Skype and WiFi Question in Europe

[elgrecomac]

I plan to take my iphone with me on a trip to Rome, Florence, Venice and Paris. My plan is to remove the SIM from my iphone and use WiFi and Skype on my iphone while I am in Europe.

My Questions:

1.In the USA, we are used to free WiFi but am I correct in assuming that it will cost me to use WiFi in those locations in Europe? I plan to use WiFi for email retrieval and Skype.
2. Has anyone use Skype on an iphone to call the USA from Europe? If so how was the phone connection?

Thank you.

 

[Applejuiced]

You should be able to find open free wifi's in many places.
The phone connection with skype depends on how good the internet connection is on the wifi that you're using.

 

[paulyras]

I actually just did this in Austria, Germany, and London. In all cases, it worked beautifully.

I was using hotel wifi connections, which cost me money, but since I had a lot of calls i needed to make, it was far cheaper than simply paying the roaming fees.

Good luck.

 

[Carniphage]

I plan to take my iphone with me on a trip to Rome, Florence, Venice and Paris. My plan is to remove the SIM from my iphone and use WiFi and Skype on my iphone while I am in Europe.

My Questions:

1.In the USA, we are used to free WiFi but am I correct in assuming that it will cost me to use WiFi in those locations in Europe? I plan to use WiFi for email retrieval and Skype.
2. Has anyone use Skype on an iphone to call the USA from Europe? If so how was the phone connection?

Thank you.

A less dramatic solution is simply to turn data roaming off.

The phone continues to work as a phone. WiFi works, you just can't get data through the cellular network. So you are not exposed to the horrendous data roaming charges.

C.

 

[elgrecomac]

Thank you

Great and helpful input from all.

 

[Applejuiced]

Thats true but if someone calls you and you answer it expect an arm and 2 legs for roaming charges.

A less dramatic solution is simply to turn data roaming off.

The phone continues to work as a phone. WiFi works, you just can't get data through the cellular network. So you are not exposed to the horrendous data roaming charges.

C.

 

[Betelgeuse]

I don't have an iPhone (yet), but I can answer your first question. In my experience, free WiFi hotspots are, if anything, more common in Europe than they are in the US. Certainly Ireland and the UK are absolutely packed. There seemed to be a lot in France, too.

 

[Carniphage]

Thats true but if someone calls you and you answer it expect an arm and 2 legs for roaming charges.

In such circumstances I would suggest not answering the call. But to be honest, one of the reasons I own a phone is to place and receive calls.

In charge terms, short calls are not so bad.

Overseas, I usually get long automated calls from my credit card company trying to confirm whether I was aware of purchases made overseas.

C.

 

[Applejuiced]

I hear that but I dont like surprises next month when my bill comes in.
I wonder if they still charge you even if you dont answer the call while roaming?

In such circumstances I would suggest not answering the call. But to be honest, one of the reasons I own a phone is to place and receive calls.

In charge terms, short calls are not so bad.

Overseas, I usually get long automated calls from my credit card company trying to confirm whether I was aware of purchases made overseas.

C.

 

[goosnarrggh]

I hear that but I dont like surprises next month when my bill comes in.
I wonder if they still charge you even if you dont answer the call while roaming?

If that's a concern, then turn airplane mode on (so that the cellular radio is shut off entirely) and then turn WiFi back on independently. Now you can Skype to your heart's content, and your phone will never even announce itself to the roaming network - if you're not logged in to a roaming network in the first place, there can be no possibility of any roaming charges. To AT&T, it would look exactly the same as if you were still in the USA but with the phone turned off.