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How to Pick a Cellphone Plan for Traveling Abroad

MULTIZ321

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How to Pick a Cellphone Plan for Traveling Abroad - by Seth Kugel/ Travel/ The New York Times/ nytimes.com

"As a general rule, I’m against an alien takeover of our planet — unless they bring along one thing: a global wireless system that would simplify the endlessly complex world of options for using cellphones abroad.

Prices for calling, texting and using data overseas continue to fall, but the larger system relies on a haphazard and incomplete set of agreements among wireless companies from every country on earth. That makes finding the cheapest option that will (mostly) satisfy your needs still a complex task, depending on where you’re going, for how long and with whom.

First, let’s go over some basic rules for saving..."

21FURGAL-master675.jpg

Giacomo Gambineri


Richard
 

bnoble

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I've found the T-mobile data coverage to be more or less adequate for covered destinations. I just got back from Germany, and used it extensively there. Speeds were surprisingly good.
 

Sandy

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This may not be on point, but here is what I did:

On a recent travel very far away, I signed up for skype and paid $10 for their calling plan. This allowed me to use my cell phone where I had internet service. The calls went through flawlessly (depending, of course, on the strength of the WIFI).

I called home every day, and still have about $4 remaining in the account to use for future travels. I did not need to join a new plan, change my cell phone or its calling plan, did not add international calling, or any other things. I just used skype.

This also worked for my colleague who called her family through her tablet. I think she used the visual calling too. I only used voice calling.

I hope this is helpful. You may not need all of the bells and whistles after all.
 

VegasBella

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I found the best option was to buy a cheap phone that uses SIM cards and then just buy prepaid SIM cards in the foreign country. We did this mainly just so we could communicate with each other while in another country rather than to communicate with people at home or to conduct any business. This way we could go do our own things and meetup later without strict timelines etc. Then just use the wifi at the hotel/timeshare with laptops for everything else.
 

LisaH

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If you have ATT plan, I find its Passport Program to be quite useful and convenient. For $30, you get 120 MB DATA, free text and free access to ATT wifi network for 30 days. DH is oversea this week and then we will be going to Cayman at the end of June, all within 30 days. So this would work out quite nicely to supplement occasions where there is no wifi access. We also use Skype to call home. There is an option to receive cell phone calls via Skype as well (not Skype voice call) but it will cost extra.
 

x3 skier

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If you have ATT plan, I find its Passport Program to be quite useful and convenient. For $30, you get 120 MB DATA, free text and free access to ATT wifi network for 30 days. DH is oversea this week and then we will be going to Cayman at the end of June, all within 30 days. So this would work out quite nicely to supplement occasions where there is no wifi access. We also use Skype to call home. There is an option to receive cell phone calls via Skype as well (not Skype voice call) but it will cost extra.


I had that plan in Mexico in April. I never knowingly used the data, relying on WiFi and Skype for calls and the free texting. Somehow I exceeded the 120 MB and was billed another $30. No one from ATT could tell me how or why that happened and all I could figure is some push data from some apps updated without my knowledge or action. I will not use Passport again. :rolleyes:

BTW, the hotspot was useless as well since it's only in three Mexican cities and not in Puerto Vallarta which is where I was for the week. Didn't work in the Mexico City airport either even though it was listed as a city that had hot spots.

Cheers
 
Last edited:

Luanne

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Younger dd is in Europe right now. She's not using a phone for calls. She is using email and What'sApp to text.
 

LisaRex

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I found the best option was to buy a cheap phone that uses SIM cards and then just buy prepaid SIM cards in the foreign country. We did this mainly just so we could communicate with each other while in another country rather than to communicate with people at home or to conduct any business. This way we could go do our own things and meetup later without strict timelines etc. Then just use the wifi at the hotel/timeshare with laptops for everything else.

Ditto on this. I bought a Go phone from Verizon and bought a prepaid card when I traveled to the Caribbean. No worries about roaming, etc.
 
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