Discussion Traveling to Europe, mobile phone service

[pete6032]

I will be traveling to Portugal in a couple months. I have an unlocked phone that supports nearly every international 3G/4G band. I could pay for international service from my current provider, but its $10/day I believe. I could also try buying a SIM card somewhere. Anyone know what would be cheaper? I would like to get 2GB mobile data and maybe 2 hrs of talk time and some kind of text plan. Only going to be there for a week.

 

[JEDIYoda]

That is an expensive proposition either way you go!
When I travel to Poland I end up purchasing a pay as you go cell phone!
I hope that helps!

 

[Platypus]

SIM would be cheaper in my experience, but there are sometimes caveats. Some countries will make you wait an arbitrary amount of time before you can buy the card once arriving. Most will sell you data/minute allotments which you can reload.

I have T-Mobile, which has the benefit of free international 3G in most countries so I generally use that.

 

[DigDog]

European sims must all have free roaming. Get here, buy throwaway sim, enjoy flat rate.

 

[snoopy7548]

For just a week get a SIM at a convenience store when you land there. You'll likely be able to get something like a month of service with 10GB of data and unlimited talk/text for like $20.

I researched this before my Australia trip, but my company ended up giving me a phone with travel SIM. This site was pretty helpful:

https://www.whistleout.com.au/MobilePhones/Guides/best-phone-plans-for-travelling-in-the-uk

Seems like Telstra and Optus are big in the UK too - I would have gone with either of those down under.

 

[Denly]

Get a sim when you land, all EU international airport should have sim vending machine. They're like $20 or something. If fail txt your carrier and pay the $10 per day.

 

[ponyo]

I always try to buy prepaid sim card in any foreign country I visit. Europe is easy since there's usually Vodafone store or kiosk at the airport. Both Porto and Lisbon airports have Vodafone stores in the arrival area. You can also buy it when you get to the city but I prefer to buy it at the airport if possible because I want to have internet on my phone ASAP. Vodafone generally has good coverage in most of Europe. And Portugal is part of the European Union so there's no roaming charges for the countries in the European Union.

You can visit Vodafone Portugal website to see current promotion and prices but it looks like prepaid with 1gb data with 500 min talk/text is 7 euros. If you need more data, 3gb package with talk and text is 8.5 euros. I think Vodaphone also charge you like euro or two for the sim card but I don't remember. Regardless, prepaid option is cheap in Europe and you should use it if you don't have free international data with your US carrier. I use Cricket prepaid in the US so I get zero international coverage and have to buy prepaid SIM in any country I visit.

 

[purbeast0]

When I went to Europe a few years ago I bought 2 of these. They were $20 back then.

https://www.amazon.com/PrePaid-destinations-including-European-countries/dp/B01FI1JW72

I popped them in mine and my wife's iphones while on the flight over there and they just worked once we landed. It was more than enough for 2 weeks.

 

[zinfamous]

I will be traveling to Portugal in a couple months. I have an unlocked phone that supports nearly every international 3G/4G band. I could pay for international service from my current provider, but its $10/day I believe. I could also try buying a SIM card somewhere. Anyone know what would be cheaper? I would like to get 2GB mobile data and maybe 2 hrs of talk time and some kind of text plan. Only going to be there for a week.

your carrier sucks, then. best option is probably to get a SIM card while there.

My Project Fi phone updated itself to local carriers between Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Belgium as I was travelling between those countries this summer. Calls and texts were at the same rate, I think Data charges went from $1/gb to $5/gb or something...I don't recall. It is more expensive, but personally I don't ever use data on my phone anyway so it made no difference. I've no use for that bullshit--not that this helps you.