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
Heading to Europe? Get our ebook for free!
About the author
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Content: You can also read about the top SIM Cards in Spain and Germany. You’ll see plenty of SIM-related packages at newsstands in France and throughout Europe, like SFR’s “Call Cheap” package for visitors. Photo: EuroCheapo
How does it work? A SIM (“subscriber identification module”) card is a small chip that you place inside your phone that controls your actual phone number and can also store your contacts. These are sold by cellular carriers and are used in all phones that operate using GSM technology (and some newer CDMA phones, as well). Europe’s mobile phone carriers use GSM technology. In the US, AT&T and T-Mobile use GSM, while Verizon and Sprint use another technology, CDMA. If your phone uses CDMA, you should verify with your carrier whether or not your phone operates using a SIM card. ( Many of the newer smartphones do.)