Phone question for a newby

[Caren_cccc]

First time to Europe and I have a phone question. When arriving, can I simply get a phone at the airport to have service in Europe? We're going to Frankfort and Dublin before starting our camino in Porto.

 

[J Willhaus]

First time to Europe and I have a phone question. When arriving, can I simply get a phone at the airport to have service in Europe? We're going to Frankfort and Dublin before starting our camino in Porto.

Depending on your phone service, you may be able to keep your current phone service. Check with your current carrier on the costs, but this may be less than getting a phone or Sim Card for 3 or 4 different countries.

 

[Corned Beef]

Within the EU (Frankfurt and Dublin) there is EU wide roaming where you pay as if you were in your own (EU) country. So pick up a sim card at your first (EU) destination and you'll be able to use it within the 27.

Or as JW says above, check with your own carrier.

 

[Stinky Pilgrim]

Assuming you are from the US, you may want to take a look at using Google Fi while abroad. Worked great for us. Seamless coverage from US and throughout Europe. Google uses Vodafone in Spain which has the best coverage. Not very pricey.

 

[Noel Dublin]

I suggest Vodafone as a network and you can get a 30 day pay as you go for €30 . You can add international minutes for in EU. Try Vodafone.pt or Vodafone.ie

 

[J Willhaus]

With T-mobile service we just used our regular US phones and plan, got free data, and reduced cost for calls. That may have changed now.

We had to switch to ATT due to the unavailability of T-mobile service were we live now. Last fall we paid $10 per day extra for data and calls in Europe (up to $100) for ATT. In Spain we use WhatsApp for calls on wifi and data to avoid the extra cost of regular phone calls. This also allows others to call you without paying for an overseas/international call.

Check with your carrier first to find out the costs before deciding to get a new phone, sim card, or plan in Europe. As hospitaleros several years we used to have an inexpensive Spanish flip phone, but decided after the pandemic when the minutes expired that we did not need to try to reactivate it. We'll re-evaluate in the future whether we need a Spanish phone.

 

[Anniesantiago]

I just go to Vodafone in Pamplona and get a SIM for between €20-€30 that lasts me almost the entire Camino. You can "up" it at tobacco stores and other markets if you need to on the way. I don't bother getting a SIM for France b/c I'm only there one or two days and just don't feel I need it.

One thing you can also do is download the free WHATSAPP app.
I guess a LOT of folks in Spain use it.
I've had several lodgings ask me to reply via WHATSAPP

 

[J Willhaus]

We use WhatsApp in Spain as that is how many Spanish people communicate with their phone. If I load a hotel or albergue number in my contacts that begins with a 6 (mobile number), I check to see if they are also on WhatsApp. You can call or text that way and you can also translate texts from the app using another app called Google Translate or you translate your text reply into their language as well. Lots of YouTube videos that explain how to do this if you are interested in learning more.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

When arriving, can I simply get a phone at the airport to have service in Europe?

Is this going to be your only phone in Europe or will you be bringing your US phone as well? I ask because many smartphones these days are dual-SIM. This allows you to have both a US and an EU number on the same phone (or back home a personal number and a business number). Check the specs for your phone. Also read this thread from last month on cell phones with dual-SIM information:

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/questions-from-a-cell-phone-idiot.72791/

 

[Jami Gray]

First time to Europe and I have a phone question. When arriving, can I simply get a phone at the airport to have service in Europe? We're going to Frankfort and Dublin before starting our camino in Porto.

I have Verizon service and simply paid for a month (or 2 depending upon travel schedule) of international service. Could use my phone just as normal. Although one trip I decided to only use my phone when I had wifi (kept in airplane mode all other times). It was actually very nice being unconnected.

 

[Pilgrim2022]

I have Verizon service and simply paid for a month (or 2 depending upon travel schedule) of international service. Could use my phone just as normal. Although one trip I decided to only use my phone when I had wifi (kept in airplane mode all other times). It was actually very nice being unconnected.

Thank you! I have Verizon also and this is what I was thinking....keeping it in airplane mode...

 

[Nelle]

Thank you! I have Verizon also and this is what I was thinking....keeping it in airplane mode...

At the risk of exposing my ignorance on how phone work -- how did you keep the Verizon cellular data plan from kicking in when you took it off airplane mode and before you had the chance to enter the wifi password?

 

[Jami Gray]

At the risk of exposing my ignorance on how phone work -- how did you keep the Verizon cellular data plan from kicking in when you took it off airplane mode and before you had the chance to enter the wifi password?

When my iphone is in airplane mode, I can still access wifi and enter passwords.

 

[J F Gregory]

We are with T-mobile and purchase the International plan . While we travel, it works ok.

 

[Len Dacombe]

First time to Europe and I have a phone question. When arriving, can I simply get a phone at the airport to have service in Europe? We're going to Frankfort and Dublin before starting our camino in Porto.

As others have stated, check with your existing carrier for a “roam like home service” option. Another option I used was the Fongo App on my iPhone which allowed me to make IP based phone calls over WIFI.

 

[Pilgrim1960]

Here is what I did.
I got a vodaphone sim card and plan. It was 20 euros and it was a Traveller's plan. It was for only 26 days. I did not understand that I needed to get an altogether different sim card to pay additional time on the card. Be careful make sure you understand the time that the card is good for. It is not expensive. In retrospec I should have just bought a second card because I was there for over 26 days.
Also remember the sim cards have a pin number. It is a luxury to have a phone on the camino and to have data is great.

Buen Camino

 

[Nelle]

Thank you! This is all great guidance. I hope to be able to put it into practice come September.

 

[Peregrina 2013]

WhatsApp has been phenomenal to communicate with friends in Spain and Portugal at absolutely no cost. While in Spain I also use it to call taxis, albergues, etc. and to communicate back home with family with no money out of pocket. Just make sure that whomever you want to call/text has the app on their mobile. In Spain pretty much everyone does

 

[trecile]

At the risk of exposing my ignorance on how phone work -- how did you keep the Verizon cellular data plan from kicking in when you took it off airplane mode and before you had the chance to enter the wifi password?

You should be able to turn wifi on while your phone is still on airplane mode.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

At the risk of exposing my ignorance on how phone work -- how did you keep the Verizon cellular data plan from kicking in when you took it off airplane mode and before you had the chance to enter the wifi password?

The way it is supposed to work is that airplane mode shuts off radio transmissions from your phone, both cellular and wifi (GPS uses a radio receiver but not a transmitter). On my phone I can get into airplane mode but I can then turn on wifi but that still leaves cellular off. I then exit airplane mode to turn cellular back on.

 

[J Willhaus]

I did check and there are some good deals on pay as you go sim card purchase plans available, but many of them are the advertised rate only available if you purchase online. I am not sure if you can purchase the same deal at a regular store. Also you are limited to a certain number of days on these pay as you go plans so be sure to check if you can extend and "top up" at the end of the month if you go that route. The deals are always changing and usually have a "purchase by" date to get the deal. It will likely change before you arrive unless you are leaving right away. I checked Orange, Movi-Star and Vodaphone and it seems they all have some kind of pay as you go deal that includes data and call minutes for national and international calls.

 

[lt56ny]

We use WhatsApp in Spain as that is how many Spanish people communicate with their phone. If I load a hotel or albergue number in my contacts that begins with a 6 (mobile number), I check to see if they are also on WhatsApp. You can call or text that way and you can also translate texts from the app using another app called Google Translate or you translate your text reply into their language as well. Lots of YouTube videos that explain how to do this if you are interested in learning more.

I have been reading what you guys do. It seems like it can get pricey and some steps. When I get to Spain the first thing I do is go to a Vodafone office. Bring my passport. Last year I paid I think 15 Euros every 28 days for unlimited calls within Spain, 50 gigs of data. It included about 800 minutes of international calls. It did not include Mexico where I lived but with or without wifi and having 50 gigas of data I could call my wife in Mexico or my kids in the United States without a problem. Also you will get a message when it is time to recharge. You can do it on your phone and the website is in English. It takes about 1 minute to recharge. My Spanish is pretty good so when I need to call an albergue I would only add the number in whatsapp if they wanted to send me additional information. For me that only happened twice when I booked a hotel room in Sevilla when I arrived and again in Sevilla when I finished and was getting ready to leave to come home.

 

[RibbonRomanceAuthor]

I’m researching this also because I want my Apple Watch with Fall Detection to work on the Camino as well as in Ireland, England and Guernsey. Currently I’m planning on adding a plan via Verizon that will allow me to use my equipment as I do in the states. That said, I don’t plan to be glued to my phone though I realize it’s also a map, a guidebook, a research tool as well as a way to talk to people.

 

[Stephan the Painter]

If you use your home number in Spain by getting an international plan, when people call from a Spanish number to you it’s an international call for them. Many people don’t like doing this because it costs them more money.

It’s quite easy to swap out your Sim card in an airport. That’s pretty much what the Airport mobile kiosks do all day long. Vodafone is usually a good choice.

And if you have a newer phone it may take dual Sims. If you’re not sure just pop by your local Verizon store and they ask the customer service there.

 

[J Willhaus]

If you use your home number in Spain by getting an international plan, when people call from a Spanish number to you it’s an international call for them. Many people don’t like doing this because it costs them more money.

Yes, that is why we use WhatsApp.

 

[Stephan the Painter]

Yes, that is why we use WhatsApp.

And that’s right, whenever I’m in Europe I use WhatsApp constantly. But I think it’s important for someone who hasn’t done it to know That they are not going to have a local phone number in Spain. I should’ve mentioned WhatsApp.

But absolutely, you’re right you could probably get along without a Local phone number on the Camino

 

[Peregrina 2013]

If you use your home number in Spain by getting an international plan, when people call from a Spanish number to you it’s an international call for them. Many people don’t like doing this because it costs them more money.

It’s quite easy to swap out your Sim card in an airport. That’s pretty much what the Airport mobile kiosks do all day long. Vodafone is usually a good choice.

And if you have a newer phone it may take dual Sims. If you’re not sure just pop by your local Verizon store and they ask the customer service there.

But, if they call you on WhatsApp - regardless of having an international number, they can communicate with you on the phone or send a message with no charge at all. WhatsApp has worked brilliantly for me when in Spain and Portugal.

 

[Dennis Pack]

I found many squares have free WiFi, so Whatsapp is a good alternative.

 

[Peregrina 2013]

I found many squares have free WiFi, so Whatsapp is a good alternative.

Exactly! Usually places where you eat and stay the night have free WiFi too

 

[chichi]

Has anyone used the lobster.es cell service plans?

 

[JMarshall]

First time to Europe and I have a phone question. When arriving, can I simply get a phone at the airport to have service in Europe? We're going to Frankfort and Dublin before starting our camino in Porto.

I have used Google Fi for years all over Europe and recently Central America. Plane lands, phone goes on and mostly it connects within a few minutes (sometimes an hour).
However, I use a Google Phone which might be important. Check with Google about whether you phone can use the Fi Sim Card and work in the countries you want to visit.
Oh and it isn't expensive (the usage - whether voice or data).

Others have mentioned plans that are cheaper.

 

[DoughnutANZ]

Has anyone used the lobster.es cell service plans?

I haven't and their website doesn't use a valid https certificate and so I would tend to avoid this site but that doesn't mean that they are dodgy.

 

[ScorpioGirl22]

Yes, that is why we use WhatsApp.

I have a question about Whatsapp that perhaps you can help me sort out. I have been considering using it ....even went so far as to download the App. But that's about as far as I got because it wanted to access my contact list on my iPhone. Obviously that's okay with most people but I have a problem with it. When it's my own personal information, I get to choose whom to give it to. But all the people I have in my contact list have given me their info in confidence & I don't think I have the right to share anyone else's info without their express consent. I would prefer it if Whatapp allowed me to "build" a separate Whatsapp contact list but I couldn't seem to find a way so I removed the App. Thoughts??

 

[DoughnutANZ]

I have a question about Whatsapp that perhaps you can help me sort out. I have been considering using it ....even went so far as to download the App. But that's about as far as I got because it wanted to access my contact list on my iPhone. Obviously that's okay with most people but I have a problem with it. When it's my own personal information, I get to choose whom to give it to. But all the people I have in my contact list have given me their info in confidence & I don't think I have the right to share anyone else's info without their express consent. I would prefer it if Whatapp allowed me to "build" a separate Whatsapp contact list but I couldn't seem to find a way so I removed the App. Thoughts??

Create a new user on your phone. I use an Android phone and so I don't know how to do that on an Apple phone.

When you have the new user, log into that account and install WhatsApp as that user. That way it never sees your personal contact list.

Alternatively, don't grant WhatsApp access to your contact list at the IOS operating system level.

 

[ScorpioGirl22]

Create a new user on your phone. I use an Android phone and so I don't know how to do that on an Apple phone.

When you have the new user, log into that account and install WhatsApp as that user. That way it never sees your personal contact list.

Alternatively, don't grant WhatsApp access to your contact list at the IOS operating system level.

Thanks .... I will explore the new user possibility. BTW: I tried not giving them access to my contact info. I was able to send a message to an individual but I am doing the Camino with 4 other people and a "group" was created for us on Whatsapp -- I was unable to 'access' that group.