A question about using my cellphone in another country...

[browneyedgirl36]

Hi All --

 

Next year, I will be traveling to Europe (I'm from the U.S.) for a few months, and I wondered if anyone had any experience with using their cellphone in a foreign country. AT & T is my carrier, and they CLAIM that my phone can indeed be used there if I get an international calling plan. I don't plan to make a ton of calls home -- I plan to rely mostly on e-mail, AIM, etc. to talk to friends and family -- however, I would like to be able to, in an emergency for example, make a call home, and I would like to be able to send texts (I know they cost more from a foreign country.) A colleague of mine said yesterday that despite what AT & T tells you, their phones don't work -- or barely work -- in Europe. She said she was able to get out a few texts here and there, but otherwise, nothing. I know that calls to the U.S. cost about 20 cents a minute from Europe, and texts are like 30 or 40 cents (I can't remember the exact number). As I said, I won't be using it a lot, mainly for texts and the occasional call to my parents to check in.

 

So...has anyone taken his or her AT & T cellphone to Europe from the U.S. and used it successfully? I have used mine in both Canada and Mexico (it was on "roaming" and cost a fortune per minute because I didn't have a plan), so I know it works in those countries, but they're North America.

 

I know also that I can rent a phone in Europe to use, which I could do, though I hate to pay for two phones (I have a contract with AT & T and don't think I can suspend my phone service while I am in Europe). My question about these rental phones: Can I dial the U.S. with them? If so, do you know how much they cost?

 

Sorry for all the dumb questions. I have been to other countries, but have always stayed in hotels, where I could call out using a calling card. This time, I will be in my own apartment, and I have to supply my own phone if I want one. E-mail and AIM will mostly do the trick for me, but I would like to be able to call the States on occasion and would like to have a way for my parents to call me if there is an emergency. I was going to go into my local AT & T store (the one I go to is pretty good -- I've been into some terrible ones where the salespeople knew nothing), but I'm a little wary of them telling me what I want to hear just to sell me an international calling plan.

 

Thanks, all, for any help you can give.

[spinstermanquee]

First off, if you've had your phone long enough they should "unlock" it for you. The least expensive option is to unlock your phone either through your carrier or a cell phone nut web site like link removed, link removed, etc. When your phone is unlocked, you can buy an international sim card and pop it in to your phone, and have a low cost way to phone home. The only down side is you have a different telephone number while abroad and if someone wants to call you they have to know that number.

 

I've combined this (unlocked phone) with the international data plan - unlocked, no int'l calling plan, foreign sim, and occasionally popping back in my US sim to collect my emails. This worked for me just fine because I didn't want to spend a lot of time on the phone troubleshooting customer calls.

 

International calling plans can be incredibly expensive ($1.25/minute). To turn on international "dialing" can be only $5.99 or so a month but then the per minute fee is sky high.

 

Lastly, if you do decide to go with the "international dialing and/or data plan" while traveling be 100% sure to call AT&T the minute you get home because if not, they will continue to bill you until you notice. Happened to me - March to October I didn't even notice, then called them. Luckily I had proof I requested termination of the service once the trip was over, otherwise I would have been out the dollars. Good luck!

[browneyedgirl36]

Thanks! This was very helpful. I guess I can just buy a foreign SIM card when I get there? I am clueless about these things!