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Smartphone for use in both Germany and Russia

Posted by (Seattle, Wa, USA) on

In one month I will be taking a trip that brings me to Berlin, Germany, and Volgograd, Russia. I want to have the benefits of a smartphone mainly for downloading of data using a data plan and/or free wifi. For example, having a mapping application that works off line or which is linked to GPS. I do not need the voice phone application since I do not speak German or Russian. I am reluctant to bring my Sprint plan smartphone because it is pricy and I would not like it to disappear while overseas. So what should I do?

From what I have read one approach might be to purchase an inexpensive used GSM phone that is unlocked and buy limited use SIMS cards while overseas. Will this work?

Thanks for your input.

Geor(ge)

Posted by
213 posts

I was just in Munich Germany. I had used up the data on my French Orange SIM card and I wanted to price shop before I topped it off. By law, there are no roaming charges in Europe. Unlike other European countries it is not easy/possible to buy a SIM card unless you have a German address. Vodafone was 55 euro for not much data. T-Mobile told me they couldn't sell me one. Topping off my French Orange SIM was significantly less expensive. My son goes to Moscow often and tells me SIM cards there are cheap. I don't think it is possible to get one SIM card that works in both places.

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