Bonjour!
My question is regarding cell phones. I will be in Paris for 6 weeks this summer. I'm trying to keep my costs low and know that my current cell company charges $$$ for international data. Any recommendations about how to keep the cost low? Tips, tricks, advice? Anything would be appreciated!
Thank you in advance!!
Buttercup, Who will you be phoning (and who will be phoning you)?
If you have a phone that works on the European System (GSM - and if you don't it will never work in Europe, even with your existing service provider), AND if it is "unlocked", then you can buy a French "pay-as-you-go" SIM card when you arrive, and put it in your phone.
ADVANTAGES - Cheap calls to anywhere in France and the rest of the EU. No risk of going over budget as you pay in advance.
DISADVANTAGES - The SIM card comes with a new French phone number. You pay intercontinental rates to call your home country. People from your home country who wish to call you need to be told your new French number.
Use free Wifi as much as possible at your hotel or where provided at museums, cafes, etc. Fyi - T-mobile has good international rates.
I would agree with using wifi to make calls - I was in Panama a few weeks ago and the International Plan that might husband paid for didn't work, but the free wifi calls over some easily accessed Apps worked just fine.
Go to the Technology section of this website and you should find much more detailed info on this subject. I will say, most people recommend getting a local SIM card or simply buying a local phone when you arrive -- BUT -- a local SIM means you will have a new, French phone number which you will not know ahead of time. People who try to call you on your regular cell phone will just get voice mail, and you won't hear their messages until you re-activate your phone for USA service when you get home.
I've decided on a local SIM card for while I'm in Europe. You do have a different number, but I don't think that's a bad thing. You can use WiFi (at restaurants, bars, shops, hotels) to save data for checking email and making Skype or Video Messenger calls home to friends and family.
Probably the best thing you can do to save money is know how to limit data use that is often automatic in your phone. Calls are cheap as long as you are in the country where you bought the SIM and incoming calls in Europe are free (for you).
Since you're going to be there for six weeks, it would be nice to have a local number so that your new-found friends could call or text you without making an international call to your US number. If you have an old cell phone in your house that was an AT&T or T-Mobile phone, it has a GMS system like they have in Europe. Call the original provider for the code to unlock it. When you get to Paris, buy a SIM card--I usually get Lebara because they have a website in English and can change you voice prompt to English. You can keep your US smartphone and just use it on Wi-Fi.
MrsEB has the right idea. I can tell you based on my last three trips (two to Europe and one to Costa Rica) what doesn't work: trying to stay within your carrier's data allowance on the int'l plan you sign up for...at least on Verizon. Inevitably, I went over (twice on one trip) and got an immediate $25 overage notice.
The problem is that if you are not on Airplane mode, your phone apps are pulling data from the Internet as you are out and about and not on wifi and you go over the limits. Also, googlemaps are very handy to use when finding your way around, but you'll have the same problem. Whatsapp is a great app for free calls to others who have it, but it doesn't work in rural areas very well in my experience.
http://prepaid-data-sim-card.wikia.com/wiki/France
I've found this site offers a decent overview of prepaid sim options.
FYI, the last time I was in France (2013) I found that if the wifi was provided by orange it would block my attempt to make Skype audio calls. This may no longer be true or it might have been expanded to cover things like FaceTime or google hangouts.
I don't put my phone on Airplane mode, but I do simply turn off cellular data and rely as much as possible on WiFi. Also, if you will be in Paris, download the Google Map for the areas you will be in. First save (star) things you want to see, or places you want to stay. Include every major sight, and any restaurant you may have found out about ahead of time. Then, using your phone and the Google Maps app., log onto your Google account, load a map of Paris (which now includes all your starred locations), download the map to your phone by clicking "Download an offline area." Google Maps will use this downloaded map to navigate you around even when your cell data is turned off.
Donna: you wrote of "the free wifi calls over some easily accessed Apps".
In France last year I used free wif-fi in hotels extensively, but with rearrangements on account of train strikes, I really needed to be able to make emergency phone calls to hotels and taxis. Can you explain what you used?
