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Using Verizon iPhone 5 in Italy on vacation...

topgunn

topgunn

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Nov 5, 2004
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Houston
How can I do this? I am leaving for Rome in 2 weeks and my shiny new Verizon iPhone 5 is coming with me. As I understand it, the GSM portion of the phone is unlocked so I should be able to throw in a SIM from a European carrier and go to town, right? If so, I'd like to avoid having to track one down when I get there. Is there any way I can get the SIM here in the US sometime in the next two weeks and get it all setup and ready before I go?

Thanks!
 
Unless you find a really kind soul from Italy who wants to ship you one beforehand, probably not.

But when you land going to the closest Vodafone or whatever store will be easy to just grab a quick PAYG SIM card.
 
Question about this. If I put a pay sim, lets say from France b/c I am in France, it will have a French number and i'm billed per the terms of the agreements with the pre pay sim. That I get. If I forward my US number to that French number, do I get double bulled. I mean do I get hit with international calling charged from VZW for the call being forwarded to the international number then hit from the pre pay for the minutes used and charged as if they are international minutes used? Always wondered how that works.
Thanks.
 
Yup double billed.

I went my us number forwarded to my google voice number then google voice forwarded to my prepaid.
 
I just went to Germany last week and picked up a prepaid nanosim while I was there and it was a pain in the ass. Had to go to 5 or 6 stores before I found a place selling nanosims. I would just order a microsim card online and cut it down to a nanosim.
 
I picked up a AT&T prepaid nano sim for international use on my vz iPhone 5 when traveling abroad. AT&T international rates are expensive, but they work and i don't have to serach while on vacation.
 
Can someone explain double billing to me?

I have a Verizon account in the US. I will be in Amsterdam for 3 months starting in January and would like to use my iPhone 5 on one of Amsterdam's networks. I do not want anything charged to Verizon during that period. How do I go about doing all of this?
 
jason2811 said:
Can someone explain double billing to me?

I have a Verizon account in the US. I will be in Amsterdam for 3 months starting in January and would like to use my iPhone 5 on one of Amsterdam's networks. I do not want anything charged to Verizon during that period. How do I go about doing all of this?
Click to expand...

Double billing only happens when you want to have calls to your normal (US) phone number reach you while abroad. If that is your desire, you will need to set up call forwarding from your American # to your new Dutch number. You will be billed for those calls by Verizon. You will then be billed by your Dutch carrier for the calls you receive (well, actually, you won't, because in the EU all incoming calls/texts/etc. are always free).

What you want is to simply swap the nano-SIM in your iPhone 5 out for a nano-SIM from a Dutch carrier when you arrive there. Just don't set up call forwarding on Verizon and don't use your phone with your Verizon SIM card installed while abroad and you won't get charged anything.
 
themadrussian said:
Double billing only happens when you want to have calls to your normal (US) phone number reach you while abroad. If that is your desire, you will need to set up call forwarding from your American # to your new Dutch number. You will be billed for those calls by Verizon. You will then be billed by your Dutch carrier for the calls you receive (well, actually, you won't, because in the EU all incoming calls/texts/etc. are always free).

What you want is to simply swap the nano-SIM in your iPhone 5 out for a nano-SIM from a Dutch carrier when you arrive there. Just don't set up call forwarding on Verizon and don't use your phone with your Verizon SIM card installed while abroad and you won't get charged anything.
Click to expand...

Thank you for the help!
 
mellofello said:
It doesn't stop it but I was only paying 2 cents per minute vs 99 cents
Click to expand...

Sorry that's what I meant, I wouldn't get the VZW bill for international calling, but I would pre pay for Google Voice international at a significantly lower rate.
 
Easy enough, pull out the VZW SIM, put in the Italian SIM, use it, put the VZW SIM back in when you return home.

You shouldn't have any issues tracking down a SIM card whilst in Europe, I just stopped in a carrier store and picked one up while I was in the UK, easily. Though you may want to research the rate plans and pricing before you arrive.

I don't think the carriers will ship (nor want to pay to ship) "free SIM cards" abroad.
 
The forum http://www.prepaidgsm.net/ is a great resource on carriers, options, costs, etc.
 
Sorry to hijack the thread but...

I am going to Asia in December and am most likely going to multiple countries. Do I have to get a new SIM for each country or is there a SIM that works in all countries of the region?

I want to buy a SIM and load it up with some minutes/text/data and be able to use it while I travel from one country to the next.
 
chris2k5 said:
Sorry to hijack the thread but...

I am going to Asia in December and am most likely going to multiple countries. Do I have to get a new SIM for each country or is there a SIM that works in all countries of the region?

I want to buy a SIM and load it up with some minutes/text/data and be able to use it while I travel from one country to the next.
Click to expand...

Where are you going? :)

If am not mistaken, you have to buy one for each country, if you want to save a little vs. the international roaming rate that will be charged by your USA carrier. Verizon and AT&T's sim will work pretty much everywhere but of course, it's gonna be expensive. :D It's not too bad as I did that many times in the past with my locked AT&T iPhones as am too lazy to bother buying international sim or request for unlock and I found their world travelers roaming rate not too bad for a quick & instant access.

Am planning to use my iP5 Verizon as well. I am going to Japan, Thailand, the Philippines, Italy, France, Czech Republic, Spain etc next year. Am not sure how reasonable Verizon's world travelers rate but this time am gonna utilize the iP5 unlock's feature to the hilt by buying specific to each country am heading.
 
Word of advice. Unless you are on an extended work/school related trip where you will be gone for more than a month.

Relax. U don't need to be trying to find shops that sell prepaid sim etf. You are on vacation.

Just turn phone on airplane mode and enjoy ur vacation. If u really needed to use the phone in an emergency just turn it on and pay the $2-3 roaming fee per minute.

When I am in Europe (visit at least once a year). You can find free wifi areas. U can still iMessage over wifi. U can still text via google voice. Call via wifi with Skype.

Last time I can remember even needing a prepaid sim was way back in 2004 in Brazil when I was there for an entire month. That's cause some parts of Rio were kinda of shady to visit.
 
jason2811 said:
Thank you for the help!
Click to expand...

No problem!

Daveoc64 said:
This is a very important point to note.
Click to expand...

I still can't believe the FCC allows for incoming call/text charges for cellular in the US. Not that it really matters too much these days, since carriers are shifting to unlimited minutes and texts, but still. Not sure how long landlines have been exempt from double-charging, but it's been a long time.
 
This place is going to be hard st barts

i am going to st barts for a week next month can what do u suggest i do i have a iphone 5 verizon and i have an at&t number i keep inactive at the moment. when i am there i will be doing talk and text email i can sut off and use wifi in my hotel.
 
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