AT&T Cell Phone Service

[Charles4515]

Interesting thread, good info. However, discussion seems centered on Carribean and Europe. What has anyone tried in the Asia, SE Asia, Australia, pacific region? Will away for 80 days (first trip to Pacific Rim countries) and would like a plan works there. Thanks in advance! (Please keep it simple, I'm not a techie!) :D

 

 

 

On AT&T's web site is a list of the country's that have the International Day pass availability and countries that only have Passport plan service. You can check each country you will be in.

 

https://www.att.com/shop/wireless/international/global-countries.html

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Interesting thread, good info. However, discussion seems centered on Carribean and Europe. What has anyone tried in the Asia, SE Asia, Australia, pacific region? Will away for 80 days (first trip to Pacific Rim countries) and would like a plan works there. Thanks in advance! (Please keep it simple, I'm not a techie!) :D

 

 

 

The ATT $10 a day plan works well throughout Asia, South Pacific - all your Grand Asia countries .

 

There are other alternatives that may be cheaper....e.g. Buying local SIM cards, Glocalme, Skyroam but if you want simple and reliable, hard to beat the $10 a day ATT plan.

[Wants to cruise]

Thanks Charles4515 and Inside-Cabin! Will check it out! Appreciate the info.

[Tampa Girl]

It is better for me because for $10 per 24 hours I get the same unlimited voice, data and text as my US plan. I don't have to worry about going over. The day pass only kicks in if you use it. So on the seven day cruise the cost was $40. Three days pre cruise in London $30.

 

If you are saying that you actually spent $70 for the 3 days, the Passport Plan would have given you unlimited voice and text for $40 for 30 days. I don't remember if the International Passport PLan included data, but aboard ship, you have to use the ships' access, anyway. And in ports, there is free wi-fi. So, I am still unclear as to why the $10/day is more advantageous over the Passport.

[Tampa Girl]

The ATT $10 a day plan works well throughout Asia, South Pacific - all your Grand Asia countries .

 

There are other alternatives that may be cheaper....e.g. Buying local SIM cards, Glocalme, Skyroam but if you want simple and reliable, hard to beat the $10 a day ATT plan.

 

The Passport Plan covers 200 countries, including all of the Grand Asia countries. It is cheaper than the $10/day.

[The-Inside-Cabin]

The Passport Plan covers 200 countries, including all of the Grand Asia countries. It is cheaper than the $10/day.

 

 

 

It's cheaper, but you get less data. The $10 a day plan allows you to use your current plan data allocation. If you don't use data, probably cheaper, but I advise everyone to read both plans carefully before deciding what meets your needs.

[Tampa Girl]

It's cheaper, but you get less data. The $10 a day plan allows you to use your current plan data allocation. If you don't use data, probably cheaper, but I advise everyone to read both plans carefully before deciding what meets your needs.

 

The $10/day s also cheaper if you will not use $30 every 30 days, a caveat I forgot to mention in my earlier post. Correct me if I am wrong, but if I have limited data on my current ATT plan, I will have the same limited data on the $10 day. I guess it really boils down to how one intends to use their phone while in port.

[Charles4515]

If you are saying that you actually spent $70 for the 3 days, the Passport Plan would have given you unlimited voice and text for $40 for 30 days. I don't remember if the International Passport PLan included data, but aboard ship, you have to use the ships' access, anyway. And in ports, there is free wi-fi. So, I am still unclear as to why the $10/day is more advantageous over the Passport.

 

 

I spent $70 over 11 days. If I had only used it 3 days it would have cost $30.

 

It is better if you use a phone for data. I would burn thru the data included on the Passport Plan pretty fast. For example in every port I post a photo to Facebook. In Europe I used the maps app for directions a lot. In London having data the directions gave me the correct tube stops. And you need data for Uber in London. Spending the $10 actually saved me money.

 

Having the cell service in port meant I didn't have to rely on the very slow ships internet which was not working well. It was down the first sea day and the other sea day it was so slow I was only able to use 90 minutes of the 150.

 

In December I will be on a 7 day port intensive southern Caribbean cruise out of San Juan. So in Puerto Rico I will have included cell service. Virgin Islands in my plan if we are able to go there. On Royal I get one 24 hour period of Internet free which I will use on the sea day. The other days are Barbados, St. Kitts, Antigua, St Lucia. So I will spend at most $40 on day passes and zero on cruise ship WiFi.

[Charles4515]

The $10/day s also cheaper if you will not use $30 every 30 days, a caveat I forgot to mention in my earlier post. Correct me if I am wrong, but if I have limited data on my current ATT plan, I will have the same limited data on the $10 day. I guess it really boils down to how one intends to use their phone while in port.

 

 

 

Whatever your data plan is at home, even if limited is most is going to be a lot more data than what is included in the Passport Plans. You get a measly amount of data. 200 or 300 mb for 30 days on the Passport plan.

[igraf]

There are offline map apps that do not require data. They even work without any phone service at all and can be used for free while sailing on cruise ships. I even got it to work while flying on airliners by holding my phone against the window.

 

I use maps.me: https://maps.me/download/

 

What you do is download the maps for a particular country before you go on vacation or anytime you have wifi access.

 

igraf

 

 

 

 

I spent $70 over 11 days. If I had only used it 3 days it would have cost $30.

 

It is better if you use a phone for data. I would burn thru the data included on the Passport Plan pretty fast. For example in every port I post a photo to Facebook. In Europe I used the maps app for directions a lot. In London having data the directions gave me the correct tube stops. And you need data for Uber in London. Spending the $10 actually saved me money.

 

....

[Charles4515]

There are offline map apps that do not require data. They even work without any phone service at all and can be used for free while sailing on cruise ships. I even got it to work while flying on airliners by holding my phone against the window.

 

I use maps.me: https://maps.me/download/

 

What you do is download the maps for a particular country before you go on vacation or anytime you have wifi access.

 

igraf

 

 

 

Those won't tell you that it will take 24 minutes to get to Embankment Tube station or 15 minutes to get to South Kensington. Or direct you to the tube transfer stations. Using Apple Maps or Google Maps online is a better experience. I have done those off line maps in the past. Online maps are much better.

 

When spending several thousand dollars to get to Europe spending $70 for the same cell plan I have at home is a minimal expense.

[Tampa Girl]

Whatever your data plan is at home, even if limited is most is going to be a lot more data than what is included in the Passport Plans. You get a measly amount of data. 200 or 300 mb for 30 days on the Passport plan.

 

You're right that it depends on how much data you normally use. While 200;or 300 mb for 30 days is not a lot, it is much more than what I normally use. And I am constantly on the internet, but I use it only for browsing and e-mails.

 

The other distinction between the Passport Plan and the $10/day is how much time one expects to spend in telephoning. The latter is better if one expects to voice phone rather than text.

But since Uber summoned by text, the $1.00 per minute of the Passport is not a consideration. ?

[SFO Peter]

If you are not a very heavy data user Keepgo could work for you. It has worldwide coverage and data expires in one year but is renewable/extendable. In San Francisco it uses TMobile. I will test coverage extensively on my IPad mini next month in the Mediterranean.

Note this will only work when near or on land.

 

[

Edited September 12, 2017 by SFO PETER
added

[Charles4515]

You're right that it depends on how much data you normally use. While 200;or 300 mb for 30 days is not a lot, it is much more than what I normally use. And I am constantly on the internet, but I use it only for browsing and e-mails.

 

 

 

The other distinction between the Passport Plan and the $10/day is how much time one expects to spend in telephoning. The latter is better if one expects to voice phone rather than text.

 

But since Uber summoned by text, the $1.00 per minute of the Passport is not a consideration. ?

 

 

 

Uber is summoned by an app. That uses data. If the driver doesn't see you at the pick up location they might call you.

 

If you are constantly on the internet it won't take long to use up the 200 or 300 mb. Also I would reiterate that with the day pass a 24 hour period only starts when you use the pass. You don't have to use it. You can leave your phone in Airplane Mode at a port and there won't be any charges if you don't need or want internet at that port. Some might only want to have the Day Pass for emergency use. Some need the internet every day, some want to be as little connected as possible. For all my travel I evaluate my needs for that particular trip.

[fusion927]

For us, the $10 international plan is a big improvement over the Passport plan. If only because I won't be constantly 'watching the clock' (ok, data counter:)) to make sure I don't go over. Yes, it will probably cost of $60 instead of $40, but we get to use our base 10gb of data (plus whatever rolled over this month) instead of the 300mb included in the plan.

 

We are also spending a couple days in Canada before our cruise in a rental car, so Google Maps is an absolute requirement. Yes, offline maps are functional (and Google Maps does have offline maps functionality that we will use), but doesn't handle things like real-time traffic, so again, not having to worry about data usage is a huge relief.

[Tampa Girl]

Bottom line, they key is what you will need; i.e. how much data you normally use or intend to use; the number of estimated international phone calls; and the need for primarily text messages. And as Charles pointed out, that will probably depend on the particular cruise or land vacation involved.

 

BTW, I do use the internet for hours every day and have only once gone over 300 mg. Frequently a month's usage is in kg. The reason: I don't use the computer for games or streaming films. So, for me, it is highly unlikely that I would reach even 100 mg. on a vacation. The $10/day might suit me very well, but on our 82-day cruise, I might decide on the Passport. Just depends.

[igraf]

People have become so attached to their cell phones that they now think that nothing is possible anymore if you don't have a live data stream!

 

Maps.me does in fact offer navigation services. Why would you think that this is not possible? All they are doing is downloading the map data upfront, just like one would do with a TomTom or Garmin car navigator. Whether or not they have subway/tube stations in the map database is simply a map feature.

 

It is more than just saving money. Like a car navigator, offline map apps will operate in areas with no cellular signal (Google Maps is worthless without a data stream). This feature is very handy even here in the USA!

 

igraf

 

 

 

 

Those won't tell you that it will take 24 minutes to get to Embankment Tube station or 15 minutes to get to South Kensington. Or direct you to the tube transfer stations. Using Apple Maps or Google Maps online is a better experience. I have done those off line maps in the past. Online maps are much better.

 

When spending several thousand dollars to get to Europe spending $70 for the same cell plan I have at home is a minimal expense.

[Charles4515]

People have become so attached to their cell phones that they now think that nothing is possible anymore if you don't have a live data stream!

 

Maps.me does in fact offer navigation services. Why would you think that this is not possible? All they are doing is downloading the map data upfront, just like one would do with a TomTom or Garmin car navigator. Whether or not they have subway/tube stations in the map database is simply a map feature.

 

It is more than just saving money. Like a car navigator, offline map apps will operate in areas with no cellular signal (Google Maps is worthless without a data stream). This feature is very handy even here in the USA!

 

igraf

 

 

 

I want live transit directions, real time info on subway line delays and real time traffic. Apple Maps and Google Maps also give walking time. I have the Garmin app on my phone so if I don't have cell coverage I can use that. Like I did last year in the Rocky Mountains. As I mentioned I also use UBER which requires data. In London UBER fares were 10 to 15 per cent lower then taxi fares. I use Facebook and Twitter. So yes, I want a live data stream.

 

Why would I want a lesser experience with my phone when traveling than at home? In the past it was the expense, it was too high so I did put up with a lessor experience. With the travel pass I can have the same experience as at a more reasonable price, a price I am willing to pay. As I said after spending thousands of dollars on airfare, hotel and cruise fare for an 11 day vacation, the $70 was a drop in the bucket and I think it was well worth it.

 

You are welcome to stay disconnected on your vacation. It is your vacation. Many of us want to stay connected and in the past the money was an issue for us. It may still be an issue for some but for me and many of us the $10 a day pass makes staying connected reasonable.

Edited September 13, 2017 by Charles4515

[igraf]

The other side of the coin are those people who can't seem to do anything without looking at their phones.

 

Not sure why you need live traffic when taking the Tube in London. Likewise, the London Tube trains run every few minutes so I don't what you mean by "subway line delays". I went to school just outside of London well before the internet and had no trouble exploring London on foot. There was never any trouble riding the Tube and many of the major sights are within walking distance of each other.

 

More recently we had a 6-hour layover at Heathrow so we took the 15-minute express train to central London and saw a few sights, including a ride on the tube, all without the benefit of cell phone service. We then returned to Heathrow for our next flight. We were joking how similar this was to a cruise port stop.

 

In case anyone is interested in the express train:

 

http://www.heathrow.com/transport-and-directions/trains/heathrow-express

 

igraf

 

 

 

 

I want live transit directions, real time info on subway line delays and real time traffic. Apple Maps and Google Maps also give walking time. I have the Garmin app on my phone so if I don't have cell coverage I can use that. Like I did last year in the Rocky Mountains. As I mentioned I also use UBER which requires data. In London UBER fares were 10 to 15 per cent lower then taxi fares. I use Facebook and Twitter. So yes, I want a live data stream.

 

Why would I want a lesser experience with my phone when traveling than at home? In the past it was the expense, it was too high so I did put up with a lessor experience. With the travel pass I can have the same experience as at a more reasonable price, a price I am willing to pay. As I said after spending thousands of dollars on airfare, hotel and cruise fare for an 11 day vacation, the $70 was a drop in the bucket and I think it was well worth it.

 

You are welcome to stay disconnected on your vacation. It is your vacation. Many of us want to stay connected and in the past the money was an issue for us. It may still be an issue for some but for me and many of us the $10 a day pass makes staying connected reasonable.

[Tampa Girl]

The other side of the coin are those people who can't seem to do anything without looking at their phones.

 

Not sure why you need live traffic when taking the Tube in London. Likewise, the London Tube trains run every few minutes so I don't what you mean by "subway line delays". I went to school just outside of London well before the internet and had no trouble exploring London on foot. There was never any trouble riding the Tube and many of the major sights are within walking distance of each other.

 

More recently we had a 6-hour layover at Heathrow so we took the 15-minute express train to central London and saw a few sights, including a ride on the tube, all without the benefit of cell phone service. We then returned to Heathrow for our next flight. We were joking how similar this was to a cruise port stop.

 

In case anyone is interested in the express train:

 

http://www.heathrow.com/transport-and-directions/trains/heathrow-express

 

igraf

 

I wish we had thought of that when we had a 5-hr. stopover last November; would have been a lot more entertaining than sitting in the Business Class lounge, watching others playing with their computers. Oh, well . . . next time. I guess I had not realized how close Heathrow is to central London. We usually come into Gatwick on the non-stop from Tampa.

[Charles4515]

The other side of the coin are those people who can't seem to do anything without looking at their phones.

 

Not sure why you need live traffic when taking the Tube in London. Likewise, the London Tube trains run every few minutes so I don't what you mean by "subway line delays". I went to school just outside of London well before the internet and had no trouble exploring London on foot. There was never any trouble riding the Tube and many of the major sights are within walking distance of each other.

 

More recently we had a 6-hour layover at Heathrow so we took the 15-minute express train to central London and saw a few sights, including a ride on the tube, all without the benefit of cell phone service. We then returned to Heathrow for our next flight. We were joking how similar this was to a cruise port stop.

 

In case anyone is interested in the express train:

 

http://www.heathrow.com/transport-and-directions/trains/heathrow-express

 

igraf

 

There were several service disruptions when I was there. I explored on foot, used the tube and Uber. Some places would have been a very long walk. You might not need live data but I find it handy.

 

I don't know why you want to keep arguing about cell phione service. I am not telling you that you have to have cell phone service. This thread is about cell phone service and many want cell phone service and many need cell phone service. So answers are being given about cell phone service for those who want it. If you don't want it which seems to be the case, you can ignore the thread.

[Hlitner]

For us, the simple solution was to switch to T-Mobile for our iPhones. As a general rule, T-Mobile works just about everywhere in North America, Europe, Caribbean etc. And there are no additional daily or monthly fees like you find with ATT or Verizon. The same data plan you get in the USA is what you will have in other countries. The only extra fees are for phone calls in many countries which cost 20 cents a minute. On our recent HAL cruise we did finally find a few places where T-Mobile did not work. They were the Isle of Man, Isle of Skye, and Greenland :). Otherwise, our phone has always worked in Europe and the islands.

 

Hank

[Charles4515]

For us, the simple solution was to switch to T-Mobile for our iPhones. As a general rule, T-Mobile works just about everywhere in North America, Europe, Caribbean etc. And there are no additional daily or monthly fees like you find with ATT or Verizon. The same data plan you get in the USA is what you will have in other countries. The only extra fees are for phone calls in many countries which cost 20 cents a minute. On our recent HAL cruise we did finally find a few places where T-Mobile did not work. They were the Isle of Man, Isle of Skye, and Greenland :). Otherwise, our phone has always worked in Europe and the islands.

 

Hank

 

If T-Mobile works for you, great. I have T-Mobile on my iPad and it only has coverage in about 70% of the areas that I have At&T coverage in the USA. Not good enough for some of us. Also unless it has changed, you don't mention that the included T-Mobile roaming is not LTE speeds. It is slow 2G speeds.

[Hlitner]

If T-Mobile works for you, great. I have T-Mobile on my iPad and it only has coverage in about 70% of the areas that I have At&T coverage in the USA. Not good enough for some of us. Also unless it has changed, you don't mention that the included T-Mobile roaming is not LTE speeds. It is slow 2G speeds.

 

2G does not even exist anymore :). When in Europe we have always had LTE or 3G, 4G or LTE (a variant of 4G)...any of which easily meets our needs. And when you consider that our cost for a month is nothing more then our usual monthly cost (about $50) its not a bad deal. We have heard others say they do not have good T-Mobile coverage in the US, but our experience has been that its just as reliable as our old provider (ATT) and also gives us coverage in Mexico (and Canada) for no additional cost. Since we do live in Mexico for part of the year, that was the deal clincher. Many do not realize that T-Mobile is now the third largest US cell phone provider (and moving up fast). The reason its so useful in Europe is that T-Mobile is actually owned by Deutsche Telecom....a big player in Europe. We first learned of T-Mobile's usefulness from a HAL entertainer who told us that nearly all the North Americans in the crew use T-Mobile as their provider. Their nearly universal access (with no additional monthly fees) will likely soon force ATT and Verizon to modify their own plans in order to compete.

 

Hank

[Charles4515]

Since we do live in Mexico for part of the year, that was the deal clincher. Many do not realize that T-Mobile is now the third largest US cell phone provider (and moving up fast).

 

 

 

When T-Mobile's network is as good as Verizon and AT&T their prices will go up. The reason their plans are cheaper now is because their network is still catching up. They have bought a lot of spectrum so their coverage is going to improve, their prices will go up though when they have comparable coverage.

 

As far as Mexico, my plan includes North American roaming in Canada and Mexico. I have unlimited voice, text and data at LTE speeds. I don't need to buy travel passes for Canada and Mexico.