phoning back to U.S.

Is the verizon phone a smart phone? We had an iphone w AT&T. Never changed the sim card when we arrived. Instead we used our hotels' wireless internet connection to call family using skype app. I think we had minimum skype credit of like $20

I'd vote for the Skype Ap as well, if you have a smart phone with wi-fi cabability. Just be sure that you have the phone function off so you are not charged. Another option is Skype via a laptop if you have one! Sadly, not sure about sim card use as I've not gone that route. However, it looks like Rick has a couple pages on the site here that cover the info you may want: http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/tips/mobilephones.htm http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/tips/smartphones.htm http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/tips/Internet.htm

Mark, it really depends upon what type of calling you plan to do. The travel phone companies may offer cheaper rates than roaming on a U.S. carrier, but I've found it difficult to do a simple comparison because the rates vary and have up-front costs that add to the calculation. Their advantages: You get a number before you go. You can have credit added automatically by letting them put charges on your credit card. They sometimes give you a local U.S. number that will automatically make the long distance call to your overseas number, sparing those who call you from having to pay international rates. This last feature costs extra per minute, though. From what I've found, the travel phone companies usually give customers a number from the U.K. To skip the middleman, you can get your own local prepaid or pay-as-you-go SIM. If it is from the U.K., you will get texts from the carrier in English and the customer service support will be in English. You can use this one number everywhere in Europe. The roaming rates are capped by the E.U. and are less than other options. Many carriers will give you the option to purchase discounted calling bundles. A European SIM is the only way to do data for a halfway reasonable price. By-the-way, on the subject of using Skype, that service also gives you an option to get a local number that will call a number in the U.S. for Skype's lower rates. Cheapest option other than Skype? Prepaid calling card and a payphone.

Thanks much for the info

If you just want to call home to the U.S., a pin card purchased locally at a newstand/tobacco shop and used at a pay phone is probably the lowest cost per minute. Purchasing a cell phone sim card is best for calling within the country where you purchased it (incoming calls are free) but you still pay roaming in other countries. If you're visiting multiple countries, Multi country cards might work out to be a better deal. Otherwise they won't be as cheap, per minute, as individual country sim cards. You have to consider several factors: - How long are you staying in each country? Do you have time to use up the value in the card? - Will you return to those countries frequently? Will you be able to use the card, including extra value, in the future?
- How many calls are you likely to make? Will you use the phone regularly or are you only looking to make an occasional call? - Will you make mostly local calls or long distance? Local calls are where you save with a sim card. Based on those, you can decide whether it's best to get several single country sim cards, one multi-country sim, use your own cellular account from home (must be the right kind of phone) or use pin cards.

The last time I traveled to Europe I bought a phone card at Costco and used it at pay phones in England, Italy, and France. Super cheap. My kids Skype.

Deann: What kind of phone card did you buy at Costco? Also: are
there pay phones in European cities...that many?

Mark, Skype! Skype for free to anyones computer device (when they are on-line) Spend $10 and set up a Skype account and then call anyone in the world for 2.3 cents a minute. That is what we did in Spain, using the wi-fi in my Iphone and the wi-fi in my netbook. I won't travel any without taking my Toshiba netbook. Go to Verizon's website to read about their overseas options. We have AT&T. We shut off our data, and signed up for a reduced EU calling rate and lo-cost texting so we could get important calls from home, etc. My cousin did the same with her Verizon rental phone. We texted each other to stay in touch when we were traveling in the EU. If you buy a prepaid sim card make sure that you check out the TOTAL cost of each call. If you buy an EU SIM card make sure that it has voice prompts in English, and that it is properly set-up.

I have Skype, and I have a phone card, but none of these is worth anything. Maybe the time difference between Denver and European Central Time is just wrong, but I find that once I am out and about, no one here feels like talking. Same the other way. What I find works best is email. I leave an email when I can and they respond when they can. In addition, I have my own website and publish my day's travels for all of my friends. They can keep up with my travels when they have time. It requires knowledge of HTML, which I know, but there are "blog" site available, that don't.

Hi, Mark. I also use Verizon, and have a Motorola Droid 2 global phone running Android. As I understand it, you can only use Skype in the United States, to call either within the U.S. or internationally. You cannot use Skype on your Verizon phone if, say, you're in Europe. You also cannot use Skype by connecting to a Wifi point- you have to use the Verizon network. See topics #7 and #24 in this Verizon Skype FAQ list
http://support.vzw.com/clc/faqs/Features%20and%20Optional%20Services/skype_mobile.html As far as the effects of using an unlocked phone with a different Sim card, I can't say. Gary

My vote is Skype as well. Techies please correct me but calls initiated via Skype to another machine using Skype are free worldwide. That is, a smartphone or laptop or desktop device can call the same devices free if both have Skype software installed. Verizon complicates the issue a bit with a version of Skype called "Skype Mobile" on smartphones, but calls require connection via Verizon cell towers. However, Skype software (regular not mobile edition) can be loaded onto any Verizon smartphone which allows free Skype calls if you establish a Wifi connection. If you want to call landlines in the US from Europe, then credit your Skype account before departing and pay around 2.3 cents a minute.

Mark, I used Skype on my iPod during my recent 4 week trip to England and Ireland. As long as I could access WiFi, I could call back to the US with no trouble. I loaded my Skype account with $10 and called several times a week, each time for 10 minutes or so and still have $6 + left on my account. Voice reception was clear according to the people I called. I'm a big fan of Skype. Next time I'm going to add a phone number so folks back in the US with Skype accounts can call me too.

BruceI'm not a techie, but unless Europe has different rules you are correct: Skype to Skype is free. My husband loaded Skype onto an iPod Touch when he traveled to Panama to visit his dad. We talked every night for a week (iPod to netbook) and never paid a cent. We're planning on doing this to keep in touch with our son while we're in England this fall, so if someone knows that England operates with different rules, please let me know.

Just to answer the question about public phones: Most internet cafe's in Germany have public phone booths, where you can make your calls and then they just charge you. Even without a phone card you will only be paying about 15 cents a minute to call the US. If you buy a phone card, it will bring the call down to about 2 cents a minute. Have them show you which number to use though, because the phone cards will have 2 numbers on the back, one for domestic or in-country calls and the other for international. I can't tell you how many times I have run across people who have used the wrong number and then were upset that their 5 euro phone card was used up in a few minutes, when they thought it would be good for much longer. They simply used the wrong number.

Whenever we travel, either within the UK or in Europe, we take along the netbook I am writing on now, with Skype loaded and a maximum of €10 pay as you go credit loaded. I use it to call relatives both sides of the puddle. When I fell the other day I called my Doctor from Germany. I used it the trip last week to make hotel reservations. For us, it works, and works well. All I need is a little wifi (W-Lan as it is called in Germany) and that is no longer any difficulty to find, for us, in Germany, Netherlands, France, Belgium, or Luxembourg.