Going Abroad - Use Verizon's SIM Card, or get one abroad?

[Smokeyham]

When travelling abroad is it better to use the Verizon SIM card which comes with the Droid 2 Global, or should I use a SIM card from a carrier in the country I am travelling to (Britain in my case)?

I understand that Verizon will give me an unlock code so I can use another SIM card, but then I would not have my American number.

However, I can see where it would be much cheaper to use the SIM card of a carrier in the country where I am travelling.

Do you have any experience or ideas you can share on this?

Thanks.

 

[Backnblack]

Have you device unlocked by VZW before you go....Get local Sim card...

 

[Smokeyham]

Use Local SIM Card

Have you device unlocked by VZW before you go....Get local Sim card...

Thanks.... I have a SIM card from a simple mobile phone I have used in Britain fo years, so it would be nice to keep that number, while having the capabilities of the Droid 2 Global.

 

[leobg]

If you are not concerned about high bills and you want to have the convenience of having your number go with you, use Verizon's card and plan.
Getting local sim may save you money, but you may run in one of the many incompatibility issues this phone has with 3rd party SIM cards.
I would recommend you to be prepared for both scenarios. Call Verizon ahead of your trip and ask them to enable the sim card and eventually get you the unlock code. Once you get there, make sure phone is set to GSM/UMTS mode only in order to save battery. My guess is reliability will be better with Verizon SIM in the phone, so if it is a business trip and money isn't that much of a problem you may want to stick to the only "Verizon supported" solution solution (roaming with the supplied SIM)

Sent from my DROID2 GLOBAL using Tapatalk

 

[Smokeyham]

Verizon V. In-Country SIM Card

Thanks.... That is great info! I can see where being prepared for both circumstances would be good. Also, thank you for the tip about setting the phone to GSM/UMTS mode only to save battery life.

For anyone else reading this, the settings for this can be found in:

Settings/Wireless & Network Settings/Mobile Networks/Network Mode

If you are not concerned about high bills and you want to have the convenience of having your number go with you, use Verizon's card and plan.

Getting local sim may save you money, but you may run in one of the many incompatibility issues this phone has with 3rd party SIM cards.
I would recommend you to be prepared for both scenarios.

Call Verizon ahead of your trip and ask them to enable the sim card and eventually get you the unlock code.

Once you get there, make sure phone is set to GSM/UMTS mode only in order to save battery. My guess is reliability will be better with Verizon SIM in the phone, so if it is a business trip and money isn't that much of a problem you may want to stick to the only "Verizon supported" solution solution (roaming with the supplied SIM)

Sent from my DROID2 GLOBAL using Tapatalk

 

[Gasai Yuno]

I have a SIM card from a simple mobile phone I have used in Britain fo years, so it would be nice to keep that number

To prevent possible confusion: such an old card probably won't work with Droid 2 Global, and I wouldn't really expect it to. All 3G phones expect an UICC that runs USIM, and older cards do not support USIM.

You'll need to contact your carrier in the UK and ask for SIM card replacement to get a contemporary 3G-compatible UICC.

 

[greektenor]

Verizon Sim in an unlocked iPhone

I have a Droid 2 Global that's unlocked. I normally use Verizon's Global Data Plan when traveling overseas. Presently, I'm in the UK.

I bought a local sim and am using it in my D2G. I happened to put my Verizon Sim into my unlocked iPhone 3G and get voice service (with my US Number) but I can't get the data to work. I've tried different APNs to no avail.

Anyone have any suggestions as to if this would even work? In other words, My Verizon Sim is partly working already in my unlocked iPhone (I can make and receive phone calls) and would like to make it fully functional with data.

Thanks!

 

[Gasai Yuno]

Your SIM is actually Vodafone, so you probably should look up APN settings for that carrier.

 

[leobg]

Your SIM is actually Vodafone, so you probably should look up APN settings for that carrier.

Vodafone owns 40% of Verizon, but this doesn't necessarily mean APN settings from Vodafone UK will work. I believe you need to use the settings stored in D2G for that card. And this may still not guarantee 100% it will work. I could try if I weren't on prepaid (they refuse to activate the sim fornprepaid users, or at least I couldn't convince the CSR to do so for me), but everyone on monthly plan currently outside of US can test this. Let me know if you need to know the APN settings for the bundled SIM.

Sent from my DROID2 GLOBAL using Tapatalk

 

[Massachutian]

I had good luck with a pay-as-you-go T-Mobile UK SIM card (obtainable almost anywhere). Once you top up with enough ££, you can add an amazingly inexpensive "Internet Booster" that gives you 3G data service. More information here: Pay as you go Boosters.

(Be sure and unlock your phone with Verizon before you travel, or this won't work.)

 

[Smokeyham]

British Providers' SIM Cards

I had good luck with a pay-as-you-go T-Mobile UK SIM card (obtainable almost anywhere). Once you top up with enough ££, you can add an amazingly inexpensive "Internet Booster" that gives you 3G data service. More information here: Pay as you go Boosters.

(Be sure and unlock your phone with Verizon before you travel, or this won't work.)

Great info... Thanks....

Does anyone know if Britain has the same "number portability" which we have in the States?

As was noted by Gasai Yuno my current (very simple) British mobile SIM card probably won't work in my D2G, but I would like to keep the same number, if I transfer to another British carrier such as T-Mobile UK.

 

[Massachutian]

I had good luck with a pay-as-you-go T-Mobile UK SIM card (obtainable almost anywhere). Once you top up with enough ££, you can add an amazingly inexpensive "Internet Booster" that gives you 3G data service. More information here: Pay as you go Boosters.

(Be sure and unlock your phone with Verizon before you travel, or this won't work.)

Great info... Thanks....

Does anyone know if Britain has the same "number portability" which we have in the States?

As was noted by Gasai Yuno my current (very simple) British mobile SIM card probably won't work in my D2G, but I would like to keep the same number, if I transfer to another British carrier such as T-Mobile UK.

I think they have a number portability scheme for contract customers, but I doubt it's available for pay-as-you-go.

 

[Gasai Yuno]

EC regulations state that you should be able to retain your phone number when you change carriers.

I'd also like to point out that in many cases, even “pay as you go” requires a contract in Europe, and makes you eligible for phone number transfers between carriers.

 

[Wdinteman]

Any thoughts on taking a DroidX to Scandinavia and Germany? SIM card advice same for 2Global as for DroidX? What about data functionality-- maps, GPS?

 

[leobg]

Any thoughts on taking a DroidX to Scandinavia and Germany? SIM card advice same for 2Global as for DroidX? What about data functionality-- maps, GPS?

Droid X is not GSM/WCDMA capable. It doesn't have SIM card slot, neither GSM/WCDMA radio capability. It is only good in US and few other countries in the western hemisphere, but certainly not good in Western Europe.
So the advice given here is not good for DroidX