App to find Free wifi and iphone checklist. Help please.

[CherylsCaribbeanTravel]

I read that there are apps to download ahead of time that will allow me to find free wifi hot spots in Europe. Can anyone link or recommend an app? I am traveling to:

 

1) Barcelona

2) Monte Carlo

3) Florence

4) Rome

5) Naples

6) Athens (maybe lol)

7) Mykonos

8) Istanbul

9) Ephisus

10) Venice

 

I have the link to purchase the 72 hour wifi access in Venice and believe this is the only port I will need to purchase something special because free wifi is unavailable. Can anyone confirm/deny?

 

And finally, Just to make sure I'm doing this correctly:

 

1) I need to turn my iphone to airplane mode to avoid data charges while in Europe.

2) When in airplane mode, I will need to manually turn on wifi. This will allow me to access free wifi and avoid charges.

 

Anything else?

 

Thank you in advance!

Cheryl

[-Lew-]

 

I read that there are apps to download ahead of time that will allow me to find free wifi hot spots in Europe. Can anyone link or recommend an app?

I use Wi-Fi Finder with good results in Europe. Just go to the App Store and do a search. You'll need to update the database over wi-fi in order to have the latest locations when you're in Europe searching for hot spots while offline.

 

And finally, Just to make sure I'm doing this correctly:

 

1) I need to turn my iphone to airplane mode to avoid data charges while in Europe.

2) When in airplane mode, I will need to manually turn on wifi. This will allow me to access free wifi and avoid charges.

In airplane mode all connection to the outside world is off. I would recommend just turning off Cellular Data which will turn off Data Roaming. With Cellular Data off, wi-fi will still be on as well as GPS and 3G. If you have any apps that use GPS, such as Wi-Fi Finder, you'll need GPS so it can locate sites near you. There's no data charge for GPS.

 

Lew

[CherylsCaribbeanTravel]

Thank you so much for your time Lew. I do have a clarifying question....

 

You mentioned that I should leave 3G on but I was under the impression that 3G was a charge to verizon when using the Iphone (I probably have this totally confused). Is 3G data sent via a computer (Iphone) or is 3G data sent by a phone line (cell phone). I have absolutely no use for a cell phone there and do not plan to turn on the cell phone or use text messages. I just want free wifi.

 

TIA!

Cheryl :)

[-Lew-]

 

You mentioned that I should leave 3G on but I was under the impression that 3G was a charge to verizon when using the Iphone (I probably have this totally confused). Is 3G data sent via a computer (Iphone) or is 3G data sent by a phone line (cell phone).

Voice and data are both sent and received over 3G. If Cellular Data is on, your iPhone will send and receive it in the background without your intervention. This is the reason so many people return from Europe and are shocked then they receive their cell bill.

 

When outside the US I turn off Cellular Data in order to control cost. I turn it on only when I need to access data over 3G, then immediately turn it off. We were recently in France for 3½ weeks and I used just 35MB of cellular data. I signed up for 50MB of data before I left with AT&T.

 

I leave Enable 3G on just in case somebody needs to call me. If it's someone I want to speak with, I answer; I don't answer if I see it's from someone I don't need to speak with. There's no charge for calls not answered. If you just don't want to take any calls at all, you can certainly turn Enable 3G off.

 

Lew