2 months in Spain

[liztexas]

Hello.  I have read back through posting for several years for info and want to verify the plan and what I think I've read with some of the more experienced who are on this board.  Have the Beyond Unlimited plan and been a Verizon customer for years. 

• Going to Spain for two months in 2022.  Have used Verizon international pass before and always found we ended up being charged every day of the trip and often maxed on data; those trips were shorter. 
• I have an iphone 6 (yes I still love it) so my plan would be to unlock it with the PUK codes and put in a SIM card prepaid and loadable that I purchase in Spain.  (Orange seems to be a popular vendor - sorry Verizon).  Is there any reason I should go to a Verizon store to ask them to unlock it.
• I've seen several posts suggesting the SIM card be changed before leaving the U.S.  First, why is that important and second, if that is really important, would the suggestion be to buy ahead of time and have it shipped to me to load here right before I leave?  
• Or is it ok to simply purchase while in Spain?
• This is stupid question - my phone number would remain the same but I'd be using the Orange or similar vendor phone and data services.  Is that right?
• When I return to the U.S. or shortly before, would switch out the SIM cards.  My phone should pick up with the service as usual then?

Any other watch outs or things to plan for?  

Thanks in advance for any insight.  Liz

[FrenchRiver35]

I don't have answers for all of your questions, but may be able to answer some of them. 

First, you need to call Verizon to make sure your phone is unlocked. You don't need to go to a Verizon store to do this. 

Second, the iPhone 6 does not support more than one SIM (newer iPhones support eSIM, which is a second virtual SIM. If you change the SIM in your iPhone 6, you won't be able to use your Verizon phone number. You can purchase an international SIM to put in your phone but it will come with a different phone number. And if you purchase it abroad, it will be a foreign phone number.

Regarding your past problems with being charged every day, I assume you are referring to TravelPass, which charges $10 per day on days that you use your phone? If so, you might want to instead consider Verizon's Monthly International Plan, which is $100 for each 30-day period. Each period will give you 250 call minutes, 1000 sent SMS messages, and 5GB of data. Look on the Verizon website for more details. 

I've had a LOT of problems with TravelPass. I often get charged the $10 daily fee even when I have cellular data turned completely off, do not make or receive any telephone calls, and do not send or receive any text messages. The $10 charges often trigger anyway. Very frustrating and very expensive. Verizon's $100 International Monthly Plan, on the other hand, worked as advertised for me.