gertrong415
New Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- Hoping for summer (2020)
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The cheapest way to keep in touch is via free messaging apps over wifi like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger.I apologize in advance, because I know this topic has been discussed thoroughly in the past. I cannot find any threads on the various ways people keep in touch with home while on the Camino. If someone can point me to an established thread, that would be great.
I am American. Verizon is my carrier. Unfortunately, I will only be on Camino for 2 weeks. I know I have read extensive conversations about buying prepaid phones, changing SIM cards, etc. I just cannot find those threads.
Thanks for your help!
Thank you. That is pretty much my plan, but just feel nervous about accidental charges. Do you just turn your phone on airplane mode in while you are walking? Turn off cellular data? I would love to be able to use my GPS tracking on my phone to log my route, but is there a way to do that without using data?The cheapest way to keep in touch is via free messaging apps over wifi like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger.
You'll want to talk to Verizon about their international options, but I've known people who solely relied on wifi to keep in touch. You will find that most bars, albergues, hotels, etc. have free wifi available.
FYI - in Spain it's pronounced WEE - FEE.
My carrier is T-Mobile, and their plan allows me to have unlimited data while I'm abroad for no extra charge, so I haven't had to worry about accidental charges.Thank you. That is pretty much my plan, but just feel nervous about accidental charges. Do you just turn your phone on airplane mode in while you are walking? Turn off cellular data? I would love to be able to use my GPS tracking on my phone to log my route, but is there a way to do that without using data?
Turn on airplane mode. That disables both wifi and cellular. Disabling wifi saves some battery because the phone isn't trying to connect when there isn't anything to connect to. When you get to a place you can turn wifi on without having to do anything for airplane mode.Thank you. That is pretty much my plan, but just feel nervous about accidental charges. Do you just turn your phone on airplane mode in while you are walking? Turn off cellular data? I would love to be able to use my GPS tracking on my phone to log my route, but is there a way to do that without using data?
Yes. Exactly what I did - keep phone on airplane mode the entire trip. Note: once you reach Spain, turn it off airplane mode just long enough to update the time to current time. Then turn it back to airplane mode. Works perfectly for GPS use. I kept my Kindle version guidebook open all day as I walked to refer to for suggested places to visit/see. Used wifi at night in the hostels.Thank you. That is pretty much my plan, but just feel nervous about accidental charges. Do you just turn your phone on airplane mode in while you are walking? Turn off cellular data? I would love to be able to use my GPS tracking on my phone to log my route, but is there a way to do that without using data?
I keep my phone in airplane mode and use WiFi.Thank you. That is pretty much my plan, but just feel nervous about accidental charges. Do you just turn your phone on airplane mode in while you are walking? Turn off cellular data? I would love to be able to use my GPS tracking on my phone to log my route, but is there a way to do that without using data?
Right. With T-Mobile that's what you do, because they offer the free roaming data worldwide your your base plan. But people with other carriers don't want to have any nasty surprise bills.T mobile told me to leave cellular data ON all the time…no charge, per agreement with their Spain telco collab. (US) will only promise at least 2G service = 256kbps, enuf fo email, etc…
If you put your phone on WiFi calling no charge to US.T mobile (us) unlimited free data…. .25c per minute to call us.
Have you looked at any of the Verizon international plans? I need to keep my cell number in case of an emergency at home so I pick one of their plans. I don’t want a Spain number.I apologize in advance, because I know this topic has been discussed thoroughly in the past. I cannot find any threads on the various ways people keep in touch with home while on the Camino. If someone can point me to an established thread, that would be great.
I am American. Verizon is my carrier. Unfortunately, I will only be on Camino for 2 weeks. I know I have read extensive conversations about buying prepaid phones, changing SIM cards, etc. I just cannot find those threads.
Thanks for your help!
Have you looked at any of the Verizon international plans? I need to keep my cell number in case of an emergency at home so I pick one of their plans. I don’t want a Spain number.
To elaborate on what @Doughnut NZ wrote, as far as I know, with dual sims only one can be active at a time even if using e-sims (currently).I always buy dual SIM capable phones and when I get to Spain I buy a local SIM with data and minutes and then turn data roaming off on my permanent SIM.
This way I am reachable from home in an emergency on a number that everyone already knows and at the same time I have good, high speed communications while in Spain at a known cost.
Since no one seems to have mentioned it yet, this might be a good place to look: https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/search-forums/phones-electronics.244/I apologize in advance, because I know this topic has been discussed thoroughly in the past. I cannot find any threads on the various ways people keep in touch with home while on the Camino. If someone can point me to an established thread, that would be great.
I am American. Verizon is my carrier. Unfortunately, I will only be on Camino for 2 weeks. I know I have read extensive conversations about buying prepaid phones, changing SIM cards, etc. I just cannot find those threads.
Thanks for your help!
Unfortunately, you got it mixed up this timeTo elaborate on what @Doughnut NZ wrote, as far as I know, with dual sims only one can be active at a time even if using e-sims (currently).
On my camino two years ago I used my Spanish SIM from wake-up to 8 PM my time (2 PM at home). I then switched over to my regular number, turned on airplane mode and then turned on wifi and called home for 2 or 3 cents per minute through my plan (Google FI) and the albergue's wifi. Things could be different with other plans. When done I then shut off airplane mode so if Peg had an emergency later in her afternoon she could call me using my regular number.
She did have instructions on how to call me with international dialling and my Spanish number. As a backup, an arrangement was made for her to call someone else familiar with Spain, caminos and international dialling in case she had problems. Thank you secret forum member.
Thank you!Hi Gertrong! A quick way to get started in your browsing is to enter "cell phone" in the Search box at the top right of your screen. Now I have added a tag "phones & electronics" under the title at the top of this thread, so if you click on it, you'll get a lot of threads. We don't seem to get as many enquiries about phones as we used to. Maybe it is due to fewer travelers since Covid or maybe because cell phones seem less mysterious than before.
For the minimal cost, I find it easiest to simply buy a new Spanish Sim card with data, local and international calling. The major networks - Vodaphone, Orange, Movistar - often have a 1-month plan designed for visitors. However, they keep changing, so I review those 3 companies close to my departure time and pick any one that seems convenient.
Thank you! This is very helpful.To elaborate on what @Doughnut NZ wrote, as far as I know, with dual sims only one can be active at a time even if using e-sims (currently).
On my camino two years ago I used my Spanish SIM from wake-up to 8 PM my time (2 PM at home). I then switched over to my regular number, turned on airplane mode and then turned on wifi and called home for 2 or 3 cents per minute through my plan (Google FI) and the albergue's wifi. Things could be different with other plans. When done I then shut off airplane mode so if Peg had an emergency later in her afternoon she could call me using my regular number.
She did have instructions on how to call me with international dialling and my Spanish number. As a backup, an arrangement was made for her to call someone else familiar with Spain, caminos and international dialling in case she had problems. Thank you secret forum member.
Thank you! I was searching cell phone and not getting what I wanted. It looks like "phones" would have been the better search.Hi Gertrong! A quick way to get started in your browsing is to enter "cell phone" in the Search box at the top right of your screen. Now I have added a tag "phones & electronics" under the title at the top of this thread, so if you click on it, you'll get a lot of threads. We don't seem to get as many enquiries about phones as we used to. Maybe it is due to fewer travelers since Covid or maybe because cell phones seem less mysterious than before.
For the minimal cost, I find it easiest to simply buy a new Spanish Sim card with data, local and international calling. The major networks - Vodaphone, Orange, Movistar - often have a 1-month plan designed for visitors. However, they keep changing, so I review those 3 companies close to my departure time and pick any one that seems convenient.
Yes! Thank you! This is what I was looking for.Since no one seems to have mentioned it yet, this might be a good place to look: https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/search-forums/phones-electronics.244/
Thanks for straightening me out. I couldn't have gotten calls on both with my Pixel 2 but then other dual sim things weren't quite advanced enough at that either. I'll read more carefully about this in the future (but I did add "as far as I know").Unfortunately, you got it mixed up this time.
When you do get a call I suppose you see a name or number of who is calling but do you also see what network the call is coming on? This could be important for someone who has a personal number and another for business.Both SIMs are capable of receiving calls at any time.
I suppose choosing for any outbound signal is needed for billing purposes.Data services are different. Only one SIM can be active for data at a time
Thanks for straightening me out. I couldn't have gotten calls on both with my Pixel 2 but then other dual sim things weren't quite advanced enough at that either. I'll read more carefully about this in the future (but I did add "as far as I know").
When you do get a call I suppose you see a name or number of who is calling but do you also see what network the call is coming on? This could be important for someone who has a personal number and another for business.
I suppose choosing for any outbound signal is needed for billing purposes.
Thanks for the info @Doughnut NZ .Rather which network showing up when I get a call I see which of my two phone numbers is receiving the call.
On iPhone (unless it has changed recently), airplane mode turns off ALL radios, including GPS. However, you can restore GPS by turning WiFi back on. That leaves cell and bluetooth off, but the WiFi and GPS will listen for signals. Less power consumption than cell. Cell radio sends messages looking for a tower and increases power if it doesn't find one.Airplane mode doesn't affect GPS as that is just a radio receiver, unlike wifi and cellular which also transmit. It is transmissions that the airlines worry about. I usually always have GPS enabled and have photos set-up to have locations stored in my pictures. That also uses power but I'm okay for a day.
If that was true, it no longer is. On my wife's 12 Pro, the GPS receiver remains on, and I think that was so at for at least three models before that. My workplace inflicted an iPhone 9 on me some years ago, and IIRC, the GPS remained on in airplane mode as well.On iPhone (unless it has changed recently), airplane mode turns off ALL radios, including GPS.
That is true also. But telling a flight attendant that a GPS-only device was receive only didn't stop him from demanding (with hostility) that it be turned off and put away. I would have put it away running were it not for the fact that it only worked if held to the window. (I was trying to map the flight path)GPS is not, by itself, an active source. What are called enhanced location services or the like use location data from mobile base stations and WiFi hubs that does rely on the phone transmitting. Turning WiFi and Bluetooth on in airplane mode will turn on both transmit and receive. These both have relatively low power outputs compared to the mobile phone transmitter, and seem acceptable to all the airlines I have flown with for several years now.
I’m on ios15.6 on an iPhone XR (which I suppose is ancient) and in airplane mode Bluetooth does remain on as does GPS but wifi and cellular go off.That is true also. But telling a flight attendant that a GPS-only device was receive only didn't stop him from demanding (with hostility) that it be turned off and put away. I would have put it away running were it not for the fact that it only worked if held to the window. (I was trying to map the flight path)
In the latest IOS on my current iPhone, when I set airplane mode, WiFi and bluetooth remain on! And both are transmitters. But a few years back, Airplane mode turned off all radios, including GPS. The WiFi switch turned on WiFi and GPS.
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