Cell phone usage overseas

[Playtennis]

DW and I have signed up for an international calling plan for both our phones through our carrier, Verizon Wireless. We have the calling guide for using the phone in country, between countries and to and from the U.S.

However, the only question that remains unanswered is - how do we call each other while there? Would we need to treat the phone as if it's in the U.S. and dial the U.S. country code (00+1+area code and number) or ???

Has anyone had experience with this and can advise us?

[StanandJim]

DW and I have signed up for an international calling plan for both our phones through our carrier, Verizon Wireless. We have the calling guide for using the phone in country, between countries and to and from the U.S.

However, the only question that remains unanswered is - how do we call each other while there? Would we need to treat the phone as if it's in the U.S. and dial the U.S. country code (00+1+area code and number) or ???

Has anyone had experience with this and can advise us?

 

Our experience has been that there is no "set" answer to this, and that you have to try all of the different options until you find the one that works.

 

It appears to depend on the way that your Cell signal is routed by the Cellular Provider in the Country where you are.

Edited July 8, 2014 by StanandJim

[kiawahdon]

DW and I have signed up for an international calling plan for both our phones through our carrier, Verizon Wireless. We have the calling guide for using the phone in country, between countries and to and from the U.S.

However, the only question that remains unanswered is - how do we call each other while there? Would we need to treat the phone as if it's in the U.S. and dial the U.S. country code (00+1+area code and number) or ???

Has anyone had experience with this and can advise us?

 

With ATT, you treat it as a US number (001). Two tips that you may be aware of:

Be sure to turn off data roaming and use it very sparingly overseas. Otherwise, you can get huge bills for roaming overseas. I used my iPhone nag to get us back to the ship when we got lost in Copenhagen. That resulted in a $200 roaming bill.:( Lesson learned!The other is get a cheap overseas roaming package. With ATT you can turn it on when you leave and off when you get home.

[StanandJim]

With ATT, you treat it as a US number (001). Two tips that you may be aware of:

Be sure to turn off data roaming and use it very sparingly overseas. Otherwise, you can get huge bills for roaming overseas. I used my iPhone nag to get us back to the ship when we got lost in Copenhagen. That resulted in a $200 roaming bill.:( Lesson learned!The other is get a cheap overseas roaming package. With ATT you can turn it on when you leave and off when you get home.

 

Alternatively, there is an App called Smartbar which will enable you to turn off all roaming EXCEPT the program that you are using.

[ChatKat in Ca.]

Texting is inexpensive if you can do that. Calling with the Verizon plan depends on the country you are in. Most of Europe - Italy, France, Germany, Spain was $1.29 per minute - and you dial using +1 XXX XXX XXXX

Other countries are more. I've paid $2.99 and up for some places.

 

And yes - make sure you have wifi, bluetooth and data off if you are wandering around.

[CHUCKIE50]

I've been toying with getting my gsm phone unlocked and signing up for Tmobile for one month with no contract. I'll cancel when I get back to the US. Their international texting is free and most calls are $.20 per minute. Anyone else tried this.

[Playtennis]

Alternatively, there is an App called Smartbar which will enable you to turn off all roaming EXCEPT the program that you are using.

 

Thanks to all for your help. We will try all of the methods recommended, the first being treating the phone as if it's in the US, i.e. 00+1+number, thence country code for the UK....

S&J, tried to find the Smartbar app for my iPhone and then did a google for it. The only thing that showed up was dealing with bar codes.

Blue tooth would not affect the calling or data stream.

Verizon's method of using international calling/data is to have you tell them when you are leaving the US and when you are returning to the US. That's the only time it's effective - no contract.

What verizon told me was that the phone is treated as if it's in that country. I asked them about region & city code usage but really did not get a satisfactory answer. I will be calling them again (maybe two more times) to see if the agent can tell me something (different) more concrete. It's not that I don't trust them but....:rolleyes:

Edited July 8, 2014 by Playtennis

[kiawahdon]

Alternatively, there is an App called Smartbar which will enable you to turn off all roaming EXCEPT the program that you are using.

 

If you are using a program that roams ( not always self evident) you will pay thru the nose.

[Caroldoll]

I tend to agree with Jim/Stan. I have not had my bill yet, so I don't really know. We don't call one another. When we were in France, I just dialed the French number. I had to call home once and I treated it as if it was a local number and it went through.

[Bowie MeMe]

With ATT, you treat it as a US number (001). Two tips that you may be aware of:

Be sure to turn off data roaming and use it very sparingly overseas. Otherwise, you can get huge bills for roaming overseas. I used my iPhone nag to get us back to the ship when we got lost in Copenhagen. That resulted in a $200 roaming bill.:( Lesson learned!The other is get a cheap overseas roaming package. With ATT you can turn it on when you leave and off when you get home.

 

Oh those dreaded roaming charges. I had my phone on (I thought airplane mode but maybe not) and just walking into a place that had "free internet" and somehow the phone downloaded about $60 worth of FB messages before I paid attention to notice ring and got it turned off. It is really fast to add up! Good for WiFi places but otherwise leave it off -- it goes looking for a place to connect and I didn't realize what was happening.

[ChatKat in Ca.]

I have used my Verizon plan internationally many times.

 

Yes, they only do the international plan for the dates you are away;

There is a per country cost for Vodaphone and a welcome text you will received telling you of the charges for that country. For our last cruise, I kept my phone mostly off or in airplane mode. My bill was still a few hundred dollars. My husband only takes his phone so if we were to get separated on land, we have agreed to turn the phone on so we can call each other. We do use it to call home and to have a local number for our clients to call us if needed.

 

Oh 0 if you have Verizon Visual Voice Mail where you can see your voice mail messages - it does not work in Europe in all countries! You must disconnect it before you go.

 

Before Verizon had international calling, i had a line with Tmobile for travel only. I worked but was not as functional - voice mail required me to call the US to retrieve messages.

[StanandJim]

S&J, tried to find the Smartbar app for my iPhone and then did a google for it. The only thing that showed up was dealing with bar codes.

 

Voila ;)

 

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.appgrade.smartbarpro&hl=en

[Playtennis]

Voila ;)

 

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.appgrade.smartbarpro&hl=en

 

Thanks. It looks like it's for Android phones and not iPhones :mad:

[lynnfer]

Thanks. It looks like it's for Android phones and not iPhones :mad:

I am not real techie, but I use http://www.whatsapp.com because my kids suggested it. I have an iPhone and one adult child in Omaha and one in London. Just learning about it for texting, but it covers various phones etc.

[StanandJim]

Thanks. It looks like it's for Android phones and not iPhones :mad:

 

All that I can tell you is that it works on an iphone.

http://geeknizer.com/run-android-apps-on-iphone/

[pinotlover]

Last time over, doing a land tour, we just bought cheap "burner" phones over there with X amount of prepaid minutes. We emailed the number back to my daughter to use, in case of emergency,(otherwise email us only). Seemed to be very simple and convenient. No worries with roaming charges and data downloads. We thought it saved us money over trying to change over our normal phones. Will probably do the same this year in France as we travel around prior and after our river cruise.

[PaulMCO]

Expensive way.

 

Since both phones will be charged with roaming fee depending on the local location or using the Cellular at Sea. Then the caller would be charged with an international Long distance call.

 

Use the +1 it replaces the 001..

 

As someone suggested use a text message.