Phone usage

[Bezotz]

I have an iPhone I would like to use on my camino Portuguese, I am wondering what I need to do to be able to use it without much extra expense. I am more interested in the wifi, or texting family back home. I am from the US. Any help please

 

[ghostinyou]

A lot of places have free wifi so that is good. Texts....costs depend on carrier obviously. I have an iPhone with AT&T. It was free to receive texts but .50 to send a text. But I have whatsapp so where there was free wifi I could send free texts.

 

[Albertinho]

I have an iPhone I would like to use on my camino Portuguese, I am wondering what I need to do to be able to use it without much extra expense. I am more interested in the wifi, or texting family back home. I am from the US. Any help please

No problem as long as you have an simlock free Iphone.
I am Dutch, bought my Iphone in NYC when I was there and this one was allready simlock free.
Arrived in Lisbon last year May and at the airport is a Vodaphone shop .they helped us perfectly in english with placing their simcard and installing . In Porto we found out many speak english so there will be no problem.
You could think of installing the Whatsapp app due to your time difference so your written messages arrive at any time. Facetime is another option. Check your device if it works. Mine didn't.

We stayed 35 days in Portugal and Spain and except for 3 or 4 times there was allways wifi available.
If you enter a café,restaurant,hostal ask if they do not speak english " você tem acceso internet ?(portugese ) or ¿ hay acceso internet aquí ? (spanish )
To us it worked everywhere and we had no problems with connecting to our beloved ones at home or fillng our travelblog.
Bom caminho

 

[headinclouds]

I had to get some help to set up the phone to access the data service, Vodafone Portugal were good at doing it once I realised I had an issue. I liked not having to look for a wifi spot, but there where plenty around. Occasionally it was nice to be able to share something as it happened and chat with my family while I walked. The local sim cards are great for that.

cheers,
Phil.
totallyphil.blogspot.com.au

 

[Bezotz]

My phone does not take a SIM card or is not unlocked. I think I will stick to wifi.

 

[CaminoKris2013]

A lot of places have free wifi so that is good. Texts....costs depend on carrier obviously. I have an iPhone with AT&T. It was free to receive texts but .50 to send a text. But I have whatsapp so where there was free wifi I could send free texts.

Do you have the iPhone or a different type of phone? My sister swears by the whatsapp, but she has a Samsung, not an iPhone.

Kris

 

[ghostinyou]

I have the iPhone. My mom was actually the one that told me about whatsapp right before I went on my trip last year. It was great. I could send free texts and even free picture texts! So if I was on free wifi somewhere, I definitely took advantage if this. Worked great.

 

[Rambler]

My phone does not take a SIM card or is not unlocked. I think I will stick to wifi.

Bezotz:
What carrier do you have and is your phone still under contract? You can contact the carrier if the phone is out of contract and ask them to unlock the phone for you. That would be free and allow you to buy a card in Portugal or Spain. And it will have no impact to your usage of the phone at home. I know AT&T will do it for older phones, but they have the right of refusal.
Rambler

 

[GreatDane]

My husband and I both have ATT iPhones. We just walked into our local ATT store and asked about costs on calls and texting between the US and Spain. We ended up talking to the manager since she knew what she was talking about and the general sales staff didn't but we got answers. (and it changes all the time). She asked things like how long my husband would be in Spain, how many times per day or week he'd call home, how many texts would he expect to send and receive etc. She had her rate sheet for international voice and text packages and determined for us that it would be cheaper on his 17 day trip to not get a package. She (and I can't remember the "rules to keep it cheap" since it was a year ago) told us how much sending and receiving texts would be, told us to send one giant paragraph of text not a bunch of little ones, don't send photos unless you are hooked to wifi and to send them in an email, and to keep the phone calls under a certain amount of time per call. The only time we weren't saving money is when my husband would tuck his phone in his pocket and it would make a 15 minute pocket call. I could hear his footfalls and hear him talking to people on the camino but he didn't hear me saying TURN OFF YOUR PHONE!!!!!

 

[jayree]

In 2012 on the CF I used an iPhone with the readily available WiFi to call home using Skype and check or send email with no problems. Only a few areas did not have WiFi.
In 2013 on the CN I used an unlocked iPhone with a Spanish Orange sim card to make local calls and text people I met along the way. Calling home to the US only costs about 25 cents for 30 minutes. I spent no more than 20 Euro adding minutes to the sim card. The great thing about the unlocked phone with sim card is that Maps and the GPS worked without a WiFi connection. In Spain, Google maps often worked better than the Apple app.

 

[Bajaracer]

My phone does not take a SIM card or is not unlocked. I think I will stick to wifi.

If your iPhone doesn't have a SIM card slot you have a Verizon iPhone 4, that version in won't work in Portugal or outside the US (CDMA only network) as a phone, but it will meet your needs as a wifi only device like an iPod Touch.

 

[cherrys]

I put the Viber app on my iPhone4s, as did family and friends back home. I texted, called and uploaded all my pictures just about every night, all for free, talking to my daughter for over an hour and a half one night. We were really pleased with it. I never did get it unlocked for a SIM card, but found that hospitaleros would often be willing to call ahead for me and reserve a bed for the following night.

 

[t2andreo]

FACE TIME on APPLE iPHONE:

If you have Face Time (Apple app) on your iPhone and a Wi-Fi signal, you can make free video calls. If your iPhone can run iOS 7.x, that version of Face Time also enables voice (ONLY) over internet calls to any cellular number. I use an iPod Touch, v5, running iOS 7.1. Face Time worked about 95 percent of the time on my Camino last year. That was before the voice only capability.

Unless your iPhone is a very early version, pre-iPhone 4, it HAS a SIM card tray on the side. Look for a pin dot sized hole. You need a special "tool" to pop the tray open - insert the "tool" to the hole gently and push slightly. I have heard that it can be done with the end of a safety pin too. Most iPhones and other smart phones use nano-SIM sized cards. So the slots / trays are VERY small, perhaps 1/4" wide @ 6 mm.

Without cellular service, the only thing you give up is on-the-fly texting and direct voice capability. But if you can use Face Time with Wi-Fi, you get video or voice only calls over Wi-Fi for FREE.

Finally, I always kept all my communications devices OFF until I reached my accommodation for the evening. On arrival, I turned the phone on for any incoming text messages. After dinner, I might call my family on Face Time or selectively check e-mail, etc. But, keeping up with people is not a priority.

Post an "out of office" or "on vacation" automatic reply message on your e-mail. Before you go, tell your regular correspondents that you will be away from regular e-mail from (date) to (date) and that during that period you may or may not check your e-mail. You might also change your voice mail greeting to let people know you are on extended travel and away from phone service.

You are on Camino. It's a pilgrimage. It is also a time to realize that nothing is really important outside the here and now. Once I returned and got back into all the electronic gadgetry, I realized just how special the quiet time on the Camino was. You will too. Enjoy it.

I hope this helps.

 

[Bezotz]

Thank you all for the help. I have an I phone 5 c through T mobile. If I can use FaceTime at wifi connections for free, that will be sufficient for me. I do not speak the language well enough to call ahead for places to stay. I will be be asking more questions soon too. Excited for my first camino. Leaving august 21st.

 

[Bajaracer]

Thank you all for the help. I have an I phone 5 c through T mobile. If I can use FaceTime at wifi connections for free, that will be sufficient for me. I do not speak the language well enough to call ahead for places to stay. I will be be asking more questions soon too. Excited for my first camino. Leaving august 21st.

Actually you can use your iPhone 5C in Portugal with T-Mobile, you have unlimited texting, $.2o min back to the US, free data roaming at EDGE speeds (very slow, but you can use wifi) you just have to let them know you'll be traveling out of the country.
http://how-to.t-mobile.com/global/

 

[StuartM]

My network provider allows your data plan to be carried over when abroad for a small fee. I cant remember how much but it isnt a lot, less than buying and loading a local SIM card. Worth asking them.

Whatsapp is very good if on free wifi.

 

[bfletcher67]

As soon as I left the US, turned my iPhone on airplane mode, so cellular data was off (therefore no charges incurred) and relied on wifi the whole month. Used a combo of FaceTime, Skype and Whatsapp (great to keep up with new camino friends along the way, as most Europeans I met prefer it). Between those 3 apps I felt connected enough to keep my family back home happy. Wifi rarely a problem.

Have a great trip...I'm envious, must admit!

Buen camino!

 

[Bajaracer]

I used my T-Mobile iPhone 5 in Mexico for a week with data roaming turned ON, listened to Pandora radio like I would at home, (usually Pandora doesn't work outside the USA) made a bunch of texts, made a few voice calls, when I got my phone bill, I burned through 600MB of data= $0, texts back to the US= $0, voice calls= $10.
$10 was my extra expense of using my iPhone 5 in Mexico, If I were roaming on AT&T using data at $15 per megabyte X 600MB= $9000!
T-Mobile USA may not be the best phone carrier, but for international use, they are the best.
So for the Camino, if you have a T-mobile phone, bring it with you on the Camino and don't worry about racking up a large bill unless you make a bunch of voice calls.

 

[Bezotz]

Thank you everyone for the help and advice. I checked with t-mobile and my phone will work. Calls are only .20 a minute. Free FaceTime and texting. That should keep my family back home happy.

 

[Bajaracer]

Thank you everyone for the help and advice. I checked with t-mobile and my phone will work. Calls are only .20 a minute. Free FaceTime and texting. That should keep my family back home happy.

Glad you are able to bring your phone and keep in touch with your family back home, just turn on data roaming (it will be slow) when you get to Portugal and you'll be set.

 

[pilgrim82]

Hello, I am just back from making the Camino from Porto to Santiago. Wifi coverage was very good, nearly all bars cafés and hotels have Wifi, hostels it's a bit patchy, but there is always somewhere close by. I used Skype and what's app with no problems. The route is really well marked and lovely to walk. A bit tough on the feet though, lots of cobbles!

 

[KentuckyJay]

How about electronic converters/adapters. Do I need a converter or will a simple adapter suffice for recharging my iPhone? (I am from the U.S.)

 

[donalomahony]

For an iPhone all you need is a simple adaptor for the plug. The iPhone is dual voltage as are most modern digital devices. Buen Camino!

 

[Bajaracer]

How about electronic converters/adapters. Do I need a converter or will a simple adapter suffice for recharging my iPhone? (I am from the U.S.)

http://www.tmart.com/USB-AC-Power-Charger-Adapter-for-iPhone-iPod-White-EU-Plug_p153188.html

 

[KentuckyJay]

For an iPhone all you need is a simple adaptor for the plug. The iPhone is dual voltage as are most modern digital devices. Buen Camino!

Thanks a bunch. How about for a Nikon Coolpix? (Small digital camera.)

 

[Bajaracer]

Thanks a bunch. How about for a Nikon Coolpix? (Small digital camera.)

T-mart has an adapter as well, US to EU

 

[donalomahony]

Same thing it's dual voltage so just an adapter for the plug!

 

[KentuckyJay]

Gracias. (That's about as far as my Spanish speaking skills go.)

 

[tweedy48]

As soon as I left the US, turned my iPhone on airplane mode, so cellular data was off (therefore no charges incurred) and relied on wifi the whole month. Used a combo of FaceTime, Skype and Whatsapp (great to keep up with new camino friends along the way, as most Europeans I met prefer it). Between those 3 apps I felt connected enough to keep my family back home happy. Wifi rarely a problem.

Have a great trip...I'm envious, must admit!

Buen camino!

I also want to use the Skype on the Camino. Being in Canada I have the plan that allows me to call all North American phone numbers from Canada and the US.

What plan do I need to be able to phone Canadian phone numbers from Spain?

Buen Camino!

 

[Bajaracer]

I also want to use the Skype on the Camino. Being in Canada I have the plan that allows me to call all North American phone numbers from Canada and the US.

What plan do I need to be able to phone Canadian phone numbers from Spain?

Buen Camino!

1. Contact your cellular carrier and see what they have for an international calling plan, usually a ripoff.

2. Unlock the phone you already own and buy a Spanish SIM card with voice and data.

3. For calling Canada or the US from any cellular phone enter +1(area code)number, enter all your contacts like this.

 

[tweedy48]

Thanks for the ideas. I want to use Skype because:

1. too expensive and a ripoff
2. I am only in Spain for ten days so buying a card and data seems expensive if I can use Skype

Thanks again.

Buen Camino.

 

[Bajaracer]

Thanks for the ideas. I want to use Skype because:

1. too expensive and a ripoff
2. I am only in Spain for ten days so buying a card and data seems expensive if I can use Skype

Thanks again.

Buen Camino.

Just make sure data is turned off, and use wifi when available.

 

[tweedy48]

Definitely and thank you for your ideas.