[char777]

Just curious. I've dealt with Sprint and haven't been happy as they wouldn't give me the SIM card and rates are ridiculously high ($1.50 in the EU) and am looking at Cingular and T-Mobile. Which is best for international usage?

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› See More: Which is best for international travel?

[roberts1953]

Unlocked quad band GSM phone. Then buy a local SIM for the country you will be traveling in. International roaming with US copanies can get really expensive.

[char777]

Unlocked quad band GSM phone. Then buy a local SIM for the country you will be traveling in. International roaming with US copanies can get really expensive.

How do I pay for that? I don't want to be paying my phone bill in Euros and at CDG while the gate of my plane is closing.

[roberts1953]

Buy a prepaid SIM for the country you will be in. The minutes are purchased beforehand with the SIM. If you need more time then you can refill for whatever you think you'll need. Incoming calls for most of Europe are free, even with a prepaid SIM. Outgoing rates are substantially less then international roaming provided by a US company. Also, calling back to the US wont be that much more. No need to settle your bill at a terminal at the end of the trip. BTW, for Europe you will need a phone with GSM 900/1800 frequencies.

[char777]

So I could go prepaid basically with a local carrier? How and where do I get a SIM from the local carrier?

[roberts1953]

Exactly, when you go to a foreign country, buy a local prepaid SIM from a local service provider. Just like if someone were to come to the US with a compatable and unlocked GSM phone in there hot little hand, then buy a Tmobile or Cingular prepaid SIM. And pop it into said phone. The difference between Europe and the US is that prepaid SIM starter packages are much easier to get a hold of in Europe then here in the US.

When you mention CDG I assume you are traveling to France. The easiest way to get a SIM is to buy one once you get there. You could probably find one at the Airport at a shop once you arrive. Another option is to visit a Tobacco/Smoke shop. They are all over the place and sell SIMs there for 30 Euro or less. They are pretty easy to get ahold of. Another option is Cell Phone Rental, International Cellular Communications, GSM Phone Rental, Cellular Abroad or Telestial.com - Prepaid SIM Cards and Unlocked GSM Cell Phones
They will sell you a prepaid SIM for Europe, and send it to you in the US before your trip. But it is still more expensive then just buying a local prepaid SIM once you get to your destination.
Another option is to find some international SIMs on ebay, but gtting it shipped to the US may be a hassle. I suppose you could just have the SIM shipped to your hotel, ready to use once you arrive in the country.
For more info on finding a SIM locally in your specific country of travel, google searching can be a very useful tool.

[char777]

Thanks for the help, but I have a few questions:

1) Wouldn't you get more coverage with T-Mobile at a certain country (I chose CDG out of the blue, I'm not going there in a while) because they have more partners? I borrowed my aunt's Tphone when I went to Singapore and it hopped from carrier to carrier if I didn't have coverage. So what I'm saying is: if you're using only one carrier, wouldn't you get less coverage than a US phone that hops from carrier to carrier?

2) What is the data all about? My dad wants to check his stocks and e-mail while abroad. If he were to get a smartphone, would he need to somehow configure it to get data from that carrier?

Thanks again.