iPhone traveling from U.S. to Ireland -- what to do about charges?
September 15, 2015 5:55 PM Subscribe
My son's traveling from New York to Ireland on Saturday. He'll be there for about 5 days. He has an iPhone -- don't know the model, but I think it's the most recent one.
I know that data roaming should be turned off when you're out of the US, but he'll want to text his friend when he arrives at the Dublin airport -- they're going to meet there -- and also I want him to text/call me from Ireland a couple of times.
What should he do? I understand how to turn off data roaming, but then how does he make a phone call from Ireland to the US without incurring insane charges? He'll probably have wifi where he's staying (maybe), but if he wants to text while on the move in Dublin, what should he do? What's the "standard" way of dealing with this issue?
Oh, his carrier is Verizon and we're on a family plan, if that matters.
Thank you.
I know that data roaming should be turned off when you're out of the US, but he'll want to text his friend when he arrives at the Dublin airport -- they're going to meet there -- and also I want him to text/call me from Ireland a couple of times.
What should he do? I understand how to turn off data roaming, but then how does he make a phone call from Ireland to the US without incurring insane charges? He'll probably have wifi where he's staying (maybe), but if he wants to text while on the move in Dublin, what should he do? What's the "standard" way of dealing with this issue?
Oh, his carrier is Verizon and we're on a family plan, if that matters.
Thank you.
Verizon has international plans, which you can add on right now, basically, and then cancel when he gets home. It's not exactly cheap, but it's less extortionist than unexpected roaming. He can almost certainly pick up a local sim card to put in his phone when he gets there that he can add money to while he's there, but it will change his phone number for the duration.
He should also download the maps.me app now, before he leaves home, and then download whatever local maps he wants for offline use - I used this app while I was out of the country recently and it worked beautifully.
posted by rtha at 6:01 PM on September 15, 2015
He should also download the maps.me app now, before he leaves home, and then download whatever local maps he wants for offline use - I used this app while I was out of the country recently and it worked beautifully.
posted by rtha at 6:01 PM on September 15, 2015
I went to Ireland in July, bought a Meteor pay as you go SIM for €10 and had 7.5 GB of data to use. That's more than my monthly limit in Canada. You can get unlimited texts for another €10. Better to use a service like WhatsApp though. You can use that in the airport too—free WiFi.
Buy from a Meteor store. There are options in Dublin airport but they are way expensive.
posted by grouse at 6:21 PM on September 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
Buy from a Meteor store. There are options in Dublin airport but they are way expensive.
posted by grouse at 6:21 PM on September 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
Call Verizon and ask, or read the fineprint on your plan. If it's just the occasional text, it's probably cheaper to stay with Verizon, and download an offline map app. I use CityMaps2Go. He can send emails and texts, and make facetime calls using Wifi. If he wants to use the phone as a phone, then unlocking the phone getting a SIM for the is the way most people deal. It's not very expensive, but it can be a hassle (it takes some time, and sometimes it doesn't work). If he can't unlock the phone, then borrowing or buying an unlocked one is the only other option.
posted by kjs4 at 6:37 PM on September 15, 2015
posted by kjs4 at 6:37 PM on September 15, 2015
Oh, and he should have a back up plan that doesn't require him to have a working phone in order to meet his friend. He needs the friend's phone number and address written down in his hand luggage. They need to agree on a place in the airport to meet, as well as what happens if they can't find each other. Relying on having a functioning phone in a new country is just asking for hassles. I have learnt the hard way.
posted by kjs4 at 6:42 PM on September 15, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by kjs4 at 6:42 PM on September 15, 2015 [2 favorites]
If his iphone is new(ish) - is a 4G LTE phone - then it is already unlocked.
posted by rtha at 6:50 PM on September 15, 2015
posted by rtha at 6:50 PM on September 15, 2015
I have an iPhone 6 and am also on a Verizon family plan and went to Europe for a month this summer. Here's what I did: I called Verizon and signed up for the "Global Talk, Text & Data" plan, which is their lowest international plan for $40. It included the following: "$40 for 100 min, 100 sent msgs, 100 MB; $.25/min, $.25/msg, $25/100 MB; Unlimited Incoming msgs and Global Wi-Fi Promotion." That amount of data is a joke and overage fees unbelievable but I basically needed a back-up for emergencies. (Note: I really dislike Verizon mobile services, don't get me started!)
In any case, I ended up putting my phone on Airplane Mode and turning on wifi so I could block myself from accidentally doing something that would use data; free wifi is all over Europe so I used maybe 15 minutes total of talk time during the entire month. I cancelled it as soon as I got home and payed a pro rated amount. This worked for me and it might work for your son; unfortunately, nothing is going to be cheap and I can see the advantage of paying more for his comfort and accessibility.
As for the airport situation, perhaps the wifi will work for him and he can "call" his friend via Facetime for free. Realistically, airport wifi does not always work or has some weird pay scheme; his friend may not have an iPhone or recognize the call, etc. Therefore, I'd try an option like I had written above. Having an unlocked phone and buying SIM cards, etc. are ideal for a longer stay but may be overwhelming for your son when he has such an important call to make upon arrival.
Does he have any Euro coins? He could also use a pay phone, too. If all else fails, I'd have your son write down the friend's number on a piece of paper and keep it in his shoe or somewhere else safe. He could go to information and ask for them to call; as a (young?) foreigner, I'm sure they'd oblige. Likewise, were the reverse to happen: were a young foreigner travel who just got of the plane needing to make a local call for pick-up, I'd be glad to lend that stranger my phone for a quick call. I'm sure people in Ireland would do the same!
posted by smorgasbord at 7:52 PM on September 15, 2015
In any case, I ended up putting my phone on Airplane Mode and turning on wifi so I could block myself from accidentally doing something that would use data; free wifi is all over Europe so I used maybe 15 minutes total of talk time during the entire month. I cancelled it as soon as I got home and payed a pro rated amount. This worked for me and it might work for your son; unfortunately, nothing is going to be cheap and I can see the advantage of paying more for his comfort and accessibility.
As for the airport situation, perhaps the wifi will work for him and he can "call" his friend via Facetime for free. Realistically, airport wifi does not always work or has some weird pay scheme; his friend may not have an iPhone or recognize the call, etc. Therefore, I'd try an option like I had written above. Having an unlocked phone and buying SIM cards, etc. are ideal for a longer stay but may be overwhelming for your son when he has such an important call to make upon arrival.
Does he have any Euro coins? He could also use a pay phone, too. If all else fails, I'd have your son write down the friend's number on a piece of paper and keep it in his shoe or somewhere else safe. He could go to information and ask for them to call; as a (young?) foreigner, I'm sure they'd oblige. Likewise, were the reverse to happen: were a young foreigner travel who just got of the plane needing to make a local call for pick-up, I'd be glad to lend that stranger my phone for a quick call. I'm sure people in Ireland would do the same!
posted by smorgasbord at 7:52 PM on September 15, 2015
Gif he's going with wireless there is free wifi on Dublin buses and all the trains. I believe when I was in Dublin Airport there was free wireless. So he's fixed for right when he arrives.
An emergency roaming plan is a good thing, though, inc case of emergencies. A SIM card swap won't work if your phone is locked.
posted by lesbiassparrow at 9:00 PM on September 15, 2015
An emergency roaming plan is a good thing, though, inc case of emergencies. A SIM card swap won't work if your phone is locked.
posted by lesbiassparrow at 9:00 PM on September 15, 2015
The verizon plans are a hideous deal. Verizon phones are unlocked.
Grouse has the right idea here. Do not give verizon money for this. They charge extravagantly for the convenience of not having to spend a half hour or so figuring out the sim situation after you get off the plane. There's no way in hell i'm ever dealing with that mess again.
posted by emptythought at 1:02 AM on September 16, 2015
Grouse has the right idea here. Do not give verizon money for this. They charge extravagantly for the convenience of not having to spend a half hour or so figuring out the sim situation after you get off the plane. There's no way in hell i'm ever dealing with that mess again.
posted by emptythought at 1:02 AM on September 16, 2015
Verizon will charge $20 a billing period for 100 minutes voice + 100 minutes data. For an extra $20 you can buy 100MB of data, which is enough for maps if you're driving.
When I was in Ireland last month, I found wifi everywhere - in every B&B, even those that didn't take credit cards, and in many pubs. I used the data only when driving, and the 100MB was plenty.
A couple of warnings if he goes this route:
-Verizon will set this up on a per billing cycle basis. So if his entire trip is within one cycle, you're golden. If the billing date falls in the middle of the trip, you'll get hit with double charges. OTOH you might be able to get them to turn it on for a fraction of a month, but then everything will be pro-rated correspondingly.
-The verizon website sucks. But I found the that the on-line chat representative was able to do this all cheerfully & with no problems.
-When you set it up, ask them to schedule it to be cancelled at the end of the billing cycle, so you don't have to remember to do it yourself.
-Definitely turn off cellular roaming by default.
-When he makes a call under this plan, it will be from his US number. So someone replying will be making an international call, even if they're next door. Merchants in particular will be reluctant to call back to a US number.
posted by mr vino at 5:50 AM on September 16, 2015
When I was in Ireland last month, I found wifi everywhere - in every B&B, even those that didn't take credit cards, and in many pubs. I used the data only when driving, and the 100MB was plenty.
A couple of warnings if he goes this route:
-Verizon will set this up on a per billing cycle basis. So if his entire trip is within one cycle, you're golden. If the billing date falls in the middle of the trip, you'll get hit with double charges. OTOH you might be able to get them to turn it on for a fraction of a month, but then everything will be pro-rated correspondingly.
-The verizon website sucks. But I found the that the on-line chat representative was able to do this all cheerfully & with no problems.
-When you set it up, ask them to schedule it to be cancelled at the end of the billing cycle, so you don't have to remember to do it yourself.
-Definitely turn off cellular roaming by default.
-When he makes a call under this plan, it will be from his US number. So someone replying will be making an international call, even if they're next door. Merchants in particular will be reluctant to call back to a US number.
posted by mr vino at 5:50 AM on September 16, 2015
We went to Ireland in August -- we wifi'd it with *no* problem & just turned off data, etc. If you *have* to have him call, throwaway cheapest prepay he can get from one of the many places that have them. We didn't even consider it once we realized how well connected with wifi we were.
posted by susanbeeswax at 1:58 PM on September 16, 2015
posted by susanbeeswax at 1:58 PM on September 16, 2015
Response by poster: Sitting here: the friend he's meeting at the airport is from the US and also has an iPhone with a US number (the friend is going to Dublin on the same day but from a different US city, and they're going to meet up at the airport and take it from there).
Thanks for all these options! much appreciated.
posted by DMelanogaster at 2:39 PM on September 16, 2015
Thanks for all these options! much appreciated.
posted by DMelanogaster at 2:39 PM on September 16, 2015
I took my unlocked iPhone to Ireland and picked up a Three sim at a corner shop for £5. I wasn't able to top up without going to a store, but that was fine. It was unlimited text and data.
posted by terrapin at 3:24 PM on September 16, 2015
posted by terrapin at 3:24 PM on September 16, 2015
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The alternative is to keep your US phone turned off entirely and purchase a prepaid local cell phone + plan. I did this in France for a semester and it was cost-effective; for 5 days, probably not worth the hassle, since he'll still need to get an international phone card to call you and international texting is expensive no matter what.
posted by serelliya at 6:01 PM on September 15, 2015