Hello
We are traveling to Mont Blanc, starting in Switzerland. We will primarily use our phones for their cameras. But there are some travel apps we will want to use, and if an emergency use the phone to call, and/or e mail. Do we get a sim card in Switzerland? We would not want to be using our US carrier, Verizon for services, as I believe the cost would be cost prohibitive.
Thanks!
Kate
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
15403 posts
You can buy and install a local SIM card if your phone is unlocked.
You will have a foreign phone number, therefore your calls to your American number will go straight to voicemail and to retrieve them you must occasionally reinstall your original Verizon card (or just retrieve your voice aalls when you are back home.
Posted by
Portland, Oregon
5687 posts
Verizon phones are usually unlocked, so you can buy a SIM card in Italy - usually a Vodafone or TIM SIM card is recommended. Take your passport to the mobile store - they need it to activate the SIM. (Legal requirement.)
You can always just call your own Verizon number to retrieve voicemail, if you know your pass code (hit * at the voicemail prompt, type in your phone number, then your pass code when asked). Install Google Hangouts on your phone ahead of time (and Hangouts Dialer if you have an Android) so you can make free calls to US numbers from Hangouts, while on WiFi or with the mobile data fro a SIM.
Verizon also offers a $10/day plan that is charged only on the days you use the phone, so if you don't need it every day, that might be easier for you than buying a SIM. Check into WIFi Calling as well for your phone - free calls and texts while on WiFi, without paying the fee. In that case, keep the phone in airplane mode then turn on WiFi.