Mobile Phone for Europe

moneysavingmonkey85

My husband and I both have smart phones on contract, but I don't want to take them abroad with the risk of data charges etc.
We should only need a phone for the odd text/emergency, so I was looking at refurb pay-as-u-go.
My question is how do you know if they will work abroad (in our case Greece and Tenerife this summer)?

https://www.secure-mobiles.com/check...j2so07d2l7p2r6

something like this with basic top up? I have emailed the company to ask, but I wouldn't trust them to tell me the full truth.
Would I have to set it up with the network?

Sorry if these are really stupid questions!!
Thanks:T

Bob_the_Saver

Any dual band phone (minimum) will be OK which must mean all of them these days I would have thought. Don't forget to get an unlocked phone if you want to use a (foreign) local sim-card. You should get something for about £10.01 delivered including a £10 credit if you look around for a LOCKED one.

When you arrive at the destination it will log on to the local network automatically,
sometimes takes a minute.

PS. Your link not working for me.

moneysavingmonkey85

ah, sorry about link. it did say dual band, and it was £10.01. I'm not sure if its unlocked, will the sim that comes with it (standard Uk vodafone) be ok for eu? Thanks for replying bob

http://www.e2save.com/mobile-phone/payg/alcatel/Alcatel--OT_209-Silver-Refurbished.html?tariffcode=PPVODA

Bob_the_Saver

moneysavingmonkey85 wrote: »

ah, sorry about link. it did say dual band, and it was £10.01. I'm not sure if its unlocked, will the sim that comes with it (standard Uk vodafone) be ok for eu? Thanks for replying bob

http://www.e2save.com/mobile-phone/payg/alcatel/Alcatel--OT_209-Silver-Refurbished.html?tariffcode=PPVODA

That would be fine for emergency use but is locked to Vodafone. Standard UK sim OK for EU but you are paying the (now much reduced) roaming fees. If you're getting a top-up included there must be a sim card.

Bob_the_Saver

An unlocked phone would give you the option of a local sim card. Ideal often for calls out but since you have a new number with it you'd have to give it to all your contacts before they could call you, and it would cost THEM more. Calls in the EU are not too expensive now unless you like to chatter.
Unlocked phones are ideal in say Asia where a local sim can reduce calls to the UK to a couple of pence a min or for using one of the International call sims like Lyca
Mobile in lots of places where a 10 min call to the UK might be just a few pence. Ideal for a longer stay in one place.
A dual band phone not much use for some places like the US where you need a tri or quad band phone.

All my comments here do include some generalisations to simplify the answer before the mobile nerds pick me up on every little point.

markwilkinson

Can't you just turn off the roaming on your smartphones? Seems a lot simpler and cheaper than buying a dedicated phone, with a new number, when all you want is to make the odd phone call or send an occasional text? That's all we do so it prevents getting emails etc sent whilst abroad.

SaveTheEuro

moneysavingmonkey85 wrote: »

We should only need a phone for the odd text/emergency

Ive tried a few different things, including getting a local sim for an unlocked phone in Australia and buying a cheap phone in the US, but if you are not going to use a mobile a great deal I'd suggest you stick with your existing phone and turn off data roaming. Tell anyone likely to phone you to text instead because texts are free to receive. Seek out free wifi and use Skype for calling them back. You can also turn off voicemail when going abroad. Leave a message telling people to text you if urgent.

travelgran

I have a cheap PAYG (Nokia) and have had it for some years. We have used it all over Europe and in parts of Asia. Never occurred to me it wouldn't work! It's only used for occasional texts and automatically picks up the local equivalent to T-mobile. I put about £20 on before we go away and have never run out yet. Usually we're away for four weeks. Works for me.
It is possible to over think things.

Bob_the_Saver

SaveTheEuro wrote: »

Ive tried a few different things, including getting a local sim for an unlocked phone in Australia and buying a cheap phone in the US, but if you are not going to use a mobile a great deal I'd suggest you stick with your existing phone and turn off data roaming. Tell anyone likely to phone you to text instead because texts are free to receive. Seek out free wifi and use Skype for calling them back. You can also turn off voicemail when going abroad. Leave a message telling people to text you if urgent.

Can't speak for the OP but the thought of telling the dowager Mrs Bob the saver she had to buy a mobile and text me if she needs contact or is in need of urgent assistance could be good for a laugh. She'd never find her glasses anyway let alone the mobile or remember to charge it.

moneysavingmonkey85

Thanks to everyone. I'm going to go for a cheap one, and try not to use it, and give essential people the new number just in case. The smartphones are worth too much to leave on the beach and by the pool anyway. I realise I should learn how to use my smartphone better too! Thanks xx

Bob_the_Saver

moneysavingmonkey85 wrote: »

Thanks to everyone. I'm going to go for a cheap one, and try not to use it, and give essential people the new number just in case. The smartphones are worth too much to leave on the beach and by the pool anyway. I realise I should learn how to use my smartphone better too! Thanks xx

Yep.

Anyway I can't figure out why they're called smart phones when you have to turn the 'smart' bits off at Dover.