Back With More Questions: Mobile Prepaid Plans

Why are you buying a phone? What do you want to use it for in Europe? Will you use it at home too?

If you won't use it at home, no point in getting T-Mobile or Sprint. Just better to buy a SIM card when you get to Europe. If you buy one in Amsterdam, you can keep using it and the phone in Italy. If you'll use the phone at home too before and after your trip, then T-Mobile or Sprint might be a decent choice as they offer free data roaming in Europe, free texting, and 20 cents/min calls. MetroPCS has no international roaming plan as far as I know (they are owned by T-Mobile). Mobal is an expensive international service I'd avoid based on everything I've read. T-Mobile and Sprint PREPAID service in the US may not give you international roaming at all (their POSTPAID aka monthly service does offer it).

I assume you want to get a smart phone not just for calls but for maps and navigation, web browsing while you travel, staying in touch, etc. Or just phone calls (flip phone)? FYI, you could just buy a phone once you get over there with a SIM card if you won't use the phone at home.

Otherwise, you can buy an unlocked phone in the US and get your own service - you don't need to buy it from T-Mobile etc. In fact, T-Mobile and Sprint are in my view pretty expensive for US phone service if you won't use your phone much. MetroPCS is probably a much better deal - but as noted, it has no international roaming service.

One recommendation - maybe not the cheapest phone, but I am using a Moto E4 unlocked that I bought from B&H Photo Video. Currently you can buy the gold version from B&H for $99:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1342874-REG/moto_01154nartl_moto_e_16gb_fine.html

(You want the UNLOCKED version - XT1768.) I use this phone daily. It's a 5" Android phone. It will work with any US phone service and also works in Europe. There may be better deals out there, but I know this one works. It's a very decent phone for $99 - not sluggish at all. Worst thing about it is the slow camera, but I only use it for snapshots - I have a "real" camera.

You can buy a SIM card for it in Europe e.g. Vodafone in Amsterdam and if you want to use it in the US go with someone like Tello (cheap prepaid, works on the Sprint network, but no international roaming option).

Have you figured out WHY you want a phone in Europe since you don't use one at home? Decisions about "best" phone and phone plan depend on what you want to do with it.

"Decisions about "best" phone and phone plan depend on what you want to do with it. "

Exactly. Will you be making local calls, calls to other EU countries, and/or calls back home? Will you be sending or receiving texts? A lot or a few? Will you be using data? If yes, just a little (like to use mapping apps) or a medium amount (frequently checking e-mail, looking at websites) or a lot (sending pictures, video chats)?

If you tell us specifically why you want the phone, and whether you want the phone to also work in the US (and for what - same questions as above), we can give better advice.

It's not your imagination - it IS confusing, and the particulars change all the time, and different solutions are best for different needs.

Two things Andrew said above are quite right. MetroPCS will not work in Europe, and Mobal is VERY expensive (it always was, but now there are better deals that are just as easy to use). You should definitely avoid those.

I want a phone for:
Texting
Checking in back home/calls to USA
Camera
Navigation
Booking tickets/using mobile apps

I do not have a phone here in the USA and saw that you can purchase phones right from kiosks at the airports. I just need it for main things. I do have a camera I can use so the camera part isn't very necessary. But I will be using free wi-fi (where available), translation applications, map applications, web browsers to book museum tickets ahead of time and my train to and from Rome and Florence. (A question I have about that is what train services do I choose? I know "local" ones don't run on time and I will need timely trains since most of my last day in Europe will be travelling.)

Would it just be best to buy a phone when I get to the airport in Amsterdam? It was mentioned that you can use the phone from The Netherlands in Italy. Is that my best option? I probably won't use it in the US when I get back but if there is a plan that works both in the US and Europe that is simple to use and cost-efficient, I will gladly take it.

Grazie!

Great - sounds like you want a smart phone, not a flip phone. Every smart phone will have a camera, even if you won't use it for "real" photography. It will still come in handy for snapshots. I use my phone camera for things like taking pictures of printed bus or train schedules posted on walls, when I don't have the online version in front of me - always nice to have a picture of the hard copy!

I recommend you buy a phone in the US and buy a SIM card for it when you get to Europe. (Again, I recommend the Dutch Vodafone SIM which has worked well for me and will work in all of those countries you will visit.) It sounds like you aren't an experienced smart phone user? Then it would be best to get one ahead of time and start using it, instead of wasting time while on your trip figuring everything out. You don't need any mobile service to use a smart phone on WiFi. Set it up at home, install the apps you think you'll need, etc.

I would recommend Google Hangouts to make free calls home to the US, but I don't think you can use it that way without existing US phone service. But you can still use it to call other people who have Hangouts - probably not many. WhatsApp is much more popular - if you can connect to friends/family who have WhatsApp you can text and call them for free. WhatsApp is popular in Europe, too, if you need to contact people there - they'll know what it is and already have it themselves, most likely.

There's probably no affordable mobile service that works both in the US and in Europe. Sprint and T-Mobile as noted will work but are kind of pricey for someone who won't use a phone much. Tello as I noted is very affordable as a prepaid service, but you need to get a phone that is compatible with Tello - has to be one (like the unlocked Moto E4 I mentioned above) that is compatible with Sprint. There are other prepaid US services, but Tello lets you literally pay per call or text and keep your balance active as long as you use it once every three months. I think the others like Tracfone are more "gimmicky" and more of a pain to use.

There is a way FYI to get a free year of Sprint service (unlimited everything!) which would also work in Europe. All you have to do is buy a Sprint-compatible unlocked phone (the Moto E4 I mentioned will work - because I put it on Sprint for a free year) and set up some existing service on some other mobile company very briefly. I got "new service" with a prepaid company called Ting and had service for all of one hour before porting right to Sprint to get the free year. Ting gave me a working phone number and that's all the required to port in a number to get the free year of service. (OK, it's really $3.80/month with taxes/fees, but that's quite amazing for free/unlimited everything for a year!) Some of this probably sounds complicated - but if you are interested in something like this, let me know and I can explain exactly how I did it!

I can certainly purchase a smartphone here in the USA before I go. I did look at the phone you recommended and liked it so any details on how to get the free (basically free) service is appreciated.
Is there specific phones I should look for here in the USA? A SIM card can be easily purchased at the airport that will be compatible with the phone I bring from the USA? Or am I looking for a specific kind of phone that this SIM card will work with? I just want to be clear because I will be using a lot of Google Maps, Translate, and I will use the app you mentioned for the free way to call and keep in contact.

I can recommend that Moto E4 only because I use it myself, as my every-day phone. (I'm not a phone "power user" - don't need 20 apps open at once or something.) I also used this phone in Portugal in May, so I know it works in Europe. But, there may be better/cheaper smart phones to buy in the US. I often find deals but haven't seen any lately. The $99 Moto E4 isn't bad...but it's now last year's phone, and there are newer Moto phones coming out. I don't want to push you into buying this phone just because I bought it. But if you can't find a better or cheaper phone, this one will work great.

You will want a fully unlocked phone (like that Moto E4) to be able to use a SIM card purchased in Europe with it. Otherwise, that's about it. Any SIM card you buy should be a "3-in-1" - meaning, it can be physically split into three sizes that will fit pretty much every phone ever made. The Moto E4, like the iPhone, uses the smallest size, a "nano" SIM. Just break off both pieces to make it as small as possible and it fits right into the phone.

How long will you stay in Amsterdam? If you will be there more than a few hours, just find a Vodafone store there - like finding a Verizon store or a Sprint store in the US - and have them set up the SIM for you. No need to get one at the airport unless you are just changing plans in Amsterdam. Schiphol airport has free WiFi so you can get the train into Amsterdam without needing a SIM. But FYI, you can buy the Dutch Vodafone SIM on eBay before you leave the US - that's how I got mine. In fact, I have never used my Dutch Vodafone SIM in the Netherlands.

Yes, you can use the phone with Google Maps, Google Translate, everything. The SIM card simply gives you an internet connection when you aren't on WiFi.

Here's how to get the Sprint "1 year free unlimited" deal: you need to have existing phone service to "port in" to Sprint. And ONLY CERTAIN MODEL PHONES are eligible! They seem to have targeted this at Verizon customers, but anyone with mobile phone service and a qualifying phone is eligible. As I said, I simply got new service with Ting (one of numerous prepaid phone companies now out there in the US), which gave me a new phone number...and an hour later, I signed up for Sprint and ported that number in from Ting. I couldn't have just signed up for new Sprint service without something to port over from another mobile service.

You can buy a Ting SIM card at Best Buy or Walmart I think (or online) for about $10. That's all you need to get cheap phone service and a phone number. I just had an old unused Ting SIM card laying around to use. It was the cheapest way I could think of.

You'll actually need to buy a Sprint SIM card too - another $10. ("Hey, I thought you said it was free!" Well...not quite, but after a year of almost-free service, it's hard to complain.) Sprint SIM cards are odd - they are designed only for specific models of phones and you can't just move them from phone to phone (like you could a GSM provider like T-Mobile, AT&T, or Vodafone - move that SIM to another phone is all you need to do to transfer service to that phone). I bought a SIM that was compatible with my Moto E4 at Best Buy - it was a "Boost Mobile" SIM kit (they work on the Sprint network). If you actually buy this phone, I can tell you exactly which one.

Anyway...let's say you bought the unlocked Moto E4, got a Ting SIM card to give you temporary cheap phone service (with a new phone number) and also have the right Sprint SIM card that works in the Moto E4. Now you call Sprint to sign up for this new 1 year promo. Unfortunately, you can't just go into a Sprint store to do it! There's a way to do it online, too - but it's more complicated. Doing it on the phone is more time consuming (took me about an hour - they also pull your credit report) but was direct - I had already bought the right Sprint SIM so had a working Sprint phone that same afternoon.

Call this Sprint number to sign up for the plan, once you have the phone, SIM, service to port in, etc.: 866-782-8777

Plan on ONE HOUR on the phone with them! It takes longer than you would think. Again - can't just go into a Sprint store to get it, unfortunately.

Reminder: ONLY CERTAIN PHONES are eligible for the Sprint deal (e.g. the Moto E4 XT1768). Don't buy any old phone and expect to get the deal.

(By the way: if you really don't think you'll use the phone at home after your trip, the Sprint thing may be a waste of time. Just skip it and buy the Vodafone SIM instead to use it in Europe - will wind up being cheaper than Sprint unless you wind up using the phone in the US.)

Here is a lot more info on the Sprint deal:

https://slickdeals.net/f/10235008-sprint-byod-1-year-unlimited-talk-text-data-free-w-eligible-device-sim-req?src=SiteSearch

Thank you so much! Is there a list of compatible phones for this deal? Where would I find that list?

And I am just trying to be clear here for my vacation so please be patient:

I buy an unlocked phone here in the US. It can be any unlocked phone? Or on specifically compatible with Vodafone?
I use wifi (what I do now with an old phone I have) to download the apps and such.
Take it with me to Amsterdam. In AMS, buy a Vodafone SIM card for my phone from the USA.
This sim card will give me service? Or do I still need a plan that can be purchased at AMS? Or does it just bill my credit card for everything used on the phone as it is used?

I am unsure if I will use the phone when I get back to the USA. The Sprint deal does sound great and I may use that at some point but for this trip, I may just go with buying an unlocked phone and everything. I saw that there are kiosks and a store in AMS that sells the phones and the plans all at once. Would this be the most ideal plan instead of buying a phone in the USA first?

And don't forget that you can keep in touch with the U.S. by email actually EASIER than by voice call because you can send a message at a time that's convenient for you and they can read it and respond when it's convenient for them -- no waking people up at 4 a.m. because somebody forgot about time differences. Using free hotel WiFi for email or WhatsApp is obviously a cheaper way to go.

Thank you so much! Is there a list of compatible phones for this deal? Where would I find that list?
See the link I posted above to the (very long) Slick Deals thread about the Sprint promotion. There is a list of phones on the first page.

I buy an unlocked phone here in the US. It can be any unlocked phone? Or on specifically compatible with Vodafone?

Any phone that accepts a SIM card should be compatible with Vodafone. In the US, we have two types of providers: CDMA (Sprint and Verizon) and GSM (T-Mobile and AT&T). In Europe, they are all GSM. (Technically, they are all LTE now too - but that's a more detailed discussion.) Any phone that is compatible with Vodafone will be compatible with every other European mobile service.

Older US phones for Sprint and Verizon were CDMA-only and might not work in Europe. Newer smart phones for Verizon and Sprint can also roam on GSM networks (like Vodafone, etc.). One possible "gotcha" is that Europe and the US use different mobile frequencies. A phone needs to work with the frequencies available where you are using it. This is less and less of a problem as newer phones support the radio frequencies used in both places.

Example: my old Moto E2 from two years ago for Verizon was a terrible phone for Europe - it would only work on the slow European mobile networks. It was a "fast" US phone. But two years, later, the Moto E4 has most of the "fast" European frequencies too.

You MIGHT find some Android phone (esp if a used or older phone) that might not work in Europe or not well. If you have any doubts...dig up the specs on the phone and verify. I can help decipher that for you. But if the phone you buy was just introduced this year or last, I can almost guarantee it will work in Europe. But...must be "unlocked."

I use wifi (what I do now with an old phone I have) to download the apps and such.

Yes.

Take it with me to Amsterdam. In AMS, buy a Vodafone SIM card for my phone from the USA.

Yes.

This sim card will give me service? Or do I still need a plan that can be purchased at AMS? Or does it just bill my credit card for everything used on the phone as it is used?

The SIM card gives you service. But, you'll be buying a prepaid SIM card. You buy credit ahead of time with your credit card. When the credit runs out, your phone will stop working. This is different from a "post-paid" service (What most phone users in the US have with Verizon, Sprint etc.) where you are billed at the end of each month for service.

Vodafone lets you use the SIM by charging you per minute, per text, per MB of data used...OR you can buy what's called a "bundle" with your credit. Vodafone for example has what they call "You" bundles that include a certain amount of data good for 30 days. gain - you buy that up front. In May when I was in Portugal, I bought a 2GB "You" bundle for my Dutch Vodafone SIM to give me 2GB of data for 30 days. (I was there only nine so that was way more than needed but the least I could buy -cost me 10 euros). The bundle doesn't give you minutes to call people but you can still make calls for 20 cents/minute, using whatever Vodafone credit you have left on the SIM.

You can add more credit ("top up") online on Vodafone's website (Dutch website only - it matters). I use Google Chrome which translates Dutch text automatically. I created an account for my Vodaone SIM and can add credit with my US credit card on that website, which applies it to my SIM card...so I can buy those bundles for 30 days or make European calls for 20 cents/min if need be.

Here is some more info about Dutch SIM cards including the Vodafone SIM:

http://prepaid-data-sim-card.wikia.com/wiki/Netherlands

I am unsure if I will use the phone when I get back to the USA. The Sprint deal does sound great and I may use that at some point but for this trip, I may just go with buying an unlocked phone and everything. I saw that there are kiosks and a store in AMS that sells the phones and the plans all at once. Would this be the most ideal plan instead of buying a phone in the USA first?

You haven't answered whether you will be staying in Amsterdam or just passing through the airport. I don't know if you can buy SIM cards at the airport from a kiosk or whether they or the phones are good deals or not. I know for sure you can buy a Vodafone SIM at a Vodafone store in Amsterdam, though. (Or on eBay ahead of time like I did.)

If you think it better to buy a phone when you get there and spend your time there figuring it all out, setting up your apps, etc. then buy the phone there. The one advantage of doing that is that you can be sure any phone you buy in Amsterdam will work in Europe! Personally, I'd prefer to do it all ahead of time. Buying a SIM card at a mobile store in Amsterdam would be pretty easy - just let the clerk at the store set it all up for you and make sure the phone works before you leave the store. If you aren't merely passing through the airport, I don't see why you need to buy the phone or SIM card there.

Just make sure any SIM card you buy (or any phone that comes with a SIM card and a plan) allows EU roaming. Not all of them do. The EU now has banned additional roaming fees (so a mobile company can't charge you more to use your phone in Italy than it costs to use it at "home" in the Netherlands), but they don't have to allow roaming at all outside of the home country. The Dutch Vodafone SIM allows EU roaming and others do too - but I don't know much about them.

Ok, I will find an unlocked Vodafone compatible Android here. I will buy the sim card and plan at the airport in AMS and make sure I get a bundle to be doubly sure that I will have data and communications. I am staying in Amsterdam a couple days before heading to Italy. I will be coming back to Amsterdam after a week in Italy to fly home to USA. I think this is the best option and I am truly grateful for all your help! If you would like to tell me details about the phones, which ones I should specifically look at, I would appreciate that even more. All your help is so wonderful! I'm learning more and more every day about this trip! 3 weeks from today I'll be on a plane for Amsterdam!
Would this one work? It was on the list via the link you sent about the sprint deal.

Thanks!

No problem. I would say again, though, that you need not buy a SIM card AT THE AIRPORT. I assume you'll just hop on the train to Amsterdam Centrale or take a bus to your hotel or whatever. Once you get into Amsterdam, it should be easy to find a Vodafone store. Maybe you'll find one at the airport, but if not, I wouldn't stress over it. You could spend $9 USD and buy a Dutch Vodafone SIM on eBay before you leave (mine took two weeks to arrive - so you might get it in time) and have a working phone when you land at Schiphol - but if you have some issue with it, you could always go into a Vodafone store in Amsterdam for help. Search on ebay for "vodafone YOU SIM" - find it from the seller "cheapeusims" (same one I used last year).

You don't necessarily have to stick with Vodafone. That's just the only one I can vouch for personally.

I don't know of any other phones currently that are as good of a deal as the Moto E4, but if you find some prospective phones and wonder if they are compatible before buying one, feel free to post them and ask questions about them if you aren't sure they are any good.

I found this one that was part of the list in the Sprint deal link you sent. It looks good and simple.
BestBuy Moto E4

Something in your post above caught my eye. It's not related to phones, though.

You said you wanted a phone to buy train tickets to Florence and Rome. You should be looking to buy these NOW from home. If you wait, any remaining discounts will be gone (many are already gone, but some may still be left). Since you said you are on a tight schedule, you probably know your times, so the fact that the cheaper tickets are non-refundable should not be a problem.

If you need any help with this, start a new thread with your train specifics (I don't want this one to get derailed). Tell us what train trips you are taking and on what days, and we can help you buy tickets.

I use the Motorola Moto G5 (Amazon $149) with month-to-month MetroPCS service as low as $30. Love the phone. It comes with two SIM slots specifically for international travel. I must add that I always buy a SIM card in whichever country I visit so as to minimize telecom costs.

From what I see, it is not clear why you need a phone versus just a small wifi device. Maps can be downloaded for use off line. Everything else could be used off line or on wifi. I use a wifi touch for everything (photos sometimes) when I travel, but I imagine there are other non-apple devices. I don't call home, I instant message or email or FaceTime (well once).

When I did have a phone on one trip as I was meeting up with Europeans, I bought the least expensive phone at a phone store in the country and had them put the sim in, etc. I didn't have to do or think about anything and that was fine with me! Easy Peasy and I used the phone at home later on until the device died. So I recommend really thinking about what your needs are. I'd much rather Europeans make sure I'm on line versus thinking about what I need to buy here, and the device was much less expensive than if I purchased a smart phone here. ($150.00 for smart phone and sim card with more than I'd need for a month in Sweden...and much less expensive in UK for a non-smart phone.) Tickets are usually ordered from home, but the little device does just about anything a computer does for traveling so you could use it for that, and the same as a smart phone except off wifi phone calls. However, I'd upload a VPN if paying for things on your wifi device. YMMV

I found this one that was part of the list in the Sprint deal link you sent. It looks good and simple.
BestBuy Moto E4

It's the same Moto E4 I linked to at B&H. But Best Buy requires activation to get the $79.99 price; otherwise, it's $129.99. That means, you have to sign up for some service. Even if you choose Sprint, you can't get the "free unlimited" deal - that as I said requires having existing service to port in.

I use the Motorola Moto G5 (Amazon $149) with month-to-month MetroPCS service as low as $30. Love the phone. It comes with two SIM slots specifically for international travel. I must add that I always buy a SIM card in whichever country I visit so as to minimize telecom costs.

The Moto G5 would probably be superior to my Moto E4. But is it fully unlocked? The Moto G5's that pop up on the Amazon site now ($149 and higher) are the "international versions" without warranty. That may be what you want for going overseas, but if you ever want to use the phone in the US, it is more limiting. (Can be used for AT&T and T-Mobile not for Sprint and Verizon e.g. if you wanted to get that Sprint deal or use certain cheap prepaid plans like Tello's)

The dual SIM setup allows you to keep your US SIM card in place but also buy a foreign SIM as you travel. That is a nice feature if you have existing US phone service, but I'm not sure that helps the OP.

Yes, the Moto G5 is fully unlocked. I bought mine directly from Motorola (around $175) and then took it into my local MetroPcs store to buy a SIM card and set up an account. No setup fee, but I did buy one of their cheapest monthly plans. It is a very good phone for my needs (call, txt, and internet). I do not watch TV or movies. I do use it extensively for navigation with either Waze or Google Maps. It worked fine for navigating recently in Costa Rico. I suggest you check the reviews on this phone. The wirecutter lists it as the best cheap alternative android phone. I try not to deal with AT&T, Verizon or any of the other vultures, but I would guess that most of the prepaid plans would offer a SIM card for the phone.

At $179, I don't see how the Moto G5 gives much benefit for the OP vs. the $99 Moto E4. The G5 is a little faster and has a higher resolution screen. You can put a larger microSD card in it (256GB vs 128GB). Camera is a little better. But is that worth almost 2X the price? Probably not for someone looking for a cheap phone for travel. I'm not even sure the $99 Moto E4 is the best deal for the OP - it's just the phone I am familiar with. (I don't know that the Moto G5 on Amazon for a lower is fully unlocked and/or full compatible with both US and international carriers.)