Roaming with Cell Phones in Europe

Pauline Kenny with additional information provided by Roz (Slow Travel Talk message board moderator)

International roaming with a cell phone (mobile phone) in Europe. This information is for Americans and Canadians traveling to Europe. Europeans traveling within Europe do not have these same concerns; they can use their cell phone easily in other European countries (but they pay roaming fees).

Read about the basics of cell phones in Europe - what type of phone you need, how to choose.

Sponsors
	National Geographic Travel Phone as well as country specific SIM cards and international cell phone rentals.
	Telestial: Cell phones and SIM cards for Europe and worldwide. Code "SLOWTRAV" for 10% discount all purchases.

If you are traveling to more than one European country on a trip, your best option for a cell phone is to get one that works in all of Europe - a cell phone that allows you to "roam" through Europe with the same cell phone rates. You can use a cell phone and SIM card for one European country (e.g. Italy) in other countries (e.g. France), but you may pay for incoming calls and you will pay higher rates for outgoing calls when roaming. (See below for new EU caps on roaming rates.)

If you are traveling to one country in Europe, the answer to the cell phone question is simple - get a phone and SIM card for that country.

If you are traveling to more than one country, the question is a bit more complicated because you need a SIM card that works well between the countries. These are some of the options available.

Buy a GSM World Phone and a SIM Card for one Country

If you have a GSM World Phone and a SIM card for a European country, you can use it when roaming in other European countries.

EuroTariff - New EU Regulations to Cap Cell Phone Roaming Costs

As of August 2007, there is a cap on roaming rates within the European Union: a maximum 0.49 Euro for making a call and 0.24 Euro for receiving one, plus tax. The plan is called "EuroTariff" and must be offered by all cell phone providers in the EU. Read more on Europe's Information Society Portal.

This option allows you to use your country-specific SIM card when traveling in other European countries. For example, you can use your Italy TIM SIM card if traveling in France. Check the rates for your plan and be sure you are getting the new EuroTariff rates.

Advantages: You can buy a SIM card with great rates for the country you are spending the most time in and then use it, at higher rates, in other countries.
Disadvantages: You pay for incoming calls when roaming. Outgoing calls are expensive (but cheaper than using your US phone). If you do not travel to Europe every year, your phone number (on the SIM card) may expire.

Use Your US GSM World Phone

Some US cell providers let you use your plan in Europe but you pay for both incoming and outgoing calls. This is a good option if you do not plan to use the phone often. Read more on our Cell Phones in Europe page. Note that people in Europe calling you have to dial a US number.

Buy a GSM World Phone and an EU SIM Card

Many companies offer inexpensive GSM phones and SIM cards to use when traveling to more than one European country. Most offer free incoming calls, but outgoing calls are more expensive than with the country-specific SIM cards.

Advantages: For all of these options described below you have your cell phone and phone number before you leave. You can have one phone number and voice mailbox for your entire trip no matter where you go. You will pay the same basic rate to make calls to or from any EU country. (For example, no matter where you are in Europe, you can call Italy, France, or the UK for the same rate.)

Cellular Abroad, Talk Abroad International SIM Card

Cellular Abroad has partnered with National Geographic to offer the Talk Abroad Travel Phone. Rent the phone and SIM card for $15 a week, purchase for $199, or purchase just the SIM card for $79 to use with your unlocked World Phone.

The price includes 30 minutes of outgoing calls, gives you a UK phone number and voicemail, and is valid for 12 months each time the SIM is recharged (talk time is added). It offers free incoming calls, $0.90/minute outgoing calls in most EU countries ($1.15/min to call cell phones), no connect fee.

Advantages: You do not pay for incoming calls, so your friends in the US can call you in Europe using an inexpensive calling plan (they pay the costs for the long distance call - you pay nothing).
Disadvantages: Outgoing calls are expensive (not much different from using your US phone, or a SIM card from another country). People calling you from the US have to dial a European number. If you do not travel to Europe every year, your phone number (on the SIM card) may expire.

Talk Abroad cell phone

Telestial Passport

Telestial offers the Telestial Passport SIM card to use with your unlocked World Phone. The cost is $49 (includes $10 airtime). You get a UK phone number and voicemail. It offers free incoming calls and outgoing calls from most EU countries are $0.49/min with a $0.25 connection fee ($0.74/min first minute, $0.49 remaining minutes).

Advantages: You do not pay for incoming calls, so your friends in the US can call you in Europe using an inexpensive calling plan (they pay the costs for the long distance call - you pay nothing).
Disadvantages: People calling you from the US have to dial a European number. If you do not travel to Europe every year, your phone number (on the SIM card) may expire.

Mobal World Phone and SIM Card

Mobal provides an inexpensive option for purchasing a GSM phone with the Mobal World SIM card, if you are not going to make many calls (if you want the phone for occasional short calls and possible emergency use). You can purchase a phone with SIM card for $49 or $99. Incoming calls are not free (they are $1.25/minute) and outgoing calls are expensive ($1.25/min national, $1.50/min to the US/Canada). But, you do not pre-purchase minutes; calls are charged to your credit card.

Advantages: You pay only for the calls you make or receive and there are no other fees or service charges. Your cell phone number does not expire; there is no minimum usage requirement.
Disadvantages: Outgoing calls are expensive. Except in the UK you pay for incoming calls (not normally the case in Europe). The phone has a UK number, so if you are traveling in another country, it can be expensive for local people there to call your phone.

United Mobile

Note that United Mobile sells SIM cards, not GSM phones. You must have an unlocked GSM phone in order to use this SIM card.

United Mobile offers a SIM card that works in all European countries. Up until 2007, United Mobile had the advantage of lower roaming rates. But as of August 2007, there is a cap on roaming rates within the European Union (see above for more information). United Mobile's rates to other cell phones are about the same as those roaming maximums. They still offer some price advantage, since all their incoming calls are free and the rates to landline phones are lower.

United Mobile is a callback service, which takes a little getting used to. This means that you dial a number and wait a few seconds for the phone to ring you back with the connection, rather than having the call go through directly. (Incoming calls work normally.)

If you are only going to be in one country, you will pay more for local calls with United Mobile than with a SIM card for that country only. For example, a call from one Italian cell phone to another is about 15 US cents per minute. The United Mobile rate is 80 cents. Short calls are proportionately more expensive, since there is a €.25 ($ .35) connection charge on each outgoing call. So a one-minute call to a European cell phone (including tax), at the exchange rate as this is written would be $1.15. Additional minutes are 80 US cents each. It's actually cheaper to call a US cell phone than an EU mobile, as the rate to any US phone (or a European landline) is 40 cents / minute, with the same initial connection charge. Your phone is registered in the UK. (It used to be Liechtenstein, but this changed in 2007.) So if you are traveling mostly in Italy, for example, it will be somewhat more expensive for Italians to call you than if you had an Italy SIM card.

As of this writing (summer 2007), you cannot make data connections (e.g., for e-mail) with this card. United Mobile is hinting that this may change in the future.

Advantages: Incoming calls are free. You have the option of picking up different networks wherever you are (e.g., TIM, Vodaphone, WIND in Italy), so coverage is quite good. Unused minutes are good for 9 months and can be kept active from the US by calling your United Mobile voice mail.
Disadvantages: This is a callback service, so outgoing calls are slightly more complicated. Outgoing calls can be expensive.

Callback World

Callback World is not a cell phone service, but can be a useful adjunct to any phone plan that does not charge you for incoming calls. With Callback World you register a phone number (it can be a cell phone or landline) and are able to make calls to the US relatively inexpensively. Calls from cell phones are more expensive than landlines. Rates vary by country and can be seen on their website. At this writing, for example, a typical Callback World rate from a European cell phone to the US is between 24 and 56 US cents a minute. From a landline it is generally under 10 cents a minute. There is no signup fee and no service charge.

As the name implies, this is a callback service. In order to use it, you call the special access number (from your previously registered phone number) and hang up before a connection is made. The service recognizes your number and calls you back. Then you follow the prompts to enter the number you want to reach. To your phone this appears as a free incoming call. You pay only what Callback World bills you, on your credit card.

Although there may be cheaper ways to call home from Europe, one special feature of Callback World is that it can provide callers back in the US an easy way to reach you while you are traveling. When you register your phone number with Callback World, they will give you a unique PIN number. To reach your European phone, the US caller dials the Callback 800 number and enters your PIN at the prompt. This will ring your phone in Europe, and the US caller will pay nothing. The call is billed to your credit card. We have found this a useful way of being able to stay in touch with an elderly relative back home.

Use SKYPE on Your Computer to Make and Receive calls

This is a great solution, but only works if you have a broadband internet connection. Plus it is not a cell phone - you have to be at the computer to make and receive calls.

Sponsors
	Cellular Abroad: Cell phones and SIM cards for Europe and worldwide. Talk Abroad cell phone and SIM card to roam through Europe. Promo code "SLOWTRAV" for $10 off.
	Telestial: Cell phones and SIM cards for Europe and worldwide. Code "SLOWTRAV" for 10% discount all purchases.

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Roaming with Cell Phones in Europe

Sponsors

Buy a GSM World Phone and a SIM Card for one Country

EuroTariff - New EU Regulations to Cap Cell Phone Roaming Costs

Use Your US GSM World Phone

Buy a GSM World Phone and an EU SIM Card

Cellular Abroad, Talk Abroad International SIM Card

Telestial Passport

Mobal World Phone and SIM Card

United Mobile

Callback World

Use SKYPE on Your Computer to Make and Receive calls

Sponsors

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