Cell phones in Europe on vacation

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Forum -> Vacation and Traveling

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jkw

Thu, May 16 2019, 5:36 am

We have Talk n Save in Israel which doesn't work in Europe. Are there any prepaid or payasyougo plans for more than one country? Not interested in switching out SIM cards as we cross borders. Thanks!

Raisin

Thu, May 16 2019, 5:37 am

3 uk has very good roaming plans. Check them out.

Raisin

Thu, May 16 2019, 5:39 am

but any eu sim card should work for calls and texts in all EU countries since they banned roaming charges. But I don't get all my data allowance (unlimited at home) in other EU countries.

So you could likely buy one in the first country you get to.

jkw

Thu, May 16 2019, 5:49 am

Thanks so much for the rapid responses! I am nervous about switching out SIM cards on my own ( DH usually does it and this is a ladies' trip). Are there disposable phones or ??? I can buy so don't have to switch out SIM cards?

Raisin

Thu, May 16 2019, 5:53 am

you could buy a cheap phone. Dumbphones are about €25 usually. Its really not hard to switch a sim. You need a pointy object eg an earring to open a smartphone, and dumbphone you just take off the back. Have your husband show you how. But you need to make sure your phone is unlocked. If you bought it on a plan its usually locked to a network and other sims won't work in it.

You can also ask the assistant in the phone shop where you buy the sim to change it for you.

ggdm

Fri, May 17 2019, 6:24 am

Raisin is completely right. Two details: roaming applies only to EU countries. Definitely not Switzerland, if you plan to go there (they charged me 1,80€ per minute last time!!). Uk depends on Brexit...

Also free roaming does not mean everything is cheap. Say you have a French SIM. When you call French phones or are called, it should be the same price whether you are in France or elsewhere in the EU. But to call a UK, Polish, Spanish, ... number, they can charge you more. I think a law was recently passed to limit the amount they can charge, but I am not sure it is in effect yet. I get my data abroad like at home (very little anyway), but that may be courtesy and not a law, I don't know.

As for changing a SIM, they will do that for you in a phone shop in my experience, if you ask.

If you post the countries, we may be able to offer specific advice about providers.

jkw

Fri, May 17 2019, 6:53 am

Thank you so much ggdm!
Taking separate trips:
Venice/Milan and then later in the summer to Switzerland.
So is there one SIM card I can use for both places?

Raisin

Fri, May 17 2019, 8:12 am

jkw wrote:

Thank you so much ggdm!
Taking separate trips:
Venice/Milan and then later in the summer to Switzerland.
So is there one SIM card I can use for both places?

Possibly since they share a border they have may have good roaming rates from one country to the other. But Switzerland is not in the EU so what I said doesn't apply. I would look up some Italian phone companies.

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