Hi, I’ve tried to look up shops at Shannon airport to see if there is a mobile shop where I could buy a SIM card for my iPhone. I don’t want to use Verizon’s daily option because I will be using data to navigate and I know it will be a huge expense when I go over my data. I also would like to have a local phone number as I will need to get in touch with friends in Ireland.
Has anyone bought a sim at Shannon?
Thank you in advance.
Do you have unlimited data (or a lot) with Verizon at home? If so, the $10/day plan uses your regular plan's allotment of data (and minutes), so you won't face any penalty for a data overage - just $10. And Verizon charges you only for the days you use the plan. You can sign up for it before you trip and never use it and not get charged anything - or use it one day in case you can't find a SIM in a timely way at the airport or something.
(There's also a Verizon monthly roaming plan with very little data - and there would be overage costs if you go over on that, but not the daily plan, in my understanding.)
I used Google Maps constantly last year on my 17 day trip to Europe, for walking and public transit directions in various cities, and I still used only 2GB of data, a lot of which was for tethering to my laptop on train rides. So the data use for navigation may not be as much as you fear.
Install Google Hangouts on your phone before you leave, so if you buy a SIM you can make free calls home to US numbers (e.g. check your Verizon voicemail for free once in a while). Add a +1 to the front of US numbers to call them from Europe.
I don’t have a lot of data and I will be driving extensively for two weeks. I also need to use my phone to meet up with friends in Ireland so I’d rather just get a SIM card. I would rather spend 20 bucks or so on that than go over my data and come home to a monster bill. A friend just got back from a week in Ireland, used the 10/day Verizon plan, went way over and had a $300 bill.
I used the Verizon option in France last year and it was fine; I wasn’t driving, though, and didn’t need to use my phone for navigation.
Assuming you’re renting a car, does the rental company you’re going through offer a WiFi hotspot for the vehicle? I’ve requested one for my trip later this month at the suggestion of my cousin. I know it helped them save a ton on data when driving around Ireland last year for 2 weeks.
Not saying you shouldn't buy a SIM. I used a Dutch Vodafone SIM last year in Europe, worked great. (I just switched to Sprint to their "free unlimited for a year if you bring your own phone" offer so should be able to use their good international roaming plan next time.)
But in case you can't find a SIM vendor at the airport, the Verizon option for a day would be nice to fall back on.
FYI you don't need mobile data for driving. Google Maps has an "offline" mode - you can download the maps ahead of time (on WiFi) and use the phone in airplane mode and use it as a GPS. Try it at home - works pretty well. I used it in Slovenia last year to drive - worked fine with a few quirks. (I had data on my SIM but was trying to save it.) Unfortunately, Google Maps "offline" doesn't support walking or public transit directions - the thing I usually need most on my trips to Europe, so I definitely need a SIM or mobile service not just WiFi in Europe.
I need to buy data for my mifi. (I don’t need to make any calls.) The nearest Vodafone shop to the airport seems to be in the Skye Court shopping center in Shannon town center. (It’s a small mall.). The shop doesn’t open until 9:30. I don’t know about any other carriers.
We tried to buy a Sim at the Shannon airport. We even asked a few people working there and we had no luck.
We went into a store and they did not seem to know what we were talking about.
I don't know which way you are heading from the airport but if you are heading north there is both a Tesco and a Three in Ennis.
