Verizon Smart Phone Germ..Swit.Italy.France

I find it much easier to use the Verizon plan than to use a foreign SIM card with instructions and messages in a language I don't understand. I don't make many calls, so the cheaper rate of a foreign SIM card is not worth the hassle.

However, my main reason for responding is to warn you NOT to trust the regular customer service folks to set up the service. They are very anxious not to transfer you to international service... I get the impression tha are pressured to do it themselves, but they don't know what they are doing and they have incorrect info.

Twice I arrived in Europe with a dead phone. Since I've refused to talk to anyone other than an international specialist, I've had no problems.

Not sure I understand the "only use one phone for communicating" advice -- one of the reasons we each took a phone was to call (or text) if we got separated. Didn't happen, but the extra cost was "insurance" against potential problems.

I call up Verizon before I go to make sure everything is good before I travel. Call Verizon global services at 1800 7118300. They will make sure you we set up. Will also set you up with extra global date inflow need it. I make sure that I can call and receive calls if necessary. I also travel with my iPad so I use free wifi everywhere.. Even with my phone. Be sure to shut off the mobsl data setting and switch to wifi if using your phone. Verizon is great with notifying if you are near to using up pre paids. Love it. Will help keep costs down. I personally suggest making sure you use free wi fi every where

We have Verizon as well and always use the Global Plan. I think that the price is fair and we have never had a problem. Personally I think SIM cards are a hassle. Why would you bother with them when your internet provider has a good international calling/data/text plan?
Make sure that you switch the phone to airplane mode and turn off data roaming unless you are temporarily connecting to a wireless network to check email, use the internet, etc. If data roaming is on you will rack up astronomical charges on your phone for international roaming!
I can't speak to the kind of phone you have but I had to upgrade my old iPhone 4 to an iPhone 4s to be able to use it in Europe. You can find out by checking the Verizon website and looking at the printed specifications for your phone. Don't always go by what their customer service people tell you on the phone - I have received incorrect information from them before about using my phone overseas.
I think that they are telling you to only use one phone in order to save you money but what if you lose or break that phone? I would attach the service to at least two of the phones you are taking with you.

It depends on where you are going. I have switched sim cards in Italy and it was somewhat difficult when I got notices in Italian. Our last trip to England & Scotland I paid 10 British pounds for 500mb of data and 100 minutes of talk through O2. I bought the sim card at a local corner store for my iPhone 4s. My wife used Verizons global plan for her iPhone 5s and ended up paying $50 because she went through all of her data and had to buy a second packet. So, next trip I am definitely using local sims in both of our phones.

I think voice is actually $0.99 per minute with the Verizon Global Plan discount (not $0.25 per minute, unless things have changed). Regardless, I have used the Verizon Global Plan on three separate trips during the past 2 years. On the first two of the three trips, I had to call Verizon on someone else's phone (toll free in-country) upon arrival in Europe because my iPhone 5 could not find the local network. However, in both cases, things were resolved quickly during the call and I was good to go. I mentioned this when I called Verizon before leaving for the most recent trip last May, and had absolutely no problems (the phone found the network immediately upon arrival in Europe). I was told that you need to make sure you are speaking with the Global Program Customer Service people and not just "Customer Service" because the latter basically did not set things up properly. Since I had always called the Global Program phone number to set things up pre-departure, I assumed that was who I was speaking with! Well, just this caveat about Verizon. I do plan to use this service again on my next trip later this year.

I used Verizon's global plan (I set it up with their international department prior to leaving) in France and Switzerland last September with no problems.

Similar question. We are leaving in a week for 3 weeks in Italy and have verizon. Our phones will work there. I had thought we'd get SIM cards upon arrival, but don't see any stores at the airport, or near our hotel (Castello area) and began wondering about the ease of use--we are not very techy. After reading this thread I checked with Verizon about their international plan. While it seems a lot easier, same phone number and all, there is just a tiny amount of data--100mb. We'll have a car for 5 days in the area around Montepulciano, and planned on using our phones for navigation. Plus, it seems if we get lost in Venice or Rome, navigation could help us get back to our hotel. Any things on data usage and navigation? Thanks!

A couple of days ago I talked with a Veteran Airline Attendant. She has been using a smartphone app called Viber. Viber will allow you to text and make phone calls to other Viber accounts via Wifi, using your current phone number. People that you want to contact this way will need to download Viber app. When you return, the app can be uninstalled from your phones. My friend said that she has found this to work well. She has found a couple of times that words are a little garbled and they switched to texting. At this point, I am seriously considering this. For the most part, we will be in major cities and have free wifi in all of our lodging. I am also finding that many cities in Europe of Free wifi around parts of the city. I may get one phone with a Global Plan JIC, not all three of our phones. Luckily, I have a bit longer to plan this out.

Thanks to all for your input and sharing your thoughts. For those of you getting ready to travel. I hope that you have an amazing and safe time! :-)

PS, I think the navigation should work via your GPS????? Not data??? Any thoughts out there RS friends???