International Travel - France

[ffactoryxx]

How does it work if I travel and take my Verizon Droid Turbo to France?

Can I purchase a new sim at the airport and how much should one look to pay? Thought phones were not unlocked to use with other carriers.

I basically don't care if I get a different number. I just want to be able to access my Exchange email. Does using a prepaid sim have security issues as well?


Also can I plug my Droid Charger into just an adapter or need a converter?

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[anon(5600632)]

You need to check with Verizon to make sure your phone is unlocked and will allow a french SIM card. If it is, here is one of many services that explain the procedures and sell the cards. Cellular Abroad - Verizon International Cell Phones
In my experience, changing SIM cards is not always a no-brainer. Sometimes they don't work. If my trip is short, I just pay my US Carrier an extra $50 or so for a few hundred megabytes of data, then do all my calling & texting over WiFi via Skype or What's App.

 

[doogald]

Yes, it's definitely unlocked. Yes, you definitely can buy a SIM (airports are usually expensive places for them, from what I understand.) Make sure you get a nano SIM. If you buy there make sure you verify that it's working right before you leave the kiosk or store. They may have to program the APN to get data working right. Also go into mobile data settings and make sure that preferred network is set to GSM/UMTS/LTE or at least Global - you don't want it set to CDMA/LTE. (You'll want to set it back to Global or CDMA/LTE when you get back home.)

I haven't been to France myself so I don't know who the best carrier would be.

The phone must be powered off to change SIMs. The SIM is located in a drawer that is part of the volume up/down buttons. You'll want to be really careful about the drawer and the placement of the SIM when you are changing it. You'll also want to protect your Verizon SIM well while it's out of the phone.

You can plug in the charger to just an adapter. I'm almost 100% sure that it is 220 volt/50Hz compatible. If you look at the fine print on the charger you should sett the input voltage specs - if it says 110/220 you will be all set.

 

[ffactoryxx]

Thanks.

I just checked preferred network and it was on global. Now sure why.

If I don't go the new sim route, can I make calls via WiFi somehow?

Also will putting phone in airplane mode completely cut me off from data or is there additional steps? Just thinking in case I just want to use my phone for photos. Dont want it automatically backing up to cloud

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[doogald]

Thanks.

I just checked preferred network and it was on global. Now sure why.

That's the default, but some people change to LTE/CDMA if they have poor mobile networks and the phone starts looking for GSM as well. (That's what global is for - when you travel to Europe, where there is no CDMA, using global will let the phone connect to GSM/UMTS as well.)

If I don't go the new sim route, can I make calls via WiFi somehow?

Sure, using Hangouts and the Hangouts dialer.

Also will putting phone in airplane mode completely cut me off from data or is there additional steps? Just thinking in case I just want to use my phone for photos. Dont want it automatically backing up to cloud

Yes, you can put in airplane mode and then also turn on WiFi as well. When you put ot in airplane mode, that turns off WiFi and Bluetooth, but you can then turn them on if you need them and keep the phone in airplane mode.

By default using mobile data while roaming should be turned off, so you should be all set, but airplane mode is better because then you won't get calls or texts on the Verizon SIM. I traveled in Europe with a Verizon international plan, which came with 100 MB of data, and I only used data sporadically, when I needed it (I used maps once or twice, and also had to send an email when I was away from WiFi) and the phone only used data when I specifically turned on roaming.

 

[anon(5600632)]

You can make calls and send/receive messages over WiFi, but the best apps for this require that the person at the other end have the same app. What's App & Skype are good. Google Hangouts was flaky last time I used it outside the US, but they say it is improving.

To be absolutely sure you don't get surprised, go into settings-more and make sure data roaming is off. Otherwise yes, Airplane Mode will shut off everything. I would suggest using airplane mode but turning WiFi back on. Just remember that public WiFi spots won't be secure.