Hello,
I was wondering how much data you need for a month in Europe. I was thinking about getting a 3GB data package for emergencies, email, banking, and maps. From your experience, would this be enough? I already have everything mapped out so I should rarely need it.
Thank you all
Depends on wifi access.
I had 2GB for 23 days and I'm pretty sure I didn't exceed it. I did switch to wifi whenever it was available. I used it mostly for email, whatsapp and frequently for Google maps, both driving and walking. If you don't know it, learn about whatsapp - it's used a lot in Europe both for messaging and phone calls.
Update I just got my monthly invoice, I used less than 1.3 GB. Most cell phones have info on how hoggish each app is or isn't. Waze gobbles it up, Whatsapp uses hardly any. My experience is that videos and streaming use a lot. I sent photos on Whatsapp, and all my Google maps usage was online.
On my last trip, I used about 150MB/day even though I had WiFi at all of my hotels. I wasn't trying to conserve data - I could probably be stingy and get by with 100MB/day and live with 3GB a month. I used my phone to tether my laptop to the internet on trains and buses or in places without WiFi - and I used Google Maps constantly on my phone for navigation (need mobile data for walking / public transit directions, "offline" maps don't work for that).
But I can get 6GB of data for a month for 20 Euros with my Dutch Vodafone SIM, so that's what I'd probably do if I were in Europe for a month - and not need to be stingy.
Doug, I don't think there are roaming charges within the EU now. At least that's what has been reported on this forum.
My phone's data-usage rate for June 20 - July 19 was 375 MB. However:
I book only hotels reported to have reliable Wi-Fi and use that heavily in the evenings (I think I hit 8 GB in one month).
I don't use live navigational aids. I use offline maps and the little blue You Are Here dot to get where I want to go. I rarely take buses and use printed subway maps to plan underground routings. Most of the time I walk. If I know I will need buses either inside a city or for a day-trip, I try to get a schedule and route map from the local tourist office. I am usually successful. Sometimes all I need to know is the location of the nearest bus stop and can get that info from the hotel's desk staff.
I do not tether my tablet to my phone, which makes Internet activity during the day not so attractive. I do spend a lot of time on this forum during bus and train trips, but the forum is not a data hog. I stay away from videos, etc.
Tell us what counties you are visiting. I can help you with England, Scotland, Ireland, Germany, Switzerland and Montenegro. Other I’m sure will assist you for other countries.
You could use the Dutch Vodafone SIM for all of those except Montenegro, where there would be roaming costs. When I was in Montenegro I just bought a second SIM.
I have 12GB with my monthly package and I barely make a dent in it and that's using it to stream Spotify in the car, and occasionally using it as a mobile hotspot for the kids to tether to if we're on a long train journey.
When abroad my usage increases slightly as I use Google maps more often and searching for places, restaurants etc. whilst out and about. I rarely bother connecting to public wi-fi as my data allowance is sufficient. I would say 3GB would be plenty. My average use is 1.49GB per month, my highest usage was 2.09GB.
I don't think there are roaming charges within the EU now.
This applies to phone plans purchased in the EU. If you are bringing your US/Canada phone and not changing to an EU SIM, you can still be hit with roaming depending on your terms.
I don’t use any. I use WiFi when available. If needed, Sprint has unlimited free 2G roaming, but I have no reason to use it.
I was thinking about getting a 3GB data package for emergencies,
email, banking, and maps.
Just a heads up....be careful about doing any banking on your devices with data and especially with wifi. I would not do it at all as you are not certain whatsoever about the firewalls in place if any that would protect your information.
To answer your question, I don't use data at all when I travel. I find wifi is becoming more and more available unless you're in a more rural area or small town environment. I download my maps and directions in advance so they are available offline. Email I wait until I'm in my hotel room.
As for emergencies, I have Verizon on my phone and have its International Travel Pass on my line which costs nothing to have. In case of an emergency, if I need to use local data or make a phone call and I'm in one of the many, many countries that this plan is available, I can make a phone call or go online using data and be charged just $10 for 24 hour access. So this is what I use for emergencies.
Just a heads up....be careful about doing any banking on your devices with data and especially with wifi. I would not do it at all as you are not certain whatsoever about the firewalls in place if any that would protect your information.
I don't think this is a real worry anymore. All transactions point to point should be encrypted with SSL on not just banking websites but most other websites, too. (Even the Rick Steves forums websites). This was not true 15 years ago so I would have said the same thing then. But today, even over an open WiFi, all SSL (https) web traffic is encrypted and would look like gibberish to someone monitoring it over an open WiFi connection. Fifteen years ago, your password might have been encrypted, but hackers could have seen all of the other web traffic. Not anymore.
Many people are using wireless devices these days for everything and will be using either WiFi or mobile data, not a wired connection. A secured home WiFi connection may seem safer than the dodgy hotel WiFi in Europe, but even that is technically hack-able. SSL might have flaws in it, but they would apply at home, too.
Actually, relatively speaking, I'd think mobile data would be more secure than WiFI.
"Should be encrypted" is not enough of a guarantee for me that there is a strong firewall encryption in place whether on my side or on the bank's. While I agree that things are more secure than 15 years ago (I was going to internet cafés on rainy afternoons to email my hubby while overseas), I still never ever go on my bank app or mobile website overseas. That's a risk/reward choice and the risk is too much for me.
I don't think there are roaming charges within the EU now
Correct for plans purchased in the EU, but be aware that Switzerland is not in the EU so plans may vary on coverage and cost when roaming in Switzerland. Same with the example given earlier of Montenegro.
Clearly depends on your usage behaviour. Up- / downloading videos eats it very quickly. Photos little less. Text only you can write a library.
For GPS I would always use a solution which as a pre-downloaded map on the phone because in Europe you can have some white spots - means no coverage.
"Should be encrypted" is not enough of a guarantee for me that there is a strong firewall encryption in place whether on my side or on the bank's.
Well, your home wired internet connection "should be encrypted" too - is that good enough for you? It would use the same SSL encryption that you'd use over an open WiFi in Europe. Your home wired internet connection can be hacked, too; if there is some SSL vulnerability, someone can hack into it no matter where you are using it.
No reputable bank or credit union today would run a website that doesn't use SSL encryption. If so, time to find a new bank or credit union. That's what I really meant by "should be encrypted," not that it depends on the WiFi connection you are using.
A "firewall" and "encryption" are two unrelated things FYI. A firewall has nothing at all to do with someone monitoring an unencrypted connection. A firewall only blocks people from accessing potentially open ports on your device. As with encryption, 15-20 years ago people weren't automatically using firewalls at all. Windows XP was the first Windows OS to come with a built-in firewall; before that, people didn't worry about it, but it's since become completely standard. Every router has a firewall too. There are multiple firewalls in place to prevent intrusion into your device nowadays - so no one really worries about that anymore.
While I agree that things are more secure than 15 years ago (I was going to internet cafés on rainy afternoons to email my hubby while overseas), I still never ever go on my bank app or mobile website overseas. That's a risk/reward choice and the risk is too much for me.
And with all due respect, I think you and many others greatly exaggerate the risk of using encrypted SSL connections over an open WiFi. There are security risks everywhere, but they have changed in the last 10-15 years and may not be of the same nature as they were back then. Things that weren't a risk then may be now; things that were risky then may not be anymore.
The only time I blew through my data was when I didn't get the navigation in the rental car and had to use maps on my phone. Never again. We use WhatsApp now and I have the $10 per day on Verizon IF for some reason I don't have wifi available.
Well, your home wired internet connection "should be encrypted" too -
is that good enough for you? It would use the same SSL encryption that
you'd use over an open WiFi in Europe. Your home wired internet
connection can be hacked, too; if there is some SSL vulnerability,
someone can hack into it no matter where you are using it.
Very true it can be hacked. It hasn't yet (knock on wood) but I'm not taking chances overseas. RS has talked about that and I'm following his advice...unless he's changed it recently?
I don't access my bank account on my mobile phone or iPad -- just my laptop at home.
By rationing data - turn off for GPS navigation, turn off whenever WiFi is available - I've used roughly 2 GB for 17-20 days. My SIM card comes with more so I could have been less careful, but you don't want to run out. Theoretically 3 GB will work if you conserve.
Very true it can be hacked. It hasn't yet (knock on wood) but I'm not taking chances overseas. RS has talked about that and I'm following his advice...unless he's changed it recently?
I was familiar with the original "not encrypted" issue before reading it on RS. I have a technical background, so RS tech warnings and advice don't really mean that much to me, though I can see how they would to others. I would love to have a discussion with his tech experts on this issue and get their view on why they think SSL isn't secure today. It isn't un-hackable (nothing is!), but it should be more secure than even a secure WiFi network a thome. I still think people have a tendency to hear and repeat old warnings without adjusting them to changing conditions, and to me the risks have changed, and open WiFi isn't the security worry it once was. Would be happy to hear tech reasons why it's still a real worry.
*The only time I blew through my data was when I didn't get the navigation in the rental car and had to use maps on my phone. Never again. We use WhatsApp now and I have the $10 per day on Verizon IF for some reason I don't have wifi available. *
This is not necessary! All you have to do is open the Google map on your phone when you are on wifi, zoom out see the the area you will be traveling in, and then put your phone into airplane mode. GPS will see you and you can follow the dot and get auditory directions just as if you were on a network. You can use it offline with no charges.
Wifi is so prevalent in Europe you really need very little data. I do Verizon's $40 per month plan with limited talk, text, and data and end up using not much of that at all. Nice to have just in case though.
Anita- thanks! I need more guidance on using my phone in Europe. I always feel like such a novice.
Data is so cheap these days, I see no need to skimp on it when I travel. It seems a shame to invest so much in a nice phone and then have to nickel and dime yourself with data when you travel...
Please note that while Switzerland is not included in the free roaming of the EU area, free roaming is covered in non-EU countries Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein.
See question 14 here at the EU website for the list of countries covered by free roaming:
https://ec.europa.eu/digital-single-market/en/faq/question-and-answers-roaming
In all 28 countries of the EU: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom and in the countries of the European Economic Area: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway.
Edit to add: this came into effect on 15th of June, *2017.**
Please note that while Switzerland is not included in the free roaming of the EU area, free roaming is covered in non-EU countries Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein.
But some mobile companies do include Switzerland in their free roaming area anyway. Vodafone NL for example does include Switzerland in the free roaming area, even though they are not required to do so. So, it does depend on which mobile company you use.
Yes, good point, Andrew.
