How Do You Call/Text When Traveling Internationally?

Travel
1

Using your phone internationally is easier now than it ever has been! How do you stay connected back home when traveling abroad?

2

I have a phone that works in Europe and get a Sim card when I go over. It works most of the time. Sometimes I have trouble texting and making calls, but data always works. We use WhatsApp a lot when over there.

Alternatively, my US phone plan (Total Wireless) allows WiFi calling and I can call and text the US using that phone whenever on WiFi. Just can’t call anything in Europe. I carry both phones with me.

3

I don’t know where you’re going. T-Mobile let’s me text anywhere in NA.

4

I didn’t mean about using my US phone in the US. That works fine as it should. I meant when I’m in Europe I can call or text to the US using my US phone via WiFi calling/texting. So, when in Europe, I carry both phones with me as I can call/text the US when connected to WiFi with my US phone and then everything else in Europe I use the Europe phone.

I tried a T-Mobile phone in Europe once. I heard that if you have a T-Mobile phone you can use it anywhere in Europe. So I went and got one on a month to month plan before a trip about 5 years ago. The T-Mobile person assured me everything would work fine, which it didn’t work at all. Turns out you can only use a T-Mobile phone in Europe if you’re NOT on a month to month plan, which the rep did not know. Since 14 days had passed until we got back I could not return the phone even though I bought it with their guarantee that it would work.

5

I have T-Mobile and it has worked everywhere I have traveled, including Latin America, Central America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe and the Middle East. Texting and data is free at a reduced speed. For voice, I just use WiFi Calling when connected to the internet. I’ve never had any problems, although sometimes I have to reboot the phone when I land to get it to connect to the local providers that T-Mobile has partnered with…

6

I use WhatsApp and a prepaid voice over Internet plan called Keepcalling. All I need is a data connection and I can call worldwide. I bought $20 of credit a decade ago and still have more than $19 left. I also have Ooma app.

7

For calls, I would use wifi only on a phone. I woudl load the ZOIPER app or equivalent. They are usually free. BY doing this and not by using a phne data plan, it does not matter what tyep of phone I have and it doesn’t matter if that provider works with a specific foreign telephone service.

For sevice I would use my Voip.Ms account (there are other Voips too). By using this service on wifi, there is no exorbitant cost.

I can make calls to the U.S.and Canada and I can receive calls to my U.S. number while traveling about 1 cent per minute.

To call other people in the countrry I am in would be at the published rate. Calls to many U.K. numbers are less than 1 penny a minute. (Yes it is cheaper to call the UK than the US) :slight_smile: HOWEVER in some countries, the Government owns the phone company and thus may block VOIP calls. Some calls to certain phone exchanges may be more per minute, but you can always set a limit the maximum cost per call or per minute and can always check price per minute online.