Help my confusion over using overseas!

[mntom]

I am going to Europe next month and would like to use my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note 2 while there, without accumulating Verizon's exorbitant fees. I have read so much confusing and conflicting information. Here are my basic questions: 1. "What do I have to do to use my phone in Europe just for phone calls?" and, 2. "What do I have to do to use my phone in Europe to get data?"

Please refer me to URL's or provide insight. I sure appreciate it!

Thanks!

 

[Deleted User]

I am going to Europe next month and would like to use my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note 2 while there, without accumulating Verizon's exorbitant fees. I have read so much confusing and conflicting information. Here are my basic questions: 1. "What do I have to do to use my phone in Europe just for phone calls?" and, 2. "What do I have to do to use my phone in Europe to get data?"

Please refer me to URL's or provide insight. I sure appreciate it!

Thanks!

Hi,

Unfortunately we Europeans are not as homogeneous a bunch as you guys are (I assume you're from USA). I think we need to know exactly which countries you plan to visit in europe, in order to help.

But anyway, I hope you'll enjoy your visit over here

 

[mntom]

Primarily Spain, France and Italy are the countries I will be visiting.

 

[Deleted User]

Primarily Spain, France and Italy are the countries I will be visiting.

I don't think you'll find a solution that works in all 3 countries. I have heard that you could buy SIM cards with prepaid talk and data to use, which will give you data in the country - but not cheap talk to United States. It does require that your phone is compatible with the technology used. Check out this list of operators in the different countries, and their technologies.

An alternative solution could be Skype and using local wifi connections whenever possible (wifi is very common in europe but from my experience the quality (speed) can be pretty bad)... In Italy this summer, I paid 30 Euro for two weeks of wifi. That'll give you cheap talk and reasonably cheap data.