Taking my iPhone 4s to Europe

[griz_fan]

I'm planning a family trip to the UK in a couple of months and I'd like my wife and I to be able to use our iPhone 4s phones for the following:

• general data use, such as Facebook, upload photos to Flickr, maps, Yelp, etc...
• Calling each other and calling UK phone numbers (both mobile and land-line)
• Texting each other and texting friends/family back in the US, many of whom use Apple Messages
• Rare, if any calls back to the US.

I've gathered some scattered information, but I'm not sure how accurate the info is, nor am I that certain about the order in which I need to do things. From my understanding, since our account is more than 6 months old and has always been in good standing, I can have Verizon unlock our phones for this trip. Since the 4s supports GSM, it is compatible with UK mobile networks, and all I'd need is a local SIM card compatible with the 4s, which will essentially turn my iPhone from a Verizon phone into a UK carrier phone with the new SIM, allowing me to use the local networks.

I read that I should contact Verizon prior to leaving. Should I purchase the UK SIM while still here in the States, or should I just wait until I arrive in the UK? Any issues with having a UK SIM and texting phone numbers back home?

any other advice would be greatly appreciated.

thanks!

[griz_fan]

wow... 51 views, 4 days and nada?

[Ann154]

griz_fan wrote:

wow... 51 views, 4 days and nada?

That's really not that unusual with a community of several hundred thousands of registered users and unknown percentage of them are the active users throughout the entire community many of those don't read all of the posts.

[paul411]

Hello Griz,

I am going to be traveling abroad and have this information so far:

- After 3 months you should be able to have your phone opened "Broke", whatever the term.

- I have gone down to my local Verizon shop twice, spoke to 2 different employees on 2 different occasions and have 2 different answer to what I will call "our question". Answer 1, well you can try to unlock your phone but Verizon does not recommend it, I should buy a disposable phone while traveling and pay a monthly charge for international calling. Answer 2, My wife can purchase a SIM (iPhone 5) card from the country we are traveling to, no problem. We have actually put a friends SIM card in her phone and the phone accepted it just fine, a one minute your off and running fix. However, the jury is still out regarding my (iPhone 4S). I purchased an adapter, allows the SIM to fit into the 4S, put the same SIM card into my phone and because my phone is not "cracked, jail broke or whatever the term is, I wasn't able to actually successfully test my phone. In theory, once my phone is "unlocked" I should be able to do the same with my phone as my wife's phone.

- Now, all this having been said, another option I am looking into is purchasing new phones once we arrive where we are going, we are both traveling to the middle east to work. Or, suspending our phones (with Verizon) when we are out of the country and then purchasing plans through T-Mobile who is offering fair prices for our phones and international plans that are partnered with carriers in the countries we will be both traveling through and ultimately living in. I am leaning towards T-Mobile because Verizon won't A, answer our questions directly, B, Verizon wants to charge an arm and 2 legs if we use our own phones through them, they are virtually forcing us away from them from a financial and ignorance standpoint. I just wish they card enough to want to help their own long time customers. Suspending the phones costs $15 each a month, from what I have gathered that's about the price of a few text messages internationally. Signing new contracts with T-Mobile for the sole purpose we need, using internationally just seems to make good business sense.

- If you have found out anything different, please advise.

[Ann154]

Call global support and ask for the SIM unlock. If you qualify, they will help you with the steps.