Cell phone in Europe

I don't know the answer to that question, but I understand that T-mobile has a system that works in Europe.

Also, even with an American cell phone, you can use it in Europe via wifi.
Another option is to purchase a cheap cell phone once in Europe.

My iphone with Verizon worked fine in Europe. I had to pay extra for an international plan. I'd check and see if your carrier has an international plan. That to me seems the easiest.

Yes it is possible and not terribly difficult. Here is a recent post with a few suggestions, including a link to a post with the details of buying, activating and using the Vodafone UK SIM that I bought in advance in the US and take with me to Europe in an older Verizon (unlocked) phone.

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/tech-tips/question-about-getting-sim-card-in-advance

Original link detailing the Vodafone UK SIM added:
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/tech-tips/vodafone-uk-sim-card-for-use-in-europe

I recently checked and the Vodafone UK SIM Pay as You Go plans, including their Bundles of calls/data/text are still valid in Europe post-Brexit.

We use our regular cell phones in Europe. My husband is on Verizon and I am on AT&T and both have international plans that make it very easy.

You can buy an Orange SIM on Amazon, but don't activate until in Europe.

Who is your provider at home?

Where will land in Europe? Some countries still don't require registration of SIM, which means you can grab one upon landing.

That should give you the most competitive rate. Plans in Europe in general are way cheaper than in North America.

The cheapest plans tend to be offered by MVNO's, such as Lebara, Lyca and Giffgaff. The operating carriers would still be the major players in Europe, i.e. Vodafone, O2 Telefonica, Deutsche Telecom and Three.

Landing in Paris. Current cellphone carrier here is Verizon

Verizon has 2 different international options, details here, if you decide to just use your phone as is. I used the International Monthly Plan and it worked well for me in Switzerland, France, and Germany.

https://www.verizon.com/plans/international/international-travel/

Don't bother. Now days just add a plan to your phone. With AT&T you can get a $10/day plan and Verizon has similar that is only triggered when you actually use roaming data. If you try and stay on Wifi (data and Phone) it doesn't even trigger the $10 on any given day. Swapping cards is something we as frequent business travels used to do, but over the last 5 or 6 years there is no need. You see them advertised but pretty much only tourists use them. Too much of a hassle for $10/day

Update: Beginning June 8, 2022, Vodafone UK SIM cards have new post-Brexit roaming zones and prices for their Zone B (49 countries in Europe) roaming. Whereas previously a Big Value Bundle included roaming usage in much of Europe, now you must also purchase their "European Roaming passes, available as £8 for 8 days or £15 for 15 days."

CORRECTION: the Pay as You Go passes may be £15 for 8 days or £25 for 15 days. It's still unclear to me.

For a 1 or 2 week trip, you might buy their smallest Big Value Bundle (currently £10, with 7GB data) plus the 8 day or 15 day European Roaming pass. This is still significantly cheaper than my Verizon International plan options, but for longer trips, the value becomes questionable in my mind.

We too use T Mobile's international plan where the smartphone works just like it does in the U.S. T Mobile's owned by the Deutsch Telecom. When I return home, I cut off the international service.

I once had a international SIM card with another company, and the phone wouldn't work. And their customer assistance in Italy didn't speak English. I just wasted my money.

"Too much of a hassle for $10/day"

Never too much hassle when for a 28-day trip that would ring out @ $280, whilst an in-country SIM card would cost $30 for 20GB of data. Let me see, yup, that's a savings of $250.

"pretty much only tourists use them"

Hey, that's me.

Periscope, our Verizon International Plan is EITHER $10 a day OR $100 for the whole month. Still quite a bit, but since we'll be in three different countries in 30 days we will probably just pay the $100.

How expensive is it send 5 messages?:

-- I forgot to stop the mail. Please check my mailbox.

-- I forgot to throw out the milk. Can you handle it?

-- Does the doctor need my signature?

(But with most emergencies concerning my child, I won't be thinking of cost of a phone call.)

-- Call my bank and have them send money.

--- Will be back in x days. it can wait.