Cell phone use internationally

[nssurge]

Howdy all,

I will be in Europe for a large period of time this year and I want to have a phone without breaking the bank. Am I correct in thinking that I can take a unlocked Iphone 3gs and put in a European sim card and it will work? I'm currently on sprint and 2.50 a minute is not going to cut it. If not, what other inexpensive phone options do I have?

[meaty-btz]

Howdy all,

I will be in Europe for a large period of time this year and I want to have a phone without breaking the bank. Am I correct in thinking that I can take a unlocked Iphone 3gs and put in a European sim card and it will work? I'm currently on sprint and 2.50 a minute is not going to cut it. If not, what other inexpensive phone options do I have?

Either that or just buy a cheap disposable phone over there. Cellular is vastly different in Europe vs America (and in every way better and cheaper).

[Fatstackz]

I don't believe that overseas usage was functional until the release of the iPhone 4.
I took mine overseas but with ATT, the out of country data roaming will break the bank.
Different countries had different availability of local sim cards. Getting free WiFi was a big help to keep the costs down.

I used Wifi with Skype. Bought some Skype credits for the non Wifi to WiFI calls. Worked pretty good.

[Keoni77]

As long as the phone your bringing is unlocked and uses a sim card to function you can go to any mobile place purchase a sim card and treat it like a pay as you go phone. Some sim cards just have voice but no data credits. They are also easily topped off at local convenient stores instead of linking a credit card on it.

[FreedomIsNotFree]

You need to answer a few questions first...

Is using your US mobile number required?

Is cost an issue or is there an expense account for you?

Will you be calling back to the states, using locally or both?

Do you need both voice and data service while abroad?

[Smokeybehr]

How do you have a 3GS on Sprint? Sprint is CDMA, and the 3GS is a GSM only phone.

The 3GS will work great, just make sure that you get a PAYGo plan that allows a LOT of data. Also, turn off the diagnostic data that gets sent to Apple, so you don't have the "phantom usage" problem eating up all your data.

[JDay]

Just rent a phone/SIM when you get over there. The international rates aren't too bad over there either.

Either that or just buy a cheap disposable phone over there. Cellular is vastly different in Europe vs America (and in every way better and cheaper).

Their mobile data rates make ours looks cheap.

As long as the phone your bringing is unlocked and uses a sim card to function you can go to any mobile place purchase a sim card and treat it like a pay as you go phone. Some sim cards just have voice but no data credits. They are also easily topped off at local convenient stores instead of linking a credit card on it.

Being unlocked does not mean it will work in the EU. The phone has to support the correct bands.

How do you have a 3GS on Sprint? Sprint is CDMA, and the 3GS is a GSM only phone.

I think he was talking about Sprint's international roaming rates. Nowhere did I see he claim to have an iPhone 3gs on Sprint.