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using a flip phone in Portugal

I currently have a TCL Flip Pro prepaid. I will be in Portugal next week and would like to be able to call in Portugal(locally). I called Verizon and they said with my current plan I could not add international calling. I do have an extra identical TCL Flip Pro that has not even been out of the box yet. Could I set that up for service in the States and add international calling to that? Or take it with me to Portugal and set it up there? I do not want to take it with me if a prepaid phone cannot be set like that.

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SynthpopAddict

Travel Pass was added to the current prepaid plans, but if you have a legacy plan, I guess they didn't put that feature in. As for your 2nd phone, if it is unlocked, then you could get a Portuguese SIM from a carrier there and then be using a local service. If, however, your alternate phone is a Verizon phone, then it will not work overseas.

Your options are:

1) upgrade your existing prepaid plan to something which has the Travel Pass option and then load funds into your account so the daily Travel Pass fee can be withdrawn for each day you use Travel Pass

2) use a factory unlocked phone with some other plan for international service or a local service in Portugal (or buy a phone from a Portuguese carrier while signing up for their service)

There's always converting to postpaid, as postpaid customers get more options for international service, but that would mean paying more and needing to get a smartphone.

nancy491

Will not upgrade my current plan as I am grandfathered in an excellent plan. There is limited cell service where I live so the phone is only turned on when off my property. The 2nd phone is a Verizon(labeled on box) TCL Flip Phone, the box also says prepaid. I took it out of the box today for the first time, had to put the battery in, and then charged it. Went to set-up, it says I need to Activate the phone. I called the # to activate, it wants to give me a telephone number. I did not proceed. All I want to do is use this phone in Portugal for 8 days. And maybe not use it at all. I was thinking I could do #2 of your Reply, take the phone into a carrier and see if they could offer something. Does that sound realistic?

Verizon_Support

Having the right information is definitely important to us, especially when it comes to using the Verizon Wireless service! To be on the same page, were you looking to activate the device on your account, so you can use it while travelling internationally to Portugal?

*Roberto

nancy491

I am not sure. I would like to activate the phone but it would only be used when traveling internationally. I will save the primary phone for use in the States. So the second phone would get limited usage. I have no idea what the options are.

Verizon_Support

The best option would be having one phone for both uses. This will save you money in the long run, as you would have one line on the account and still be able to use it while travelling internationally or simply being in the states. For the phone, did you already make sure it's compatible to the Verizon Wireless network?

*Roberto

nancy491

I attempted to activate the second phone today but it wanted me to sign up for a "plan". As the first cellphone gets very limited use because of limited cell coverage where I live, I see no need to sign up a second cellphone. As mentioned I cannot get the international calling on the first cellphone without changing my plan, which I will not do at this time.

Verizon_Support

Hey nancy491. I know I would want to make sure I am set up for success before leaving out of the country with a plan that will work while I travel. We will need account access to assist with that, and help get that second phone activated. Please be on the lookout for a private message from us, so that I can help.

-Joseph

SynthpopAddict

@nancy491
, I saw your posts earlier, but had to run off to work...sorry for the delay. There are 2 problems going on. One is your current prepaid plan has no international service. The second is that your backup TCL flip phone is a Verizon phone, which means it's locked to the Verizon network (will only work on Verizon), so you can't simply take it to Portugal and have it work there.

If you do not want to upgrade your current plan, my suggestions are:

-Purchase a second prepaid line for only 1 month on a current prepaid plan that has the option for Travel Pass to activate your second Verizon TCL flip phone. Then load funds into your account for the new number so you can use Travel Pass while you're in Portugal. Travel Pass is $10/day. When you come home, disconnect the 2nd line.

-Buy a cheap "burner phone" in Portugal, and then pay a Portuguese carrier for a month of service there, if you only want to make local calls. You would not be able to call people in the US or elsewhere unless you want to pay the other carrier for whatever international service plan they have.

I can't see any other way to have a working cell phone overseas in your situation. If neither of these options work for you, then you'd have to use the phone in your hotel room to make local calls, borrow someone else's phone for calls, or maybe use a computer for something like Skype, Zoom, or Microsoft Teams meetings.

nancy491

Synthpop, Yes, I had considered both your options. As I do not use a cellphone in the States, I am quite comfortable not having one. The American friends I am staying with near Mangualde really want me to have one when I am there, as I will be off seeing the countryside possibly by myself quite a bit.

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