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Going overseas... mobile phone advice??

2A Batterie

2A Batterie

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jun 9, 2004
622
0
Out of a Suitcase, USA
I'm going to Europe for three months to work on a cruise ship. I'll be going to several countries, mainly in western Europe and Scandinavia. I have no idea where to begin with cell phone use. I have T-Mobile and use a (ugh) Razr, although am thinking about upgrading. Has anyone traveled abroad for an extended period of time and changed their cell phone plan specifically for it? I want to keep my phone number while over there, but don't want to pay a million dollars in roaming charges. Any advice?
 
You wouldn't be able to keep your number, and you'd need to ensure that your phone is unlocked, but if your traveling for an extended period, have you considered buying a prepayed SIM card? Just pop it in your phone and you're ready to go.
 
EricNau said:
You wouldn't be able to keep your number, and you'd need to ensure that your phone is unlocked, but if your traveling for an extended period, have you considered buying a prepayed SIM card? Just pop it in your phone and you're ready to go.
Click to expand...
Prepaid sim cards? ARe they available for T-mobile?
 
Unlocked phone and prepaid sim card.

When travelling, I always buy a prepaid card in every country I visit. For a few bucks, it's by far the best way, and avoids all the international roaming pish. Keeping a UK sim would cripple me financially.
 
2A Batterie said:
Prepaid sim cards? ARe they available for T-mobile?
Click to expand...

I think they're available for any phone, regardless of provider, as long as your phone is unlocked. This is the way to go...It's the only way to have affordable cell access when traveling. The great thing about European SIM cards is that you can receive calls free of charge, regardless of whether you have any available minutes to make calls yourself.

I think EricNau is right, though: I don't think there's any way to keep your number without getting butchered by roaming and international calling rates.

BTW, I have an old T-Mobile phone that I use here with a SIM from Orange. When I first tried to use it, it was locked; I called T-Mobile, who told me that they wouldn't give me the unlock code because I had been disconnected for more than six months, which seems to imply that they would give it to an active customer such as yourself. Incidentally, I got mine unlocked for 15 EUR at a shady joint in a shady neighborhood in Lyon...it still says T-Mobile on the start-up screen and doesn't get the correct time off of the network anymore, but it works perfectly other than that.
 
1) Unlock your RAZR. If you bought your RAZR through T-Mobile, it can only be used with T-Mobile unless you unlock it, which is something T-Mobile will freely do if you've been a customer for at least 90 days.

2) Use United Mobile. It's the cheapest and most convenient option by far. While they will give you either a UK (+44) or Liechtenstein (+423) number, you can divert your calls from your US number if you really need to. UM is really cheap with free incoming calls in all of Europe and low outgoing rates. It's much better than hunting for a prepaid SIM in every country you go to.

Good luck.
 
iMacZealot said:
1) Unlock your RAZR. If you bought your RAZR through T-Mobile, it can only be used with T-Mobile unless you unlock it, which is something T-Mobile will freely do if you've been a customer for at least 90 days.

2) Use United Mobile. It's the cheapest and most convenient option by far. While they will give you either a UK (+44) or Liechtenstein (+423) number, you can divert your calls from your US number if you really need to. UM is really cheap with free incoming calls in all of Europe and low outgoing rates. It's much better than hunting for a prepaid SIM in every country you go to.

Good luck.
Click to expand...

Hey that's pretty cool...
 
iMacZealot said:
1) Unlock your RAZR. If you bought your RAZR through T-Mobile, it can only be used with T-Mobile unless you unlock it, which is something T-Mobile will freely do if you've been a customer for at least 90 days.

2) Use United Mobile. It's the cheapest and most convenient option by far. While they will give you either a UK (+44) or Liechtenstein (+423) number, you can divert your calls from your US number if you really need to. UM is really cheap with free incoming calls in all of Europe and low outgoing rates. It's much better than hunting for a prepaid SIM in every country you go to.

Good luck.
Click to expand...

Wow, thanks for the tip. So it looks like buying sim card from United Mobile will cost around $60.00. All I have to do is call up T-Mobile and ask them to unlock my phone and the United Mobile card will work? Is that the least expensive option out there?

A bit more info: I'll won't be using my cell phone for long amounts of time or to shoot the breeze. I'll be using it mainly for checking my voice mail and to briefly touch base with my friends and family in the US
 
Also fyi, if you want to use your tmo account turn on international roaming and I think it's only 99 cents a minute.
 
Anyone have any suggestions for studying abroad in the UK? I am hoping to get an iPhone this summer when the new ones come out, with a data plan.

Should I look into changing my plan, or taking my phone with me and asking (I think?) O2 to pick me up? I guess I need to start thinking about this...
 
Rhosfelt said:
Anyone have any suggestions for studying abroad in the UK? I am hoping to get an iPhone this summer when the new ones come out, with a data plan.

Should I look into changing my plan, or taking my phone with me and asking (I think?) O2 to pick me up? I guess I need to start thinking about this...
Click to expand...

I wish I had some input to offer, but I do love your avatar!
 
I will be in Italy for about a month this summer. How would I go about buying a prepaid phone and SIM? (I've heard there's some complications)
 
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