A friend is visiting Europe for 2 weeks, so I'm trying to help out to keep the costs down.
Currently on Verizon here in the US, using a iPhone 5s. Traveling to Ireland, Netherlands, Germany, Belgium.
What are their options as far as coverage between the counties? Can they just buy a SIM card pay as you go?
Any/all info works be great!
thereddog said:
A friend is visiting Europe for 2 weeks, so I'm trying to help out to keep the costs down.
Currently on Verizon here in the US, using a iPhone 5s. Traveling to Ireland, Netherlands, Germany, Belgium.
What are their options as far as coverage between the counties? Can they just buy a SIM card pay as you go?
Any/all info works be great!
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Click to collapse
Are they looking to make any calls or just strictly use the phone for data? A quick google gave me this Verizon international data pricing:
http://www.verizonwireless.com/wcms/global/plans-and-pricing.html
Not sure what disposables cost or pay-as-you-go's, but this should be a start. Hope your pal has fun over there.
Is Google Voice/hangouts an option when on WiFi in Europe?
When I travel I buy pay-as-you-go/prepaid sim cards, usually they are easy to get, are cheap and work well.
If you buy them in the UK first, you can buy a pay-as-you-go SIM which will work well and cheap in europe as well, specially for data. If you buy it in Europe first then it may not work in the UK.
Using Google hangouts/voice/skype etc is also a decent option but most public free WiFis are too slow to handle a voice call. The WiFi in hotels is usually okay.
Related
Hello,
We are traveling to Spain. Will be in Barcelona and then the Andalusia region. Will I have data access in these areas? What companies provide a SIM card I can use on my unlocked ATT phone?
Do you know how much they generally cost, and what sort of plans are offered?
Thank you for the help!
The main Carriers are MoviStar, Vodafone and Orange.
For 3G the best is Vodafone, about prices and roaming I think is the best you can get
darkplace said:
The main Carriers are MoviStar, Vodafone and Orange.
For 3G the best is Vodafone, about prices and roaming I think is the best you can get
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Click to collapse
Where do I buy one? At the airport, Or is that a ripoff?
I cant figure out how much they will cost for a 3g data package including voice.
Hows the coverage through Andalusia?
My mam went to dubai a couple of months back nd she bought a vodafone sim while she was there tho I dnt know what plans vodafone do for when u go abroad but I could ask her nd let u know
Sent from my E10i using XDA App
So Im in Jerez spain and everywhere I've been, every phone store says you can not buy a prepaid sim for data. I know they sell unlimited data sim cards that last 7 days for 29 euro. I see them all over the web, but the vodafone stores have no clue about this, they say only minutes! Maybe I need free gps program since I can not use google maps now. arg. Any suggestions??
thanks!
that depends.topons.com
you can have a look .maybe you can save more.
As a follow up:
I got a movifone sim from Corte Englis but could never get it activated right after over an hour I said screw it.
Then I got a YOIGO sim card from a mobile phone store. I think the store was actually Movifon. After spending 10 minutes telling me they dont make a simcard for data, I looked through the plan book and found one. They set up for me then. It was unlimited data, but I think it capped the speed after so much use. Because after a while of Google maps the speed got REALLY agonizingly slow. Then the next day it would be highspeed again.
It costs me like 15 Euro for 2 weeks.
Hello all,
This fall I will be travelling overseas to Sweden for a semester of study. I'd like to be able to take my captivate with me and just buy a pay-as-you-go or contractless phone/data plan from a provider in europe when I get there.
However I have no experience with european providers or what the cheapest and most effective way to communicate internationally and locally(in Sweden and across Europe) would be. Even less where to start looking, so:
Can anyone point in the right direction for some resources to find out what my easiest options would be?
Do I have to unlock my phone(at&t) in order to use another provider?
Does the Captivate support the bands needed for 3G/calling in Europe?
Could I potentially buy a data-only plan and use skype over 3G for calling?
Any tips/advice would be greatly appreciated
Thanks!
I would also like to know, hope this goes somewhere
You may want to ask in the i9000 forum. But to my knowledge you can add a overseas plan to your att plan and you get charged a lesser amt for your minutes.
You should be able to buy a pay as you go sim when you get over there as well.
I'm not sure about Sweden, but I recently went to the U.K. for work and I took my unlocked captivate with me. I got a local SIM card when I got there and had absolutely no problems at all and it was a lot cheaper than any plan AT&T had.
I went to Mexico once for a week and used one of those plans from AT&T and my bill was $150 higher that month.
When I visited France I hadn't yet unlocked my phone (which would be my first recommendation, then buy just data once there) and I used GVoice Callback (GV Dialer does the same) in conjunction with Sipdroid (of Fring) and a SIP phone number from SipGate to make free calls from France to US landlines via hotel wifi.
Here are some links with info to configure what I describe:
http://goo.gl/M1vj1 (this is a summary of my configuration)
http://goo.gl/sZhVw
http://goo.gl/63yD
http://goo.gl/gUIHF
Staying w/ AT&T when overseas will be expensive.
socrated13 said:
Hello all,
This fall I will be travelling overseas to Sweden for a semester of study. I'd like to be able to take my captivate with me and just buy a pay-as-you-go or contractless phone/data plan from a provider in europe when I get there.
However I have no experience with european providers or what the cheapest and most effective way to communicate internationally and locally(in Sweden and across Europe) would be. Even less where to start looking, so:
Can anyone point in the right direction for some resources to find out what my easiest options would be?
Do I have to unlock my phone(at&t) in order to use another provider?
Does the Captivate support the bands needed for 3G/calling in Europe?
Could I potentially buy a data-only plan and use skype over 3G for calling?
Any tips/advice would be greatly appreciated
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I believe this link will answer your question:
http://www.worldtimezone.com/gsm.html
They use the 2100Mhz UMTS band, (which we also use over here in Malaysia)
And it will work.
( got mine unlocked by default though, get superoneclick to unlock your cappy)
Call ATT and ask them to give you an unlock code. Otherwise it won't accept a non-ATT simcard
I used my unlocked Captivate in Switzerland, Germany, Austria, and Czech Republic. No problems in any of the countries roaming on an AT&T SIM or a local pre-paid card. I used an O2 MVNO in Germany and Vodafone in Prague.
Some of the common carriers in Europe are T-Mobile, Vodafone, O2, and Orange. I'd check carriers local to where you are. Vodafone was much more expensive in Germany than it was in Czech Republic. T-Mobile tended to be on the expensive side anywhere.
Vodafone in Czech Republic was $30 for unlimited data. Most carriers will charge you 5 or 10 euros (of the equivalent in local currency) to buy the SIM, and there will be about 10 euros of credit on there.
I'd get Google Voice and use that to call back to the US. That way you only pay for data and avoid text/voice charges.
Good luck!
DarkDvr said:
Call ATT and ask them to give you an unlock code. Otherwise it won't accept a non-ATT simcard
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Or just use SGS unlock tool and you can unlock it in less than 5 minutes.
I didn't know where to post this so I hope the question is okay. if not just delete it.
I'm a Vodafone Germany user and I want to go to the Netherlands. Now what would be the best choice if I want to use Internet on my Galaxy S (rooted) without being expensive roaming prices.
Is there any special vodafone flat rate for people abroad I should have probably gotten at a store? I believe I read something on the net that vodafone has got something like that for people who travel in Europe.
I thought of buying a prepaid card at some dutch phone shop. What shop offers the cheapest prepaid card? I don't want to use it for calling people- I just want to use the Internet.
thanks
Ok... Questions. I'm going to Europe in a few months. Currently on T-MO US with a Radar. What is the best way to get internet over there? I'll be in Italy, London, etc. I know what to do once I'm online, i.e., via Skype, Google Talk, SIP clients, etc. but what is the best solution for internet access on the go? I don't care whether it is tablet, phone or laptop. I can figure out tethering and what not. I just need to know how to have broadband internet from wherever I am. Is it something like this: http://www.trustive.com/price-plans/?
Are there other solution? Should I just put an overseas sim in an unlocked device? Are there better carriers? Best roaming? Etc.
THANKS
Bump........
The radar i believe has the capability of roaming in Italy but i would recommend you unlock it and get a sim when you get there.
Please use the Q&A Forum for questions Thanks
Moving to Q&A
I think the roaming is pretty expensive - so I'd buy a prepaid simcard.
If you visit Germany I'd recommend "AldiTalk" - it's not the best mobile network but the cheapest simcard with cheap flatrates.
So there isn't one good global solution, huh? No one used Trustive?
Uuuhmm... I don't think so - but I've heard about an Irish Carrier - don't know the name yet - which you could use. The roaming fee's aren't as high as on the other carriers...
The best thing you can do is get a SIM card in each of the countries you are gonna visit and use their system. Roaming would be very expensive.
i think the cheapest solution is to get new sim, pre-payed one for each country, so you got the whole connectivity in mobile data with no issue and no fees with roaming and other things like this
edit :just checked on the link you posted, even more confident in a new sim, in Italy you can get a new one for 1Gb month, with something like 5 euros with most of the carriers
Ah i found it - you can buy an irish sim card via ebay - i think the carrier is meteor or vodafone with very cheap roaming fees...
BUMP........
I live in Lebanon, Middle East. My friend is currently in NY for few days, so can't have to wait for the phone to arrive in few weeks from Google. How can I basically purchase the phone unlocked from a retailer on the go? Can I buy it from Sprint or T-Mobil being unlocked and Sim Free? If not, what are the other ways? Please anyone? Only few days left for his arrival LOL !
its not in any other retailer at this time
Ensifolk said:
I live in Lebanon, Middle East. My friend is currently in NY for few days, so can't have to wait for the phone to arrive in few weeks from Google. How can I basically purchase the phone unlocked from a retailer on the go? Can I buy it from Sprint or T-Mobil being unlocked and Sim Free? If not, what are the other ways? Please anyone? Only few days left for his arrival LOL !
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Click to collapse
The ones sold in the US are North America version, especially the LTE bands and isn't 100% compatible with the ones sold in other regions - like Asia & Europe as those bands (radios) are tuned differently.
My suggestions is that you find and ask ANOTHER friend going somewhere else in the Euro zone to buy one for you, assuming that it is not available or for sale at your location or home country.
As for trying to buy it in retail store, Sprint is supposed to have them in their local USA stores tomorrow (or later) but there could be a waiting list and you will be paying an extra surcharge for it + taxes - there's another thread about the higher prices (around $450 USD is what I recalled vs. $350 in Google Play Store) - that is if they will sell it without contract or activation.
No news yet as to whether T-Mobile USA will be selling them directly, most likely - later on, it will for a premium surcharge, similar to Sprint prices - without contract.
Nexus 5 are shipped from the LG unlocked - carriers do NOT lockup the Sim functions for their network only.
Letitride said:
The ones sold in the US are North America version, especially the LTE bands and isn't 100% compatible with the ones sold in other regions - like Asia & Europe as those bands (radios) are tuned differently.
My suggestions is that you find and ask ANOTHER friend going somewhere else in the Euro zone to buy one for you, assuming that it is not available or for sale at your location or home country.
As for trying to buy it in retail store, Sprint is supposed to have them in their local USA stores tomorrow (or later) but there could be a waiting list and you will be paying an extra surcharge for it + taxes - there's another thread about the higher prices (around $450 USD is what I recalled vs. $350 in Google Play Store) - that is if they will sell it without contract or activation.
No news yet as to whether T-Mobile USA will be selling them directly, most likely - later on, it will for a premium surcharge, similar to Sprint prices - without contract.
Nexus 5 are shipped from the LG unlocked - carriers do NOT lockup the Sim functions for their network only.
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Click to collapse
Thanks for your valuable reply, really saves a ton of asking and research. To be honest I am willing to pay the extra charge to get my Nexus 5, since later on, when the phone arrives to my Country, it's going to match this exact price if not even more, which is like 600 USD for the 16 gb.
The only gamble is, if it's gonna work in my Country or not. My friend is going to buy two unlocked iPhones from NY already, is it almost the same gamble case? of it working in Asian/Middle East region or not ? ( Btw he works at one of the two carriers in Lebanon )
Ensifolk said:
Thanks for your valuable reply, really saves a ton of asking and research. To be honest I am willing to pay the extra charge to get my Nexus 5, since later on, when the phone arrives to my Country, it's going to match this exact price if not even more, which is like 600 USD for the 16 gb.
The only gamble is, if it's gonna work in my Country or not. My friend is going to buy two unlocked iPhones from NY already, is it almost the same gamble case? of it working in Asian/Middle East region or not ? ( Btw he works at one of the two carriers in Lebanon )
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Click to collapse
It is possible that they will have it at retailers tomorrow. Sprint, Best Buy and RadioShack would be good places for your friend to check. The phone will work, aside from possibly LTE. It is also available for preorder on the Best Buy website and it ships tomorrow.
lowandbehold said:
It is possible that they will have it at retailers tomorrow. Sprint, Best Buy and RadioShack would be good places for your friend to check. The phone will work, aside from possibly LTE. It is also available for preorder on the Best Buy website and it ships tomorrow.
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Click to collapse
Alright, high hopes - Too bad his plane leaves at noon. Maybe he can snatch one for me ! Thank you
Ensifolk said:
Thanks for your valuable reply, really saves a ton of asking and research. To be honest I am willing to pay the extra charge to get my Nexus 5, since later on, when the phone arrives to my Country, it's going to match this exact price if not even more, which is like 600 USD for the 16 gb.
The only gamble is, if it's gonna work in my Country or not. My friend is going to buy two unlocked iPhones from NY already, is it almost the same gamble case? of it working in Asian/Middle East region or not ? ( Btw he works at one of the two carriers in Lebanon )
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Basically, the Nexus 5 has 2 verisons as far as the radio/band or country compatability are concerned - the Americas and the Euro-Asia models, two different SKU's - the other is whether it is a 16GB or 32 GB model, color in black or white - simple.
Both model are unlocked from the factory for quadbands (GPRS/2G/Edge Speed) including the 2100 Mhz band popularly used in Asia, so the US ones will work in your country at the "slower" data speed - but most likely not the so called 4G/LTE. For the average users, the 3G and HSPA+ compatability is more complex but depending on your cellular provider's network towers, speed can be just as fast.
In "third-world" or undeveloped countries with basic mobile networks, speed isn't your major concern - just basic coverage & a good signal.
As for the iPhone 5c and 5s, we don't use them but some of the nieces & nephews have them and use them - if your friend is buying them from the Apple store, they should be able to help him/her select the best model to bring overseas to use at your home country. There are different models and you want to match it as closely as possible. Here's a link to Apple's ITE coverage on different models sold, and the ITE bands used - you should reference it and perhaps alert your friend via email, look up a compatible carrier that you match yours. http://www.apple.com/iphone/LTE/
I know that the last time I was shopping & looking around for an unlocked GSM phone in Asia, the store sales people were helpful & making sure that I understood what they have & support are aimed at the local market with the proper radio bands, and that they cannot guarantee that it will work in the U.S. once I bring it back - returning it and exchanging it are out of the questions or very expensive to do. It will work but mobile data speed could & would likely be lowered.
Of course, if you are using WiFi or broadband signal at home or at work or in the universities with ultra fast connections most of the time - then you might find it acceptable given the cost savings. We have super fast fiber optics (Fios) connections and are reliable and having 4G LTE and/or HSPA+ enabled and working are just extra bonuses at our local price point - $350 USD for 16GB - with taxes & shipping, came to less than $400 still.
Good luck !