# A miracle: unlimited GPS & Wifi for Europe



## Laurie

We're in Portugal for several weeks, and for months I have been concerned about how to live without wifi and data and navigation for the whole time we're here - since we rely very heavily on google navigation with our smart phones, as well as secure wifi for business every day. I don't trust those open networks at timeshares and hotels etc. and some places only have enough signal strength in lobbies etc. 

First we checked with Verizon, but to have enough data for GPS was $10/day - too much. I looked into purchasing or renting a Garmin or some other device - too expensive and you have to download maps, etc. No solution was great. So we arrived without a specific plan.

When we went to pick up our rental car from Europcar (booked thru AutoEurope), they first asked whether we wanted GPS for the month - but it was expensive, so we declined. 

But when we mentioned we have smart phones and wished we could use data for navigation, they offered us a portable unlimited secure wifi, for 75 Euros for a whole month. It's tiny, goes in my pocket everywhere. We can connect unlimited # of devices, it's fast, and is a pure miracle. I never knew about this! We are using google navigation every day (the same google lady lives here!) and would be so lost without it. I have no idea how we did our previous European trips with paper maps and nothing else. I can take care of email from the road, work and play, post pictures, day and evening. 

I'm not sure whether this has ever been mentioned on TUG, but wanted to make sure others know about this option.


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## taterhed

Sounds great.  Any more details?


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## Laurie

taterhed said:


> Sounds great.  Any more details?



I googled, and looks like it's described here:

http://news.europcar.co.uk/europcar-brings-4g-mobile-wifi-to-airport-locations/

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTop...-Mobile_Wifi_Rentals_with_Europcar-Italy.html

We picked our car up in Faro and I'm sure our device is 4G.

Edited to add: someone on tripadvisor posted they got one from Hertz at Marseilles for 1 Euro per day. So our 75 Euro cost wouldn't be the least expensive (still worth it). 

In the future, before booking a car, I'd contact the company at the pick-up location to make sure it's an option, and if not, I would keep rental-car shopping.


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## Ken555

Sounds like it's just a mifi. Good to know they're renting them, but you can save with your own unit (or just use your phone) and a local SIM. I bought 3UK's prepaid SIM and a month of unlimited data in the UK, lots of minutes and texts and up to 25GB in their "feel at home" countries for just £25. 


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## dioxide45

It seems that we in the USA get ripped off on internet coverage? I have always read that those in Europe pay far less for what turns out to be faster service...


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## Laurie

OK, it must be a mifi. I had heard the term but never knew what they were. 

I didn't want to put a SIM card in my phone because I wanted to keep my regular phone # for people including business contacts to be able to contact me - as I recall a SIM card assigns a new #. 

Anyway, this was so simple, if more expensive. I did add Verizon's international plan on my phone for $40/mo, for 100 minutes of calling and unlimited texts. So now I have everything I need.

Previous trips we'd bought a flip phone and added SIM cards. One trip it finally worked, but had to get help to translate because it spoke Italian. Second trip, we solicited help and the various tech-oriented people we asked couldn't ever get it to function. So I just wasn't up for tech challenges this time.

We're also using it for walking directions in towns, in addition to driving - we used to first have to locate the tourist info offices for a walking map, this is so much more efficient.  And here in Portugal we have found very few roads are sign-posted, which always makes for interesting if frustrating sojourns. Love that little blue arrow to show us exactly where we are.


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## Linda74

While I always purchase a data and voice plan, I have an 8 year old Tom Tom that I purchased in 2008 for $400. It has European maps and has guided everywhere thru the most remote villages in Italy, Austria, etc.   it seemed expensive then but has saved much time being lost!!!!


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## Bill4728

Cricket cell service has plans with 5 gb of data and unlimited calls and txt for $50. ( in  north america)   For an extra $10/month (in a single European country) you get the same data and service in that country.   

We just switched and we'll save more than $170/month just in the US and Canada  and when we travel to Europe will save a whole lot more.


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## isisdave

It is MiFi and they call it Wireless Broadband here in the UK.You can get prepaid, or "one-month contract" which is probably the best deal for visitors. But the box will probably cost £30, so the deal from the car rental place may be best, unless part of your trip is without car, as it certainly should be.

The biggest player in this field is EE, but also O2, 3, or Vodaphone, which are the other big players in mobile phones. Check them out online, but buy in person when you arrive ... there's always some sale going on.

T-mobile phones (even prepaid ones) have free texting and data (and 20-cent talk minutes) in 140+ countries. The data is plenty fast for e-mail and navigating and even VoIP like Viber or WhatsApp, but not video.


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## Helios

Ken555 said:


> Sounds like it's just a mifi. Good to know they're renting them, but you can save with your own unit (or just use your phone) and a local SIM. I bought 3UK's prepaid SIM and a month of unlimited data in the UK, lots of minutes and texts and up to 25GB in their "feel at home" countries for just £25.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk



Can you please remind me the name of the SIM you bought for your U.K. Travels?


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## ronandjoan

Nice that worked out for you Laurie!!   Have a wonderful time .  





Laurie said:


> I googled, and looks like it's described here:
> 
> http://news.europcar.co.uk/europcar-brings-4g-mobile-wifi-to-airport-locations/
> 
> https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTop...-Mobile_Wifi_Rentals_with_Europcar-Italy.html
> 
> We picked our car up in Faro and I'm sure our device is 4G.
> 
> Edited to add: someone on tripadvisor posted they got one from Hertz at Marseilles for 1 Euro per day. So our 75 Euro cost wouldn't be the least expensive (still worth it).
> 
> In the future, before booking a car, I'd contact the company at the pick-up location to make sure it's an option, and if not, I would keep rental-car shopping.


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## Ken555

Helios said:


> Can you please remind me the name of the SIM you bought for your U.K. Travels?




It's exactly what I wrote... 3UK (www.three.co.uk). I'll be using it next week myself in Europe!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## GrayFal

isisdave said:


> It is MiFi and they call it Wireless Broadband here in the UK.You can get prepaid, or "one-month contract" which is probably the best deal for visitors. But the box will probably cost £30, so the deal from the car rental place may be best, unless part of your trip is without car, as it certainly should be.
> 
> The biggest player in this field is EE, but also O2, 3, or Vodaphone, which are the other big players in mobile phones. Check them out online, but buy in person when you arrive ... there's always some sale going on.
> 
> T-mobile phones (even prepaid ones) have free texting and data (and 20-cent talk minutes) in 140+ countries. The data is plenty fast for e-mail and navigating and even VoIP like Viber or WhatsApp, but not video.


Doing a three week Scotland, Ireland, London next fall and a two week Italy trip in the spring. Will not have a car all the time and will not be returning to the Same airport. 
Is it worthwhile for me to buy my own mifi and then "load" it for each trip?
Can the same one be used in the UK and Italy?

Or is getting a prepaid T mobile phone the way to go and use it as a 'hot spot' for my other devices?
TIA


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## PrairieGirl

dioxide45 said:


> It seems that we in the USA get ripped off on internet coverage? I have always read that those in Europe pay far less for what turns out to be faster service...



Does it make you feel any better to know that in Canada (at least Saskatchewan!) we pay far more than you do? But I agree, Europe is light years ahead of us.  Our friends from Holland were so perplexed when we were discussing phone options with them before our visit "but wifi is everywhere!".


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## jehb2

I've been at AirBnB places in Japan and a lot of the apartments offer complementary "pocket wifi" that you can take all over town.  Visitor reviews say it's really good. This sounds the same as mifi I'm guessing.


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## Helios

Ken555 said:


> It's exactly what I wrote... 3UK (www.three.co.uk). I'll be using it next week myself in Europe!
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk



Sorry about that, I thought you meant you both 3 UK based sims.  That doesn't really makes sense.  

Can you get them at the Heathrow Airport?  And, do you have a recommendation for French SIMs?


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## Pompey Family

Helios said:


> Sorry about that, I thought you meant you both 3 UK based sims.  That doesn't really makes sense.
> 
> Can you get them at the Heathrow Airport?  And, do you have a recommendation for French SIMs?



You won't need a separate French SIM if you opt for a Three one as the Three network allows you to use your allowance in a number of other countries without incurring additional expense.

http://www.three.co.uk/Discover/Phones/Feel_At_Home


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