When I traveled internationally for the first time after buying my iPhone, I was concerned about the potential for racking up huge phone bills. I’d heard horror stories about people who used their ATT iPhone for international travel, only to discover they had mounted up thousands of dollars in cell phone charges upon returning home. As an underpaid writer, I needed to make very sure this didn’t happen to me.
I started by calling AT&T and was told that I needed to add an International Calling Plan for $24.99 per month. Initially that seemed like a reasonable solution, until I read the small print. The plan provides 20MB of usage within 65 countries, and the list of countries did not include my destination. Additionally, usage over 20MB would have been charged at $.005 per KB. If that all sounds like a lot of gibberish, let me put it in perspective: opening an email with a five megapixel picture in it or downloading a three-minute video on YouTube each require about 2MB of data, so it wouldn’t take long to eat up 20MB of data. Additionally, there are 1,000 KB in each MB, so if I was over my limit, opening a 2MB email would cost me $10! Obviously, this plan was not acceptable.
Since I intended to access my email and the Internet solely through the hotel’s WiFi network, I asked AT&T for instructions to block the cellular network completely. Although it was a struggle to get the rep to agree to send me the appropriate information, she finally offered to send an email with instructions. The instructions were somewhat incomplete, but with research I was able to fill in the missing details and the steps I took successfully shut off the 3G network (I have since traveled internationally for months without incurring any roaming charges). The following are the specific instructions for using ATT iPhone for international travel without incurring high international roaming charges (3Gs, 4 and 4s):
Settings for iPhone 3GS:
- Make sure that standard International Roaming and International Long Distance feature, if it is included in your cellular plan, is removed (call AT&T and make sure the rep adds a note to your account confirming that you requested this)
- If you are going to forward your number, do so before you change any other settings (Settings->Phone->Call Forwarding->Turn ON->Enter number to which you want calls forwarded)
- Disable 3G (Settings->General->Network-Enable 3G->OFF)
- Turn off data roaming (Settings->General-Network->Data Roaming->OFF)
- Make sure WiFi is enabled (Settings->WiFi->WiFi->ON)
- Turn of automatic pushing of email (Settings->Mail, Contacts, Calendars->Fetch New Data-Push->OFF and set Fetch to Manually)
- Put the phone in airplane mode (Settings->Airplane Mode->ON)
- Although not absolutely necessary, I wanted to be very sure I was not mounting up the MB’s, so I reset the usage counter to zero in order to monitor it throughout the trip, ensuring my usage remained at zero. To do so, go to Settings->General->Usage->Reset Statistics (scroll to the very bottom).
Settings for iPhone 4 and 4s:
- If you are going to forward your number, do so before you change any other settings (Settings->Phone->Call Forwarding->Turn ON->Enter number to which you want calls forwarded)
- Disable 3G (Settings->General->Network->Cellular Data->OFF). Also check your Data Roaming; it should be off by default, but for some reason if it is on, turn it off here as well
- Make sure WiFi is enabled (Settings->WiFi->WiFi->ON)
- Turn of automatic pushing of email (Settings->Mail, Contacts, Calendars->Fetch New Data-Push->OFF and set Fetch to Manually)
- Put the phone in airplane mode (Settings->Airplane Mode->ON)
- If you wish to reset the usage counter to zero in order to monitor it throughout the trip and ensure usage remains at zero, go to Settings->General->Usage->Cellular Usage->Reset Statistics
- NOTE: In my 4s I do not turn off Location Services and Notifications, as they both work over wifi as well as a cellular network. Disabling 3G and putting the phone in Airplane Mode ensures that they will use only the wifi network and not rack up expensive roaming charges.
When I arrive in an international destination, I simply log into an available WiFi network and Voila! I have access to the Internet, email, Twitter, and can even make international phone calls with the iPhone Skype app without incurring cellular charges. When you return to the U.S., simply reverse the process, although you may choose not to reinstate the International Roaming and International Long Distance feature.
Planning international travel in the near future? Check out prices for your preferred destination at Booking.com, Hotels.com, or HotelsCombined.com. Read what travelers have to say about properties in your destination at TripAdvisor.com.
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I have already loaded Skype on my iPhone (3Gs)…. I have been able to
only call 800 Numbers here in the USA…. When I have called Non-Toll Free
Numbers it says that I need to buy Skype Credits or purchase a Skype Plan of
some type…. Same thing happens when I have tried to call International
Numbers on Skype….
Can you tell if I need to pay Skype for calling non-Skype numbers back in
the USA from either France or Ukraine???? If so, would you by chance know how
much it costs and or are there economical price plans for doing so????
Many thanks in advance for any assistance or direction that you can offer
as it would be greatly appreciated….
Hi Bill: You can only call for free if both parties have Skype accounts. If you need to call someone who does not have a Skype account you will need to purchase a subscription with Skype, which allows you to add fiunds to your account for making calls. I have a subscription that allows me to make unlimited calls to the US and Canada, as well as a Skype phone number. Because I bought them long ago and am grandfathered in, I pay only about $60 per year total. I don’t know what subscriptions are currently on offer – you’ll have to go to Skype.com and read about them. Once you have a subscription, you’ll be able to “pre-load” your account with credit using your credit card and you can even set it up to auto-charge your credit card when the balance drops below a certain level. I start with $25 and usually have to reload once a year, if that, and I am overseas about 10 months per year. The benefit of Skype for these International calls is that their rates are astundingly low – there are dozens of countries where you can call for les than 3 cents per minute.
Hi Barbara,
I am an ATT iphone 3gs user and I found out that I got an internship in Taiwan. I am hoping to stay there for about a year. Do you think that it is better for me to Jailbreak my phone and get a SIM card with a Data plan or a whole new phone with a data plan?
Hi Yenlydia: I guess it depends upon how addicted you are to your iPhone 🙂 Frankly, I would go into withdrawal without mine. You can jailbreak and unlock quite easily – many offer the service for around $20-30 – but you will need to do both before you can buy a foreign sim card. Once you’re unlocked, foreign sims and data plans are very inexpensive.
Thank you so much Barbara! I am definitely attached to my phone as you are!
Wow, a lot of information. I am going to Whistler in Canada to ski, but own my own business in Texas and I get a lot of calls. I have a 3G Iphone through AT&T. What would be the best way to make sure that I am not missing important phone calls while at the same time not racking up huge bills? Thank you in advance.
Hi Steve: I forward my cell number to my Skype phone number while traveling. The Skype number comes with voice mail, so I can retrieve messages and call them back via Skype whenever I have wifi access. Much cheaper than paying for international calls. If, however, you need to get calls i mmediately, you may want to consider an AT&T International package, though you will need to be very careful that you don’t exceed the data limits or you could return to huge bills.
thanks for the info. So you upload Skype to the phone, then go through the steps above and take your phone with you?
Now the place that I am staying does not WIFI, so I am thinking of buying a WIFI hotspot modem (I can use it at my office here in Texas). I jnow that this is off topic, but will my mobile WIFI in Canada?
Hi Steve: I don’t “upload” anything, I download the Skype app for iPhone, which lets me use Skype just as I would with my laptop with a wifi connection. Then I follow the steps in my blog post to ensure my data roaming & cellular network are turned off and carry my iPhone with me as I travel. I activate the wifi when I have access to a connection and use Skype to call. It’s free to call anyone else who has a Skype account anywhere in the world, and you can buy Skype credit to call anyone who doesn’t have an account and the price per minute is VERY reasonable. As for the wifi modem, I have no ideas – not familiar with that system, and I’m not sure what you mean mwhen you ask if your mobile will wifi in Canada. iPhones can connect to a wifi anywhere in the world.
Hi your article was great!
I’m in Singapore just came from Canada. I got international texting setup and then I did what you said to do. Im texting via wifi/ iMessage. But I’m not sure if I’m getting all the texts back. Can I take my phone off airplane mode and still. E okay since I have the international texting setup? Thanks 🙂
Hi Cole: DO NOT take your phone off Airplane Mode. There are many services running in the background that could use data (location services, notifications, email “push,” etc.) If you haven’t got them all properly turned off, you could incur large charges.
Awesome information – thanks, Barbara! I will be traveling to Thailand and India. I’d like to be able to have use my iPhone to call my family if I have to. In order to call internationally, does the Skype phone app require one of its online number subscriptions? Just want to make sure I don’t purchase it if there is another option. Thanks!!! And LOVE your blog!
Hi Travelista: You do not need a Skype phone number to use the app, and you will be able to speak for free with anyone who also has a Skype account whenever you have an available wifi connection. However if you wish to forward your iPhone, having a Skype number is a good option and it gives you voice mail as well. And thanks so much for the lovely compliment about my blog!
We’re going out of the US for only one week with a tour group, so using a local SIM card is not really necessary. I plan to follow all the steps above for the 3Gs to Skype and check emails. After reading a few comments, I confused: Must I unlock by jail breaking it as well? Or is the unlock part only to use the other country’s SIM card? We will not be able to use another SIM without the jailbreaking part, correct?
Hi Rika: in order to use a sim card in another country you must unlock your iPhone. In order to unlock you must first jailbreak. Jailbreaking just gives you access to hundreds of apps that have not been approved by Apple; it does nothing more than that. But since you do not need to use a foreign sim you do not need to do either – just Follow the instructions to shut off your data and use Skype.
This information was invaluable – thank you so much – I had, in fact, done some of the things when I called my provider in Canada over a $200 bill – which they very kindly cut by half – and they did, in fact, let me know what to do to avoid this happening again. Your information was much more in depth and I have saved the instructions for future information. Thanks again.
I am leaving on a week long trip from Canada to the US today and want to bring my iPhone. I’ve read stories about people up huge roaming bills and didn’t want this to happen to me. Thanks for the step-by-step instructions. And even resetting and monitoring my mb’s usage. I’ve had the phone for a year and had not need to explore all the features till now. Thanks so much for sharing this info.
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?
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.
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?
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.
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!
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
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.
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.
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…?
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 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.
Did/do you need a voltage converter for the iPhone? Sorry I have so many questions, but I have been googling this for weeks and this is the most succinct place I have found. Thank you sooo much
The charger that comes with your iPhone will handle 220. You will need an adapter to fit the plug wherever you are going however.
Oh I forgot one thing. I have two phones. I was planning to forward the calls to my other phone and leave it her. A virtual assistant will be retrieving messages. If my calls are forwarded, will I still be able to use GV?
Barbara sorry if I sound like a broken record. I am going to Tahiti, New Zealand and Australia. I have GV. If I turn off all the things you said, will I still be able to get calls through GV? Also is texting to an from on GV free.
Hi Romilda: Google Voice is not a VoIP service. While you can use Google Voice to make cheap international calls (with a subscription), it is not a tool for calling over a Wi-Fi or 3G data connection. However, if you download the Google Voice app for your iPhone, you can text for free with a wifi connection (sms only; mms will incur international charges if your 3G connection is not shut off as per my instructions in the article). Hope that helps
Thank you Barbara. What about the converter. I called the Apple store and they tried to sell me their converter. Said the charger I have (the square w/USB on the end) will not work.
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.
Hi Barbara, thanks so much for this information. Will taking the following steps block me from being able to receive calls?
emredd11: Please elaborate for me to be able to answer your question. You say “Will taking the following steps block me from being able to receive calls” but then don’t add any “following steps” so I don’t have any idea what you’re referring to.
Having lived in two different countries, and traveled a lot (sometimes staying for extensive periods) I have been faced with the issue of cost and convenience of a mobile phone in an international roaming context many times and learned my tips and tricks to deal with these. Nevertheless I enjoyed reading through your well-written piece that succinctly provides a lot of useful information along with specific steps.
One thing to highlight which might not be clear to everyone reading. In general, and basic terms, SMS/Texting is not part of the data usage — neither technically nor cost-wise. I believe that SMS/Text messages are sent over the carrier’s cellular network that is used to make calls, rather than over the data network (3G, EDGE, or even Wi-Fi), which probably explains why they are offered and billed separately from any data plans. Generally speaking data plans enable the use of IP-based services, such as internet and any apps that use web services to get information (in layman’s terms think of a weather app, a map app, voice-over IP such as Skype, Vonage, etc.)
Long before there was any concept of a data package people had access to SMS/Text functionality, and still today many in the world use it without having data capabilities on their phone (either by choice or because their phones do not support data).
I mention this because people might be under the assumption that disabling 3G and/or Data Roaming might think that they are not able to use SMS/Text. I don’t think this is the case, but…
The issue gets a bit more blurry with messages that include media (photo or audio or video — referred to as MMS messages) as well as apps that people download to do “texting” but which might not strictly be using SMS as the gateway alone. In those situations there may be some reliance on data.
I think the convenience of being able to use SMS/Text is great for travelers — and there are some packages that allow for “International Texting” that aren’t so expensive — whilst reducing the reliance on making a much more expensive phone call or email message. I still think texting should be cheaper, both local and international use, but this option might appeal to some who would like to switch off their 3G and disable data roaming.
Various Artist – well written and very accurate! For a very long time I was frustrated by the fact that I could not send/receive SMS text messages overseas without either paying for an International plan or incurring huge charges. I was further annoyed that the carriers did not make it clear that SMS messages were not attached to the data plan, which led many to believe they could text for free if they had access to the Internet via wifi, only to come home to huge unexpected bills.
I tried using the TextFree app over the past year but found it to be wholly unreliable, however I do believe I have found the best solution. I signed up for a Google Voice phone number (which was free). Now when I’m overseas I send sms messages using Google and a wifi connection (either on my laptop or my iPhone with the Google Voice app). I have my Google phone # forwarded to my cell number, so in the U.S. I get it like any other sms; when overseas, I forward my cell # to my Skype #, so I can get the text whenever I have a wifi connection, again either on my laptop or my cell. On the inbound side, I just tell family and friends to use the Google phone number if they’re texting me instead of my normal cell number. Sounds a bit complicated but it’s not, plus it’s free and totally reliable. And I could even simplify it if I told eveyone that my number had changed permanently to the Google number, as it allows multiple numbers to ring a single phone.
The only thing missing now is mms, as i is not supported by Google Voice at this time. Thanks very much for your thoughts.
I’m a little confused now. If I follow all the steps will or wont the texting capability be turned off?I don’t want to get texts from people who don’t know I’m overseas? Do I need an extra step to stop extra charges for the texts? Cause if people follow your steps they won’t have to worry about texts but just use text now right in its place? Thanks!
Saralee, I’m a little confused by your comment, but if you follow all the steps and keep the phone in Airplane mode, that should stop any text messages from coming through. Texting has been the one missing element in my overseas connections. I have tested a few apps that were supposed to convert sms into emails, but none of them worked well. I am currently testing using a Google phone number, to which people can send texts. Google converts the text to an email and I can reply to the email, which then sends a text reply to the person. Not sure how well it works yet, though.
Hi Ikka: You are absolutely correct. You can actually use an iPod and turn it into a phone with the Skype app and a wifi connection (don’t know about the iPad because I don’t own one, but I assume it’s the same). And you have guessed my main reason for using my iPhone overseas. Mine is jailbroken and unlocked, so I can pop in a SIM card in every country I visit. That gives me the ability to make local calls, which is invaluable, since I travel without reservations and am usually calling around at the last minute for availability in hostels, etc. For instance, I recently stayed two months in Ecuador and was able to buy a SIM, activate a data plan, and buy credit for calls for less than $50 for two full months.
In places where I stay longer lengths of time (Nepal, for instance) I actually have local friends I call. And, with a wifi connection, I also have the ability to call the U.S. via Skype. Plus, when I jailbroke my phone, I had the added advantage of having access to thousands of apps that are not approved by Apple, so for instance, I have an app that allows me to turn the phone into a wireless modem and then connect my laptop to it. That means that whenever I’m in the U.S, sitting in an airport waiting for hours, I have free wifi. Finally, my iPhone is my alarm clock, receipt keeper, calculator, e-reader, translator in several languages, dictionary, and thesaurus, which has allowed me to dump a lot of weight I used to carry around.
I understand that iPhones shipped outside the U.S. are all unlocked – if
this is correct, and if it includes Canada, you are one step ahead of the
game, as you don’t need to go through the process of jailbreaking and
unlocking.
when you caution that “if you are going to forward your number…..” what do you mean? forward it to what? heading to johannesburg in a couple of days. have an old iPhone 3G and a new 4S. would love to have the technology at hand. seems goofy to purchase a local “dumb” phone at the airport when i already own these phones which have so much capacity. thanks for your insights. Robin
Hi Robin: I have a Skype subscription and a Skype phone number, which also gives me voice mail through Skype, so I forward my cell number to my Skype number whenever I am out of the U.S. and then can retrieve messages and return calls using Skype wherever I have a wifi connection.
Thanks a lot!! It’s great information!!!
This was the best googled information more then verizon gave me there were trying to rape me in charges thanks so so much…
Hi Poohky27: Thanks for sharing – that’s exactly what I hoped to accomplish with the post!
Hi Barbara, Thank you so much for this helpful info! So I just want to make sure that I understand this correctly: I would need to have AT&T turn on the “global” for my iphone and then, follow your directions for when I do not want calls. So the only problem would be if someone needs to reach me they are unable to because the phone part will be turned off as well right?
Jennifer, it’s hard for me to answer your question because I don’t know what you’re trying to accomplish. My article suggests turning OFF the standard International Roaming and International Long Distance feature, if it is included in your cellular plan, not turning it ON. When you follow he instructions in my article, there is no connection and phone calls cannot come through. If you turn it back on again and either make or receive calls, you will be paying very high rates unless you have an international plan in place with AT&T. Even with such a plan you are quite limited in the amount of allowed usage and if you go over it you begin to accrue high charges. My suggestion is to get a Skype phone number and forward your cell number to this Skype number while you are traveling, then use wifi connections for your calling and to receive voice mail at the Skype number, which is included when you get a Skype number.
Hi Barbara,
Thanks so much for all your info! You’ve answered a bunch of questions I’ve been wondering about. I’m traveling in Thailand for 4months and i’m planning on getting an iphone just to use with wifi. My main use will be for skype. Do you know if video skype will still be possible with just wifi connection? Or does that only work with 3g? Also, do i need to download skype mobile, or can I just go to the desktop version of skype and access it there?
Your help is much appreciated!!
Hi Deener: With the Skype iPhone app you can place video calls on the iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, and 4th-generation iPod touch, and you can receive video calls on the iPad and the 3rd-generation iPod touch. Video calling works over both Wi-Fi and 3G. On iOS devices with two cameras, you can stream video from either. iPhone 3GS users can only stream video from the sole rear-facing camera. Video calling requires iOS 4.0 or later, but the app can run on any device with at least iOS 3.0. Calls can be made between devices using the Skype for iPhone app and desktops, so you can either download the app on your iPhone and use it from there, or just rely on your desktop. Hope that helps!