Do I Have To Register Orange Sim
This NanoSIM card might be modest, but its savings are huge. Photo: EuroCheapo
On a recent trip, I spent two weeks visiting Paris and traveling effectually Bordeaux and the Loire Valley. To stay connected with my American iPhone this fourth dimension around, I decided to try out a new strategy and buy a SIM card in Europe.
Rather than purchasing what was and so a $70 "Passport" package from AT&T earlier leaving (the company has since switched its international plan to a $10/24-hour interval International Day Laissez passer, every bit nosotros discussed in this serial of posts), I instead bought a SIM card package in Paris from a French phone carrier for €39. In one case I popped information technology into my phone, I just used my smartphone equally I normally would, although I at present was dialing with a French phone number.
The experience was really much simpler than I had imagined. In the finish, information technology provided me with a much more cost-effective way of using my iPhone while traveling outside the States. The biggest difference? I used my phone freely for calls, emailing and even browsing the web, and never even got close to exhausting my plan. All that fretting over data employ — gone.
I'll explicate how I did it, and the diverse options I had below. But beginning, let'southward rapidly review the choices you lot face when traveling abroad with your phone.
This commodity was updated in November 2021 with new data and prices.
EuroCheapo is supported by our readers. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate committee. Cheers!
Traveling abroad? Your smartphone options
As we've discussed in this series of posts, travelers from North America have several options for using their smartphones when visiting Europe.
Purchasing an international bundle from your carrier
Yous could sign upwardly for an international phone/texting/data bundle from your carrier (for example, AT&T'south International Twenty-four hours Pass packet). Yous will pay for these packages as an "add-on" to your normal pecker. They will ordinarily grant you some combination of information transfer (for emailing, using the spider web and apps) and text messages. They will also usually lower your per-minute charge for using your phone, although it'll still probably cost you about $1 per minute. Some plans will offering free calls to certain countries, including the U.S. (Read almost AT&T'due south and Verizon's plans.)
Winging it without a package
Many American tourists just fly it, and programme to simply limit their phone use or "effort to keep it turned off". While this is an pick, be brash that without a package, charges for texts and phone calls are more expensive. Data transfer charges are usually astronomically high. If y'all plan to use data (rather than Wi-Fi) to cheque your electronic mail or utilize the spider web during your trip, this isn't a good idea. (1 notable exception is T-Mobile, which offers its "Magenta" customers costless international data and calls for only $0.25 per infinitesimal.)
Some travelers who "wing it" place their telephone into "plane way" for virtually of the trip, restricting email and web browsing to times when they're continued to a Wi-Fi network. Others simply keep their cellular data and roaming off, and use their phones for texting and calling. Still, expensive dangers lurk (especially if you haven't set upwards your telephone correctly).
Purchasing a SIM Bill of fare away
You can also buy a SIM Card from a local phone carrier in Europe. As we'll hash out below, yous tin can either employ it in your regular U.S. smartphone (if your phone permits it), utilize information technology in an old phone that is SIM-card compatible, or buy a cheap phone (either back home earlier you leave or once in Europe) for the new SIM Card.
Options, options… Looking over the SIM cards available for buy at a "Relay" newsstand at Charles de Gaulle aerodrome. Photograph: EuroCheapo
The benefits of buying a SIM card in Europe
Why would you become through the hassle of all this? Because buying and using a SIM card in Europe will almost certainly be far cheaper than using your home carrier while traveling abroad. When using a SIM menu from a European carrier, you're ownership a new phone number. This means you gain access to the same low-cost dialing options available to locals.
There are many, many European phone carriers, and each offers different SIM cards, packages and options. Broadly speaking, to make this work for you, yous'll need to purchase 2 things:
1. a SIM card (which gives your phone the actual phone number), and
2. credits to make phone calls and use data.
During a trip to French republic, I purchased a $49 SIM package from Orange, one of France's largest carriers. This package, aimed at international travelers, offers:
• a SIM card with a French phone number
• Unlimited calls throughout Europe
• 120 minutes of phone calls globally (placed or received)
• Unlimited text messages throughout Europe
• 1,000 text letters globally (sent or received)
• xx GB of mobile data throughout Europe
Sounds corking, right? I didn't even come up close to using all of my minutes, let alone my text messages or 20 GB of data! (I could dial #123# to track my usage.) If, however, I had exhausted my program, I could have recharged information technology by buying Orange credits at whatever newsstand.
Notation: This is by no means the best deal out there, nor are nosotros promoting this particular offering. This was the most convenient for me, as I was a bit hesitant most setting up my telephone for the showtime time. Orange operates stores throughout France and is staffed with friendly folks who volition ready your phone up for you.
If yous are going to France, check out this article on the best SIM cards in France. Yous can also read near the meridian SIM Cards in Kingdom of spain and Germany.
You'll see enough of SIM-related packages at newsstands in France and throughout Europe, like SFR's "Phone call Cheap" package for visitors. Photo: EuroCheapo
How does it piece of work?
A SIM ("subscriber identification module") card is a small fleck that you place inside your phone that controls your actual phone number and can besides shop your contacts. These are sold by cellular carriers and are used in all phones that operate using GSM engineering science (and some newer CDMA phones, too).
Europe's mobile phone carriers use GSM technology. In the U.S., AT&T and T-Mobile apply GSM, while Verizon and Sprint use another engineering science, CDMA. If your telephone uses CDMA, y'all should verify with your carrier whether or not your phone operates using a SIM carte du jour. (Many of the newer smartphones do.)
(Notation: All iPhones utilize SIM cards, except for a CDMA version of the iPhone 4 produced for Verizon and Dart customers.)
For an iPhone with GSM technology, yous can unlock the phone (see beneath), popular open up the SIM bill of fare slot (on the right side of the phone), remove the card, and pop in a new SIM carte you purchase abroad.
When the phone reboots with the new SIM card, you're in concern and operating with a brand new phone number.
What about locked phones?
Before y'all go also excited about using your phone abroad, you lot need to make certain that it will piece of work with European SIM cards! Unsurprisingly, U.S. cellphone carriers are not exactly eager for you to offset shopping around for cheaper calling options. To make the SIM swap more difficult, many carriers "lock" their phones. This prevents the client from using a SIM card from another carrier. If your phone is locked and you load up another carrier'southward SIM card, it but won't piece of work.
To go around this, you'll need to "unlock" your phone. Many American phones are eligible for being unlocked equally before long as they go out of contract, or in one case any service or payment installments are paid off.
AT&T customers
If you lot qualify (or to check to see if y'all authorize), submit a asking to AT&T to unlock your telephone or tablet. They will then send you instructions on how to unlock your phone.
T-Mobile customers
Read the weather condition for unlocking your telephone hither. Note that T-Mobile requires you lot to download a special app to unlock your phone. (As noted to a higher place, T-Mobile customers with "Magenta" plans already get gratuitous texting and information throughout Europe and calls at $.25 per minute. Y'all might not want to get through any of this — lucky you!)
Verizon customers
Many Verizon phones are non locked after sixty days of purchase. Read more than here.
In my example, my iPhone was out of contract. I filled out AT&T'south form, received detailed instructions on how to unlock information technology, backed up my phone on iTunes, and then reinstalled my data from a fill-in.
If it sounds complicated, it wasn't. Inside most an hour, I had backed upwards, jumped through some hoops, restored my backed up data to my telephone, rebooted… and voila, it was unlocked and gear up to become.
What happens if you can't unlock your phone?
If you tin can't unlock your phone, don't despair. Yous can just use another telephone. Some people prefer to use a second phone anyhow, leaving their regular phone on standby throughout their trip in case information technology receives important calls or text messages. (Remember, if you lot swap a SIM carte into your normal phone, y'all'll be changing your phone number.)
Hither are some other phone options you could use.
Use an quondam telephone
Nigh people have an erstwhile mobile telephone sitting around at home in the back of a drawer somewhere. While it might not be a cutting-border smartphone, information technology could still do the job for your trip. Check out your collection of old phones to see if whatsoever of them operate with SIM cards.
Purchase a inexpensive phone in Europe
Really inexpensive phones are like shooting fish in a barrel to come by in Europe. Some SIM card packages aimed at tourists fifty-fifty come with a phone to utilize! In France, for instance, the carrier SFR offers a package with a SIM card and cheapo telephone. While some of these phones won't be the most current models on the market, they can exist used to brand calls, send text messages, and even check in on your favorite apps.
Buy a inexpensive phone before leaving for Europe
You tin can as well selection up a cheap SIM carte-compatible smartphone for as little every bit $20 at major retailers, like Walmart and Target, in the U.Southward. When shopping for a cheap "no contract" phone, just make sure it takes a SIM card.
How do you install the SIM card?
And then you lot take an unlocked phone and have purchased a SIM card in Europe. At present you just need to install information technology in your phone.
While the installation process is different for every device, the process should be as simple as powering off your phone, locating the SIM compartment, popping it open up, removing the current menu, and placing your new SIM bill of fare inside. When yous power on your device, you lot usually will need to dial an activation number (provided with the bill of fare), and you should be adept to go.
On iPhones four through 11, the slot is located forth the right-hand side of the device. On newer models (iPhone 12 and thirteen), the slot is on the left side. Regardless of the location, the slot can be opened past inserting a small point (such as the head of a pin or paperclip) into the hole. (Read more almost loading a SIM carte du jour on Apple.com.)
Important note: It's very important that you lot put your old SIM menu in a safe spot! Don't lose this card — it'southward your home telephone number!
A sign for the "Orange Holiday" package geared to international tourists in France. Photo: EuroCheapo
Buying SIM cards in Europe
Although rules and regulations nearly the buying and selling of SIM cards vary depending on the country, in most European countries, you tin can hands buy a SIM card in just minutes from cell telephone stores, newsstands, tobacco shops… even vending machines in some relaxed countries! Other countries may require that you register with a passport or other grade of identification.
Most commonly, y'all can buy SIM cards at:
• Newsstands and unaffiliated cellphone store: In France, for example, most newsstands at train stations and airports sell a variety of SIM-card products, including the cards, credits, and packages. These shops volition sell y'all SIM cards offered by Orange, SFR, Bouygues Telecom, low-cost Lycamobile, and other carriers.
• Carrier-specific stores: Don't be afraid to drib into mobile carriers' stores. Be aware, however, that they'll obviously exist limited to selling simply their particular SIM cards and credits. They won't be able to offering the objective communication you're likely to find from a newsstand or unaffiliated phone shop. (On the other hand, they're more likely to spend fourth dimension with yous talking through the options and helping you lot set up your phone.)
• Buy before you leave. Many international companies will sell you European SIM cards earlier you lot leave home for your trip. These can be convenient, saving y'all the hassle of hunting downwards a SIM card in one case there. But they rarely nowadays the same savings you'd find simply by ownership directly in Europe. (And, as noted above, you tin can as well social club the Orangish SIM Carte earlier your trip.)
Cheque out the options available in unaffiliated mobile shops, like this one in Paris. Photo: EuroCheapo
Considerations when shopping for SIM cards
With then many carriers then many choices, yous'll demand to do a chip of comparison shopping to figure out which carrier will piece of work best for you. I would propose heading for the nearest newsstand or unaffiliated cellphone store one time you've arrived, bank check out the SIM card options, and strike upwardly a conversation with the cashier.
In that location are several things to proceed in listen when deciding on a SIM card.
Package or pay-as-y'all-become
Are you ownership a SIM menu that needs credits or a SIM package that's already loaded with a set number of minutes, texts and information?
How much do calls cost
When y'all buy credits, how much do calls, texts and data toll? (These credits usually come in increments of €5 / €10 / €15 / €25, and oftentimes include small bonus credits that increase the more you purchase.)
Connection charge
Are you going to be assessed an initial "connection charge" each time you make a call? (Lycamobile, for example, offers very low per-minute charges, but also charges to make the connection.)
Other countries
Will your SIM work in other countries, or will you demand to buy some other card if you cross borders? With policy changes in June 2017, SIM cards can exist used throughout the European union without extra roaming charges. In the past, you might have had to buy a new carte du jour for each country, depending on your plan. Yous tin run into the details of the new EU rules here.
Wi-Fi hotspots
Does your SIM card grant you access to Wi-Fi hotspots? Many packages from larger carriers will offering this, which could come in handy.
Finally, don't forget…
If y'all've fabricated it this far in the article, y'all're apparently serious about using a SIM card abroad. Nevertheless, there is simply i more major, if obvious, point worth because.
When you place a SIM carte in your phone, your phone number will change.
At the risk of repeating myself: The SIM card that you buy dictates your phone number. When I slipped the French SIM card into my telephone, I at present had a French telephone number. (Y'all can now run across why some people prefer to bring forth an onetime telephone or purchase a cheapo "travel telephone" expressly for SIM carte utilise.)
This likewise means that if you swap a new SIM carte into your phone, your normal U.South. number will not work. When people try to call your U.South. number, it will go straight to voicemail. You've basically just taken your number "offline." You could prep for this by changing your voicemail message in accelerate to state that you'll be traveling, and include your new number. (This can be tricky, equally you usually won't know the new number until y'all buy your new SIM carte du jour.)
And the same goes for text letters. Every bit your phone number will take changed, your texts will be coming from a number that your friends will non, at first, recognize. This tin exist a touch awkward at first, simply they'll take hold of on. Some people get around this by sending text messages through an app like Whatsapp or Facebook Messenger. Merely these will only piece of work when using data or connected to a Wi-Fi network.
Your SIM card questions and stories
Do you have an experience buying and using a SIM card in Europe? Share with united states of america beneath! Take questions about how information technology all works? Ask abroad — we'll endeavor to aid!
Source: https://www.eurocheapo.com/blog/buying-a-sim-card-in-europe.html
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