AT&T International Roaming - am I out of luck with a financed phone?
Jun 8, 2023, 9:10 am
#1
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AT&T International Roaming - am I out of luck with a financed phone?
My family is T-Mobile, but we have a few guests traveling with us to Sweden this summer.
I believe two of guests (one being Miss Swede's boyfriend and the other one of Miss Swede's best friends) have iPhones on AT&T plans that offer phones "free after promotional credit"--a.k.a. locked.
From my Googling, it appears that you cannot unlock them without the phones being paid off (and unlike T-Mobile, you lose any promotional credit remaining).
Is it possible to move the AT&T physical SIM to the eSIM slot, and then put in a local SIM? Or can I use the eSIM to utilize local cheaper rates?
Thanks in advance.
I believe two of guests (one being Miss Swede's boyfriend and the other one of Miss Swede's best friends) have iPhones on AT&T plans that offer phones "free after promotional credit"--a.k.a. locked.
From my Googling, it appears that you cannot unlock them without the phones being paid off (and unlike T-Mobile, you lose any promotional credit remaining).
Is it possible to move the AT&T physical SIM to the eSIM slot, and then put in a local SIM? Or can I use the eSIM to utilize local cheaper rates?
Thanks in advance.
Jun 8, 2023, 10:10 am
#2
Join Date: Feb 2017
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No. On iPhones both sim locations are either locked or unlocked per the carrier. I believe the same is true for Android devices. The easiest workable solution is for them to obtain and use a WiFi hotspot for data and WiFi calling if that is allowed.
Jun 8, 2023, 12:47 pm
#3
Join Date: Sep 2013
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A call to AT&T to ask for an unlock should be placed. I have had similar phones unlocked.
If the answer is no, pick up an unlocked phone with local sim and connect the iPhone using WiFi which I have done prior to multi sim phones to avoid international roaming.
If the answer is no, pick up an unlocked phone with local sim and connect the iPhone using WiFi which I have done prior to multi sim phones to avoid international roaming.
Jun 10, 2023, 10:43 am
#4
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Does their plan not have the $10/day international roaming fee? M
Ive taken my “locked” (financed) ATT phone to Europe 3x in the last 2 years and just use it like at home. $10 added to the bill each day, unlimited calls, data, and texting.
Ive taken my “locked” (financed) ATT phone to Europe 3x in the last 2 years and just use it like at home. $10 added to the bill each day, unlimited calls, data, and texting.
Jun 10, 2023, 11:34 am
#5
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https://www.att.com/international/day-pass/
Jun 14, 2023, 9:10 am
#6
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@draver in another thread mentioned using an unlocked phone with a local sim as a hotspot which would allow a locked AT&T phone to use WiFi for calling and messaging. Prior to dual sim phones, I would use a 2nd phone as a hotspot.
Jun 16, 2023, 7:53 am
#7
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Maybe just have them use WIFI and if you are traveling together just turn on YOUR hotspot with your t-mobile roaming access, or is that somehow restricted by t-mobile. I know it’s not an all the time solution as you won’t always be together but it’s a start. As others have noted, BOTH esims are locked if the phone is still technically under contract with AT&T. They should be able to get the AT&T international roaming packages though, but yeah it’s 10$ a DAY now. But at least ONE of them could get it, and the OTHER one could probably just share via iphone hotspot.
Jun 16, 2023, 8:46 am
#8
Join Date: Feb 2017
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Maybe just have them use WIFI and if you are traveling together just turn on YOUR hotspot with your t-mobile roaming access, or is that somehow restricted by t-mobile. I know it’s not an all the time solution as you won’t always be together but it’s a start. As others have noted, BOTH esims are locked if the phone is still technically under contract with AT&T. They should be able to get the AT&T international roaming packages though, but yeah it’s 10$ a DAY now. But at least ONE of them could get it, and the OTHER one could probably just share via iphone hotspot.
Jun 18, 2023, 9:21 pm
#9
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Consider picking up a cheap unlocked phone from eBay as another alternative to the hotspot. Doesn't have to be a fancy iPhone or Android (and you can still bring the iPhone/Android and just use it for data while connected to WiFi) but maintain the cheap phone for calls.
Also depends on how long they are traveling for -- the Verizon/AT&Troaming package is pricey but is the most straightforward solution and works just fine (my wife uses AT&T and just used this on a trip to Europe -- I have Verizon but did the same on a recent work trip to Europe)
Also depends on how long they are traveling for -- the Verizon/AT&Troaming package is pricey but is the most straightforward solution and works just fine (my wife uses AT&T and just used this on a trip to Europe -- I have Verizon but did the same on a recent work trip to Europe)
Jun 20, 2023, 10:52 am
#10
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I should've prefaced my OP by saying these are 18-year-old recent high school graduates--two of them have never traveled outside of North America. So far, Miss Swede's boyfriend has managed without a need for a data plan. Free wi-fi has been plentiful in Sweden and Italy when necessary. My only bit of concern was that they were going to two Metallica shows and the concern of them accidentally getting separated in the crowd. That never happened.
We're also on a super old T-Mobile plan, so we only get 256k data speeds, which is why I bought local SIM cards (15GB for $18).
I'm wanting to leave T-Mobile, but obviously AT&T isn't better. I'd go to GoogleFi in a heartbeat but Miss Swede has an iPhone.
We're also on a super old T-Mobile plan, so we only get 256k data speeds, which is why I bought local SIM cards (15GB for $18).
I'm wanting to leave T-Mobile, but obviously AT&T isn't better. I'd go to GoogleFi in a heartbeat but Miss Swede has an iPhone.
Jun 20, 2023, 4:00 pm
#12
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Jun 21, 2023, 7:48 am
#13
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Jun 21, 2023, 7:54 am
#14
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Lots of articles discussing GoogleFi on iPhones. Is there a problem not mentioned in the articles? My issue with GoogleFi is the T Mobile network in the US not covering areas I frequent.
Jun 21, 2023, 10:41 am
#15
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Well shoot. All the articles I read in April said that iPhones were limited to LTE data speeds. Seems like that was actually fixed in March.