Is bringing an Android Phone worth it?

Unless your Droid is a GSM model, it won't work in Europe anyway. Putting it in airplane mode won't matter because it simply won't function unless you are using wireless (turn it on). If it IS a GSM model, you would want to keep it in airplane mode, turn the wireless on, and only use it in wifi areas. Data can be crazy expensive.

I've taken my Android phone (which is Global Ready) to Great Britain and didn't have any problem with huge fees. But you will need to turn off data roaming, data enabled, and background data, and only connect to the internet through free wifi spots - otherwise the roaming fees add up quickly. Also, add the Global Value Plan ($4.99 a month) to your line the day before you leave and then take it off when you return. That makes your phone calls and texts alot cheaper.

Mary, was your phone with Verizon?

Thank you all for the info.

It looks like some of the Verizon Android phones do in fact have both CDMA and GSM radios, so you may have a phone that will work overseas. You have lots of options. What you do depends on what you want to do. Do you want a phone that will enable you to call back to the U.S. cheaply? Do you want a phone on which people back in the U.S. can easily reach you? Do you want to be reached by phone at all? You can use Internet just over wifi, if you don't. You can text without using the phone features over the Internet through various services. Let us know if that would work for you. If you want to use your phone as a phone, then you can either sign up for an international plan from Verizon (not sure how pricey this is), get your phone unlocked and use a number available from a travel phone company, or get your phone unlocked and buy a SIM card when you get to Europe. If you take this route, my suggestion is to get a prepaid number in England. That number will work in all the places you are visiting. You'll probably want to add enough credit to it before leaving the U.K. A U.K. account will also let you connect over the phone connection to data services throughout Europe. To use wifi but turn off the cellular phone, put it in airplane mode and then separately turn on wifi. Give us some more details and I can give you more specific advice.

Nancy, yes my Motorola Droid 3 is with Verizon. I got it specifically because it is Global ready. Our main concern while out of the country is our family being able to easily reach us in an emergency, just by calling my regular cell number. Also, I can easily keep everyone in the loop with a quick text or two, especially when we have a change in plans. With the Global Value Plan phone calls are 99 cents a minute, which is steep I know, but texts are only 50 cents to send and 5 cents to receive. so I usually either send a text or for longer messages I'll send an email when connected to free wifi.