Verizon Iphone in europe

[fcleiser3]

Can anyone give me some tips on verizon Iphone usage in Europe (spain, italy, greece and croatia). Don't want to use it like a do here in the US but want some email access, minimal texting and to make sporadic calls home (to check if the kids didn't destroy the house)

[beaniele]

Call Verizon and ask about an International plan, otherwise very expensive. Make sure your phone works overseas. I have the Droid Max and it does not work Internationally.

[Don P]

Verizon sells data usage in blocks of 100 megabytes for $25. Contact Verizon Global and they will help you set up an international account. If you're traveling for more than three weeks there may be an additional cost.

 

NOTE: this is only for the iPhone4s. It will not work internationally with earlier versions of the iPhone.

 

Call Verizon and ask about an International plan, otherwise very expensive. Make sure your phone works overseas. I have the Droid Max and it does not work Internationally.

[fcleiser3]

thanks for the quick replies.

[Baseball fan]

I shut off my data plan while in Europe and only used wifi when I could find it. The data plans are ridiculously expensive and you don't realize how much you use until you have a limited plan....I kept the phone on so I could get emergency calls....texts were free for incoming (against my monthly plan) and I believe 50 cents per outgoing message. I have AT&T but I assume their plans are pretty similar.

 

I did buy the international calling plan so I could use my phone at a minimum. And it cut down on the per minute charge.

[caripoo]

Call Verizon...My son had a smart phone while studying abroad and they did not have coverage in alot of Europe...Thats why we have AT&T No coverage problem in Europe...:eek:

[TSC]

I shut off my data plan while in Europe and only used wifi when I could find it. The data plans are ridiculously expensive and you don't realize how much you use until you have a limited plan....I kept the phone on so I could get emergency calls....texts were free for incoming (against my monthly plan) and I believe 50 cents per outgoing message. I have AT&T but I assume their plans are pretty similar.

 

I did buy the international calling plan so I could use my phone at a minimum. And it cut down on the per minute charge.

 

Second this comment - the cost for data usage is crazy, even with the international plan. The phone use is OK with the international plan. I was able to pick up the plan for the month - and then get it prorated for the time I was there.

[mrobstad]

These posters are good. When you call the 800 number, they will explain. I'm opting for the $25 data plan, which I thought was unlimited. Phone calls are $2.40 min. I believe. Texts received are five cents and texts sent are fifty cents each. You must activate it before you leave.

As another member said, for European travel, AT&T seems best, but we're not going to change carriers.

[Earl Rosebery]

Can anyone give me some tips on verizon Iphone usage in Europe (spain, italy, greece and croatia). Don't want to use it like a do here in the US but want some email access, minimal texting and to make sporadic calls home (to check if the kids didn't destroy the house)

 

Put Skype on your iPhone. Use Skype out to make your calls back home. Use it in wifi areas only. pennies per minute. very good quality.

[ducklite]

I just went through this. I have an iPhone 4S on Verizon.

 

First, you need to get an international SIM card for your phone. As shipped from the factory, there is NOT an International card in it. Verizon will give you one for the cost of shipping if you are a good customer. (ie pay on time and have had service with them for over a year.

 

Next, (this is VERY VERY VERY important) Verizon needs to actually TURN THE INTERNATIONAL SERVICE ON. It is NOT done automatically when they send the SIM card. They did not turn my on, we ended up calling them from Rome using a phone card to get it sorted. You want to buy the international plan for the time you'll be there. It costs $5 and brings your phone call cost down to between $.99 and $1.89 a minute depending on the country.

 

I was able to get a signal from the local service providers almost everywhere, even on top of a mountain in Italy and another in Croatia. I was also often able to get the local provider while at sea a few miles off the coast. Cell service is overall very good. When you go from country to country you'll want to turn the phone off and then back on again so it can find the new provider. (Learned this after some anxiety, it worked every time.)

 

I used WiFi as much as possible but did download mail and even accessed Facebook a handful of times and never got near the 100mg of data that I spent $25 on.

 

Bottom line, I was gone for three weeks and called home at least once every single day, usually only for a minute or two but I had a couple of five minute calls. My entire cell bill, including the $25 in data was right around $100. Not bad for a three week trip.

[mrobstad]

I have the iPhone 4s with Suri. Verizon said it is ready for Europe, but I must call to activate. I mentioned a sim card and they said not needed. Help!

[ducklite]

I have the iPhone 4s with Suri. Verizon said it is ready for Europe, but I must call to activate. I mentioned a sim card and they said not needed. Help!

 

I would call them back and double check. They had to ship me one, and I know a number of other 4S users who also had to get an international SIM card sent to them for their 4S. Without the international SIM card, you will be able to use WiFi but not make calls or get text messages.

 

That said, for those with Droids or other phones that can't work internationally regardless of the SIM card, a prepaid phone card is about 5 euros for 300 or so minutes and any news stand will have them for sale. It's actually a much more economical option if you don't have to call in at specific times every day like I did. You will usually find pay phones in the post offices, and we easily were able to find the post office in just about every place we visited.