Comments on: Using an American iPhone in Europe… without going broke

By: Krystina

Krystina — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 05:15:09 +0000

I’m studying abroad from Feb to May in Austria (plus traveling to other countries), and from a friend who studied in England and Greece (two separate semesters) told me that getting Skype credit was a great idea. So, I plan on using my iPhone as a glorified iTouch for Skyping home (both my Mom’s computer and my Nana’s home phone) and getting a local cell so I can call/text my classmates.

I’m not even going to attempt to jailbreak my phone, because I’m terrified I’d mess something up. It’s better than what I did when I was in London for 10 days. I got AT&T’s plan, and only had my Nana and Mom call me, and the bill was $500. Granted, I believe I went over my text limit, but either way, it was ridiculously expensive, and I’m not taking that chance again.

By: Sarah

Sarah — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 01:57:57 +0000

Hi, I am travelling to Turkey in less than a week. I’m just verifying-can I use my iphone 4 to use all apps and browse internet while there for free as long as I am connected to a wifi network?

By: Alex

Alex — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 07:31:46 +0000

Most mobile companies should allow a locked iphone to use an overseas sim if you give them plenty of notice. I’ve heard AT&T & T-Mobile do this now in America, and Australian Telecoms allow this as well.
You can also head down to the nearest tech area of a major city and get the iphone unlocked.
Both scenarios should allow an overseas sim.

By: Jen

Jen — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 00:27:14 +0000

This post was EXTREMELY helpful. I’m an iPhone 4 user about to study abroad in Madrid for 4 months and have been endlessly reading the AT&T Int’l Packages on their website — but have only ended up with a headache.

Thanks for this!

By: class factotum

class factotum — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 15:25:13 +0000

Be really careful with T-Mobile. They tell you that even if data roaming is turned off, you could still connect and you’ll have to pay. There are TWO data roaming things on my phone that must be disabled – Data roaming and Use packet data. We found that out after our trip to Munich: http://class-factotum.blogspot.com/2011/09/marriage-401-lecture-512-how-terminator.html

By: Chris Parente

Chris Parente — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 17:27:46 +0000

Susan — I’m sure all the scenarios do get confusing. Will you have access to Wi-Fi? If yes, then set your phone to Airplane Mode. That cuts it off from cellular networks, and you only can use Wi-Fi.

You’ll have access to email. You can make calls if you get some kind of VOIP calling account, like Skype. Get a $10 credit, download the app to your phone, and you are good to go. Of course, no one will be able to call you unless you happen to be connected.

By: Susan

Susan — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 23:36:11 +0000

I am going to Ireland in November…I am so confused by reading all of this (senior citizen). I have a 3g iPhone and I get it that I can turn off my email but isn’t there a way to suspend my text, voicemail for 2 weeks? I just want to be able to check in daily with my husband. Thank you as any insight you can give me would be awsome.

By: Karen

Karen — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 01:45:36 +0000

I am going hiking in Nepal for a month. My plan is to purchase an international sim card and use it in my inexpensive phone that has all 4 GSM bands. The sim card will have a US number. I plan to forward my cell number to the new US number so if my family needs to call me, they can dial my regular number and reach me at no charge. It will cost me Incoming calls from the US: $ 1.15 / min. It will cost me: Outgoing to a Landline: $ 1.45 / min. Outgoing to a Cell Phone: $ 1.70 / min. Incoming text messages are free and outgoing are $0.60/message

My question is: If I purchase an Iphone to bring with me and keep it in airplane mode, with wi fi enabled, will I still be able to receive calls on my other phone? I really only want to be able to check my email occasionally and maybe check on what is going on in the world. I am sure there are very few places where I will even be able to access wi fi since I will be mostly hiking the Anapurna Sanctuary Trek.

Any advice, especially from someone that has been to Nepal, would be appreciated. I leave in 2 weeks.

By: Brenna

Brenna — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 23:33:48 +0000

also I’m going to see him next week in Germany and Switzerland.

The plan: 1- airplane mode 2- buy $10 text and $25 lowest mb data plan = $35 3- use his phone for local german calls (hotels, emergencies etc)

This way I can keep it in airplane/wifi only for most of the time, switch over o regular when I reaaaally need to text or check the internet, and I get the best of both worlds for $35 bucks. Yay.

Thanks for all the posts!

By: Brenna

Brenna — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 23:27:29 +0000

i currently speak to my brother who lives in Germany with a free app on my iPhone 4 called Heytell. It’s like a walkie-talkie, records a brief message then uses Internet – so it would only work via wifi if you have data disabled. But if you found wifi for a minute you can “call” them free. Also any messages that they have sent you would be waiting for you when you open the app. Just DONT set it to “push data,” or you’ll be using int. roaming.

Heytell for the wifi win in a quick pinch.