texting in Europe

Jean,

Text messages with AT&T internationally cost $0.50 to send while they cost what you normally pay to receive (i.e. $0.15 each if you don't have a text messaging plan).

Below is an FAQ from the att website with its link.

Available At: http://www.wireless.att.com/learn/messaging-internet/messaging/faq-text-messaging.jsp#international

Q: Does the International Long Distance Texting package also apply when I am traveling abroad?
A: No. The package only applies to text messages sent from the U.S. to over 140 countries. Messages sent while traveling internationally are billed at $0.50 each, and any messages received while traveling are simply deducted from your current Messaging Package or MEdia bundle allowance, or billed at the standard rate of $0.15 per message.

Depending on the length of the trip, you might just want to purchase pre-paid cell phones for several members of the group, and travel in pairs. If you go into an immigrant neighborhood in most large European cities you should be able to find a "bazaar" selling phones with €20-30 of credit (which will provide for many, many text messages) for €45-50. You could also go the "old school" route and establish check in points/times (i.e. local bars and pay phones) to keep in touch. If your walkie-talkies can be adjusted to PMR446 then they are, as I understand things, completely legal in the EU.

Be careful and be sure to understand the plan. My daughter studied in Europe for the summer--she added the international plan to her palm treo, thinking she would have all the features including texting. Much to our chagrin--she had $1600 dollars worth of texting and roaming charges for the texts--we could have talked almost free!

Yikes! Thanks for all the tips. I'll definitely call AT&T to get a written-in-stone answer before we go.