• After 15+ years, we've made a big change: Android Forums is now Early Bird Club. Learn more here.

Traveling with my sprint phone. Roaming? International?

twospirits

twospirits

AF's janitor
VIP Member
I'm traveling over to France in May and I know that I can't use my Sprint Hero in Europe since its CDMA. Besides the Sprint Hero I also have the U310 3G/4G laptop modem which I assume will also be useless over in Europe. :(

but I am curious for those that have Sprint phones, what do you do when you travel overseas. Do you get another phone, live without one, etc etc
I assume the current is different also, would I be able to even use my laptop?

TS out
 
My husband will be traveling to Germany for work and we plan on getting an AT&T pre-paid phone. Still have to check and make sure it will work and everything. If you travel overseas a lot I would get a Blackberry Tour.
 
If you really really *REALLY* need a phone, you can rent a GSM phone from Sprint. And yeah, your 4G connection card will not work there, either.

Another option is to get a cheapy GSM phone, unlock it, then get a local prepaid SIM card when you get to France, and use an international calling card for cheap(er) phone calls. Of course, this is all in theory, I've never actually left the US, so I've never had to do this. I'm sure a seasoned world traveler will be by later with better / more info. :)
 
For a moment you got me excited about that comment of renting one from Sprint, but I know they don't. They do have phones to sell that are international, but I am not about to spend that much for a new phone that I will only use for a week. I did find that there is a company (actually quite a few) that rent overseas phones and I just might go that route. Its GSM (yuck) but unlocked and with a France SIM card.
Still have to figure out about the laptop and the use of it over there.

Thanks

TS
 
The rentable (lol, is that even a word) phones from Sprint would be GSM, too, since that is the network over there. Otherwise you would be able to use your CDMA network phone. It;'s like trying to usediesel in an unleaded engine: yeah, both power cars, but they are not compatible with each other.
 
My approach is to keep around my old GSM phones from when I was on AT&T. Then I can buy a local prepaid SIM card and slip it in when I go to Europe. You don't need a fancy phone--anything you still have a charger for (that will accept 220V/50Hz) will suffice. Unless you are a very frequent traveler, staying with a particular carrier just to have a "world phone" is overrated IMHO.

In practice, during recent trips to Italy and France I didn't even bother getting a SIM and just lived phone-free for a while like in the old days.
 
I recognize that my Samsung Moment won't make calls in the UK (where I'm going soon), but will other functions work in "Airplane Mode" (e.g., access to Contacts or Calendar)?
 
I travel twice a year to Europe and use wifi for gtalk and email on my Pre. When I get the EVO, I will use the front facing camera for calls home to family. Hope that helps.
 
Whenever I travel oversees I bring my Blackberry tour with me. It works on both CMDA and GSM networks. So you can pick up a local simcard, they usually sell prepaid ones in the airport, put it in the phone, and wallah!
 
I would ask a sales rep about the $40 unlimited roaming data plan. It works on CDMA in more places than you think. Only bummer thing is....they won't activate it for an EVO........

Anyways, I'm gonna kick and scream the next time I fly to Japan to get that plan!!! There's gonna be a lot of kicking and screaming. hehe. I mean most of the coolest apps are for traveling!!!

Anyways check on that $40 plan. I just asked them about it and its there and can be used by eligible phones in do-able areas! lol
 
Hey guys I have an HTC Evo on Sprint and so does my brother. We are on the Family Plan that is Everything Data Share 1500 minutes for $129.99. We do a lot of traveling both domestic and international and I do not know how it works with Sprint and this phone.

1. I have heard my plan has unlimited data roaming. Is that true?
2. If I go domestic and am roaming are there any additional charges for texting, picture sending, emails, calls?
3. If I go international how does it work? Can I text, send pictures, emails, calls?

Any info would be great. Thanks.
 
jynx said:
Hey guys I have an HTC Evo on Sprint and so does my brother. We are on the Family Plan that is Everything Data Share 1500 minutes for $129.99. We do a lot of traveling both domestic and international and I do not know how it works with Sprint and this phone.

1. I have heard my plan has unlimited data roaming. Is that true?
2. If I go domestic and am roaming are there any additional charges for texting, picture sending, emails, calls?
3. If I go international how does it work? Can I text, send pictures, emails, calls?

Any info would be great. Thanks.
Click to expand...

You do not have to worry much about roaming in the US on Sprint. So long as that the majority of your useage is non-roaming you will be fine (domesticly). Sending pictures, texts, internet useage, and voice calls are included in roaming in the US.

Internationally, I dont know much about, but I do know that Sprint (and any other CDMA network; such as vzw) does not have much coverage internationally. Also, international roaming is not covered with Sprint, only domestic roaming. Although, if you're in WiFi range you can use your phone through that connection anywhere.
 
Going international is always a problem with a CDMA carrier. Most of the world is GSM, and anyway international roaming is usually not covered by a regular plan. Best bet is to get a pre-paid GSM phone in the country to which you're traveling or get a cheap GSM phone to take along and buy a pre-paid SIM card in the airport when you arrive. You can forward your incoming calls from your regular phone to this new temporary GSM phone and receive your calls like normal. Plus you'll have a local number for making calls.

As for data and stuff like email, that gets a bit more complicated. Like BenChase7 said, WiFi is your best option. International data rates are insanely expensive. Normally I take a laptop and leave it in my hotel room. Email will have to wait until I'm back. I had a Sprint BlackBerry Bold and it was ideal for roaming data. It's one of those international phones with a GSM slot for a SIM card, and Sprint even provided a SIM card for such roaming. Then Sprint cancelled all international data roaming plans, rendering my international BlackBerry little more than a regular voice phone for traveling.
 
Thanks for the replies. My main concern is making sure I'm not charged while there by just having my phone with me. It is not necessary for me to actually make calls. Should I shut off the mobile network? Airplane mode?
 
jynx said:
Thanks for the replies. My main concern is making sure I'm not charged while there by just having my phone with me. It is not necessary for me to actually make calls. Should I shut off the mobile network? Airplane mode?
Click to expand...

Definately, yes. That would be your safest bet. I would turn all the radios off, except for your WiFi (since you can use that without getting charges).
 
Sprint's coverage is pretty big.. so most the major cities are covered. you should not be roaming as you travel domesticly. But there are holes in coverage. Which you will mostly llikely jump over to Verizon or some small carrier in the area.

domestic ...
roaming is free for calls and texting.
data is limited to 250mb of data a month.. then there will be additional charges..

International..
CDMA is not as popular as GSM. So finding service.. you better call ahead. you can call sprint and see if they have packages for the countries in question. Data.. use Wifi is better solution.

Getting a GSM prepaid might be a better idea.. a cheap flip phone. use EVO in the wifi hotspots.
 
As it is right now, Sprint has set up two international 4G roaming contracts with Jamaica and Taiwan see here. But that won't go into effect (pricing rates) until a few months from now.

Elsewhere, we are out of luck. Sprint does have sim card enabled phones such as the HTC Touch Pro (and I think another one) that allow for World use, but none Android based. (One of my only gripes with Sprint). :mad:

When I took the EVO to Paris, I had it as Wifi mode only. I could have used another GSM phone but once you go EVO you can't go to anything smaller. lol

Hopefully Sprint, HTC will get it together and realize that a Android Based World phone is needed.

TS out
 
I actually am glad to see this thread.. I am leaving for Panama in a week, and was wondering the best way to have a phone with me. If anyone has any suggestions, I'm all ears....;)
 
dan330 said:
domestic ...
roaming is free for calls and texting.
data is limited to 250mb of data a month.. then there will be additional charges..
Click to expand...

I have heard from other users that it is unlimited data when roaming. I can not find where it says anything about data roaming in my contract though.

Also when I am roaming that little triangle comes on above the signal strength bars right? As long as that is not on i am not roaming even if in another state? And when it comes on I am roaming. Is that correct? Thanks.
 
jynx said:
I have heard from other users that it is unlimited data when roaming. I can not find where it says anything about data roaming in my contract though.

Also when I am roaming that little triangle comes on above the signal strength bars right? As long as that is not on i am not roaming even if in another state? And when it comes on I am roaming. Is that correct? Thanks.
Click to expand...


You are correct...if no triangle ...you can do all you want...domestically
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom