Help with US Phones in Europe!

[RachaelBachael]

Hey everyone!

My sister is going to be spending this upcoming fall semester in Europe. We're trying to get her situated with a phone but need some help.

She's going to be hitting 8 countries within the span of 3 months and will need a cell phone that will work all over Europe.

Here's the thing. We know there are go phones all over Europe but to buy a new one in each country every week or so can be really costly and cumbersome. Also, an American phone will work in Europe but she'll automatically get a roaming charge. My parents are cool to pay that if she quickly calls home once a week (she'll mostly be using skype and e-mail) but they don't want to pay a charge every time she texts or calls someone who is in her group in a hotel room down the hall or in a restaurant down the street (essentially getting a roaming charge using her American phone to call another American phone while both phones are in Europe).

Have any of you guys had experience with this sort of thing or know someone who has? Are there go phones that she could buy over there that will work all over the EU? Or are there any American phones she can get that won't pay a fee every time she sends a text or makes a phone call? Are there any iPhone apps that will allow you to bypass roaming charges?


Also, she's incredibly technology retarded so keeping this as simple as possible would be best (and hence why I'm looking all of this information up).

Thanks for the help!

[picard102]

I take it the international roaming packages aren't good for her?

[aptmunich]

Here's one option:
Unlock the iPhone (it can be done with all current iPhone firmware) and buy SIM cards in each country she visits.

Then use Skype to make calls to the US and email for other messages.
Since she's not going until autumn, she should have plenty of time to pre-order a pre-paid SIM for the countries she plans on visiting.

In Germany for example she could get a pre-paid Simyo card with a 1GB data plan and 9¢/min calls for about €15 (you only pay for outgoing calls in germany).

[RachaelBachael]

Originally Posted by aptmunich

Here's one option:
Unlock the iPhone (it can be done with all current iPhone firmware) and buy SIM cards in each country she visits.

Then use Skype to make calls to the US and email for other messages.
Since she's not going until autumn, she should have plenty of time to pre-order a pre-paid SIM for the countries she plans on visiting.

In Germany for example she could get a pre-paid Simyo card with a 1GB data plan and 9¢/min calls for about €15 (you only pay for outgoing calls in germany).

Would you be able to put the SIM cards in the iPhone or would you just use a Skype app and use the SIM cards for their number?

Do you know any deals about texting?

[da_ticklah]

Originally Posted by RachaelBachael

Would you be able to put the SIM cards in the iPhone or would you just use a Skype app and use the SIM cards for their number?

Do you know any deals about texting?

international texting is ass rape prices, if you have an iPhone use G-chat or email religiously. Orif you can get hold of some Blackberry phones you can BBM between each other and it uses data not texting plans.

[Rawn]

Also if everyone involved has an iPhone just grab an app like 'Text Me!'. I use it to text people overseas all the time, it just uses data.

[aptmunich]

Originally Posted by RachaelBachael

Would you be able to put the SIM cards in the iPhone or would you just use a Skype app and use the SIM cards for their number?

Do you know any deals about texting?

You have to put the SIM cards in the phone. You can get text message deals as well, but those are usually only valid for the country your in, so international texts would be extra. If she's texting people in the states, it would make more sense to use Skype for texts - much cheaper.

[RachaelBachael]

Originally Posted by aptmunich

You have to put the SIM cards in the phone. You can get text message deals as well, but those are usually only valid for the country your in, so international texts would be extra. If she's texting people in the states, it would make more sense to use Skype for texts - much cheaper.

Awesome thanks. I think I was confused because iPhones don't open so you can't switch out the SIM card.

I'll have to look into texting through skype. Thanks for the info!

[garrym13]

Originally Posted by RachaelBachael

Awesome thanks. I think I was confused because iPhones don't open so you can't switch out the SIM card.

I'll have to look into texting through skype. Thanks for the info!

Use a paperclip or the sort in the hole at the top of the iPhone. That will open up your SIM card tray.

[Rawn]

Originally Posted by RachaelBachael

Awesome thanks. I think I was confused because iPhones don't open so you can't switch out the SIM card.

I'll have to look into texting through skype. Thanks for the info!

Really? You guys must have crazy iPhones. Or maybe it's because they're only on AT&T so you don't need to change the SIM? The first thing I did when I got my iPhone was put in the carrier SIM. But we have about four different carriers for iPhone here, so maybe that's why it's so accessible.