Planning to use your cellphone overseas? Here's what you need to know before you go

[MULTIZ321]

Planning to use your cellphone overseas? Here's
what you need to know before you go.

Planning to use your cellphone overseas? Here's what you need to know before you go

SmarterTravel.com compares the best international phone plans from AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint and Google and offers other alternatives.

www.usatoday.com

Richard

 

[Cornell]

I rent a mobile hotspot when I am overseas. It's so simple, cost-effective and works great. Unlike a SIM, my phone number remains the same. To me, it's a no-brainer.

 

[geist1223]

With T-Mobile we have free international data and texts.

 

[rhonda]

With T-Mobile we have free international data and texts.

And it so easy! Cross a border and receive a text message, "Welcome to [Country name]! Your T-Mobile plan gives you unlimited data at up to 2G speeds and texts at no extra cost. Calls at 25 cents/min. Want our fastest data and unlimited calls? Get an International Pass forest $5/day. Check it out: <link> Enjoy your stay!"

I was responding to email while on a bumpy bus ride in Oman last month. That felt almost other worldly. LOL. Thank you, T-Mobile!

 

[twise625]

I rent a mobile hotspot when I am overseas. It's so simple, cost-effective and works great. Unlike a SIM, my phone number remains the same. To me, it's a no-brainer.

Do you rent before you go or get it once you arrive in the other country? Sending my daughter on a graduation trip to Italy in May and starting to look at options to keep in touch. Thanks! Tracy

 

[Cornell]

Do you rent before you go or get it once you arrive in the other country? Sending my daughter on a graduation trip to Italy in May and starting to look at options to keep in touch. Thanks! Tracy

I make arrangements for the hotspot before my departure. Last time I was in Europe I used "Teppy" - not sure if that's available in Italy. Teppy shipped the device to me at home in the US. Otherwise, you can pick up the device at your arrival airport. The only downside is that your daughter has to carry it around with her when she's out & about. They are very small. She will turn off her cell service upon arrival and connect her phone's wifi to the hotspot. If she has an Apple phone (and you do as well) all texts will go through via iMessage. You can call each other with FaceTime audio. If you don't have Apple phones you can message and call each other via What's App or Facebook messenger. And she can communicate with all of her friends through Snapchat. It could not be easier. And the speed is very fast. Additionally, multiple devices can connect to the same hotspot.

 

[jehb2]

T-Mobile was great in both Europe and Japan. My husband had to make a couple of hour long business calls. I was convinced we were going to get some surprise horrible bill but no. Texting was free. In a lot of place we made free wifi calls. We paid an extra $5 for the international plan just for the months we traveled.

The Vatican has great wifi. We made a wifi call from the center of St. Peter’s Square. The connection was so clear my mom didn’t believe we were still in Europe.

 

[JudyH]

I had enrolled in Verizon’s TravelPass plan a year or two ago. I usually get a local SIM card for wherever I am. So this past December I got one for Argentina. It ran out two days before returning. So I think no big deal I’ll just use Verizon’s plan for two days if necessary. Then our plane had a two day delay. I used the phone but the usual Verizon notice didn’t pop up. Used the phone anyway. Had about a $14 bill eventually from Verizon. I sat in the hotel room with my laptop on Verizon’s website for two hours trying to add or confirm their travelPass plan. The plan that’s $10 for 24 hour period. Next time I call them before I leave the US.

 

[Passepartout]

We have recently switched (and ported our numbers) to T-Mobile from decades with AT&T. With them, we got nothing, nada, zilch when outside USA without paying $10 per day, every day we even read a text! And for $120ish a month! T-Mobile gives us Netflix, unlimited Wi-Fi on planes, use the phone in N. America- USA, Canada, Mexico- like at home- we're tethering 2 devices right now, and for $90 a month all in. This hotel has a slug of Canadians who have bought SIM cards and can't make a call or text. I'm kicking my butt for not switching years ago!

Jim