I can’t use my cell phone, as it’s a LivelyS4, no international use. I was thinking of buying an unlocked phone on Amazon and a “travel pre paid SIM card” before I leave. Is Skype still a good alternative?
I’ll be in Germany and Austria for 10 nights.
Paul
I've used Skype regularly from Europe and Asia for over a decade - in fact, I have wondered if it is becoming old-fashioned. I tend to use FaceTime these days - but that's no good if you don't have an iPhone.
Skype is still my fall back to contact those I keep in regular "chatty" contact with (I don't use it for business communications). Sometimes FaceTime won't connect and Skype generally does. I know I've used Skype within this year from Japan, France, and Spain. I used Skype from Germany last year (2024) and in pre-covid years.
I have used Skype paid calling to business numbers in the US when I've been overseas. You load money and can access landlines or cell numbers when the person you are calling doesn't have a Skype account with Skype user name. I know I used this Skype fallback within the year because I couldn't get a good connection on my iPhone with someone I needed to contact.
I know some folks use Google Fi for international calling - I have never explored it. I'm sure there are other methods. I hope you get good suggestions - I'm always interested.
Skype is a good alternative, but you will need a Microsoft account and you will
pay per minute (not a lot, but still) unless you are calling a toll-free # or another
Skype account.
But if you do buy an unlocked phone and SIM card, you won't need Skype,
although you can still use it. If you peruse the Technology Tips subforum, you
will see lots of posts about European SIM's and other alternatives. You can
buy a SIM card with a certain amount of data and/or voice-SMS options.
You don't say just what you want to do (voice calls, SMS, internet access, or what).
Unless you plan to call people or establishments on your trip, Skype is not required.
And if you buy an unlocked smartphone with data, you can use other tools as noted
(or Whatsapp) to make free calls, voice or video.
I mainly want to check in with three people once a day, via calling their cell phone, while I’m away.
Paul, the calling you plan is similar to what I do - keep in touch with family at home via their cell phones. You and the family members must have Skype accounts - that is easily set up and calls are free between Skype members. When setting up the account, you designate a Skype user name, not a number, and call that user name. No charge for calls between Skype user accounts - you can set up the accounts before leaving the US and test the process.
As noted above and in my original post, if you want to call an actual phone number, either land line or cell number, there is a charge. You load money into your Skype account and funds are withdrawn for the calls you make. You will get a warning if your balance is low. Cost is not great - the webpage would indicate what it is currently. But - it sounds like you won't even need this feature.
What is the advantage of paid Skype over free WhatsApp?
dialing non subscribers, Skype Out calls anybody anywhere, landline or not. WhatsApp calls only other WhatsApp subscribers.
With Skype, you can call any phone anywhere as long as you have a decent wifi connection.
To use WhatsApp, the people you are trying to contact must also have WhatsApp.
I set up Skype. I can use my name as to what the person I’m calling sees. I tried this calling my mom and sister even though I’m still home in NJ. They both said my name shows up on the incoming call via Skype! Perfect.
Great!! I've had good experiences through the years.
ohhhhhh, true. I just didnt think about it because everyone i know has WhatsApp.... even hotels I book with have it.
Another question. What is going on with my TMobile. When I put it on airplane mode, but turn on the Wifi, as long as I have Wifi i get and can make all my phones and texts, just as though it were on the network, but isnt. Sort of nice. Cause I live over here and I still have my US phone, but just use it on Wifi to receive and make calls. Or if I am out of the apartment I use my local phone as a hotspot and keep my US phone running with no charge.
Paul, you have your question sorted, but I also use Skype for certain phone calls - mainly business calls (either there or here) that are a one off. Some trips I never need it and some I need it more often. I have used it for airlines or other businesses with an 800 number and it’s free. I used it a LOT on my last 6 week trip and never went through $5.
Most of my calls to family are free Facebook Messenger calls. And WhatsApp to actual people in much of Europe (but certainly not all).
Good to know!
About 5 or 6 years ago, I used Skype from my Android tablet to call my parents. It worked very well, and as I recall cost almost nothing.
What is going on with my TMobile. When I put it on airplane mode, but turn on the Wifi, as long as I have Wifi i get and can make all my phones and texts, just as though it were on the network, but isnt.
It's called T-Mobile Wifi Calling. What it does it use the wifi as well as a cell signal to get the best reception.
https://www.t-mobile.com/support/coverage/wi-fi-calling-from-t-mobile
Thank you everyone. I was concerned about spending a lot to get an unlocked phone and then a SIM card just for this short trip.
It's called T-Mobile Wifi Calling. What it does it use the wifi as
well as a cell signal to get the best reception.
And WIFI calls from any place to any place in the world are free....
And WIFI calls from any place to any place in the world are free....
Not necessarily. That's usually just app to app. What happens is that the phone companies are allowing you to use wifi where you are to connect to their network because the quality of the call should be better.
T-Mobile, Skype and Google all charge to call another phone not via an app like Whats App. However, the prices are different. If I connect via T-Mobile, it costs 25 cents/minute. If I connect via Skype it's about 2 cents/minute. However, the call quality on Skype may not be as good. (This happened to me two weeks ago as I could connect but the person I connected to couldn't hear me. That was via Skype. When I called with T-Mobile, also using wifi calling, there was no problem.)
Frank II, yes, 2 cents a minute. I couldn't remember what it cost me to call my parents from Europe, but that was it. A bargain! My mother was in a nursing home at the time, so I would call Dad's cell while he was visiting her.
Not necessarily. That's usually just app to app.
Sitting in Hungary with my TMobile phone only connected to Wifi, I get daily junk calls trying to sell me supplemental Medicare Insurance. So they all have the app? And from time to time I call my son in Germany or he calls me. I have a couple of friends in the US that I text on a regular basis ..... And so far, I havent paid more than the base plan fee for the phone. Free wifi is everwere so this has been pretty conveniet.
Yes, I checked. Skype is 2 cents per minute from Europe to the U.S. Hard to beat. Free Skype to Skype. I have both my mom and sister in Assisted Living and would like to be able to call them while away. I’m not going to bother showing them Skype because my planned approx. 10 minute, at 2 cents a minute, calls once or twice a day is doable for me. Thanks again everyone. This has been enlightening and so helpful.
get daily junk calls trying to sell me supplemental Medicare Insurance. So they all have the app?
No....regular phone call. If these are US companies calling US phone numbers the call is free. The don't know you are in Hungary. They are calling a US phone number. The same for your friends. They are calling you on a US phone number so it's free. No app needed.
If your friends call you on your US phone number, which I'm guessing you have on your T-Mobile phone, it doesn't matter where you are. It doesn't cost them anything. It's considered a domestic call, However, if you initiate a call from outside the US to any phone number you are charged. It has nothing to do with apps.
Apps are only necessary for internet calling services like Skype and Google Voice.
You miss the point Frank. My US phone is not connected to the network. It's in flight mode. It is connected to my Hungarian wifi. I am keeping it in flight mode for 2 reasons. Control cost and hope TMoblie doesn't realize I have been out of country for 2 years and cut my service.
To my initial surprise, thanks to the wifi, my phone still functions like it was on the network and I get and make calls and texts.
I need to keep my US phone, because when I do connect it to the network it is perceived by the network as being US and that is important for gaining access to a few US government and business sites.
Oh, that's a heads up to those buying europesn Sim cards, there are US web sites that will block you.
Oh, that's a heads up to those buying europesn Sim cards, there are US web sites that will block you.
Good point. I've had the inverse happen. I have a small cabin in the middle of the forest in Michigan, Now that I've switched to Tmobile, I get no reception, while friends with AT&T or Verizon have weak signals. So I bring my backup travel phone which has dual sim slots. One slot has my "Three" sim (British). So now I buy a datapack w/ 12 gb roaming for $15 /30 days. The backup phone connects to AT&T or Verizon, I turn on the Wifi Hotspot. Then I connect my "normal" phone w/ Tmo sim and connect to the hotspot (with Wifi Calling). Then I can text, call, and surf like normal. When I tried to check Netflix, I get a message that the service won't work outside the US. I get amazingly slow upload speed, When I check my down/up speed, it says the internet connection is in London, and my download speed is 2 mbps, and upload is 0.25 mbps. I think some of that process is going through London!
