Heads up re: new Verizon phones

[VAtoNC]

Beginning July 1, if you purchased your phone with Verizon it's locked for 60 days from your purchase. That means I can't take my brand spanking new iPhone with the fancy camera on the Camino! I'm bummed and will have to buy a new, cheaper phone in Europe.

 

[Bala]

@Evvie , That sounds pretty extreme! But are you saying you can't use your phone in airplane mode on wifi? Or is it that you simply prefer to get a Spanish sim card? If that's it, well probably not much you can do.

FWIW, (which may be nothing, since I have a Galaxy and AT&T), when I travel overseas, I take my locked phone, keep it on airplane mode, use wifi, WhatsApp when I can, take about a thousand pictures, and occasionally bite the bullet for AT&T's daily international plan (which is a huge rip-off). But in order to unlock my phone it has to be paid in full and I wasn't in a position to do that when my old one died -- three weeks before I left for Spain. I hope this all works out for you. All the best!

 

[Ivan_Prada]

@Evvie , That sounds pretty extreme! But are you saying you can't use your phone in airplane mode on wifi? Or is it that you simply prefer to get a Spanish sim card? If that's it, well probably not much you can do.

FWIW, (which may be nothing, since I have a Galaxy and AT&T), when I travel overseas, I take my locked phone, keep it on airplane mode, use wifi, WhatsApp when I can, take about a thousand pictures, and occasionally bite the bullet for AT&T's daily international plan (which is a huge rip-off). But in order to unlock my phone it has to be paid in full and I wasn't in a position to do that when my old one died -- three weeks before I left for Spain. I hope this all works out for you. All the best!

Hi Bala:

I think that after 60 days of being a customer in current plan, your can request to have it unlocked. Check the carrier’s website for details.

Buen Camino,

Iván

 

[peregrina2000]

Verizon has a $10/day international plan. I always buy a SIM card for the camino, but if I have a short trip I have used that option. YOu just sign up ahead of time and it is only activated when you actually use it. And then you have a 24 hour window until another $10 will be charged if you use your phone again after that.

Verizon also has an international monthly plan for $70, which gives you 100 minutes talk, 100 texts to send, and .5 gb of data. My husband and I used this option this spring when we were in Lisbon and it worked great. We needed to be able to contact each other via phone, and this was eaiser than getting two Portuguese SIM cards. With wifi being so ubiquitous, I think .5 gb will keep you going if you are careful.

But it is surely annoying, because the easiest and cheapest option is to buy a Spanish SIM card! Laurie

 

[VAtoNC]

@Evvie , That sounds pretty extreme! But are you saying you can't use your phone in airplane mode on wifi? Or is it that you simply prefer to get a Spanish sim card? If that's it, well probably not much you can do.

FWIW, (which may be nothing, since I have a Galaxy and AT&T), when I travel overseas, I take my locked phone, keep it on airplane mode, use wifi, WhatsApp when I can, take about a thousand pictures, and occasionally bite the bullet for AT&T's daily international plan (which is a huge rip-off). But in order to unlock my phone it has to be paid in full and I wasn't in a position to do that when my old one died -- three weeks before I left for Spain. I hope this all works out for you. All the best!

Yes, it's drastic! Ivan_Prada is right, it's only for 60 days but I bought my phone last week specifically for the camera, and specifically for the Camino -- I start in 3 weeks. So I'm totally out of luck because I can't unlock the phone to put in a new Vodaphone or Orange SIM card. Peregrina2000 is right, I'll have to by a Verizon international plan for $130 US per month. I'll be there for 6 weeks. Versus a SIM card which would be at least 60% cheaper.

 

[VAtoNC]

Verizon has a $10/day international plan. I always buy a SIM card for the camino, but if I have a short trip I have used that option. YOu just sign up ahead of time and it is only activated when you actually use it. And then you have a 24 hour window until another $10 will be charged if you use your phone again after that.

Verizon also has an international monthly plan for $70, which gives you 100 minutes talk, 100 texts to send, and .5 gb of data. My husband and I used this option this spring when we were in Lisbon and it worked great. We needed to be able to contact each other via phone, and this was eaiser than getting two Portuguese SIM cards. With wifi being so ubiquitous, I think .5 gb will keep you going if you are careful.

But it is surely annoying, because the easiest and cheapest option is to buy a Spanish SIM card! Laurie

I plan to do a lot of instant posts on Facebook and Instagram so I need the plan with more gigs.

 

[trecile]

Hi Bala:

I think that after 60 days of being a customer in current plan, your can request to have it unlocked. Check the carrier’s website for details.

Buen Camino,

Iván

I also think that if you have paid in full for the phone that you can have it unlocked.

 

[trecile]

I'm quite happy that I use T-Mobile. Their plan which costs my husband and me only $70/month includes unlimited data while we are traveling, along with unlimited texting to and from other US phone numbers. Phone calls are also unlimited in the US, but cost 25¢ a minute while abroad, but I use apps to make free and low cost calls, using wifi or cellular data.

It's great to be able to keep my phone number and not have to switch out sim cards.

The only thing to be aware of is that this international usage is only for the purpose of travel, and is not to be used long term. If you stick with two months or less you will be fine. The last couple of years I have received warning texts towards the end of my Camino that the majority of my data use has been foreign roaming data, and if it persists they will cut off my data. I talked to a T-mobile rep who told me that so long as I stay under 60 days I'm fine.

Another provider with a similar plan is Google Fi.

 

[jdpiguet]

Another solution would be to buy a cheap phone and SIM in Spain and to use tethering to connect the iPhone to it.
At least you will not have to pay for an expensive plan...
Buen Camino,
Jacques-D.

 

[VAtoNC]

I also think that if you have paid in full for the phone that you can have it unlocked.

That was before July 1. I don't know if you can leave the Apple store with a phone that doesn't have a SIM card in it either. When I bought my phone they asked me who my carrier was, and they installed the SIM card while I was in the store.

 

[K Turner]

I'm quite happy that I use T-Mobile. Their plan which costs my husband and me only $70/month includes unlimited data while we are traveling, along with unlimited texting to and from other US phone numbers. Phone calls are also unlimited in the US, but cost 25¢ a minute while abroad, but I use apps to make free and low cost calls, using wifi or cellular data.

It's great to be able to keep my phone number and not have to switch out sim cards.

The only thing to be aware of is that this international usage is only for the purpose of travel, and is not to be used long term. If you stick with two months or less you will be fine. The last couple of years I have received warning texts towards the end of my Camino that the majority of my data use has been foreign roaming data, and if it persists they will cut off my data. I talked to a T-mobile rep who told me that so long as I stay under 60 days I'm fine.

Another provider with a similar plan is Google Fi.

My husband and I have Fi and love it. It's .20 a minute for calls when overseas but we use WhatsApp for calls anyway. We mostly text to keep in touch with people.

 

[Latecomer]

The new policy is somewhat of a nightmare for Verizon customers who for some reason decide to get a new phone right before a foreign trip!

Device Unlocking Policies | Verizon Privacy Policy

In order to mitigate theft and other fraudulent activity, newly purchased devices are “locked” to work exclusively on the Verizon network. We have separate device unlocking policies that cover postpay and prepaid devices, as well as special rules for deployed military personnel.

www.verizon.com

Postpay Device Unlocking Policy (Excerpt):

After 60 days, we will automatically remove the lock. Following the 60 day lock period, we do not lock our phones at any time.

Prepaid Device Unlocking Policy (Excerpt):

After 60 days, we will automatically remove the lock. Following the 60 day lock period following device purchase, we do not lock our phones at any time.

I am so happy that I live in an area which has good coverage so I don't need to deal with Verizon. I use Ting a MVNO and our monthly bill for two phone lines averages less than $25 a month. We buy unlocked phones directly (from Apple or Google) so we can’t be held hostage by a carrier.

¡Buen Camino!

 

[barnettstakeagiantstep]

Beginning July 1, if you purchased your phone with Verizon it's locked for 60 days from your purchase. That means I can't take my brand spanking new iPhone with the fancy camera on the Camino! I'm bummed and will have to buy a new, cheaper phone in Europe.

Could you call Verizon and get it unlocked?

 

[gloria lowe]

I plan to do a lot of instant posts on Facebook and Instagram so I need the plan with more gigs.

You can always post via WiFi all day whenever you enter some town and stop and use their WiFi.

 

[trecile]

You can always post via WiFi all day whenever you enter some town and stop and use their WiFi.

Lots of pilgrims manage to do the Camino without cell data, and rely solely on wifi. Just put phone into airplane mode, then turn on just the wifi.

 

[Teresa Gonzales]

Beginning July 1, if you purchased your phone with Verizon it's locked for 60 days from your purchase. That means I can't take my brand spanking new iPhone with the fancy camera on the Camino! I'm bummed and will have to buy a new, cheaper phone in Europe.

Evvie— That certainly is extreme. I used the $10 per day plan and had access to unlimited talk, text and data for each 24 hr. period I activated my phone. I truly believe you have been misinformed where you purchased phone. If you have not already done so, I would go directly to your favorite Verizon store and speak to a manager in person. I would not accept a locked phone.
Good luck with Verizon and Buen Caminó!

 

[trecile]

Evvie— That certainly is extreme. I used the $10 per day plan and had access to unlimited talk, text and data for each 24 hr. period I activated my phone. I truly believe you have been misinformed where you purchased phone. If you have not already done so, I would go directly to your favorite Verizon store and speak to a manager in person. I would not accept a locked phone.
Good luck with Verizon and Buen Caminó!

$10 a day is very expensive! With T-mobile the data and texting is covered in the $70/ month that I pay for two lines. Phone calls are 25¢ a minute, ir free when I use apps to make calls.

 

[TonyC]

I'm sitting here in the UK reading this thread with complete amazement at what US pilgrims are expecting to pay for their mobile (cell) phone usage whilst on the Camino, or even what they pay at home.

I pay £8 ($10) per month for my mobile phone service. This includes unlimited minutes of calls, unlimited text messages and 4Gb of data. This applies not only in the UK but anywhere in the EU, and one or two non EU countries.

The mention of $70 a month for a what seems a very meagre service is unbelievable.

 

[trecile]

I'm sitting here in the UK reading this thread with complete amazement at what US pilgrims are expecting to pay for their mobile (cell) phone usage whilst on the Camino, or even what they pay at home.

I pay £8 ($10) per month for my mobile phone service. This includes unlimited minutes of calls, unlimited text messages and 4Gb of data. This applies not only in the UK but anywhere in the EU, and one or two non EU countries.

The mention of $70 a month for a what seems a very meagre service is unbelievable.

$70 per month is for two lines, and is very inexpensive in the US. It includes unlimited data, calling and texting in the US plus unlimited data and texting to/from US numbers while abroad. I consider $10 a day while traveling to be outrageously expensive.

 

[Lmsundaze]

Lots of pilgrims manage to do the Camino without cell data, and rely solely on wifi. Just put phone into airplane mode, then turn on just the wifi.

Last fall I got that warning from t-mobile after only 6 weeks. I do travel a lot. SO I switched to Verizon for better local coverage and next long trip I will get a local SIM card (phone is unlocked.). I have heard that t-mobile is getting more aggressive with respect to "excessive roaming."

 

[trecile]

Last fall I got that warning from t-mobile after only 6 weeks. I do travel a lot. SO I switched to Verizon for better local coverage and next long trip I will get a local SIM card (phone is unlocked.). I have heard that t-mobile is getting more aggressive with respect to "excessive roaming."

Yes, that's because too many people are ruining it for us! Like students that study abroad for months or even an entire year without getting local sim cards. But the T-Mobile reps that I talked to said that although their system will automatically start sending the warnings, that so long as you aren't gone for over 2 months you should be fine.

 

[Walking Lover]

Beginning July 1, if you purchased your phone with Verizon it's locked for 60 days from your purchase. That means I can't take my brand spanking new iPhone with the fancy camera on the Camino! I'm bummed and will have to buy a new, cheaper phone in Europe.

My husband bought a new Samsung at Best Buy and was able to get it unlocked begore he left.

 

[brambles]

I

My husband bought a new Samsung at Best Buy and was able to get it unlocked begore he left.

The new samsung galaxy phone that I bought and paid for in full so that it was unlocked before I got to Spain would NOT work with an Orange SIM card fyi

 

[Harlan Sager]

I got rid of all these issues by switching to Google fi. Works everywhere in the world and is a lot cheaper. Pixel 2 camera Superior to all other cell phone cameras as well.