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Using iPhone abroad

A

abz1981

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jan 3, 2011
1,013
4
Hey all
I am going to be going abroad soon and will be taking my iPhone. Now the place I am going to has GPRS access only and very limited wifi access.

I plan limiting my data charges as much as I can. So this is what I am planning on doing. If you can think of anything else or suggest anything that be great.

I plan on using whatsapp only for communicating with friends as I know whatsapp uses very less data unless I am sending images etc. I plan on switching off push notifications for my emails. Switching off fetch to manual. Going to be switching off all notifications apart from whatsapp. Plan on also making sure apps don't update on GPRS. As well as not use any apps that will require a data connection.

So really what am saying is will only be using GPRS data for whatsapp only and anything else will use on wifi if I come across wifi access.

I don't really want to bother switching to a local sim as I don't think I will get a nano sim. Plus and be bothered letting people know of an alternative foreign number. Also my carrier doesn't provide data plans for where I am travelling to.

I will be charged at a rate or $10 per mb. So you can understand why I am wanting to use as much less data as I can. I know I can turn data roaming off and on. But rather like the ability to access data for whatsapp notification messages.

Any other suggestions?
 
Last edited:
Sheesh:eek: ten bucks?

You don't say where you're going, but you should be able to get a PAYG sim for you phone way cheaper than that..If you can't, then I guess your plan A is the only option, but that's extortion!
 
If I were you I would limit my use solely to wifi and set roaming to off! You will burn through 1mb very very quickly.
 
Am going to Africa continent. Yup it is expensive $10 per mb. I will try get a prepaid nano sim. But thanks for your input though.

----------
Gav2k said:
If I were you I would limit my use solely to wifi and set roaming to off! You will burn through 1mb very very quickly.
Click to expand...


I have been told I should get wifi access. So think your right to be honest. I think I will also test whatsapp data usage on 3G while I am in my own country before I travel and see how much it uses up. But yeah think you got a point. Don't want my vacation ending up being an expensive vacation lol.
 
At $10/mb, charges are going to add up really fast. I don't think people realize just how little 1 megabyte of data is.

My mom is on my shared data plan and she rarely uses her phone, especially outside the house (where it's on WiFi) and she's still somehow managed to use 32 MB this billing period - which isn't even over yet.
 
abz1981 said:
Hey all
I am going to be going abroad soon and will be taking my iPhone. Now the place I am going to has GPRS access only and very limited wifi access.

I plan limiting my data charges as much as I can. So this is what I am planning on doing. If you can think of anything else or suggest anything that be great.

I plan on using whatsapp only for communicating with friends as I know whatsapp uses very less data unless I am sending images etc. I plan on switching off push notifications for my emails. Switching off fetch to manual. Going to be switching off all notifications apart from whatsapp. Plan on also making sure apps don't update on GPRS. As well as not use any apps that will require a data connection.

So really what am saying is will only be using GPRS data for whatsapp only and anything else will use on wifi if I come across wifi access.

I don't really want to bother switching to a local sim as I don't think I will get a nano sim. Plus and be bothered letting people know of an alternative foreign number. Also my carrier doesn't provide data plans for where I am travelling to.

I will be charged at a rate or $10 per mb. So you can understand why I am wanting to use as much less data as I can. I know I can turn data roaming off and on. But rather like the ability to access data for whatsapp notification messages.

Any other suggestions?
Click to expand...

Is your phone unlocked? If so, just get a SIM card there and stick it in...
 
abz1981 said:
Hey all
I am going to be going abroad soon and will be taking my iPhone. Now the place I am going to has GPRS access only and very limited wifi access.

I plan limiting my data charges as much as I can. So this is what I am planning on doing. If you can think of anything else or suggest anything that be great.

I plan on using whatsapp only for communicating with friends as I know whatsapp uses very less data unless I am sending images etc. I plan on switching off push notifications for my emails. Switching off fetch to manual. Going to be switching off all notifications apart from whatsapp. Plan on also making sure apps don't update on GPRS. As well as not use any apps that will require a data connection.

So really what am saying is will only be using GPRS data for whatsapp only and anything else will use on wifi if I come across wifi access.

I don't really want to bother switching to a local sim as I don't think I will get a nano sim. Plus and be bothered letting people know of an alternative foreign number. Also my carrier doesn't provide data plans for where I am travelling to.

I will be charged at a rate or $10 per mb. So you can understand why I am wanting to use as much less data as I can. I know I can turn data roaming off and on. But rather like the ability to access data for whatsapp notification messages.

Any other suggestions?
Click to expand...

At $10 a mb I think it's definitely worth it to get a local sim. If you can't get a nano size you can get a larger size sim and cut it down using a sim cutting tool.
 
Why don't you just get 1 month of T-Mobile $50 plan if you can't get local SIM in africa?

I would highly advise against roaming with any other carrier because @ $10/mb as others have said, you will burn through it soo quickly without noticing and then be disappointed later with a mountainous high bill.

Do one of the two:
- Get the $50 T-Mobile Plan with 500MB 4G Data [It will allow you to roam internationally with Unlimited 2G/EDGE or GPRS [if Edge not available] + Unlimited texting too 100+ countries and calling only $0.20/minute!....knowing its only $50 is a lot more assuring than $10/1mb...

- Get a local sim card in africa but it may be more difficult as you are tourist [unless you have family or friends who can give in their local ID as some carriers require local valid ID for verification purposes]
 
abz1981 said:
Hey all
I am going to be going abroad soon and will be taking my iPhone. Now the place I am going to has GPRS access only and very limited wifi access.

I plan limiting my data charges as much as I can. So this is what I am planning on doing. If you can think of anything else or suggest anything that be great.

I plan on using whatsapp only for communicating with friends as I know whatsapp uses very less data unless I am sending images etc. I plan on switching off push notifications for my emails. Switching off fetch to manual. Going to be switching off all notifications apart from whatsapp. Plan on also making sure apps don't update on GPRS. As well as not use any apps that will require a data connection.

So really what am saying is will only be using GPRS data for whatsapp only and anything else will use on wifi if I come across wifi access.

I don't really want to bother switching to a local sim as I don't think I will get a nano sim. Plus and be bothered letting people know of an alternative foreign number. Also my carrier doesn't provide data plans for where I am travelling to.

I will be charged at a rate or $10 per mb. So you can understand why I am wanting to use as much less data as I can. I know I can turn data roaming off and on. But rather like the ability to access data for whatsapp notification messages.

Any other suggestions?
Click to expand...


You don't want to get local sim card because of nano sim.

Ok, buy a micro sim buy a sim card cutter for 5$ and save hunders of dollars? come on man :D 2 days ago I cut 2 red pocket sims and they work just fine just to test out sim unlock on vzw 5s.
 
For that price either decide to just enjoy where you are and not worry about using your phone or get a local sim card. Even if they don't have the nano sim they can cut a larger sim down for you. But if you use data roaming at $10 MB you'll likely end up with $1000 or higher bill.
 
Hi all

Thanks for all your replies and input. I have my iPhone unlocked by my carrier. So will just try and obtain a local prepay sim if I can. I will see what the wifi situation is like there first though. N just have data roaming turned off. Someone told me you can still get a data connection if data roaming is still off that sometimes it isn't always reliable. Is that true. Or does data roaming does what it actually says and cuts all data connection unless you use wifi? Also reg whatsapp. If I use a diff local sim. On whatsapp will I have to register my new foreign number with it. Or should I still be able to use whatsapp with my regular number showing but will be using a foreign number?
 
abz1981 said:
Hi all

Thanks for all your replies and input. I have my iPhone unlocked by my carrier. So will just try and obtain a local prepay sim if I can. I will see what the wifi situation is like there first though. N just have data roaming turned off. Someone told me you can still get a data connection if data roaming is still off that sometimes it isn't always reliable. Is that true. Or does data roaming does what it actually says and cuts all data connection unless you use wifi? Also reg whatsapp. If I use a diff local sim. On whatsapp will I have to register my new foreign number with it. Or should I still be able to use whatsapp with my regular number showing but will be using a foreign number?
Click to expand...

Turning off data roaming will only allow your phone to use cellular data on the network that the sim card in it is for. So if you don't buy a local sim and have data roaming turned off you will only be able to access the internet over wifi as your cell carrier won't have towers there. If data roaming is off and you buy a local sim then you'll still get data through that sim.
 
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