the competing network.

Just like if you switch carriers and want to keep your number. You can do that too...they just charge you up the wah-zoo to do it.

LloydXmas

RKCNDY wrote:

DS1119 wrote:

RKCNDY wrote:

it's some sort of 'protection' they say "oh we can't unlock the phone...you have to sign up for our contract" but if you don't buy a contract, they have to unlock the phone right? I mean people were buying the iphone when it first came out and taking them to Verizon. Tell them you are traveling overseas, will buy a SIM card there, and you need the unlock code, they are supposed to give it to you.

Fairly sure an ATT iPhone has never or still can't work on the Verizon netwok.

a phone will work on any network, you need to unlock it, then get the carrier's SIM card to put into the phone you intend to use.

Some features may not be available on the competing network.

Just like if you switch carriers and want to keep your number. You can do that too...they just charge you up the wah-zoo to do it.

The difference with Verizon is that they use a CDMA network and not GSM. People were able to unlock the iPhone and go to T-mobile or other regional GSM carriers, but not to Verizon.

DS1119

RKCNDY wrote:

a phone will work on any network, you need to unlock it, then get the carrier's SIM card to put into the phone you intend to use.

Some features may not be available on the competing network.

Just like if you switch carriers and want to keep your number. You can do that too...they just charge you up the wah-zoo to do it.

Just looked it up. ATT iPhones (excluding the 4s because I haven't found that info yet) are not compatitble with Verizon's network.

Suziemay

CDMA and GSM are not compatible. I don't know what iPhones are, but I think they use different phones depending on whether it's Verizon/Sprint (CDMA) or AT&T (GSM).

Also, if you don't have a smartphone, you need to make sure you have a quad band phone, or at least a tri band phone. Most of the rest of the world are on two frequencies that are different from the two in the US. iPhones are quadband/"world" phones as are most blackberries. Not sure how roaming works on CDMA phones...

RKCNDY

CDMA is so old school