Aug 17, 2023, 7:44 am
Last edit by: serpens
Here are instructions for what phone settings to use when a travel SIM has been activated. The initial wiki is for an iPhone (in particular, an iPhone SE 2020 with iOS 16.6), but perhaps others will expand the wiki to clarify the steps for other phones or other operating system versions.
* Before arriving in the travel area, turn off roaming on the home SIM (to avoid any roaming charge).
- At Settings > Cellular, under SIMs, choose the home SIM and turn off Data Roaming.
If there is a Network Selection option (which is apparently not available with Consumer Cellular), choose a network on which the phone cannot roam, for example, 313-100.
* After arriving in the travel area, use the following settings.
- At Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data, choose the travel SIM and turn off Allow Cellular Data Switching.
- At Settings > Cellular > Default Voice Line, choose the home SIM.
- At Settings > Cellular, under SIMs, ensure both home and travel are On.
- At Settings > Cellular > [home SIM], ensure Wi-Fi calling is On and Data Roaming is Off.
- At Settings > Cellular > [travel SIM], ensure Data Roaming is On and (optionally) Low Data Mode is On.
Corrections are welcome, as are elaborations of what these settings mean and do.
* Before arriving in the travel area, turn off roaming on the home SIM (to avoid any roaming charge).
- At Settings > Cellular, under SIMs, choose the home SIM and turn off Data Roaming.
If there is a Network Selection option (which is apparently not available with Consumer Cellular), choose a network on which the phone cannot roam, for example, 313-100.
* After arriving in the travel area, use the following settings.
- At Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data, choose the travel SIM and turn off Allow Cellular Data Switching.
- At Settings > Cellular > Default Voice Line, choose the home SIM.
- At Settings > Cellular, under SIMs, ensure both home and travel are On.
- At Settings > Cellular > [home SIM], ensure Wi-Fi calling is On and Data Roaming is Off.
- At Settings > Cellular > [travel SIM], ensure Data Roaming is On and (optionally) Low Data Mode is On.
Corrections are welcome, as are elaborations of what these settings mean and do.
SIM for multi-country Europe trip and options for calling home
May 14, 2022, 11:47 am
#166
Moderator: American AAdvantage, Travel Safety/Security & Texas, FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Related question...
What kind of SIM do you recommend for a Europe trip to non-EU countries?
I'll be visiting Albania and Montenegro later this year. I was going to pick up a local SIM, hopefully at the Tirana airport after I arrive. I'll be driving, and will cross the border to Montenegro by car (yes, Hertz will allow it). In theory I can pick up a separate SIM card after that, but would be better if I could use one for both.
What kind of SIM do you recommend for a Europe trip to non-EU countries?
I'll be visiting Albania and Montenegro later this year. I was going to pick up a local SIM, hopefully at the Tirana airport after I arrive. I'll be driving, and will cross the border to Montenegro by car (yes, Hertz will allow it). In theory I can pick up a separate SIM card after that, but would be better if I could use one for both.
May 14, 2022, 3:08 pm
#167
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,853
Related question...
What kind of SIM do you recommend for a Europe trip to non-EU countries?
I'll be visiting Albania and Montenegro later this year. I was going to pick up a local SIM, hopefully at the Tirana airport after I arrive. I'll be driving, and will cross the border to Montenegro by car (yes, Hertz will allow it). In theory I can pick up a separate SIM card after that, but would be better if I could use one for both.
What kind of SIM do you recommend for a Europe trip to non-EU countries?
I'll be visiting Albania and Montenegro later this year. I was going to pick up a local SIM, hopefully at the Tirana airport after I arrive. I'll be driving, and will cross the border to Montenegro by car (yes, Hertz will allow it). In theory I can pick up a separate SIM card after that, but would be better if I could use one for both.
May 18, 2022, 9:02 pm
#168
Join Date: May 2018
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On Three UK's website, there's this note:
I don't exactly understand what this means. Does that mean the roaming charge won't apply for Pay As You Go numbers period? Because that would make Three UK sims from Amazon a great option still.
Go Roam update
To unlock your UK allowance in Go Roam in Europe, there’s a 2 daily roaming charge. When you Go Roam Around the World, it’s 5.* The daily roaming charge is triggered as soon as you use any of your plan's allowances in a Go Roam destination and lasts for 24 hours. If you’re on Pay As You Go, or your Pay Monthly plan started before 1 October 2021, these charges won’t apply.Last edited by Nayef; May 18, 2022 at 9:16 pm
May 19, 2022, 9:48 am
#169
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Long Island, NY
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On Three UK's website, there's this note:
I don't exactly understand what this means. Does that mean the roaming charge won't apply for Pay As You Go numbers period? Because that would make Three UK sims from Amazon a great option still.
I don't exactly understand what this means. Does that mean the roaming charge won't apply for Pay As You Go numbers period? Because that would make Three UK sims from Amazon a great option still.
I just entered France in to their country checker, and the following came up
Good news!
Franceis a Go Roam in Europe destination, so youll be able to use your data. Plus, you can call and text back to the UK, and between Go Roam in Europe destinations. A daily roaming charge applies if youre a Pay Monthly customer who joined or upgraded on or after 1 October 2021.
Make sure you're set up for roaming before you head off:
How to turn on roaming
May 19, 2022, 9:48 am
#170
Join Date: Jan 2005
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I talked to 3 customer service about 3 weeks ago. I have a Pay As You Go plan well before 2021. They told me the surcharge does not apply to me. I was real happy to hear that. If I remember correctly she said it was because I had been a customer for so long. Go to the 3 website and you can talk to a CS agent on chat, and ask them if PAYG is free roaming. I do get text sometimes of welcome to the US. You are in a free roam country. your minutes will come out of your allowance.
May 19, 2022, 11:05 am
#171
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Should I just sign up for Google Fi to use in France or just buy Free Mobile prepaid when I arrive in France? Can I get a Free Mobile sim card at CDG?
May 19, 2022, 3:47 pm
#172
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That's generally what I've done when traveling; go to a local shop, get a local SIM, and trade them out (certainly keep my US SIM card handy).
May 19, 2022, 5:15 pm
#173
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: DEL
Posts: 1,060
Unless you need tons of data you're probably best off with an eSIM from Airalo or one of their competitors. If you do need tons of data, it could be worth signing up with Free and cancelling when you leave.
Last edited by der_saeufer; May 19, 2022 at 5:22 pm
May 19, 2022, 7:46 pm
#174
Join Date: Aug 2008
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It's not just data that puts Free at an advantage. None of the "usual suspects" when it comes to data eSIMs offer any with call or text functionality. Free includes calls and texts in its monthly allowance.
May 19, 2022, 7:53 pm
#175
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Free Mobile doesn't do prepaid, only no-contract postpaid. See posts in the France prepaid thread for more info.
Unless you need tons of data you're probably best off with an eSIM from Airalo or one of their competitors. If you do need tons of data, it could be worth signing up with Free and cancelling when you leave.
Unless you need tons of data you're probably best off with an eSIM from Airalo or one of their competitors. If you do need tons of data, it could be worth signing up with Free and cancelling when you leave.
Any examples of foreigners' accounts canceled for exclusively roaming abroad?
May 19, 2022, 10:27 pm
#176
Join Date: Aug 2008
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If you want a physical SIM, then sign up at a physical location. There'll be a machine that will take your credit card to either charge it once (if you choose a one-month auto-terminating plan) or authorize it for auto-pay (if you want an open-ended month to month plan) and spit out a SIM. If you want an eSIM, sign up online with your credit card. You'll need a French address (hotel/AirBNB) to complete this.
May 20, 2022, 8:44 am
#177
Join Date: Feb 2002
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GiffGaff in the UK is a PrePaid phone carrier that runs on O2, you can get 10GB for 10 which is the perfect amount for me for small layover trips, and ~$1/GB vs $10/GB is much much better. They will mail a SIM to you for free to your US address. So no need to go out of the way.
This is my referral link, we both get a 5 credit, so your initial month is only 5.
https://giffgaff.com/orders/affiliate/natha87529?app=1
https://giffgaff.com/orders/affiliate/natha87529?app=1
Must be a UK postcode
Am I missing something?
Jun 1, 2022, 7:56 pm
#178
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It turns out I *was* missing something. Thanks to a helpful FT member (you know who you are), I figured out that my work computer was blocking something in the website and the country dropdown wasn't showing.
Jun 3, 2022, 9:00 pm
#180
Join Date: Feb 2002
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Or am I totally wrong?