What is the best option for using my phone in Europe?

[doogald]

Re: Traveling to Europe with a Verizon Droid Turbo

1. He knows to keep data off unless he really needs it and will use WiFi everywhere he can. As a self-proclaimed "techie" I should know this, but can't you still receive texts with your data off? Not sure why I was thinking texts came over the same signal as voice. I'm probably wrong though.

That's right - you can send and receive texts without data. However, you cannot send and receive MMS messages unless you turn on data. Remember that there is an option in messaging to make group texts go over MMS. In the US, anyway, data used for MMS does not count against your data plan. I'm not sure if that's so when you are roaming.

[edit] Actually - you do get the MMS message - you just don't get the actual content. You get a download icon that will work when data is turned on. I'd just tell him not to use MMS...[/edit]

2. When I need to call him, I assume I just use the 10 digit number? When he calls me he will probably have to use the country code first (I thought it was 011 for USA).

Yes, you just dial the 10 digit number. He will get three free text messages each time he enters a new country (or attaches to a different roaming network) with instructions for dialing out, etc. They look like this:

Free Msg! Welcome toCZECH REUBLIC.Dial +1 & 10-digit# to call US.?For Roaming Support call 1-908-559-4899.

Depending on your plan,calls made & received: $1.49/min.TXT: Send=$0.5,Receive=$0.05.Pic/Video msgs, web use, tethering, and apps use data while roaming.

Global Data Plan in CZECH REUBLIC is $25 for each 100MB used. For a full list of countries covered by your plan, visit International Travel Data Countries.

Actually, I think all of the European countries require dialing +1, not 001. To dial a "+", you long-press the "0" number.

 

[Shaun P.]

I might be a little late here, but I actually just go back from traveling in Europe (Germany, Austria, France, Iceland) and I bought an Ortel Mobile sim card online via ebay, cut it down to a nano SIM, put it in my Turbo, and bought their Cross plan (described in lots of detail at (can't post a link yet so parse it out) prepaid-data-sim-cardDOTwikiaDOTcomSLASHwikiSLASHEuro4, with many helpful instructions on how to activate, etc.)

The Cross plan was very convenient because it gave me a German base number and then roaming in all the other countries. The base plan is 750MB of data plus 300 minutes of talking for 20 Euros, and if you want/need more data, you can add another 500MB for another 9 Euros. They currently have an offer where, if you buy the packages through their Android app - which was very nice because it was in English, some parts of their website are German only - you get 25% off your order. So I paid ~21 Euros for 300 minutes and 1.25GB of data.

Texting is not included, but if you use WhatApp, FB Messenger, Skype, etc for texting you are all set.

The data signal was pretty good for the most part - 4G LTE in the big cities in Germany, 3G in Paris, H+ most everywhere else - in fact the only place where the signal was poor was at Legoland Germany.

If your son can buy the sim card online before he goes, IMO that makes it a little easier, because it can take a few hours to get money on the account online and then to activate the service. And then he can leave his usual SIM card at home (no risk in losing it then). Good luck!

 

[jpdaballa]

i used Lebara while i was in paris. I paid 20 euros for 3 gigs and just used hangouts and my google voice number for all my texts and calls. They even sent me a sim card for free at the hotel i was staying at (it took like a week and a half though). if i remember correctly for 10 euros more it was unlimited texting calling and 3 gigs of data. no hiccups and it worked great, the only time i didn't have good connection was while i was riding in the metro

 

[RHChan84]

Re: Traveling to Europe with a Verizon Droid Turbo

Go and buy a prepaid SIM card. I made the mistake and bought data from VZW. Regretted it after a day. Found a carrier. O2, in UK that had a 5GB plan and 1000 SMS and 1000 minutes for $30USD. With VZW, you get 100MB, 100SMS, and 100Minutes for $40.

 

[Puzzlegal]

Re: Traveling to Europe with a Verizon Droid Turbo

...He is reluctant to buy a sim because he thinks it might mess up his contacts and other settings. When you get there and put in a new sim, what does that do to your device?...

If you store your contacts with Google, a new SIM has no effect. None of the settings change except the ones that specifically interact with the SIM (and you may need change some of those by hand.) You have the same contacts, apps, game history, etc. as with your regular SIM.