International Cell Phone SIM card

[Tedferg]

Does anyone have experience with temporary international SIM cards please.

 

My Cell Phone carrier does not support international calls. A couple of years ago I bought an inexpensive SIM card but could not get it to work. I only want it to exchange calls with Shore Excursion provider if necessary. So it would be minimal usage.

[thinfool]

A couple of years ago I bought an inexpensive SIM card but could not get it to work..

 

Was that phone unlocked?

 

Any phone from ATT or Verizon or Sprint will have to be unlocked before a different SIM can be used with success.

 

The companies will help you unlock their phones if you have paid the phone off. Then a different SIM will work.

[Thrak]

Check your phone. Most modern phones can now call for free over WiFi so as long as you have a WiFi connection you are good to go. Turn on "advanced calling features" if available and that will allow the function. I called in Canada and spent quite a while on the phone with airlines for free using WiFi calling. (My provider is Verizon and there is no service in Canada - at least not in the places we went.)

[moki'smommy]

We've done it several times with an iphone that came from the Apple store (as opposed from the AT&T or Verizon store). In Japan, we just went to one of the booths in the airport where they were very helpful. All of the places had ads in English and the one that we approached had a handout explaining their various options. The woman at the booth went thru the whole process with us and we activated the phone there. Interestingly, it didn't work when we re-inserted the US chip--it did some of the functions but not others (sorry, I don't remember whether we couldn't get internet (I think this was it) or calls. In any event, we had to reboot the phone before the US chip would work again.

 

In London, we went to a regular cell phone place--their programs were A LOT less costly than similar services in the US. Same deal--we walked out with a working phone. Some of the companies have outlets near the cruise ports.

 

In Europe a few years ago, you needed a different SIM for each country. We only did it in places where we'd be staying for a couple weeks

[frugaltravel]

I have T Mobile in the USA and I get free texting and free internet in over 140 countries. Calling or receiving calls in these countries costs me 20 cents/minute.

 

As mentioned above, you need to let us know who your carrier is. An unlocked phone is key. Where are you traveling to (which countries)?

[luckyinpa]

on topic i just wanted to say when i went to canada i just bought 1 month prepaid ATT for like 45 bucks and got free cheap phone and it worked great. i believe ATT will work in other countries but you'd have to research that.

 

there was one setting Rogers made me change to make the phone work in canada but it was messaged to me on the phone what to do

[Tedferg]

Thanks for all informative replies. The phone is an old iPhone from my daughter. I was able to get service from Consumer Cellular so it was unlocked. I believe they use ATT network. I bought the SIM off internet and instructions were not that great. Perhaps buying at a booth on tour would be better. We are going on Med Cruise, Dubrovnik, Kotor, Itallian ports, Toulon, Barcelona.

 

I am going to upgrade to a new iPhone via Consumer Cellular - must check if that is locked. Will also look at ATT for a month international roaming for DW flip phone.

 

Thanks again

[Cruzer1001]

In Canada we no longer have locked phones so that issue is gone for us but when we travel in Europe we have bought local SIM cards in the past more for days than calling. As someone has said, if your provider has foreign call service it is only expensive if you call and talk a lot. Remember, that when you change your SIM you change your phone number so unless you forward your own number to the SIM number people won’t get you. Rebooting your phone after a SIM change is usually best and don’t lose your “home” card.

There is at least one company, KnowRoaming which makes a “parasite” sticker which you can apply to your own SIM, works in most foreign countries and allows your phone to switch between your home and local, contracted providers. We’ve used it with success but the contracted providers aren’t cheap.

First take a look at what you need (calling or data) because when you are off the ship it is easy to find free wifi. Last year we were in Europe for 69 days and made about a dozen phone calls of which probably seven were trying to get the KnowRoaming to work! We needed data more than calling!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Tedferg]

First take a look at what you need (calling or data) because when you are off the ship it is easy to find free wifi. Last year we were in Europe for 69 days and made about a dozen phone calls of which probably seven were trying to get the KnowRoaming to work! We needed data more than calling!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

Never thought of WI FI calling. However Apple says '

If Wi-Fi Calling is available, you’ll see Wi-Fi after your carrier name in the status bar. Then your calls will use Wi-Fi Calling.' Does my carrier have to be visible in Europe ?

I also see reference to Skype or Google Voice

Edited February 28, 2018 by Tedferg

[thinfool]

Thanks for all informative replies. The phone is an old iPhone from my daughter. I was able to get service from Consumer Cellular so it was unlocked. I believe they use ATT network. I bought the SIM off internet and instructions were not that great. Perhaps buying at a booth on tour would be better. We are going on Med Cruise, Dubrovnik, Kotor, Itallian ports, Toulon, Barcelona.

 

 

 

I am going to upgrade to a new iPhone via Consumer Cellular - must check if that is locked. Will also look at ATT for a month international roaming for DW flip phone.

 

 

 

Thanks again

 

 

 

Consumer Cellular uses locked ATT phones. If you buy a phone outright they will let you unlock it.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Omega1]

From June 2017, if you get a SIM card in any EU country it can be used across Europe with no roaming charges. No need to get a sim for each different country. https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/consumers/internet-telecoms/mobile-roaming-costs/index_en.htm

So now, when I travel in Europe with my UK cellphone, all calls, texts and data are part of my home package - brilliant.

When you arrive in Europe, go into a cellphone store and get a free sim. Load some credit and away you go - as an example my provider has various options - pay as you go; or pay a one off monthly fee eg £7.50 ($10) for 500mins, unlimited texts and 1gb data.

[C&Sun]

AT&T has an international plan. $10.00 per day but only if you use the phone. This worked well in Romania and Hungary last summer.

[Cruzer1001]

Never thought of WI FI calling. However Apple says '

If Wi-Fi Calling is available, you’ll see Wi-Fi after your carrier name in the status bar. Then your calls will use Wi-Fi Calling.' Does my carrier have to be visible in Europe ?

I also see reference to Skype or Google Voice

 

 

You need to ensure you turn on wifi calling on your hardware.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[frugaltravel]

AT&T has an international plan. $10.00 per day but only if you use the phone. This worked well in Romania and Hungary last summer.

 

Makes my $50/Month for T Mobile including international text and internet seem like a bargain!

[Tedferg]

Consumer Cellular uses locked ATT phones. If you buy a phone outright they will let you unlock it.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

OK I did buy it outright.

 

Omega1 Roam Like At Home sounds good. So if I buy a prepaid SIM then it looks like that's my Home and can be used throughout the Cruise.

 

Thanks to the person who said to switch WiFi calling off. I vaguely remember some bad stories about this.

 

Seems like a pre-paid SIM as Omega1 mentions will do the trick.

 

At benefit to buying such a SIm before we leave US ?

Edited March 1, 2018 by Tedferg

[cefm]

On my last Europe I got a Lebera SIM at Heathrow and it worked well for me.

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[thinfool]

OK I did buy it outright.

Omega1 Roam Like At Home sounds good.

 

Be sure to get it unlocked before you try a different SIM...otherwise you have a shiny, new paperweight.

 

Once unlocked, it will stay that way (or should) for future SIM adventures.

[Omega1]

OK I did buy it outright.

 

Omega1 Roam Like At Home sounds good. So if I buy a prepaid SIM then it looks like that's my Home and can be used throughout the Cruise.

 

Thanks to the person who said to switch WiFi calling off. I vaguely remember some bad stories about this.

 

Seems like a pre-paid SIM as Omega1 mentions will do the trick.

 

At benefit to buying such a SIm before we leave US ?

 

I'm not sure there would be any benefit to buying a sim before you leave home. Probably better to call into a store (Vodafone has wide coverage in Europe), there you will get the help to ensure your phone is up and running before you leave the store. I've heard quite a few stories of people having all kinds of difficulties trying to activate sims and load credit once they arrive. Ensure you only buy a one off calls and data package and that there are no recurring monthly debits from your credit card.

What is your starting country?

[Tedferg]

Omega1, we start in Rome and have two days before we sail. We also stop in Kotor Montenegro and Dubrovnik, Croatia. This will be my brand new iPhone - maybe I should leave well alone and add roaming to DW flip phone :D

[pablo222]

Be sure to get it unlocked before you try a different SIM...otherwise you have a shiny, new paperweight.

 

If you put a SIM from another carrier in a carrier-locked phone, it will prompt you for the unlock code.

 

If you then turn the phone off, and remove the foreign SIM, the phone is the same as before.

 

This is the way you unlock the phone. Put in a foreign SIM, and enter the unlock code when prompted.

 

 

If you put in a foreign SIM, and try and guess the code more than (usually 10) times and fail,

then the phone is forever dead.

[Tedferg]

Well, well, I just saw details on Consumer Cellular site that they do support International Roaming ! Pretty sure they do not support international calls in normal use. Perhaps that means I cannot call Italy from US but can enable roaming and make calls while there. All countries are covered and surcharges seem reasonable.

 

Long wait for Customer Support so sent an email for details - will come back with final answer.

 

Thanks again for all help.

[Omega1]

Omega1, we start in Rome and have two days before we sail. We also stop in Kotor Montenegro and Dubrovnik, Croatia. This will be my brand new iPhone - maybe I should leave well alone and add roaming to DW flip phone :D

It will be easy to pick up a sim in Rome. Remember that Montenegro is not a member of the EU. Happy travels!

[Tedferg]

Response from support email:

 

Consumer Cellular has a new International Roaming service covering all the countries we will visit. :)

International roaming rates of $0.30 per talk minute, $0.10 per text message, and $0.25 per MB of data usage.

 

So no need to get a temporary SIM - as I said, usage will be minimal - just to call Tour Operator if necessary, etc.

 

Thanks for all responses.