iPhone 4 in Paris as a tourist

ccoltmanm · Dec 4, 2012, 10:25 AM

I am going to Paris for 9 days this New Years. I'm from Chicago.

I have an older iPhone 4. It was on the AT&T network. I have it factory unlocked now.

I am hoping to use these somehow as my main device for reference while in Paris. My question is what is my best option?

I was thinking about buying a SIM card and have it activated for 1 month. The problem is, I am going on December 26-January 4th.

What do you guys think?

apollo1444 · Dec 4, 2012, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ccoltmanm

I am going to Paris for 9 days this New Years. I'm from Chicago.

I have an older iPhone 4. It was on the AT&T network. I have it factory unlocked now.

I am hoping to use these somehow as my main device for reference while in Paris. My question is what is my best option?

I was thinking about buying a SIM card and have it activated for 1 month. The problem is, I am going on December 26-January 4th.

What do you guys think?

I think it's a waste of time don't get me wrong you are going to lose a full day trying to activate a sim on a carrier store rather than actually doing tourist stuff... I'd rather turn off roaming and rely on wifi for social stuff and updates

I'm going to Orlando (disneyworld) for 9 days as well in the holidays would you recommend me going to an att store to get and activate a sim? obviously not..

mobilehaathi · Dec 4, 2012, 10:39 AM

Buying a prepaid SIM card at a Tabac is simple and fast.

Ericcc · Dec 4, 2012, 10:46 AM

When you get off the plane at the airport, get a prepaid SIM card. Easy as pie, and doesn't take much time to activate at all.

In London, you can get them at Airport subway vending machines, not but sure about Paris, but there has to be cell company booths. Cheap too compared to anything you can get in North America.

Enjoy Paris! 9 days ought to be great. If you go to Versailles, make sure to pay for the tour. You get to skip the gigantic line, and see things others don't. There's this chapel -fantastic looking- in which you can stroll around, while others are blocked from accessing, and can only take photos.

BFizzzle · Dec 4, 2012, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ccoltmanm

I am going to Paris for 9 days this New Years. I'm from Chicago.

I have an older iPhone 4. It was on the AT&T network. I have it factory unlocked now.

I am hoping to use these somehow as my main device for reference while in Paris. My question is what is my best option?

I was thinking about buying a SIM card and have it activated for 1 month. The problem is, I am going on December 26-January 4th.

What do you guys think?

Quote:

Originally Posted by apollo1444

I think it's a waste of time don't get me wrong you are going to lose a full day trying to activate a sim on a carrier store rather than actually doing tourist stuff... I'd rather turn off roaming and rely on wifi for social stuff and updates

I'm going to Orlando (disneyworld) for 9 days as well in the holidays would you recommend me going to an att store to get and activate a sim? obviously not..

not to question your intelligence, but its really really really simple to get a sim card from another country and use it... like the above stated just grab one at the airport. Almost every country i've traveled to has kiosks or stores with them at the airport. Open the sim.. put it in.. if you need the APN they have always had it for me.

OP how much will you use your phone? in my experience if i am staying less than two weeks its almost the same to just roam on my current carrier.

M-5 · Dec 4, 2012, 11:11 AM

I was in Paris for two months this summer, and I took my iPhone 4, but I didn't activate it and only relied on Wifi.

I did purchase a "dumbphone" however and used prepaid minutes and a texting plan to use to communicate with my friends in France.

But for communicating with people in the States and using social media, I just waited until I was in a Wifi area, which truthfully weren't as plentiful as I would have imagined in Paris. (Later on however, I was able to get access to their 'freewifi' connection with a friend's login)

It was liberating though to not have to be connected all the time, but there were plenty of times when having an internet connection would have been useful. It was definitely interesting to see how much I rely on my phone now for everyday things.

Merkie · Dec 4, 2012, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by M-5

I was in Paris for two months this summer, and I took my iPhone 4, but I didn't activate it and only relied on Wifi.

I did purchase a "dumbphone" however and used prepaid minutes and a texting plan to use to communicate with my friends in France.

But for communicating with people in the States and using social media, I just waited until I was in a Wifi area, which truthfully weren't as plentiful as I would have imagined in Paris. (Later on however, I was able to get access to their 'freewifi' connection with a friend's login)

It was liberating though to not have to be connected all the time, but there were plenty of times when having an internet connection would have been useful. It was definitely interesting to see how much I rely on my phone now for everyday things.

I still do not see why you would carry two seperate phones.

1. Take SIM out of cheap phone.
2. Put SIM in iPhone.
3. Done.

To the OP, I suggest buying a local prepaid SIM and load it up with some credit. Insert SIM into phone and done.

BFizzzle · Dec 4, 2012, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Merkie

I still do not see why you would carry two seperate phones.

maybe his wasnt unlocked?

seeharrison · Dec 5, 2012, 09:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ccoltmanm

I am going to Paris for 9 days this New Years. I'm from Chicago.

I have an older iPhone 4. It was on the AT&T network. I have it factory unlocked now.

I am hoping to use these somehow as my main device for reference while in Paris. My question is what is my best option?

I was thinking about buying a SIM card and have it activated for 1 month. The problem is, I am going on December 26-January 4th.

What do you guys think?

I'm actually going to be in Paris for December 26 to January 6th. My AT&T iPhone 5 is unlocked and I plan on using a sim from SFR (http://www.sfr.fr). I found a plan that includes unlimited talk and text (including calls to the US) and 3GB of data for 19€. Even though I'll only use 10 days of the plan, it's still cheaper than AT&T. Good luck and enjoy the City of Lights!

lke · Dec 5, 2012, 10:17 AM

Your best option is this company:

www.iphonetrip.com

I always buy a sim with them when I travel to Europe.

It works great and very fast.

In europe I use their sim and go to different countries without issues, one time when I was going from Italy to Switzerland by train I was using my iphone and at the moment I cross the border it automatically changed from the Switzerland carrier to the Italy carrier, also I use the sim in France.

The sim are not cheap but they offer you unlimited service and you select the days you want the service.

I have not found any better company than iphonetrip.com in the web for buying a sim to use it in another country.

Dec 4, 2012, 10:25 AM	#1
ccoltmanm macrumors newbie Join Date: Jul 2010	iPhone 4 in Paris as a tourist I am going to Paris for 9 days this New Years. I'm from Chicago. I have an older iPhone 4. It was on the AT&T network. I have it factory unlocked now. I am hoping to use these somehow as my main device for reference while in Paris. My question is what is my best option? I was thinking about buying a SIM card and have it activated for 1 month. The problem is, I am going on December 26-January 4th. What do you guys think?
	0

Dec 4, 2012, 10:39 AM	#3
mobilehaathi macrumors 68030 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Bay Area, CA	Buying a prepaid SIM card at a Tabac is simple and fast. __________________ Of crimes---none is greater than having things that one desires; Of disasters---none is greater than not knowing when one has enough. Of defects---none brings more sorrow than the desire to attain.
	2

Dec 4, 2012, 11:11 AM	#6
M-5 macrumors 6502a Join Date: Jan 2008	I was in Paris for two months this summer, and I took my iPhone 4, but I didn't activate it and only relied on Wifi. I did purchase a "dumbphone" however and used prepaid minutes and a texting plan to use to communicate with my friends in France. But for communicating with people in the States and using social media, I just waited until I was in a Wifi area, which truthfully weren't as plentiful as I would have imagined in Paris. (Later on however, I was able to get access to their 'freewifi' connection with a friend's login) It was liberating though to not have to be connected all the time, but there were plenty of times when having an internet connection would have been useful. It was definitely interesting to see how much I rely on my phone now for everyday things. __________________ iPhone 5 64GB Black (August 2012) MacBook Air 11" (Mid 2011)
	0

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Dec 4, 2012, 10:46 AM	#4
Ericcc macrumors member Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Montreal	When you get off the plane at the airport, get a prepaid SIM card. Easy as pie, and doesn't take much time to activate at all. In London, you can get them at Airport subway vending machines, not but sure about Paris, but there has to be cell company booths. Cheap too compared to anything you can get in North America. Enjoy Paris! 9 days ought to be great. If you go to Versailles, make sure to pay for the tour. You get to skip the gigantic line, and see things others don't. There's this chapel -fantastic looking- in which you can stroll around, while others are blocked from accessing, and can only take photos.
	0

Dec 5, 2012, 10:17 AM	#10
lke macrumors member Join Date: Jun 2009	Your best option is this company: www.iphonetrip.com I always buy a sim with them when I travel to Europe. It works great and very fast. In europe I use their sim and go to different countries without issues, one time when I was going from Italy to Switzerland by train I was using my iphone and at the moment I cross the border it automatically changed from the Switzerland carrier to the Italy carrier, also I use the sim in France. The sim are not cheap but they offer you unlimited service and you select the days you want the service. I have not found any better company than iphonetrip.com in the web for buying a sim to use it in another country.
	0