What do I need to know about international mobile phone use?

• If you are planning to use your phone to make regular phone calls, you need to make sure your phone will work in Europe. It will need to have multi-band GSM capabilities. ATT and T-Mobile operate with a GSM signal, Verizon may not. However, most smartphones now have built-in GSM capabilities. The easiest way to find out is to ask your mobile phone provider if your phone will work in Europe. If it will not, see the last paragraph below.

• You will need an international roaming plan. There are several ways to do this.
  1. The easiest way is to get a plan through your mobile phone service provider.  T-Mobile “Global Roaming” add-on are free and include Unlimited International texts and data. Phone calls to and from the US are 25¢/ minute.  AT&& has the International Day Pass  for $10/day for up to 10 days, then no extra charge. Verizon’s “Travel Pass” is $10/day and “Monthly International Plan” is $100 for 30 days with differing amounts of call time, text and data.
  2. Get a Global SIM card. You put this in your phone after you leave the US. It gives you a new phone number from another country, and sometimes a “toll-free” US number as well. That means anyone from the US can call you for free, but you pay for the incoming call. Usually, incoming calls and texts are free, and there is no connection charge for outgoing calls or texts. Search for “global SIM card“

Read the fine print carefully, as there are often connection and other charges. Also beware of companies that give you an Estonian number – the rates for using your phone in Europe will be very cheap, but anyone calling you will be making a very, very expensive call or text. Also, make sure it will work in all the countries we are visiting. Some providers are very inexpensive in one country, but expensive if you use it outside of that country.

VERY IMPORTANT – most of the plans allow you to use data (for using GPS, surfing the net, checking Facebook…) but using data can be VERY EXPENSIVE!!! (There are many stories of people running up bills of several THOUSAND dollars in data cost!)  Some plans charge $20/MB – which could set you back $40 just for checking you email and downloading a picture!  Always read the fine print about rates. It’s probably best to turn cellular data OFF while on tour.

In order to use an international SIM card, you will need to have your phone “unlocked”. Ask your mobile phone carrier to do this for you.

If your phone cannot be used internationally, most of the SIM card providers will also sell you an unlocked international phone with the SIM card at very low prices.

 

 

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