Note: This article is part of a series on Using an American iPhone in Europe… without Going Broke.
If you’re an AT&T customer planning to use your smartphone abroad, you have some choices to make before you leave home. These will impact how you use your phone and how much you’ll be charged. These choices include whether or not you expect to use your iPhone abroad to:
• Phone: place and receive international phone calls
• Text: send and receive text messages
• Web: browse the web and check emails on your phone
• Apps: use iPhone applications.
AT&T offers one comprehensive “package” to address each issue. Note that AT&T recently made some big changes to their international offerings when they introduced the add-on International Day Pass package. If you were used to the old options (separate packages for texting, calling, data, etc.), you’re in for a surprise, as they’ve all been bundled together.
Also, please note: If you’re serious about smartphone savings while traveling, be sure to read our guide to buying a SIM card in Europe for American phones. Using a European SIM card requires you to unlock your phone (or bring along a cheapo unlocked phone to use), and can lead to big savings.
AT&T’s International Day Pass
AT&T offers one add-on plan, called the International Day Pass, for international usage. This package is added on top of whatever monthly charges you currently incur. To get these rates, call AT&T before taking off and have them add the package to your plan. You may also log in to your AT&T account and add the International Day Pass yourself. It is possible to have them add the plan from abroad, but it’s a better idea to set it up before taking off.
(Note: This package does not expire. Instead, it only activates when you use your phone outside of the U.S. However, double check once home to make sure that the plan has paused and that you’re not still paying for it!)
Here are the details for AT&T’s International Day Pass plan for iPhone and Android phone use throughout Europe:
- Price: $10 per day for up to 10 days, and 50% off each additional line. After 10 days, each additional day is free so long as you are within one billing cycle. The pass resets during a new billing cycle.
- Text: Unlimited SMS
- Calls: Unlimited to the U.S., within the country you are located, and countries included in the International Day Pass list
- Data: Unlimited if you have an unlimited plan, otherwise, it’s the same amount as your current data package
Note that the International Day Pass charges you $10 each day that you use call, text, voicemail, or data features on your phone. Once the 24 hours are up, it resets and will only charge you another day if you access those features. You won’t be charged if you take a digital detox for part of your trip.
Another crucial thing to note is that this pass works with your billing cycle. If you pay for a full 10 days and then your billing cycle resets and you use the International Day Pass for another 10 days, the cost will apply to each billing cycle.
For more information on the International Day Pass stipulations, check out this FAQ from AT&T.
Making telephone calls from abroad
If you plan to use your phone to make and receive calls, the International Day Pass allows unlimited free calls to the U.S., within the country you are staying, and to more than 100 countries included on this list.
Cheapo tips
• Placing and receiving: Don’t forget that you’ll be charged the International Day Pass daily fee for placing and receiving calls. Even if you answer the phone and say, “Don’t call me, I’m in Florence! (click),” you’ll be charged $10 for the following 24 hour period.
• Voicemail: Yes, listening to your voicemail will cost you, as you’ll need to connect to your carrier.
• Use Skype instead of calling: For calling home, I prefer to use the Skype app on my phone when I have a free Wi-Fi connection. Using Skype (or other apps, such as Google Talk), you can call another user for free, or call a telephone for just pennies per minute.
• Texting: I recommend using text messages in place of short phone calls, whenever possible, but note that the International Day Pass includes unlimited SMS texts only, not iMessage. Using iMessage on your iPhone will count toward your data package, which may or may not be unlimited depending on your usual plan. More details on this below.
• Data roaming: If you don’t want to be charged the $10 fee for the International Day Pass on certain days, don’t forget to deactivate your data roaming. (See more tips for how to set up your iPhone when traveling abroad.)
Sending and receiving text messages
As for texting, without a plan, it costs $.50 to send text messages throughout much of Europe ($1.30 if the message includes a photo or video). However, AT&T’s package offers free unlimited texting. This is good news for those of us who rely upon texting to communicate while traveling.
What about receiving text messages? You’ll pay for these just as you would for receiving a text message back home. If you have unlimited texting, you’ll be able to receive unlimited texts abroad at no extra charge.
Cheapo tips
• Using iMessage: What about just using iMessage or another messaging app to send text messages while traveling? You could do that, but don’t forget that you’ll only be able to send and receive these messages when you’re running the app. Thus, either you have to fire up the app and use expensive data (not recommended unless you have an unlimited data package and thus unlimited data for the International Day Pass), or you’ll have to connect to a Wi-Fi network. The latter option will work, but it prevents you from sending and receiving when you’re out and about, resulting in delays in receiving messages.
Using email, browsing the web, and using apps
If you plan to send and receive emails, browse the web or use applications (such as Facebook, Twitter or Instagram), you’re going to want to have the International Day Pass, as you’ll be using data. If you don’t have a package, then you’re strongly cautioned to only use these features when connected to a Wi-Fi network!
AT&T’s International Day Pass offers the same amount of data you have on your regular phone plan. If you have unlimited data, no problem. If you only have a certain amount, here are some estimates of the amount of data required to:
• Send or receive an email (without attachment): Approx. 20 KB per email
• Send or receive an email (with attachment): Approx. 300 KB per email
• Load a webpage: 1 MB per page
• Stream music: 500 KB / minute (30 MB / hour)
• Stream video (standard quality): 2 MB / minute
Cheapo tips
• Using data? Get a package: If you plan to at least check your email every once in a while (without a Wi-Fi connection), I recommend getting the International Day Pass. Checking your email even occasionally without a package will quickly become very expensive.
• Maps use data to load: Maps are confusing, as they require data to initially load, but your GPS location can load without data. Got that? For example, using Wi-Fi, you could load up a map of your neighborhood in London and then, without any data use, pull up that map later and see your location. However, to load a new map with a Wi-Fi connection (or do a search or zoom in), you’ll need to use data. I find this one of the handiest data uses, and another good reason to sign up for the International Day Pass.
Sticking to Wi-Fi
Of course, if you just stick to Wi-Fi for the duration of your trip, you don’t need to add on the International Day Pass. For years I traveled in “Airplane” mode, with my telephone basically disconnected, but my Wi-Fi fired up. This allowed me to use emails, maps, Facebook, Skype, and the internet only when I was connected to a free Wi-Fi network.
That’s still an option. However, be aware of the obvious drawbacks of relying on Wi-Fi: You’re lost without a connection.
These days I opt for the International Day Pass, take advantage of the unlimited texting, make infrequent and short phone calls, and use data to check emails (but never open attachments) and use Google Maps. And I never open other big apps (like Facebook, Skype or Twitter) unless I’m connected to a Wi-Fi network.
Monitor your usage
Even if you opt for the International Day Pass, it’s a very good (even critical) idea to monitor how much data you use, especially if you do not have an unlimited plan for data. Checking data usage is easy on an iPhone. You can see your Cellular Data Usage by clicking into “Settings” –> “Cellular”. Once abroad, the first thing you should do is scroll to the bottom and click on “Reset Statistics”.
You’re set — now stick to your plan, or upgrade if you’re about to go over!
Also in our Guide to Using an American iPhone in Europe:
Using an American iPhone in Europe… without Going Broke
Tips for Windows, Android and Blackberry Customers