ATT is my cell phone service provider. I'd like to purchase the 30 day international passport package for my trip which will take me to Italy, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, and Austria. I've talked to a couple of ATT agents, attempted to find the information on the website, and still don't understand some aspects of the plan. My impression is I can send or receive texts at anytime from anywhere at no extra cost. My confusion is with internet coverage. I will have my cellular data turned off unless I encounter an emergency. Am I able to access the internet at no extra cost at any Wifi location (hotels, restaurants, anywhere with wifi coverage), or only at "designated hot spots"? If only at designated hot spots, how easy/difficult is it to find those? My primary use of the internet would be to download and send e-mails, but I might also do research on items pertaining to my travels. I'm asking on the forum because I would like to hear from travelers who have used the passport package.
Posted by
CA
2106 posts
We are AT&T and did the 30 day program that allowed us texting and some data and reduced cost for calls. I don't remember if we were confined to a certain number of texts though. You can use Wifi for free and do not have to rely on hotspots. I had the hotspots program a few years ago and found it didn't work for me.
Posted by
Imperial, Missouri
993 posts
I just got done using it for the second time. I haven't gotten the bill yet for this time to see if there is anything odd or new on it, but the first time I used it was a year and a half ago. It allows you to access some AT&T hotspots for wifi as part of the plan, but if you are just using free wifi provided by your hotel, or a restaurant, or something like that, there is no charge, and this isn't even part of the plan. You could use this type of wifi for no extra charge without the plan. This is what I do, and never use the AT&T wifi hotspots. It did allow me to send unlimted free texts without fees and to receive texts from home without fees. I'm not sure about receiving texts from elsewhere. There might be a charge for those.
Posted by
Midwest
2768 posts
You can use wifi anywhere it is available to you, your ATT plan is not involved. There is free wifi in many cafes and public spaces as well as hotels and you can use it. Some places, like some hotels, charge a fee for wifi and if you pay the fee you can use it, nothing to do with the ATT plan. Your plan gets you texts, calls, cellular data, and access to ATT hotspots that you can use in addition to whatever wifi you find elsewhere.
The amount of text, data,and calls is dictated by the plan. Wifi usage is not regulated by the plan, so you can use it as much as desired.
Posted by
alameda, ca, usa
2625 posts
I have used the Passport plan in past years and recall my texts were capped at 50, (not an issue, the one person I regularly text with goes as instant messages) after 50 it was a small charge like .50 cents. You're correct--keep your cellular data turned off unless absolutely necessary. I used the Wi-Fi in my hotel or when out and about if needed wherever available and have never had an overage. I also don't use my phone for maps, prefer the real thing.
The trip I just took for 12 days I had the Day Pass plan, $10 per day and it follows whatever your current plan is for data, texts, calling. It ended up costing me less as I only used it 7 days. I do have elderly parents that I talk to every other day or so and spent $70 vs $100-120 in past years for same level of activity.
Posted by
Imperial, Missouri
993 posts
Unless it is different in different areas, even the lowest 30 day plan, which is $40 a month, allows unlimited texts sent to numbers is your home area, and unlimited texts received. For me, that is what makes the plan worthwhile. AT&T really pushes the other $10 a day plan, which is best for some, but not for me for a longer trip.
Posted by
OP
28 posts
Thanks for the replies. I'm glad to verify I can use wifi anywhere without extra charges and to hear some experiences with the international plan.
Posted by
Boston, MA, United States
356 posts
If you're planning to use the Passport "Global Wifi" feature (wherein you can connect to secure, non-open-to-the-public AT&T-partnered wifi hotspots) make sure you activate BEFORE you leave the US. I've never gotten the activation to work from overseas, only if I do it before I leave. So be sure your 30-day plan period begins on or before your day of departure.
Also be aware that if you have an iPhone, you should turn off iMessage and send texts only as sms. iMessage messages use cellular data.
Posted by
The Heartland USA
8616 posts
We just used the $10/day plan and it worked fine for us as we don't use data to get around. I turned wifi on at every hotel and on the train (leaving phone on airplane mode) and it worked fine. Did not need texting. I just used phone to make calls twice on two days so cost was $20.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area
5697 posts
We have AT&T service at home, but for international travel (usually a month or more) we put the phones on vacation hold which drops the monthly charge down to $10 per device and just use wifi connection for free emails and data in the hotel. We also carry old Eurobuzz/Mobal dumb phones for the very few telephone calls needed at $0.79 per minute (less than $10 of charges on a recent trip)