Comments on: Using Your iPhone During International Travel Without Breaking the Bank

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 03:01:00 +0000

Hi Changy06: I wish I could help, but I know nothing about the family plans. My gut tells me that all core settings would probably have to be made on the account holder’s phone, and that it would affect any phones added on to the master account, but I’m afraid that’s a question for AT&T.

By: changy06

changy06 — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 01:40:00 +0000

Hi,

I just came across your (very helpful!) article – thank you for the helpful tips! I will be teaching abroad in Korea for a year starting at the end of the month, but will be taking my phone with me (I would like to keep the same number for when I come back). I plan on getting a mobile when I get there, so forwarding won’t be an issue.

However, my father & I share a family plan – would removing the international roaming and long distance feature affect both lines or just mine?

By: Philip Sedlmair

Philip Sedlmair — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 13:02:00 +0000

Daniel,

I am currently in Lima, Peru and have done just that. I forwarded my iphone number to my skype number and did not take out the SIM. Just remember to use your respective phone’s call forwarding feature – NOT the conditional call forwarding: ie. after 3 rings forward, etc.

Another way we use our phones in Lima is to unlock or jailbreak (completely legal) and then we purchase a pay as you go SIM through CLARO (local cell company)

If you are up for it, just google: Devteam and read up on the newest iphone 4s jailbreak.

Happy Travels!

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 20:08:00 +0000

Daniel: My advice has always been to turn off the International calling feature. That way, you ensure the phone does not roam automatically if the 3G gets accidentally enabled.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 20:05:00 +0000

Daniel: You do NOT need to take your sim card out of your phone to make calls & texts via Skype via wifi. Think of it this way – the 3G connection and the wifi are two separate and different connections. When you are using one, you are not accessing the other. When you turn on the wifi, the 3G symbol in the upper left hand corner disappears and the wifi bars appear – this means you are connected via wifi only and the phone defaults to that connection. When you install the Skype app, it is designed to use only the wifi connection; it will not work with the 3G connection, so there is no need to worry. And if you have followed all my other instructions properly, your 3G connection will not be accessible.

By: Daniel

Daniel — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 19:57:00 +0000

Hi Barbara,

If I want to forward my cell # to my skype #, do I have to take the sim card out of my phone? Can I leave it in? Assuming I forward my cell # to my skype # and then follow the steps in your article, do I still have to follow your step #1 to turn off the international long distance feature? Because wouldn’t it not matter, as all the incoming international calls would be forwarded to skype anyway?

By: Daniel

Daniel — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 19:53:00 +0000

Hi Barbara,

Following up on Bobby’s question…do I have to take the sim card out of my phone to make calls and texts via skype and a wifi connection? What if I forward my cell # to my skype # but I leave the sim card in my phone?

By: Marge

Marge — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 15:28:00 +0000

I’m afraid I’m a computer dummy, so what does it mean to have an unlocked phone? I want to use my IPhone for dates, addresses, etc. while there. What is a sim card and can I buy it here before I go? And where do you put it? Sorry, it sounds so dumb, but I actually have a Ph.D., obviously not in computer technology.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 03:11:00 +0000

Hi Marge: If you have an unlocked iPhone you can buy a local sim chip for very little money and that will give you the ability to make local calls. If not, you can buy a pre-paid (throw-away) phone or maybe a phone card (not sure if they have the latter in Israel). You’ll likely have to show your passport to buy a pre-paid phone. It’s realy handy to have an unlocked phone, but you must be very careful not to EVER upgrade the operating system after it’s unlocked, and be aware that unlocking or jailbreaking will void your warranty with AT&T.

By: Marge

Marge — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 01:02:00 +0000

I am leaving for Israel for 2 weeks on Monday. I will be staying with family and able to use their computer to receive and send emails. All I want is to be able to make and receive local phone calls while there. What do I do to achieve this? And thanks for all you do for us travelers. I also had the AT&T plan previously, and had your experience

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 23:39:00 +0000

Gerber, that’s a misunderstanding. When you pit the iPhone in Airplane Mode it automatically turns off the wifi, but you can go right back into settings and turn it back on again. It doesn’t matter in planes, because above 10,000 feet there is no signal available.

By: Gerber

Gerber — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 22:06:00 +0000

Hi, Rhonda,
Doesn’t putting it in Airplane Mode mean you can’t use the wifi? I though Airplane Mode disabled the device from sending or receiving any information/data etc…?

By: Tom Bartel

Tom Bartel — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 11:40:00 +0000

By the way, another way to accomplish all this is to get your phone unlocked. Verizon will unlock it for you. I don’t know about ATT. Then when you get where you are going, you can buy a chip from the local provider. (Only $10 for a month’s internet and voice plus $5 for the chip in Indonesia. $30 in Australia for a month’s internet and voice, including chip, from Vodafone. Both of these included SMS, too.) Then, you won’t have to find wi-fi to use internet. You can use 3G. Also, you will have a local number to make local calls. Of course, if you are in a wi-fi zone, use it. It’s usually a lot faster.

By: Tom Bartel

Tom Bartel — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 11:36:00 +0000

The charger that comes with your iPhone will handle 220. You will need an adapter to fit the plug wherever you are going however.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 04:57:00 +0000

Romilda: You either got a tech on the line who was trying to sell you something you don’t need or he just didn’t know what he was talking about. All Apple rechargers (and most other electronics these days) have built-in converters. You can check this by looking at the fine print between the two metal plug tines (you might need a magnifying glass, the type is very small). It says: “Input 100-240V ~ 50-60 Hz.” This small white block IS the converter and can be used with any electric source between these ranges. What you WILL need is an adapter, which many people make the mistake of confusing with a converter. The adapter is just a simple plug that makes it possible for your existing recharger to fit into the receptacle in another part of the world, since every country has its own plug designs. You don’t need a converter – I have used mine all over the world without one and Apple’s website clearly says it is not needed. And you can buy an adapter when you get to a country, usually for less than a dollar.