Cell phones

WiFi should work anywhere and is not usually dependent on which network you're with at home. Any time I've had WiFi problems in Europe, they've resulted from poor WiFi systems in the hotels, which have limited range in some parts of the hotel.

There are several possibilities that might explain the lack of service you experienced in Victoria. What type of phone are you using? Perhaps they were using an older Router that didn't have some of the newer frequency bands or perhaps the Router was too far from your room? The newer WiFi systems that use Mesh topology are considerably more reliable. There's no way to know what type of systems will be installed in the hotels you use in Europe.

Good luck!

I agree with Ken. I'm a network administrator and take calls from our company's road warriors. Problems connecting to a hotel's WiFi aren't often due to your network or phone. They're usually due to how the equipment is configured in the individual hotels, or how a hotel chain manages how your traffic reaches the Internet.

As a test, go to a couple of places in your area that offer free Wifi and try to connect. Do NOT conduct any business or enter any personal information; these network are notoriously unsecure. Just get connected, maybe go to Google, and then log off. If you'll be staying at a major hotel chain, visit a local one. Explain what you're doing at the desk and ask if you can have the WiFi passoword long enough to test.

If having a WiFi signal is critical while you're there, contact your hotel and ask if you can get a room close to the router. They may not know where it is but it can't hurt.

For clarity, are you hoping to use local WIFI in hotels, cafes etc., or do you intend to use your ATT data to connect to mobile data (4G, 5G) in the UK? The former is OK, given the earlier caveats, but the latter gives you flexibility when out and about. Of course, ATT doesn't provide its own data services in the UK it will piggyback on one of the UK's networks.

We both have iPhone 14pro phones.

We both could use the Wi-Fi for Internet and email and calling in our hotel .

When we went to Butchart Gardens, mine worked, and my husbands did not. I took both phones, went into settings and matched all the settings, but his still didn’t work outside of the hotel.

I have added the $10 per phone per day foreign country usage plan to our ATT plan. Both of our phones are hotspots and he had to use mine on occasion. He is listed in my family sharing and Allow others to join is on. Ask to join networks is set to notify.

Cellular data is on. Roaming is on, Wi-Fi calling on this phone is on for both phones.

I guess I need more help than I thought. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

I have ATT and have no difficulties connecting to Wi-Fi in England or in any other country. I think your experience at the Gardens was an unusual event and I wouldn’t worry. If you have the the international day pass then in the rare event wi Fi is not connecting, it can use your data plan.

Make sure you put City Mapper App on your phone. It makes getting around major cities so much easier.

I have an iPhone 14pro max and have trouble connecting to the Wi-Fi.

Thank you! I have called ATT and found a problem with my husband's phone connecting to data -- they have fixed it, according to the tech I talked with.

janet,

As you're using the most up-to-date phone, you shouldn't have any trouble connecting to WiFi, subject of course to the limitations of each hotel. Some lodgings may be using old systems which haven't been updated for awhile. I can't imagine why your husband's phone didn't connect properly, while yours did?

As I'm sure you're aware and as a previous reply mentioned, I would also suggest not using WiFi for anything that involves personal data (such as online banking). If I have to access the website for my financial institution, I always use LTE / 5G as the signal has a higher level of encryption.

It's good to hear that you've subscribed to the AT&T travel package, as that way you'll be able to use the phone wherever you need to, whether there's WiFi available or not. That's the method I've been using for several years, as that provides "Roam Like Home" capability and I just use the phone the same way I would at home.

As it turns out, there was a problem with my husband’s phone. I called AT&T and they were able to fix the issue with his iPhone 14 Pro so that he will be able to use Wi-Fi anywhere. I had no idea that the problem was the phone, thank you to AT&T for fixing it.

I do hope it works in the future, as we are beginning to travel again,

Thank you all for your helpful comments.

Well, first things first: Victoria BC is not in England, although as a Victoria native, I know some people like to think so. Second, my experience in the UK, (not British Columbia), has been spotty too. I asked Vodafone about it in London, and was told there are just so many people on the system, it can't handle it. Who'd've thunk it?

Thank you, yes, I know that Victoria is not in England but in British Columbia. I am going to England as well in 60 days as well as Scotland. That’s my question about British Columbia where it didn’t work and England and Scotland where we will be soon. Sorry if you were confused about my question. Thank you again.