Switching a phone from the US to Europe, which phone is easiest for the transition?

[AC Question]

Switching a phone from the US to Europe

Hello,
I am shopping for a new phone, but I am probably going to move to Europe soon.
What is the proccess of getting a phone to work like a "European" phone - that is, in Europe without getting hit by insane fees at every text ?
Which phones will be easier to move with ?
Thanks!

 

[B. Diddy]

Re: Switching a phone from the US to Europe

Welcome to Android Central! The key thing is to get a phone that supports the network bands for 3G and 4G used in the country where you're going. Find out which bands are generally used in the country where you're going on this website. Then cross-reference that with the supported bands in a given phone's specs--you can typically find that by Googling "[phone name] network bands." GSMArena.com is usually a good resource.

You also have to make sure the phone you use is carrier-unlocked. If the phone was purchased through a carrier, search the web for "[carrier] unlock policy" to find out if it's already unlocked, or if there's anything special you have to do. More and more phones are being sold completely unlocked and independent of a carrier (through sites like Amazon), so in that case, all you need is a SIM card.