Texting to/from U.S. phones while in Europe

You simply need to discuss with your current provider or a potential future provider. But some points...

If you remove your SIM card, and not replace with another, then you have no cell service, or phone number ID. You might get WiFi, but not sure if SMS on your phone number would even work.

For many services, to receive a text or call is at no charge, and if the sender is within their plan requirements (A person in the US texting a US number, even if that person is in Europe at the time) then there is no charge for them; but if you are in Europe and text a US number (or European number for that matter) then there is a charge.

You are probably better off getting an international plan through a provider. If you were to try to do a European SIM card once there, you would have a different number and people in the US would get charged to text you.

I picked up a new T-Mobile phone yesterday to take on our 4/2 trip to Portugal, Spain, Italy & Hungary. The all inclusive unlimited service was $50 per month, and I did sign up for an international voice plan for $15 that gives me $.20 per minute talking. I'm thinking data and text are unlimited in Europe on their $50 alone service--as is WIFI voice service.

What I like is the T-Mobile service is seamless with their service in the U.S and no new SIMS card is required. My 3 year old granddaughter can use her mother's speed dial and wake me up in Budapest at 3:30 a.m.--not knowing we're around the world.

I'll remove the $15 international plan upon our return home, and may even drop down to a lesser program because there are no contracts. We talk very little on cell phones.

Checkout T-Mobile's available programs as they're very popular with international travelers.

WhatsApp is great across all platforms for free text messaging once connected to WiFi. Skype is my go to application for making phone calls, including video calls to anyone around the world. Again, using WiFi. Facetime is great...but is Apple product to Apple product. See also Viber and no doubt other applications.

We have Verizon and a couple of years ago we simply ordered a sim card for traveling to Spain. We popped out the Sim card for traveling in Spain and used the phone number associated with it. Once we returned to the U.S. I popped the Verizon card back in and worked with Verizon rep and I was good to go at home again with my old number. The sim card for Spain allowed local calls in Spain and was not a good option for calling back to the U.S. but I liked having a local sim card to make calls to hotels as we traveled through without purchasing an international plan. It was cost effective and easy. Just don't lose the Verizon Sim card.

hope that helps

We just used our Iphones on airplane mode whenever their was wifi.. there seems to be wifi everywhere..

We did this for our last month long trip.. and my 20 yr old dd did this while gone for more than 2 months.. no plan.. free is a very good price and we didn't need to be in constant contact. .do you really need to always be available.. I mean I would check my phone for emails and messages several times through the day.. many cafes and restaurants have wifi and most lodgings do too..

Att passport plan does not go by months, but by days. You set the start date. If you want to be able to text anytime regardless of wireless status, you might consider this.

It may be important to clarify the "Wi Fi is everywhere" claim. Based on my experiences in the last couple years (London, Madrid, Germany, Czech Republic), if you need wi-fi you can generally find it without too much effort, but it is by no means like having Text or Data coverage via cell. If you can choose when you or another person communicate, or when you need to look something up, then wi-fi. will work, If you need to text someone travelling with you if separated, or expect texts at any time, then wi-fi begins to fall down.

Thanks for all the replies. We'll probably go with the option to send/receive texts while on Wifi. That seems to be the best option. AT&T told me that they do have a plan that is $10 per day (only the days you use it) for calls, etc while traveling. I will probably add that in case we do find ourselves in a situation where we need to make a call or something when Wifi isn't available. Thank you all again for the recommendations.

We currently have Verizon, but are considering changing to AT&T. Don't know if anyone has any recommendations one way or the other.

You mentioned the AT&T plan. Verizon has the same plan. It's $10 for a 24 hour period, starting when you use the service (call, text, etc.) It uses whatever data plan you have, so if you have unlimited texting, there would be no more charge than the $10.

We have Verizon and have the International Plan. We made two trips, each 10 days, to Italy and then to Switzerland/Germany/France/The Netherlands. We made calls on one day each trip to check on Deb's 87 year old mother. The rest of the time we had our phones and iPads in airplane mode and used local Wi-Fi to communicate using Facetime, Facebook and emails.

We have Sprint service. Sprint offers a service called "Global Roaming". The service is free and covers most European countries. I don't remember the exact details but, when in England last year, our texts and data were free and phone calls were 20 cents per minute. If that appeals to you I would give them a call and see how Global Roaming would fit your expected usage.

whaven: I've been researching this with Verizon, too, and will agree with DougMac that Verizon has the same $10 a day plan, but only on days you actually use it. Once you make a call or whatever, it starts a 24-hour cycle covered by your $10. On our trip in 2015, we all kept our phones in airplane mode and just used wifi when available. I had Skype for calls (I still have most of the $10 credit I set up the account with), but didn't actually need to make any calls. The only reason I'm considering using the Verizon plan this time is in case we're out and about in Italy and, for example, want to call a restaurant to make a reservation. It's entirely possible I'll be able to handle everything with free wifi and not need to use the data at all. But I wouldn't mind having the option, and really, $10 a day is an insignificant amount in the context of a European trip.

EDIT: The Verizon plan gives you your full domestic plan allowance for calls, text and data for the $10 per day. We have so much data every month we never come close to using it.

We use the AT&T Passport plan for unlimited texts and calls and a data plan that comes in handy when wifi is not available. The data plan is helpful for messaging each other and navigation. We get an alert when we have used 80% of the data, but by then our trip is usually 80% complete. Iphones and ipads are in airplane mode most of the time. Email, facebook, facetime, and other web services are done on hotel wifi. At least 6 trips so far with no problems or over-billing.

I have ATT and it seems like every year they roll out a new international plan. Last year it was Passport, now it's International Day Pass, which I just signed up for my April trip. 12 days x $10--assuming I use it every day, and I'm sure I will in one capacity or another--is right about what I spent on their other plans previously. I use Wi-Fi whenever possible to save on data, but you never know when you might really need it when on the go so it's good to have coverage just in case--it's averted more than one crisis for me. I have people I text with here and there, but the big cost is calling as I have elderly parents and we usually talk several times while I'm gone. I factor this in as part of the cost of travel.

@David, I believe that the $15 international plan that you purchased gives you free calling to 30+ countries. Without purchasing the $15 international plan you get .20 per minute calling. From T-Mobile's website: "With a T-Mobile ONE or Simple Choice postpaid plan you get unlimited international texts for free, international calls from Europe are 20 cents a minute."
We have used Simple Choice in Europe without purchasing any additional add-ons and will use the new ONE plan this June. The international ONE plan is identical to the international Simple Choice plan. We were (and will be) charged the .20 per minute for calls to the U.S. Note that when you and your spouse are in Europe and you call their phone, you are charged .20 a minute! T-Mobile is simple and seamless when traveling. I LOVE T-Mobile!

We recently switched to Tmobile because of the unlimited data/texting both here and in Europe (we'll be there for 5 weeks). Phone calls will be 20cents in Europe, but we won't be calling much, but if we did want to call home, we can do a wi-fi call that uses data.

We used Verizon last time and tried to stick to using wifi only (at hotels/cafes).

I don't know who the OP talked to at ATT and you are getting wrong information. The Passport plan is $40 for 30 days, you pick start and end days. At 5 weeks, you'll probably be paying out $80. You have to decide if it is worth it to you.

I love it. I've used the Passport Plan in Africa and Europe without any difficulties. I text, including sending pictures in text unlimited regardless of wifi availability. In my case, I have elderly parents and it is well worth the cost to know that if they feel that they need to call me, they just call the regular number that they normally would.

The texting ability makes traveling with another person quite easy as you can simply text each other about changing plans.

For many services, to receive a text or call is at no charge, and if the sender is within their plan requirements (A person in the US texting a US number, even if that person is in Europe at the time) then there is no charge for them; but if you are in Europe and text a US number (or European number for that matter) then there is a charge.

Paul, this is excellent. It took several readings before I fully grasped what you wrote. During my last European trip, I wondered why I was not charged for texts I received. Are you saying that if someone in the US sends me a text message while I'm in Europe, then that's no-cost? (BTW, I have Verizon.) My concern is that now Cap One does not require you to notify them of your travel plans. Instead, they send you a text. So, Cap One message to me would be free but if I ok the transaction from Europe, then I would be charged, yes? Like the saying goes...the devil is in the details!

" Are you saying that if someone in the US sends me a text message while I'm in Europe, then that's no-cost?"

That depends.

If you are on a European SIM, yes. If you are on a US SIM, it depends on the exact terms of your plan. Some plans allow free receiving of all texts while in Europe; some allow texts received in Europe to come out of your US text allotment (so, if you do not have unlimited text, you could end up paying if you get a lot per month); some allow a certain number of texts received for free before you are charged; some charge to receive every single text. You just have to check with the terms of you particular plan.

Darn (not my first word choice)! No, I don't plan to drop in a European SIM card since I will send/receive very few texts and there are other ways to make phone calls. Mostly, I need the capabilities of receiving texts from banks/credit companies. I have taken my phone to Europe but never put it into airplane mode. In the past, I turned off cellular/mobile data and used Wi-Fi. I realized now that this method left me open for text-charges. I guess I was lucky and will check with my carrier.

Keep your mobile in airplane mode the entire time and text when you have wifi using WhatsApp, FaceTime or whichever texting platform you like. It is 100% free. I'm leaving for England tomorrow and that is exactly what I will be doing to be in touch with my husband who will be stateside. I'll put it on airplane mode as soon as the door to the aircraft is closed.

THIS

Just about everyone in the wedding I attended in Italy last year did this. Nobody bought a separate plan, disposable phone or, SIM cards, simply:
- KEEP your phone in airplane mode
- turn-OFF your cellular data (really important)
- turn-ON your wifi (when to communicate), and at every restaurant, cafe, bar, hotel, & lounge you go to, ask for their wifi password.
- download WhatsApp and everyone else you plan on communicating with should also...in-coutnry and back at home.

With WhatsApp you can text, talk or, FaceTime with whomever has the app anywhere in the world via wifi networks.

Yes, I've read about WhatsApp. That's good for family and friends but not for banks/credit companies telling me that they are freezing my accts. I have been fooling around with Viber. It's also has free texting and video-calling to any other Viber acct holder over WiFi. Why did you choose WhatsApps?

Verizon has a $25 per month plan which will start on the day you choose. I think that texts are 5 cents each and calls are $1.79 a minute. I got it for the extra data in case I get hopelessly lost and need maps without wifi, or in case of a family emergency state-side.
There is also a $40 version with more data.
I think of it as insurance against a really expensive surprise when I return home.
I'm on airplane mode unless I have wifi and I try to remember to close out any background apps when I am finished.

Thanks for your reply Stoutfella because I had researched the Verizon plan you talked about a few months ago for our Aug. trip to Budapest, Vienna, Salzburg, and Munich. We never use all of our GB's either since we have 2 GB a month and the carryover what is left. So we generally have 4-5 GB available every month. When I started reading this forum topic I was becoming more and more confused by all of the talk of SIM cards, etc. But if I understand correctly, I just need to set up the international plan through Verizon, our carrier before we leave and I should be able to do what I need to do on my phone, text, Googlemaps and if needed phone calls to anywhere?

I am a big fan of the AT&T Passport plan. I login into my account and set a start date. The plan automatically expires 30 days after it begins. It's reasonably priced and hassle-free. I have never had to deal with unexpected charges.

One of my traveling companions usually goes the SIM-card route. It saves a little money, but she is always having to find a store to refill the SIM card and then wait in line ..... It all seems like a big hassle to me. I would rather focus on the trip.

We have T-Mobile, and texting or wifi are free in Europe. We used it last year in Italy and France for three weeks and incurred no extra charges.

AT&T still has two different international plans, the $10 a day plan, which replicates your American plan while you're in an international zone, and the passport plan, which starts at $40/month for unlimited text, but is an additional $1/minute for voice calls and only allows 200MB of data before it's $0.25 per additional MB of data used.

We actually had my phone set to the $10/day plan because I'm the one who is always looking up attraction, restaurant, or parking info or checking traffic and maps on data and we would have gone through the 200 MB data allowance right quick, and my husband went with the $60 Passport program as a back-up to what I was doing. Voice, including international calls to back home, also was all on my phone since it made sense that way.

We're on a family plan, and AT&T had zero problems with the phones being on different international plans.

You may want to consider using the TalkU app (description from iTunes: "lets you make free and cheap phone calls to anyone over WiFi and 3G/4G data networks without using any cell minutes. Free U.S Phone Number. Save up to 90% comparing to your phone company. Free SMS, free text and free international calls are between TalkU users only.") ... a friend and I used it while traveling in Vienna a few years ago.

My AT&T plan has billed outrageous amounts for Texts I've received while out of the country (for those few times I forgot to turn off my cellular roaming data ... duh).