Anyone use an Iphone in Europe just for quick call,

Kelly, You can certainly leave your iPhone in "Airplane Mode" and just re-enable when you want to make a short call. This will also prevent unwanted incoming calls, which only you will be paying for (since those calling you from home will only be making a local call). Be sure to note the points in the previous reply with regard to Voice Mail. However, you must make absolutely sure that when you re-enable the wireless functions, that cellular data and data roaming remain OFF or the cost will get expensive very quickly. For just a couple of calls, it's probably not worthwhile to get the AT&T international plan (I believe it's about $6 - check with them for the details). Happy travels!

Perhaps I should have made it clear on my post that resetting your data tracking to zero simply allows you to see on an on-going basis whether your phone has received or sent any data. Some apps may attempt to do this without your knowledge or consent. You don't want to be surprised by a very large phone bill one month after your return.

You don't need to pay for any special plan from AT&T if you're just making a couple of calls. I have the old 3GS that I used in Austria and Italy last June. It worked just fine without doing anything special. The costs are just as you stated. And texts are 50 cents each. I didn't buy any data plans for internet usage, either. I was able to get by on the hotel's free wifi. BUT, if you're following this advice, make darn sure you TURN OFF both "Cellular Data" and "Data Roaming" (Settings > General > Cellular). Also, reset your data tracking to zero (Settings > General > Usage > Cellular Usage > Reset Statistics). Anyone planning on making lots of calls and accessing internet on-the-go would best be served by buying both a phone plan AND an internet package. As an alternative, you could just buy a phone card while there for very cheap and just using a public phone. I saw phone cards for sale at every little shop. And you can find banks of public phones near subway stops and train stations. I did not notice if any of those phones still accept coins. Sorry. I have made international calls in the past using those cheap little cards and the minute rate was way under 30 cents at the time.
Good luck.

You're correct in your cost for calls. Everything else has gotten too complicated for no reason and reveals some misonceptions. All airplane mode is is a useless, redundant gang switch which I never, never use. It was stuck on there because of the myth of what spurious signals could do to aircraft navigation equipment, but the industry still makes you power the damn thing off, so why bother? Chopping power completely at least lets you arrive with a good chunk of battery life - - unless you use the device for movies or games or such. (Ok, some airplanes have wifi, but you could probably live without it for a few hours). AP mode turns off WiFi, BT, Cellular Voice, and Cellular Data. Only the latter can burn you; the rest is useful and costs nothing (except for the voice calls). You'll have control of outgoing, incoming might be a factor, but only if you let the caller talk. The misconception exists that voice mail, can cost you - - this is true only if you listen to them. Data Roaming goes off when you kill Cellular Data. Data Stats doesn't use data, it just keeps track of what's been used. My phone lives on an international voice plan since I'm out of the country about nine months of the year and I can't project when those other ninety days will be, exactly. Neither the tablet nor the phone have ever been on an international data plan - - wifi and screen shots do the trick just fine. I've switched data on for a few minutes exactly twice since I've had the devices - - I've forgotten the cost since it was inconsequential, probably five or ten bucks each time, but I saved that much with what I got done. There isn't much you can't say in a minute or two, so getting phone or sim cards would seem to be a waste of time.

@Ed, "The misconception exists that voice mail, can cost you - - this is true only if you listen to them" In the vague reaches of my memory, I recall that Voice Mail may have a cost while roaming in some circumstances, regardless of whether the messages are retrieved. From the AT&T website: Q. How am I charged for voicemail calls while roaming internationally? A. Voicemail calls are charged as follows: When your device is on: > Calls that you do not answer that are routed to the AT&T voicemail system will be charged as an international roaming incoming call to your device. In addition, the foreign carrier's routing of that call to the AT&T voicemail system may generate an outgoing call charge from your device's location to the U.S. These charges apply even if the caller disconnects from the voicemail system without leaving a message. If your device is turned off or in flight mode and the wireless network is off: > When someone tries to call you, the call will go directly to your personal voicemail greeting. Since the network does not try to deliver the call to you in a foreign country, there are no international roaming charges. When receiving Visual Voicemail messages on your smartphone or Apple® iPhone®: > Visual Voicemail messages received when roaming outside of the U.S. will be charged at international roaming data rates, either at the international pay-per-use data rate or against your smartphone or iPhone international data package. There was more information on the website, but these are the highlights. Cheers!

I do it all the time and you are just charged for the minutes you talk at the high rate. Simple. As for the data.... every time I go to AT&T and ask them about it, they tell me even if you do not open the emails you are charged if you leave on your data roaming??

When email is downloaded to your phone, you've used data even if you haven't opened the email. A useful alternative to setting the phone on airplane mode: Set it to automatically forward all calls immediately to voice mail. You'll still get the notice when someone has left a message, you can make outgoing calls, and you'll get text messages (which you'll get when you take the phone off airplane mode anyway). Works even better if you forward to Google voice so voicemail is transcribed. But you will need to turn off data to avoid being surprised by data costs.

When email is downloaded to your phone, you've used data even if you haven't opened the email. A useful alternative to setting the phone on airplane mode: Set it to automatically forward all calls immediately to voice mail. You'll still get the notice when someone has left a message, you can make outgoing calls, and you'll get text messages (which you'll get when you take the phone off airplane mode anyway). Works even better if you forward to Google voice so voicemail is transcribed. But you will need to turn off data to avoid being surprised by data costs.

We did it in France a couple of years ago. The iPhone was turned off or in airplane mode unless we were on wifi where we downloaded email and made Skype calls to the States. A couple of calls on AT&T were necessary, though, which didn't amount to much money. We forgot to go to airplane mode once and got a call from a friend who didn't know we were out of the country, so that's a risk. We also had an unlocked Blackberry with a French prepaid sim for incoming and local calls.

Kelly... the other way you can do messages is to add the international texting plan with AT&T for $10 you can send 50 international texts over a one month period, and all the incoming texts are free. Made it really easy to keep in touch when necessary.

AT&T has this pdf for international travelers using Iphones... AT&T Travel Tips...

Thanks for all of advice. Made my first European phone call with success.