FOOD FOR THOUGHT Finding a Perfect Traveling Phone

wardmundy

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Some of my family are traveling to Europe from the U.S. in a few months, and I've been testing some communications alternatives for them. If you didn't know, AT&T will let you basically take your existing unlimited talk/text/data plan with you for $10/day. The first time you turn on the phone each day, it's another $10.

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Another option being explored is a SIM card-free Android phone with Google Voice and 3CX client. That gives you two (free) ways to make calls and text back to the U.S. whenever you can find a Wi-Fi connection. For the money, the phone we really love is the Moto G6. Costco has the unlocked version on sale for $199 right now. You can return it within 90 days for full refund. :angelsad2:

AWESOME phone! Seems to be a perfect solution at less than a quarter of the price of a Samsung or LG with about 95% of the functionality.

Any other ideas/suggestions?
 
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phinphan

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Ward, just did this. Basically the system is the same wherever you go in the EU (and England for now). Buy a local sim (last year in Madrid it was 10 euro for a week and 5gb) and put it in your unlocked phone. Set up your google voice to use data/wifi instead of carrier minutes. There are no roaming charges in the EU so it will work wherever you go. My daughter lives in Madrid and she has an unlocked moto g5 plus that she has taken all over eastern and western Europe and it works the same everywhere. She has a spanish phone number but it is used only to use up her included minutes. Make sure that the texting is set up on the phone (that is a PITA) using the carrier as that will enable more services and safety (sms goes through when phone wont work, has terrible signal etc).

Do not buy SIM cards at the airport as they are generally 2-5 times more expensive than in the city. 3cx works wonderful wherever I have been and GV over IP worked beautifully in the DR.

Just saw your second post. That is 5x more expensive than necessary (imho). However, if you or they are worries, it is a small price for comfort.

Where are they going? Italy has the best sim/data combo anywhere (basically unlimited 4g/lte data for less than $20 for 30 days). Portugal is among the easiest as they require no registration, passports etc. Just go the corner store (literally on almost every corner) and buy a data sim for 7euro. In my experience is Spain and Portugal, 4g/lte was much faster than wifi wherever I went.
 

jerrm

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Agree with @phinphan $50 is more than you need to spend, but there is a certain peace of mind knowing you won't have to mess with it once your there.

If it were my parents - then the $10/day or pre-ordered card would be my answer - no fuss/hassle/FUD. For myself or my kids - I'd say pick up a card after landing.

Also, probably no need to buy another phone, just swap SIMs. Only advantages I can see buying a separate phone - 1: no worries if you lose it - the $1K Samsung or iPhone is safe at home, 2: A clean phone won't have all the data gobbling crap loaded up the regular phone has.
 

wardmundy

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The only good thing about the Orange plan was being able to make calls and send texts to anywhere in the world plus included tethering. A lot of the cheaper plans only had calls and texts within the EU and no tethering.
 

phinphan

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its weird, looking online I can never find the right deals but then every corner market has these really cheap sim cards for data.

also - installing whatsapp on their phones before they go and getting contacts set for everyone else on whatsapp is really helpful. Whatsapp is the best communication, texting, picture sharing app I have found. You can send actual high res pictures and videos back and forth, it has a useable web app/ pc app for texting and great voice and video calling.

3cx webmeeting, if installed on their phones, has really good video calling as well to Android phones.
 
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krzykat

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Whatsapp is the best communication, texting, picture sharing app I have found.
Yes - to the point that when I offered my wife's family free service, they say that they don't need it as they communicate quite well with WhatsApp
 

phinphan

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Yes - to the point that when I offered my wife's family free service, they say that they don't need it as they communicate quite well with WhatsApp
WhatsApp just works. Virtually all my communication with my daughter living in Spain is via WhatsApp. All our family texting and picture sharing is via WhatsApp. Either facebook, google or the NSA is going to listen to our phone calls so the privacy issue has already been lost. The true value of using a google voice, voip or 3cx connection is getting US 800 numbers for airlines, credit card companies, banks etc when you are overseas.
 

atsak

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I have a Dual SIM Oneplus 6, when I visit your side of the border I click over to Mint Mobile, since roaming on my corp plan would be $50 / visit . . . I did the same in Thailand and Australia - just get a local sim and pop it in SIM slot 2 . . . easy. If needed use Zoiper with IAX but not SIP - too many one way conversations over the years because of NAT fiddling by the carriers.
 

dicko

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Google Fi anyone ?

Seemless, and it just works most anywhere.
 

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