Can I turn an old iPhone 5c into a portable travel hotspot?
August 6, 2022 9:17 AM Subscribe
Explain like I'm 5 here. I have an old, unused iPhone 5c laying around. I'm going to be traveling to Europe soon and also driving cross-country in the US in the near future. Is there any way I can get rig up my old iPhone with a prepaid SIM or sign-up for a monthly plan to turn the old iPhone into a portable hotspot that I can use with my newer iPhone?
I don't need a hotspot, my carrier Verizon charges $10 day for international TravelPass. I have a pretty minimal data plan, only 3 GBs per month.
One reason I'm interested in a hotspot is having something that me and my friend can both use to tether our current phones to at the same time (instead of both paying separately for TravelPass). We will also be doing a cross-country road trip in the US soon where we will likely use lots of data for Google Maps on the trip.
Could I signup for some sort of unlimited or much more extensive data plan for 1 month and use my old unlocked iPhone as the connected device?
I obviously do not know much about the options for this so please keep any suggestions or advice at a beginner level!
I don't need a hotspot, my carrier Verizon charges $10 day for international TravelPass. I have a pretty minimal data plan, only 3 GBs per month.
One reason I'm interested in a hotspot is having something that me and my friend can both use to tether our current phones to at the same time (instead of both paying separately for TravelPass). We will also be doing a cross-country road trip in the US soon where we will likely use lots of data for Google Maps on the trip.
Could I signup for some sort of unlimited or much more extensive data plan for 1 month and use my old unlocked iPhone as the connected device?
I obviously do not know much about the options for this so please keep any suggestions or advice at a beginner level!
Get a prepaid sim card when you arrive, the Verizon data plan is indeed a ripoff.
posted by geoff. at 10:38 AM on August 6, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by geoff. at 10:38 AM on August 6, 2022 [1 favorite]
I have done a version of this a few times on a few continents. Yes you totally can turn an old iPhone into a mobile hotspot: it's a pain but works. At the time I had a broken iPhone 6 on Verizon family plan supporting a newish iPhone XS with an Argentine number.
I love MetroPCS and actually now use them all the time as my cell provider. These cheaper companies with prepaid SIM cards in the US aren't perfect but they're super underrated imho. At this point traditional cellular providers like Verizon feel like a racket, although they have slightly better coverage.
Getting SIM cards abroad can be really easy and cheap and/or really expensive and complicated. The airport has major upcharges for this stuff but is always an option, however not ideal. I think there are companies that will send you a physical SIM card for abroad if you have a week or so before departing.
I got an eSim card this summer for France. It didn't work in Germany or in Ireland, which sucks because I got stranded in the latter and could not make calls to rebook my flight. Flight delays are very real these days: I was able to do it in person but it was much more complicated. If you just need data and don't need to make traditional phone calls (apps like WhatsApp and Zoom work), an eSim card could work; however, you'll need one for each country.
I agree that the Verizon TravelPass is a rip off unless you are traveling for just a few days and really need a reliable phone. You can always have the phone on airplane mode for 24 hours to save that $10 but it's a huge pain. There's WIFI everywhere so living without data isn't fun but ultimately do-able if really needed.
posted by smorgasbord at 10:42 AM on August 6, 2022 [1 favorite]
I love MetroPCS and actually now use them all the time as my cell provider. These cheaper companies with prepaid SIM cards in the US aren't perfect but they're super underrated imho. At this point traditional cellular providers like Verizon feel like a racket, although they have slightly better coverage.
Getting SIM cards abroad can be really easy and cheap and/or really expensive and complicated. The airport has major upcharges for this stuff but is always an option, however not ideal. I think there are companies that will send you a physical SIM card for abroad if you have a week or so before departing.
I got an eSim card this summer for France. It didn't work in Germany or in Ireland, which sucks because I got stranded in the latter and could not make calls to rebook my flight. Flight delays are very real these days: I was able to do it in person but it was much more complicated. If you just need data and don't need to make traditional phone calls (apps like WhatsApp and Zoom work), an eSim card could work; however, you'll need one for each country.
I agree that the Verizon TravelPass is a rip off unless you are traveling for just a few days and really need a reliable phone. You can always have the phone on airplane mode for 24 hours to save that $10 but it's a huge pain. There's WIFI everywhere so living without data isn't fun but ultimately do-able if really needed.
posted by smorgasbord at 10:42 AM on August 6, 2022 [1 favorite]
all i have to add is that TravelPass is a huge ripoff and VZW can/will/may keep charging you for it indefinetly even after you return home until you turn it off or have them turn it off. source: used to work for VZW
posted by glonous keming at 11:05 AM on August 6, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by glonous keming at 11:05 AM on August 6, 2022 [1 favorite]
I used an Airalo eSIM in my iPhone 12 Pro this last trip to the UK and it was awesome. I used to pick up a sim at the airport and install it, but with the eSIM I paid for it and installed in at home and it doesn't start working until I switch to it and connect to a network in the country where I am traveling.
posted by terrapin at 11:23 AM on August 6, 2022
posted by terrapin at 11:23 AM on August 6, 2022
If you want to save money, this is a good plan, and worth investigating. The downside is you have to carry (and charge) two devices. You need to verify two things first. 1) the 5c hold enough battery charge to get through what you're planning for your main phone. 2) the 5c is not SIM-locked. If you bought it from Verizon or Apple all those years ago if should not be locked. If you bought it from some of the other carriers you might need to get it unlocked (by calling the carrier). I don't know how to confirm if it is locked.
If you're not willing to pay Verizon's roaming charges, the other option you have is to put a European SIM in your new phone. This will be simpler in almost every way, but the downside of that is you will have a different phone number, and will not be able to send or receive calls or SMS texts to your US number (and, possibly iMessages, depending on how you and your contacts have that set up.
You'll need to say where you're traveling if you're looking for specific SIM/carrier suggestions. Generally though, the prices are so much lower than in the US that it's pretty much impossible to screw up "buying a SIM" in Europe. You go to a supermarket or a vending machine. You buy a SIM, which costs $0 plus the cost of airtime/data credit, e.g. $10. That will be enough for a week or two.
posted by caek at 12:13 PM on August 6, 2022 [1 favorite]
If you're not willing to pay Verizon's roaming charges, the other option you have is to put a European SIM in your new phone. This will be simpler in almost every way, but the downside of that is you will have a different phone number, and will not be able to send or receive calls or SMS texts to your US number (and, possibly iMessages, depending on how you and your contacts have that set up.
You'll need to say where you're traveling if you're looking for specific SIM/carrier suggestions. Generally though, the prices are so much lower than in the US that it's pretty much impossible to screw up "buying a SIM" in Europe. You go to a supermarket or a vending machine. You buy a SIM, which costs $0 plus the cost of airtime/data credit, e.g. $10. That will be enough for a week or two.
posted by caek at 12:13 PM on August 6, 2022 [1 favorite]
One thing I'm not sure is relevant, but which you may want to keep in mind: as far as I know, the iPhone 5C only works on 3G/LTE networks. In the US, at least, a lot of carriers have either taken down their 3G services or are in the process of phasing them out. I don't think you'll be able to use newer network standards for an old phone, so check what coverage would be like wherever (and whenever) you're planning on going!
posted by the tartare yolk at 12:23 PM on August 6, 2022 [4 favorites]
posted by the tartare yolk at 12:23 PM on August 6, 2022 [4 favorites]
…as far as I know, the iPhone 5C only works on 3G/LTE networks…
Yeah, I’d be concerned about that too. I’d get a European SIM with a good data plan for the newer phone, and then you can turn that into a hotspot for your friend as needed.
posted by sriracha at 2:10 PM on August 6, 2022
Yeah, I’d be concerned about that too. I’d get a European SIM with a good data plan for the newer phone, and then you can turn that into a hotspot for your friend as needed.
posted by sriracha at 2:10 PM on August 6, 2022
Google Fi has excellent international roaming and you can turn it on when you start traveling, then turn it off again when you are done. Just don't port your number to it if you want to easily go back to your own carrier when you get home.
posted by Nerd of the North at 7:18 PM on August 6, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by Nerd of the North at 7:18 PM on August 6, 2022 [1 favorite]
smorgasbord: I got an eSim card this summer for France. It didn't work in Germany or in Ireland. ... If you just need data and don't need to make traditional phone calls (apps like WhatsApp and Zoom work), an eSim card could work; however, you'll need one for each country.
Was an EU-wide one not available or not chosen for higher cost? Companies inside the EU have to offer near-zero extra cost to roam inside the EU so it seems weird to me that EU-wide plans weren't available.
posted by k3ninho at 1:12 AM on August 7, 2022
Was an EU-wide one not available or not chosen for higher cost? Companies inside the EU have to offer near-zero extra cost to roam inside the EU so it seems weird to me that EU-wide plans weren't available.
posted by k3ninho at 1:12 AM on August 7, 2022
In response to k3ninho: Yes, I had paid more for EU roaming but it didn't work nor did it work for anyone else I spoke to who had an Airalo eSIM card that promised EU-wide roaming. While I'd get an eSIM card again, I'd go with a different brand and hope it worked better.
posted by smorgasbord at 10:22 PM on August 7, 2022
posted by smorgasbord at 10:22 PM on August 7, 2022
Response by poster: Follow-up - ended up using an old 1st gen iPhone SE with a SIM card I bought from the vending machine at the airport and it worked great! Kept the SE in my bag and used it as a personal hotspot with my other devices. Did need to use my power bank to keep the SE battery going all day, but that was ok for me.
Having the option for a local number on my SE while still being access to my current phone's number and messaging was super convenient.
posted by forkisbetter at 8:54 AM on September 13, 2022
Having the option for a local number on my SE while still being access to my current phone's number and messaging was super convenient.
posted by forkisbetter at 8:54 AM on September 13, 2022
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posted by jon1270 at 9:45 AM on August 6, 2022 [1 favorite]