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Roaming on U.S. carriers
Verizon: $25 per each 100MB when Gobal Data feature is activated. Exorbitant calling rates.
AT&T:
T-Mobile: Simple Choice plans (postpaid-only which requires credit pull, but you can cancel anytime) include unlimited data roaming at 2G speeds in 120+ countries. Calls between any of these countries are $.20 /min.
Sprint: - For some reason its a bit complicated - https://www.sprint.com/landings/openworld/index.html - http://www.sprint.com/landings/international-value-roaming/ - http://support.sprint.com/global/pdf/support/BizMultiCountryDataPack.pdf
intlroam.sprint.com
 


International SIM cards

Google Fi
All plans include coverage in the US, Canada, and Mexico. Unlimited Plus and Flexible also come with data in 200+ international destinations, and 5G in select countries for supported Pixel and Samsung phones. Try Fi for free: Test our coverage to see how we keep you connected. Our 7⁠-⁠day trial works right on your phone alongside your current service.

Toggle Mobile:
Covers the U.S., many European countries (though not Italy or Belgium), and Australia. Rates from these countries are £.03 to all USA and UK phones both mobile and landline, £.03 to landlines and £.09 to mobiles in many other countries, £.06 to Israel landlines and £.15 to Israel mobiles. SMS to most (looks like all) countries is £.07. Data bundles start at £5 for 500 MB in the UK and £20 for 1GB in the other Toggle countries. Incoming calls are free in 20+ countries.

SIMs can be ordered online and shipped free to many countries. You automatically receive a free permanent U.K. number. Before each trip you must register online for a local incoming number in the countries you are travelling to, which activates the roaming plan and lasts 30 days at no cost. You can pay £5 a year to keep numbers permanently.

Golan Telecom:
The 99₪ unlimited talk/text/internet/international calling plan, which also gives you up to 2 virtual foreign numbers, also includes for many countries (not all have launched yet) unlimited global data roaming (6GB high-speed), incoming calls & texts, and calls & texts to Israel.

Alternatively, Golan also offers a ₪29 per day data-only roaming plan which gives 100MB a day in these countries (all have been launched). These roaming options can be very useful for foreigners regardless of whether they need Golan for Israel.


VOIP calling apps

Vonage Mobile: Free calls to US/CA, very cheap int'l rates (see link). Uses your real number for outgoing caller ID, and also for incoming calls if you are a tmobile/AT&T customer and activate ReachMe roaming in the app.

Google Hangouts: Uses your Google Voice number over VOIP. Free calls to US/CA, very cheap int'l rates (see link).


Local SIM cards

Israel: See wiki on this thread.

Global MiFi
FreedomPop $10/500mb
https://www.freedompop.com/worldwide


eSims

See PlatinumGuys post for more info.

Perhaps this is common knowledge, but I was just mindblown. In 60 seconds online, I was able to buy a data package in a different country from Airalo and install it on my iPhone - keeping calls on the primary Verizon SIM and data on the Airalo eSim.

FWIW, they offer 15GB in Israel for $15 - and you can buy more easily online if it runs out, but I don't know which network Annatel resells

Airalo promo code FOUNDERS30 for 30% off up to $7 (I don't benefit in any way)

Another vendor is https://esim.knowroaming.com, I guess you have to compare destination to destination.
https://esimdb.com is a great database for vendors in different locations.

« Last edited by Suave on September 19, 2023, 07:25:51 AM »

Author Topic: International Sim Discussion  (Read 161758 times)

Offline MC

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Re: International Sim Discussion
« Reply #320 on: April 01, 2014, 02:05:26 PM »

Traveling to UK for 3 weeks.
Whats my best bet for phone and for data?
Giffgaff

Online menashe04

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Re: International Sim Discussion
« Reply #321 on: April 01, 2014, 02:28:27 PM »
Giffgaff
Isn't 3 or toggle better?

Offline Emkay

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Re: International Sim Discussion
« Reply #322 on: April 28, 2014, 12:20:23 PM »
does anyone have suggestions for data service in europe for two weeks in the summer?
i will be traveling so i cant return it to a store that i rent from.
i would like not to have to take out a mortgage to pay for it.

Offline @Yehuda

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Re: International Sim Discussion
« Reply #323 on: April 28, 2014, 03:30:26 PM »
does anyone have suggestions for data service in europe for two weeks in the summer?
i will be traveling so i cant return it to a store that i rent from.
i would like not to have to take out a mortgage to pay for it.
+1 Was going to post about this soon, too. If anyone has any ideas, please share!

Offline JFEADV

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Re: International Sim Discussion
« Reply #324 on: April 28, 2014, 03:41:23 PM »
tmobile

Offline Emkay

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Re: International Sim Discussion
« Reply #325 on: April 28, 2014, 04:05:17 PM »

Offline @Yehuda

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Re: International Sim Discussion
« Reply #326 on: April 28, 2014, 07:30:17 PM »
I have Sprint, so I called to find out how I could use my phone in Europe. We went through a bunch of countries (Israel, Spain, Italy and UK) and found the same rates. There's a cost of $4.99 to access international calling (and Sprint would obviously unlock my phone). After that initial cost, calls would be $0.99/min outbound and inbound.  Texts are $0.50 to send and $0.05 to receive. Obviously, you try to use wifi as much as possible to send iMessages/WhatsApp instead of texting. When someone in America wants to contact you, they can call your regular number. When you want to call America, you need to dial the country code first.
This is the number for the international department that can set it up 1888 226 7212 option 2. They can also give info on data plans. The rep I spoke to at regular Sprint, couldn't.

Seems a bit expensive. Going to research more.

Offline sky121

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Re: International Sim Discussion
« Reply #327 on: April 28, 2014, 07:34:49 PM »
Def NOT the way to go. Have Sprint unlock your phone and use local Sims for the most part. Or even something like Toggle Mobile would probably be cheaper.
"Not all who wander are lost"

Offline Emkay

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Re: International Sim Discussion
« Reply #328 on: April 28, 2014, 07:55:17 PM »
Def NOT the way to go. Have Sprint unlock your phone and use local Sims for the most part. Or even something like Toggle Mobile would probably be cheaper.
im obviously gonna be Looking for local sims but do you have recommendations of cheaper ones.

Offline @Yehuda

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Re: International Sim Discussion
« Reply #329 on: April 28, 2014, 07:56:50 PM »
Just wanted to find out, as that would be the simplest option.

Are there ways to buy all the sims before you go or only once you get to the places?

Offline Emkay

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Re: International Sim Discussion
« Reply #330 on: April 28, 2014, 07:57:55 PM »
Just wanted to find out, as that would be the simplest option.

Are there ways to buy all the sims before you go or only once you get to the places?
check out globalgig.com
Thats what I came up with so far

Offline @Yehuda

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Re: International Sim Discussion
« Reply #331 on: April 28, 2014, 08:30:02 PM »
Just called Tmobile to find out what it would cost to basically leave Sprint and switch to them.
Unlimited calls and texts are $50/mo. and 3GB/mo is an extra $10/mo. International would be another $10/mo. so for the time in Europe, it'll be $70/mo. Your 3GB work in Europe w/o any extra cost. Calls internationally are an extra $0.20/min and texts are $0.30 incoming and receiving.

Will look into globalbig.

Offline smart brit

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Re: International Sim Discussion
« Reply #332 on: April 28, 2014, 11:01:58 PM »
Aren't text free?

Offline ilherman

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Re: International Sim Discussion
« Reply #333 on: April 28, 2014, 11:06:59 PM »
Just called T-mobile to find out what it would cost to basically leave Sprint and switch to them.
Unlimited calls and texts are $50/mo. and 3GB/mo is an extra $10/mo. International would be another $10/mo. so for the time in Europe, it'll be $70/mo. Your 3GB work in Europe w/o any extra cost. Calls internationally are an extra $0.20/min and texts are $0.30 incoming and receiving.

Will look into globalbig.
T-mobile reps are the most clueless reps I've ever seen.
 
I just used them for my international trip, I took the prepaid plan for $50 a month unlimited in the USA, international is $0.20/min for talk, text and 2G data are free. I canceled when I got home  :)
« Last Edit: April 28, 2014, 11:45:52 PM by ilherman »
You can say what you think when you think what you say.

Offline PlatinumGuy

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Re: International Sim Discussion
« Reply #334 on: April 28, 2014, 11:41:01 PM »
Aren't text free?
Yes

It's 180 countries though, not the whole wide world
״וזה כלל גדול: שישנא אדם כל דבר שקר. וכל מה שיוסיף שנאה לדרכי השקר – יוסיף אהבה לתורה.״ - אורחות צדיקים

Offline @Yehuda

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Re: International Sim Discussion
« Reply #335 on: April 28, 2014, 11:51:11 PM »
T-mobile reps are the most clueless reps I've ever seen.
 
I just used them for my international trip, I took the prepaid plan for $50 a month unlimited in the USA, international is $0.20/min for talk, text and 2G data are free. I canceled when I got home  :)
Wow. lol
So all texting was free - Texting to America, texting to other international numbers?
How did you find the 2G, anything at all like 3/4G? Was it unlimited?

I also heard from a friend who did a Eurotrip, that there's a Google voice or Viber thing (still have to research what it was) that allowed him to make free international calls on wifi from his phone.

Offline ilherman

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Re: International Sim Discussion
« Reply #336 on: April 29, 2014, 12:04:57 AM »
Wow. lol
So all texting was free - Texting to America, texting to other international numbers?
How did you find the 2G, anything at all like 3/4G? Was it unlimited?

I also heard from a friend who did a Eurotrip, that there's a Google voice or Viber thing (still have to research what it was) that allowed him to make free international calls on wifi from his phone.
When you have wifi there are some talk apps around.

The 2G is veeeeery slow, perfect for email, whats app etc... I even posted on DDF  ;D I would say it took about 4-5 second to load a page.
You can say what you think when you think what you say.

Offline smart brit

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Re: International Sim Discussion
« Reply #337 on: April 29, 2014, 12:43:18 AM »
Yes

It's 180 countries though, not the whole wide world
I remember when I was in Gibraltar text and data costed me a fortune but in the UK it was free

Offline @Yehuda

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Re: International Sim Discussion
« Reply #338 on: April 29, 2014, 08:17:09 AM »
Yes

It's 180 countries though, not the whole wide world
I remember when I was in Gibraltar text and data costed me a fortune but in the UK it was free
Good to know, just looked through the list - http://www.t-mobile.com/cell-phone-plans/simple-choice-international-plan-countries.html?cm_sp=THE%20SOURCE_TMO-_-Upgrades%20%26%20Plans-_-see_included_countries_txt

Everywhere I'm going is included except GIB - even Israel!

Anyone know how many gb you get for the $50?

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Re: International Sim Discussion
« Reply #339 on: April 29, 2014, 08:18:14 AM »
Just put in a Golan Sim into my s5 (I didn't call Verizon first) and my phone read the Sim and started working. I needed to set up an APN for internet. Otherwise simple.
If you have any questions please search and then ask. PM me for detailed help.