Using Local Sim Card in Europe

[cyngwn]

I am considering buying a Verizon global phone so that I can take it with me to Europe and use a local SIM card while there.  If I do this, will I still have the same Verizon phone number, or does the number change when I put the SIM card in?  Also, if the number stays the same, what happens if someone from the US calls my Verizon number, do they get hit with international rates.  Likewise, what happens if I call my husband's phone (he will also be in Europe with local SIM card).  Will it be local rates, or international rates? 

[rcschnoor · Accepted solution]

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cyngwn wrote:

I am considering buying a Verizon global phone so that I can take it with me to Europe and use a local SIM card while there.  If I do this, will I still have the same Verizon phone number, or does the number change when I put the SIM card in?  Also, if the number stays the same, what happens if someone from the US calls my Verizon number, do they get hit with international rates.  Likewise, what happens if I call my husband's phone (he will also be in Europe with local SIM card).  Will it be local rates, or international rates? 

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If you get your global phone unlocked so that you can use a local SIM card, you will not have the same Verizon phone number while using the local SIM card.

If you use the Verizon SIM card and someone in the US calls your phone, you will be charged international rates, but the person making the call will only be charged their normal rates.

If you use the local SIM card, give people in the US your new phone #, and they call you, you will be charged local rates if you are in the local area of the SIM card and the person calling will be charged international rates.

If you call your husband, you are both using local SIM cards, and you are in the local area of the SIM card, you will both be charged local rates.

[cyngwn]

Thank you, that is extremely helpful!!

[silver6055]

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rcschnoor wrote:

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cyngwn wrote:

I am considering buying a Verizon global phone so that I can take it with me to Europe and use a local SIM card while there.  If I do this, will I still have the same Verizon phone number, or does the number change when I put the SIM card in?  Also, if the number stays the same, what happens if someone from the US calls my Verizon number, do they get hit with international rates.  Likewise, what happens if I call my husband's phone (he will also be in Europe with local SIM card).  Will it be local rates, or international rates? 

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If you get your global phone unlocked so that you can use a local SIM card, you will not have the same Verizon phone number while using the local SIM card.

If you use the Verizon SIM card and someone in the US calls your phone, you will be charged international rates, but the person making the call will only be charged their normal rates.

If you use the local SIM card, give people in the US your new phone #, and they call you, you will be charged local rates if you are in the local area of the SIM card and the person calling will be charged international rates.

If you call your husband, you are both using local SIM cards, and you are in the local area of the SIM card, you will both be charged local rates.

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And in many places in Europe, incoming calls are free with a local SIM, so when you call your husband (if he is one of these areas) only your SIM will get charged.

I haven't seen anything like calls from carrier X to another phone with carrier X is free (like with Verizon) but most of the carriers seems to offer a cheaper rate for calls to the same carrier so unless there is a good reason not to (such as you and your husband being in different countries) get the SIMs from the same carrier.

And just to finish the list above with one obvious case: if you are using a local SIM, and someone calls your US number, that call will go to (Verizon) voicemail and you will not see it or get notified until you return to the US and/or switch to the Verizon SIM.   (When abroad, I check VoiceMail by calling my US phone number from time to time, as this is cheap with my local SIM).

[cyngwn]

That is actually another question that I had.  Can I check the voicemail to my regular verizon number and what number do I call to check it?  Also, would it be better to buy a SIM card in the states before I leave, or buy it when I get there?

[silver6055]

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cyngwn wrote:

That is actually another question that I had.  Can I check the voicemail to my regular verizon number and what number do I call to check it?  Also, would it be better to buy a SIM card in the states before I leave, or buy it when I get there?

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Just call your number (with a +1 in front of it).  When you hear "Your call has been forwarded...." press #.  You will then be prompted for your PIN and you are in Voicemail as normal.   (You can always get into Voicemail this way from any phone).

As for where to buy:  Buying in the US has two advantages. 

1) You get the new phone number which you can give to people before you leave

 2) You don't need to find a place to buy a SIM, when you might be jet-lagged (and gets round any language issues)

Against, if you use a vendor such as Telestial (http://www.telestial.com, prepaid), or Call in Europe,(http://www.callineurope.com, post-paid)  you pay a huge mark-up and have a very restricted choice. 

I always buy abroad, but I would suggest looking at carrier websites before you go to see what is available, and then maybe search for vendors who sell the SIMs cheaper than the carriers.   Generally, there is a lot of choice.  For example, Orange in the UK offers 5 families of SIMs, each with different features, so one might have free calls to any mobile network ,another free music downloads and free texts, another free internet etc.  Within each family, there are choices as to how many minutes you want.  Get a 30-day contract, and the same family names now offer different features, such as free calls to UK landlines.

So, confusing, but in a good way, so do research while you are here so you don't have to make decisions when you are in a hurry and jetlagged.

If you are going to several countries though, something like Telestial may be worth the extra cost, as you don't want to have to buy a lot of local SIMs.

[communicationhq]

silver6055 is definitely steering you in the right direction. If you are going to the UK, picking one up locally is easy. But as stated, in a country where you don't speak the language, buying a SIM upon arrival can lead to frustration. Usually if you need a phone when abroad it's because you need reliable communications. A SIM before departure does give a little peace of mind.

Just to toss another option out there, National Geographic has an international SIM with a US phone number.

Rates are cheap ($0.25 incoming using us number, $1.00 outgoing from Europe) and it has free 24/7 customer service reps in the US.

http://www.cellularabroad.com/cellAbroadSIMcard.php?bid=46&aid=CD661&opt= 

[silver6055]

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communicationhq wrote:

silver6055 is definitely steering you in the right direction. If you are going to the UK, picking one up locally is easy. But as stated, in a country where you don't speak the language, buying a SIM upon arrival can lead to frustration. Usually if you need a phone when abroad it's because you need reliable communications. A SIM before departure does give a little peace of mind.

Just to toss another option out there, National Geographic has an international SIM with a US phone number.

Rates are cheap ($0.25 incoming using us number, $1.00 outgoing from Europe) and it has free 24/7 customer service reps in the US.

http://www.cellularabroad.com/cellAbroadSIMcard.php?bid=46&aid=CD661&opt= 

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That's a good example for the cost vs convenience discussion!    Let's compare to the UK operator that I use, talkmobile.  (I use an older tariff that is cheaper to the US, 6c per minute, but this is the one that is currently available) http://www.talkmobile.co.uk/shop/sim_cards/pay_as_you_go_essentials_sim_card.html

Cost of SIM:  Talkmobile Free, National Geographic  $30

Incoming calls to UK:  free in both cases (on UK number)

Outgoing calls to UK: Talkmobile 12c, National Geographic 90c landline, 115c cell

Calls to the US: Talkmobile 11c per min to cells and landlines, National Geographic 90c landline, 115c cell

Data: Talkmobile: 40 cents per day for 25MB, 15 cents each extra MB, $2.74 per MB

So, Talkmobile looks a lot better.   But.., if you go to another country, say France, incoming calls are still free with National Geographic,  but cost 25c per min with Talkmobile,  although outgoing calls to France are still cheaper with TM (60c vs 90/115).   In many country combinations, National Geographic will be cheaper.

And of course, National Geographic has a US number you can give people as well.

So, the where-to-buy really depends on how much calling you think  you will do, whether you will be in multiple countries, your comfort level with purchasing a SIM in a foreign country....