Title: Guide to Buying a SIM Card in Europe | EuroCheapo.com
Headings: Buying a SIM card in Europe: The cheapest way to use a smartphone while traveling
Buying a SIM card in Europe: The cheapest way to use a smartphone while traveling
In this article
Traveling abroad? Your smartphone options
Purchasing an international package from your carrier
Winging it without a package
Purchasing a SIM Card abroad
The benefits of buying a SIM card in Europe
How does it work?
What about locked phones?
AT&T customers
T-Mobile customers
Verizon customers
What happens if you can’t unlock your phone?
Use an old phone
Buy a cheap phone in Europe
Buy a cheap phone before leaving for Europe
How do you install the SIM card?
Buying SIM cards in Europe
Considerations when shopping for SIM cards
Package or pay-as-you-go
How much do calls cost
Connection charge
Other countries
Wi-Fi hotspots
Finally, don’t forget…
When you place a SIM card in your phone, your phone number will change.
Your SIM card questions and stories
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Content: As we’ll discuss below, you can either use it in your regular US smartphone (if your phone permits it), use it in an old phone that is SIM-card compatible, or buy a cheap phone (either back home before you leave or once in Europe) for the new SIM Card. Options, options… Looking over the SIM cards available for purchase at a “Relay” newsstand at Charles de Gaulle airport. Photo: EuroCheapo
The benefits of buying a SIM card in Europe
Why would you go through the hassle of all this? Because buying and using a SIM card in Europe will almost certainly be far cheaper than using your home carrier while traveling abroad. When using a SIM card from a European carrier, you’re buying a new phone number. This means you gain access to the same low-cost dialing options available to locals. There are many, many European phone carriers, and each offers different SIM cards, packages and options. Broadly speaking, to make this work for you, you’ll need to purchase two things: 1.