Hello,
I am currently a subscriber for ATT and would like to explode options for using internet in Europe.
Is it more feasible to purchase a sim card (not sure if it's the same term) or to add international service directly from provider (charging $10/day or $60 for unlimited text and 1 gb of data).
My phone is currently unlocked.
Thanks
I simply used WiFi leaving my phone in Airplane mode. We had WiFi on the bus and in every hotel. Worked well enough. Couldn't stream video and occasionally on the bus would lose the signal when going through tunnels or through mountainous areas. Zero cost.
You can use the internet for free on WiFI at your hotel or lodging - most of them have free WiFI now. You don't need a SIM or to pay for international roaming for that. And if your phone (and AT&T) support the "WiFi Calling" feature, you can make calls to/from the US and do texting for free on WiFI too - check with AT&T if you aren't sure how that works. (You can try it at home: put your phone in airplane mode, then turn on WiFI, assuming you have WiFi at home. Find the "WiFI Calling" feature in your phone or see if your phone has it or an app for it and see if you can make a call.)
But if you want to use your phone and have internet when not on WiFi, then yes these are both options.
AT&T's $60/month plan isn't bad - it gives you 1GB of data. It is a better deal if your trip is shorter, because that 1GB may not last you 30 days. But it may last you 10 days. I tend to use about 100MB/day of data when I travel, more or less.
Buying an Italian SIM costs 20 to 40 euros, something like that. I'd get a TIM or Vodafone SIM if you are going to buy one. One downside of an Italian SIM is that you won't have your US phone number while the Italian SIM is in place - you'll have an Italian number until you put the AT&T SIM back in. (Possible that AT&T WiFi Calling that I mentioned above may still work with an Italian SIM, not sure.) Otherwise, you can install Google Hangouts (and Hangouts Dialer if you have an Android) to make free calls home to the US, even to landlines if need be.
FYI, if you buy a SIM in one country, it should work in the other. EU roaming fees have largely been done away with. Check before buying the SIM. You'll also need your passport to buy a SIM in either country.
I have AT&T as well and used both plans on recent European trips: Spain & Italy. I didn't have an unlocked phone. Wi-fi is widely available in most locations not all. Here are the pros/cons of each of the plans:
$60 for unlimited text and 1 GB data:
Less expensive than the $10/day plan
Good if you don't use data, 1GB isn't much and in Spain we ran through 1GB fairly quickly just with navigation
Coordinate your plans if you are traveling with your spouse. My husband could not stay off his phone and we spend $120/person, plus had to up his plan so we didn't pay data roaming fees
$10/day: this is the option that we chose for our trip to Italy
- Let's you use wi-fi and then only use the $10 when you need it
- Data charges match your regular plan, so it was great for my husband who needed his data fix and for navigation
- Coordinate plans, this can add up quickly if both couples use the plan and as soon as you do one thing (e.g. send a text it is activated)
Sandy
One thing to keep in mind is that if you have an Apple phone, you use data even to text. I had bought a text plan from At &t which worked well before I got an Apple phone. Now, you can avoid this by just texingt when you have wifi and then it won't be a problem. But I wasn't used to doing this and incurred charges.
Just a heads up.
Beth
Andrew gave you good options.
The cost is lower than 30€ with an Italian plan. It’s about 20€ and now you get 30Gb.
There are also plans that are only 10€ a month for those born abroad.
https://www.tim.it/offerte/mobile/estero/dallitalia
If you don’t want to insert a foreign SIM in your phone because you want your American phone number to be available to receive calls, there is no reason to pay $60 to ATT.
If you travel with an iPad that is SIM enabled, you could leave your American phone with your ATT SIM as a dumb phone so you don’t incur data roaming charges (just turn the cellular data off), just use your iPad with the Italian SIM for your internet needs when not connected to a hotspot.
With your American ATT phone in “dumb” mode (Cellular Data off) you will still be able to make and receive texts and calls on your American phone, but not use cellular data. You can still access data on the American phone in “dumb mode” if connected to a WiFi hotspot.
I generally buy Italian SIM cards for both tablet and smartphone (I have my old iPhone 5 which I use for Italian SIM card while I leave my American iPhone 8, with the US number, in “dumb mode”), but I noticed I don’t use my Italian iPhone much, except for making calls within Italy. For my internet needs I tend to prefer my mini iPad with the Italian SIM card.
"and you will still be able to make and receive texts and calls"
I've found that texts sometimes don't work without cellular data. I often switch cellular data "Off" to ensure that I'm not using any of my limited data, and have found that texts that have been sent hours before aren't received until data is available. I'm still trying to pin down the reason for that.
fungo,
In my experience, hotel Wi-Fi sometimes leaves a lot to be desired and you'll probably find that some works well and some is very slow and at times erratic. In some hotels, Wi-Fi may only work in certain places (ie: at the the end of the hallway the room is located or in the lobby). I've learned that I can't rely on it for "reliable" service, so always have cellular data capability.
Thank you everyone all the options/suggestions!
One more question to add - if I purchase the Italian SIM for my ipad can I use that as a hotspot for my iPhone?
