International travel with Razr Maxx

[GTIMKV]

There are 2 ways to use Razr in a foreign country.

1. Use your VZW SIM card. You will need to get an international data plan ($25 for 100M) and pay something like $1.99 per min.

2. Get a local SIM card. The Razr is already unlocked after ICS update, so you just need to pop the card in and start making calls. Note that you will need microSIM, or have someome cut the regular SIM. Also you probably need to setup APN to connect to local 3G. There will be a message of "the SIM card is from a foreign source" when you reboot the phone, just ignore it.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

[GTIMKV]

So 1 can i get a sim in rome that will work in rome and uganda, or should i wait till i get to uganda to get a sim. 2 will doing vzw notice that i have bypassed them and used a foreign sim and take away my unlimited data? 3 will this even work in my vzw Razr maxx, i am seeing mixed reviewed of working and non. Would i be better off to just purchase another phone off contract and use it? the trip is only 3 weeks but i would much rather use my maxx if at all possible.

Thanks in advance!!

1. Not sure you better Google yourself. The simple way is just getting a local SIM in uganda.
2. When you power off your phone and switch the SIM card, Verizon has no way of knowing what happens to your phone without the VZW SIM. To Verizon your phone is simply powered off, until the day your put VZW SIM back in. Thus it wont affect your plan.
3. Oh it'll work. You may need to update APN setting in order to use local 3G. Just Google or ask the place that sells the SIM. The setting is under Mobile Networks, GSM/UMTS settings, Access Point Names.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

[ty20404]

Just stumbled across this, as well as a few other threads regarding international use with my Razr Maxx. I'm in Taiwan for a month and wanted to get something to use unlimited data here. Went down to the local Vibo store here, got a pre-paid SIM with unlimited data and the equivalent of 80 minutes talk time back to the US, all for about $30USD. Popped the SIM card in, went into the network settings and switched over to GSM, then added the APN that the representative told me to add and I've got data! I've also got an "H" logo where 4G used to be so I'm assuming this is the GSM form of 4G, what they call over here 3.5G???? Who knows, it all works great!

On a side note, before the ICS update one of my co-workers from spain and I swapped SIM cards in the US (I believe his was an ATT prepaid card in his iPhone 4S) just to see what happened and neither phone did anything, granted we didn't change any settings at all... Swapped back and they worked just fine on both phones, however, when my dad went into Verizon a few weeks later to switch the family over to Verizon's new plan (not too happy about not having unlimited data anymore) they were having issues with my phone. I'm guessing it was because either I had A) placed my 4G SIM into an unlocked iPhone 4S, or B) placed a domestic GSM SIM into my Razr Maxx... When I would log into myVerizon, where it would show the phone type, nothing would come up? They couldn't change the plan over because some information with my SIM and phone wouldn't allow it. Eventually they did something like deactivate that SIM, reactivate another, then reactivate my old SIM to get it to work again... Honestly this either had to do with two of the things listed above (4G SIM in iPhone 4S, GSM SIM in Razr Maxx) or the fact that it was before the ICS update..............

In all, I'm not sure that is at all relevant now and suppose I can update when I return to the states how my Razr Maxx and 4G SIM do when I turn the phone on. Aside from that I'm stoked to be using my Razr Maxx while I'm in Taiwan! Never even imagined that was possible.

[Teener]

I just returned from 24 days in Italy, traveling with my Droid Razr Maxx.
When I got to Italy, I found you can only buy a SIM card at a cellular store, so I went to a Vodafone store and bought one of their SIM cards - you will need your passport, and it takes a while to get all the paperwork filled out. The store employee adjusted the phone settings, including the APN, and in about 2 hours, I had service. Then I just bought more time as I needed it. A side note, though - to buy more phone time you can only go to certain stores, in Italy it's mostly just Tabacchi (tobacco shops) and large grocery stores, and they close in the early evening. I found myself with no phone time and no open shops at about 20:30 (8:30pm). I had to ask some nice Italian man if he could call a taxi for me. Also it costs 4 Euros a day to use the 3G (they don't have 4G in Italy), not counting data usage, so use it judiciously. When I received calls from the US, they were free to me, so I could get calls from home, even if I had no more time on my card. For me to call home was about 60 cents a minute.
I tried to use Skype, but I think the foreign SIM wasn't recognized and it asked me to register as a new user. I tried a few things to get it to work, but never could. I'm not ruling out user error, but it just didn't work for me.
Initially I had thought I would buy a cheap phone when I got to Italy, and use my Wi-Fi tablet, but I am so glad I had the Razr Maxx with me - Wi-Fi in Italy is unreliable, and I used so many apps and features, this phone was a great thing to have.
When I returned home two nights ago, I replaced my Verizon SIM card, powered up and the phone works just fine.

[beefchopper]

I just returned from 24 days in Italy, traveling with my Droid Razr Maxx.
When I got to Italy, I found you can only buy a SIM card at a cellular store, so I went to a Vodafone store and bought one of their SIM cards - you will need your passport, and it takes a while to get all the paperwork filled out. The store employee adjusted the phone settings, including the APN, and in about 2 hours, I had service. Then I just bought more time as I needed it. A side note, though - to buy more phone time you can only go to certain stores, in Italy it's mostly just Tabacchi (tobacco shops) and large grocery stores, and they close in the early evening. I found myself with no phone time and no open shops at about 20:30 (8:30pm). I had to ask some nice Italian man if he could call a taxi for me. Also it costs 4 Euros a day to use the 3G (they don't have 4G in Italy), not counting data usage, so use it judiciously. When I received calls from the US, they were free to me, so I could get calls from home, even if I had no more time on my card. For me to call home was about 60 cents a minute.
I tried to use Skype, but I think the foreign SIM wasn't recognized and it asked me to register as a new user. I tried a few things to get it to work, but never could. I'm not ruling out user error, but it just didn't work for me.
Initially I had thought I would buy a cheap phone when I got to Italy, and use my Wi-Fi tablet, but I am so glad I had the Razr Maxx with me - Wi-Fi in Italy is unreliable, and I used so many apps and features, this phone was a great thing to have.
When I returned home two nights ago, I replaced my Verizon SIM card, powered up and the phone works just fine.

Thanks very much for that very informative post. I too spent a significant amount of time in Italy this year but before I heard anything about the possibility of using a Verizon 4G phone and swapping the sim card. I am a Verizon customer and would much prefer to use my regular phone when travelling so I will certainly get a new Verizon phone that can do that before my next trip. What I had done instead was to buy a cheap T-Mobile phone, unlock it, and buy an Italian sim card. It did work for voice and data and I was able to use Skype on that phone as well when in Italy. I purchased a WIND sim card rather than one from Vodaphone. They had one plan I found very attractive for someone who travels to that country repeatedly. The plan is a pay as you go with no monthly fee so the balance is carried forward without depleting it when I'm gone. They charge you a nominal fee per voice call and I was able to their data plan (3G only in Italy) for 9 euros per month for 1GB of data. That's plenty for my usage over there on 3G. The nice feature is you can turn the data on and off by sending a text. When I arrive I turn it on and get charged the 9 euros then can use it for up to a month before facing another data charge. When I am about to leave I send them a text and they turn off the data and do not charge me anything while I'm gone.

[jkc]

Just finished a 10-day trip to Germany. Powered down phone in USA, arrived in Germany, popped in local SIM card, powered up phone - could not find service. Switched to GSM, rebooted phone, had no further problems at all (did not use data - voice only). On return to USA, powered down phone in Germany, put Verizon SIM back in and powered up phone in US on landing. Had to switch back to LTE from GSM and everything worked fine. Got all my email, texts, app updates, etc. No issues at all and they certainly did not deactivate my Verizon SIM.

Thanks to all the previous posters for the info.

[TisMyDroid]

Thanks jkc for this great info...and welcome to DF. It is great to know how well and seamlessly this phone will work going overseas and back again. Very cool!

[leonoe]

I'm new to the forum and joined because of this topic, which has been extremely helpful!

I'm due for an upgrade and the Droid Razr Maxx HD is on the top of the list because of its global capabilities. Based on everything I've read, its seems that with the ICS upgrade, I can switch out SIM cards when traveling outside of the US and it does not require any unlock codes from Verizon. All I need to do when entering the US is pop my Verizon SIM back into the phone and it should work as normal. I know this topic was started for the Droid Razr Maxx but can I assume that it also applies to the HD version as well? Just looking to confirm if anyone has experience...

Thanks

[SometimesWelsh]

So, since the VZN RAZR Maxx has been updated to ICS for a good while now, I'd like to get a solid explanation from someone who has used this U.S. device in the U.K on a local pre-paid microSIM with success. Both voice AND data in the U.K. on a "3", Orange, O2 or Vodafone sim.

I would like to use mostly data when I'm on travel in the UK and Europe, so this information is most important to me, rather than just voice service usage.

Specifically, I'd like to know if you did the following?

1. Powered down the Verizon RAZR Maxx while in the U.S.
2. Purchased a prepaid microSIM with a U.K. carrier once there, installed sim and powered it on.
3. Did you have to get the VPN/APN settings from the carrier shop? Because there are prepaid SIM vending machines at LHR that won't provide that info, so is there a way to get the correct APN/VPN settings on the web ahead of time? (This is apparently needed in order to use data overseas on a compatible sim plan)
4. Did everything work fine there?
5. I imagine you have to power back down in the U.K. before boarding the plane, remove UK sim, replace with original VZN sim and power back up once in the U.S. again. Did the VZN service work without a hitch? Did you have to change back the VPN/APN settings? This is important to me because I have a grandfathered unlimited data plan that I don't want to mess with.

Thank you, and I look forward to a response that will put this to bed, once and for all.

[beefchopper]

I have only tried to use a US phone (successfully) in Italy using a local sim card purchased there and not in the UK so can't answer your questions first hand. I did find this, though:

Vodafone
APN (contract): internet
APN (PAYG): pp.vodafone.co.uk
Username: web
Password: web

Orange
APN: orangeinternet
Username: leave blank
Password: leave blank

O2
APN (contract): mobile.o2.co.uk
APN (PAYG): m-bb.o2.co.uk
Username: web
Password: web

T-Mobile
APN: general.t-mobile.uk
Username: leave blank
Password: leave blank

Three
APN: 3internet
Username: leave blank
Password: leave blank

Tesco Mobile (uses the O2 network)
APN: prepay.tesco-mobile.com
Username: tescowap
Password: password

Virgin Mobile (uses the T-Mobile network)
APN: goto.virginmobile.uk
Username: user
Password: leave blank

BT Mobile (uses the Vodafone network)
APN: btmobile2.bt.com
Username: bt
Password: bt

ASDA Mobile (uses the Vodafone network)
APN: asdamobiles.co.uk
Username: web
Password: web

see also: International APN Settings for Mobile Broadband Network Operators - for GSM/GPRS sensors from HW group