Verizon offers a variety of international phone plans, including daily and monthly plans to 200+ countries, inflight and cruise plans, calling, texting, and data plans for your device while abroad. The company’s Trip Planner provides answers to travel use and international plan questions in one place. T-Mobile is the best choice for travelers, followed by Verizon TravelPass options. AT and T are best for travel in Latin and Central America, while Google Fi is an underrated traveling companion.
Vidizon TravelPass is a cheaper way to use your smartphone abroad, allowing you to talk, text, and use data in 67 countries. The plans feature a more usable 2GB per day threshold for international, high-speed data. You can use your existing Verizon plan when traveling outside the US with TravelPass. All Verizon unlimited mobile plans allow you to use your usual talk, text, and data allowances in Canada and Mexico without additional charges.
Vidizon’s international plans let you use your phone in more than 210 countries and destinations outside the US. Each TravelPass day gives you 24 hours of unlimited talk and text, 2 GB of high-speed international data, and unlimited data at 3G speeds thereafter.
Vidizon’s monthly international plans are perfect for one-time or occasional travel to 185+ countries. The $100 International Monthly Plan includes 250 minutes, unlimited texts, and unlimited data for 30 days, ideal for trips of 10 days or more. There are three different plans available, ranging from a monthly international data allowance to a plan that lets you use your US data plan while traveling abroad.
📹 How To Use Your Cell Phone Internationally | Travel Tips & Advice
00:00 Intro 00:15 What not to do 00:28 International cell phone plans 00:44 AT&T International Pass 1:41 T-Mobile International …
How can I use my iPhone internationally without roaming charges?
To avoid roaming charges on your iPhone, turn on airplane mode, which restricts calls, text messages, and cellular data usage. However, Wi-Fi can still be used while in airplane mode. Free Wi-Fi is available in hotels, restaurants, and cafes, as well as public areas in many cities. Use a VPN to protect your personal information. If you plan to use your iPhone frequently in Europe, consider purchasing a local SIM card to access local rates for calls, texts, and data. This can be done at the airport or at a local electronics store, but ensure your iPhone is unlocked before purchasing.
How to use your phone internationally without charges Verizon?
Airplane mode represents a secure and effective method for circumventing roaming fees. To do so, one must set their mobile device to airplane mode prior to reaching their destination and maintain this setting throughout their stay abroad.
Do I get charged for roaming on Verizon?
Domestic roaming on a device does not result in additional charges, except for some older plans that may still be in effect. For further details regarding roaming, please refer to the My Plan page in My Verizon. In the absence of any information pertaining to roaming, no supplementary fees are incurred. In the event that the user is idle for a period of two minutes, the session will conclude. To extend the session, the user must click on the “OK” button. The session has reached its expiration point.
How much does it cost to use my Verizon phone internationally?
The cost of a TravelPass is $10 per day in Canada and Mexico, and $10 per day in other countries. In the event that a domestic telephone plan includes calls, texts, and data in the aforementioned countries, no additional charges will be incurred. In the event of travel in proximity to a border, the ability to access voicemail is available.
How do I use Verizon data in another country?
Prior to embarking on a journey, it is imperative to ascertain that the device in question has its roaming settings activated, thus enabling the utilisation of Verizon data or voice services on an international scale. For iOS devices, navigate to the Settings menu, select Cellular, and enable the Voice and Data Roaming option. Please be advised that your session will conclude in two minutes due to an absence of activity. To extend the session, kindly click “OK.” Please re-authenticate your credentials to resume your session.
How to avoid Verizon travel pass charges?
Verizon customers can avoid data roaming charges during international travel by keeping their phone off or in airplane mode. They can also use Wi-Fi only for internet access, while using a Verizon travel plan. To avoid roaming charges, the phone should be on, the SIM should be off, and the device should be used for internet only. Choosing the best option for your trip depends on your specific needs and budget.
Can I use my Verizon phone in other countries?
TravelPass allows users to use their domestic plan’s talk, text, and data allowances in over 210 countries and destinations outside the US. If a device is lost, stolen, or broken while traveling outside the US, the International Support Team can be reached by dialing the country’s toll-free number, entering a 10-digit mobile number when prompted, or 559-4899 (toll charges apply) if the toll-free number is not available.
Is the travel pass automatic on Verizon?
A 24-hour TravelPass session is automatically initiated when using a phone in a TravelPass country, and charges are only for the days used. International services support is available in the US at 711-8300. If a device is lost, stolen, or broken while traveling outside the US, the International Support Team can be reached by dialing the country’s toll-free number and entering a 10-digit mobile number.
How do I set up international travel on my Verizon phone?
In the event of a lost, stolen, or broken device while traveling outside the United States, the International Support Team can be accessed via the My Verizon website or the My Verizon app. To contact the team via a landline telephone, dial the country’s toll-free number and input the 10-digit mobile number when prompted. In the event that a toll-free number is unavailable, the user is advised to dial 559-4899, with the understanding that toll charges will apply.
Do I need to turn on data roaming for Verizon international plan?
In order to utilise the TravelPass service, it is first necessary to ensure that your device’s roaming functionality is enabled prior to travelling. This will enable you to connect to the cellular networks available in your destination country. The service enables users to utilize their talk, text, and data capabilities in over 210 countries and destinations for a fixed daily fee. In the event of a call being made to a country other than that of the subscriber’s destination or to the United States, the applicable charges will be applied.
How do I activate my Verizon travel plan?
The TravelPass service, provided by Verizon, enables users to retain their talk, text, and data capabilities in over 210 countries and destinations for a fixed daily fee. To add the service to your account, navigate to the Trip Planner in My Verizon and send a text message with the keyword “Travel” to the designated shortcode, 4004. It is not feasible to utilize the device while traversing international boundaries beyond the United States.
📹 2024 BEST Travel Cell Phone Plans | Verizon + T-Mobile + GoggleFi + @visible
The four best cell phone plans for traveling outside the United States: T-MOBILE T-Mobile customers can take advantage of free …
I went to Iceland, Denmark, Sweden, and Norway for 17 days total. Using Verizon’s international plan was the same cost per day as ATT’s, $10. I don’t know if this is different or not, but with Verizon I only paid for the days I actually used the cell service. Most times I used Wi-Fi from everywhere to make calls and download maps. The only time I was charged the $10 was for the days I got lost, or forgot to find a Wi-Fi. I only paid $70 for the trip. Also, you get charged for the 24 hours, not a date. So, you use data starting at 2pm, you have until 1:59pm the next day before being charged again. Verizon texts you to let you know when you are about done with the 24 hours- makes a great reminder.
I travel full-time, and have 2 mid-range unlocked phones. One is a US model, the other is an international model. When I get to a new country, I buy a local sim card. I ported my US number to an online service. It’s helpful to choose a service provider by if there a service provider store (not just street sim card vendors) in the area you plan to stay. You just need to unlock the phone, and hand it to the store’s employee. They’ll take care of everything else. I travel with 2 phones, in case my primary phone gets lost or stolen. It’s simple to buy a sim card for the spare phone in that case. If the primary phone is broken, then you can take both phones to the store and have them set up your spare phone.
Most newer phones have dual sims or simply turn on your “esim” option on the iPhone and get a local SIM card while your regular US number stays on so you can receive calls as you normally would. Use the local SIM card for all data, those local cards are approx. $30$ and provide fast connection in the regions (such as all of Western Europe, mainland china/Hong Kong/Taiwan, etc…)
I think the info for Tmobile has changed since you made your article. I spoke to them yesterday (Jan 26 2023) and they told me i can get the international pass, which costs $50 for 30 days and includes 15gb of high speed data (or whatever the max speed of the provider i am connected to when travelling). After the high speed15gb is used up, i would drop down to the standard 256kbps with no data limit. 256kbps, as we all know is painful when you are trying to load google maps (assuming you didnt download the maps needed beforehand) or search a destination. Texting is free and calls are 25 cents per minute. Im going to be visiting Asia for 15 days, so this comes out to just over $3 per day while i am away, which to me is a great deal!
Nice article. I was kind of stressed about this when I traveled to Japan a few years ago. I was concerned about coming back to a big phone bill doing something inadvertently because I didn’t know how to go about this. Unfortunately, I have found the customer service employees at most US cell companies to not be very well informed on this subject when you inquire about it.
My wife and I traveled to Japan (from the U.S. in fall 2019) and found that a pocket wifi did the trick (wasn’t expensive, either) for Internet access for both of us. So long as my wife didn’t wander out of wifi range (kept the unit in my pocket!), we were connected all over Japan. I added the AT&T international plan for “emergency” calls but never used it. Ditto for our upcoming trip this late fall.
I am in the state of Massachusetts, with an AT & T phone at present, going to SE Asia soon. I just want to let people know that AT & T provides terrible service now. I would have paid about U$100.00 for a conversation that lasted almost an hour to Malaysia, but we used Whatsapp and I guess it was a free call. AT & T has so many departments and they do not seem to communicate with each other – so you tell one person the changes you want to make to the account and then you find out the other departments did not get the message. And when you have a problem AT & T does not answer when you call them.
I really enjoyed this one as well as the podcast version you came out with this past week! I pretty much use the T-Mobile plan when I leave the country. The slow speeds can be quite inconvenient, but having the unlimited texting and some form of data is very helpful. I’ll have to keep these other ideas in mind if I decide to go abroad for a long period of time!
I got sick of my past phone plan when I had a phone go to sleep and not wake up. I bought an unlocked Google Pixal and got a Google Fi sim card. I am not a heavy data user so usually have my phone data shut off. I recently was in Scotland and Ireland. In both places my phone automatically set the phone up to use voice at .20 per minute, free texting, and data at 10.00 per gig. My Internet worked fine wherever there was WiFi and that was almost everywhere. Calls and messages came to me. Since I was in Scotland to hike, I had little use for non-wifi data. I am retired and on vacation, so my needs were entirely met with those basic features automatically.
Unfortunately, the Galaxy S23 devices sold in the US only work with SIM cards in three countries, in an attempt to enforce the region locking and curb gray market selling. Keep in mind this is not an exhaustive list of carriers. MVNOs may be supported. (I don’t always use data roaming, you know.) UNITED STATES • AT&T • Metro by T-Mobile • T-Mobile USA • US Cellular • Verizon • Xfinity Mobile GERMANY • Telekom Deutschland SWEDEN • Telia
Here is the problem I don’t see anyone talk about. Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile all have time limits on how long you can be out of the USA before they will drop you. That is, if you don’t make calls from the USA within 3 to 6 months, your service will be dropped. We plan on being out of the US for 6 months maximum at a time for 2 to 3 years, coming back to US for about 2 weeks in between. What is best way to deal with that situation??? We would prefer to keep our current numbers.
i love google fi so much for traveling! it’s seamless. my phone figures out where i am a few minutes after stepping off the plane and we’re in business for the same prices as i would pay at home! even though i know it would be cheaper to get a local sim card it is worth it for the convenience for me. i would note that for those that use a lot of data, may be better to get local sim card because 10 per GB is a lot, but i don’t use more than a 1-3 GB typically so works for me.
I’m not clear as to using US phone carriers .. .. in retirement which I plan to do .. I won’t be a tourist. (And, yes I also plan go get a Portuguese phone/plan.) I’m retired and want to make sure I’ll have contact with my pensions, Social Security, bank, Vanguard, etc. I went to Verizon and asked and the person there told me that an international plan for seniors was only good for 1 month? Maybe he, I misunderstood? nway, can I permanently use my American phone/carrier plan while there and not worry about some time period before Portugal/EU ‘cuts’ me off due to some law that EU forbids that, or whatever?
Thank you for this information. I live in the US and I’m traveling to Australia and New Zealand for a total of 15 days. Normally I try to use WhatsApp for text and calls but I’m limited to using only with WiFi. I’m concerned that while traveling by car thru NZ, I won’t have wifi very accessible so I’m thinking of getting a sim card. I’m on the Sprint/TMobile network. Do you have a better recommendation?
You actually have it wrong with T-Mobile. If you have a Magenta Max plan the first 5 gb of data on international roaming are high speed (already included in the plan without buying anything extra) and then it drops to the slower 512 bps rate for remaining unlimited data per month. You can buy the extra international plans you mention for additional high speed data as well as free calling (it’s otherwise 25 cents per minute).
And what a lot of people having prepaid plans this article is not for those who have prepaid this articles only for those web postpaid mean that prepaid does not work international it might work in the USA Canada Mexico and he was Virgin Islands in the US territories but that’s about it with prepaid service
Hello Kristin! Thank you for this article, much appreciated. May I ask you a clarifying question? You stated in the beginning of the article that you don’t have to do much when you get the T-Mobile pass other than just turn on your phone and connect to the local network. What does that mean? And how do you connect to the local network? Your help would be so appreciated!
Without looking at all the comments, and I apologize if I missed it – I have the ATT unlimited premium plan – works out to about 140 a month, but no extra charges in something like 19 Latin countries. I was in Panama and Costa Rica, and used my phone same as in the US, no limits, no extra charges. So if you travel in Latin countries as I do, I can conduct business as usual.
Hi Kristen! Do the international carriers have esims yet? If you own an iPhone such as the iPhone SE 2nd or 3rd edition you can have both a physical sim and an estimate so your phone can have 2 numbers and access to 2 data networks. Have a wonderful week and i love your articles and enjoyed nomads for dummies (audible version)
Having tried the T Mobile Magenta plan, I found it did not work for simple text and data in Albania. Since I was there for an extended period I opted for a new Sim in ALB and then again in Bulgaria when I was in Bansko. I don’t work online so I used the wifi in the apartments I was renting or local restaurants for contact via email or messenger,, now since I have changed numbers frequently WhatsApp has dropped me, and I am unable to unlock because that app was on a sim card, I no longer have active (but I don’t really care). The best suggestion I think is the two-phone option or 2 sim cards in one phone. Keep your “home” plan active for when you get back and just get sim cards for data while traveling. Sometimes you can get a short term roaming plan for a few days and sometimes you cant…Thank you for this article!
in 2005 I paid 50 euro for an Orange SIM card……the only time it worked was crossing borders when it let me know what country I had just driven into….very handy. 11,500 km later I get back to Paris to learn that the reason I could not make calls was that the card only had 3 euros on it…..47 euros had been an administrative charge……needless to say I will never do business with Orange again.
Love your articles Kristin. I’m about to replace my iPhone 7 and shifting life course so I’m thinking to go out of my Verizon service to get a non-American iPhone 15 to be able to get it with both a sim tray and E-sim. I’m concerned about not being able to install a SIM card in countries that don’t have E-sim. Wondering if you or anyone chose this option. it will be more expensive to buy the phone this way but I don’t want to have a second phone or trust how long it might take countries not having e-sim to catch up. Thank you.
3 NETWORK IN UK DOES 180 COUNTRIES, YOU VAN BUY 12 GUG OR 24 GIG CARDS, 24 LAST FIR A YEAR OR UNTILL YOU USE IT UP, THATS DATA ONLY, OR YOU CAN GET CELL PHONE CARDS WITH SAME FAYA BUT 300 OR UNLIMITED, ABOUT 20 TO 40 POUNDS, MINUTES I FOUND THE DATA WORKED WELL HERE IN BRAZIL TO COMPLIMENT MY SLOW INTERNET HERE BUT NOW I GOT FIBRE WITH 500 MEG SPEED FOR 22 POUNDD
I used to have a T-Mobile 5GB data plan. when I traveled to South America or Europe, to my surprise, my phone would automatically connect with a local carrier at 128KB. I have a Google Voice number so this was sufficient for email and text if I downloaded data intensive things such as maps and travel information ahead of time. does anyone know ithis low speed roaming is still available for just any old T-Mobile plan?
Hi Kristin, I’m going to be traveling internationally for 6-12 months. I am planning to port my US number with Google Voice so as not to lose it. Was considering Google Fi but I hear that they will deactivate my account if I dont return to the US within 2-3 months. Should I just plan on using eSims (ie Airalo) and will that suffice for maintaining my WhatsApp?
Hi Kristin – Thank you for your informative article… I however must not be the brightest penny in the bunch because I’m still a little confused. I’m with AT&T. I know i can purchase their international plan for 1$10/day. they even s aid i don’t have to do anything until i get off the plane and then when i turn on my phone i will be prompted to join… which i don’t necessarily trust or believe. I’m going to London and Paris for about 14 days. My current plan with AT&T only gives me 6gb data so if i’m on the international plan that’s all i’m able to get. What is exactly considered data? is using What’s App or Telegram using data? Or is using data only confined to downloading content or sending photos and emails and using the map apps like Bonjour Ratp? And i’m paying for phone calls on an internation plan right? unless i’m using What’s App to make those calls right? Thank you.
Hi Kristin, please help me SOS. I just got a international 1 day pass ($5/day) on T-mobile and its really not working in Vietnam, so im wondering if it’ll automatically continue to reset new pass or not (i really dont want to spend another $5 on something useless), and if it’s automatic, then how can I cancel that international pass, plz helpppppp :((((((((((((((((
Hey Kristin! I will be headed to Canada for two weeks to ski. My concern is being out on the mountain needing GPS data for the Epic Trail Map and also having the ability to call if there is an emergency. What would you suggest? Right now I do not have a phone plan that allows for international use. Considering switching to T-Mobile. Also have you heard of eSim cards, what are your thoughts on those? Thank you!!!!
Many websites, such as banks and credit cards require double verification to log in. They will text a code to your cell phone number on file to verify your identity before you can log in. I will be traveling in about two months. I have to keep my US cell phone number. How can I get these verification texts on my cell phone when I am abroad? Can you let me know? Thank you for any help!
Please note this is good for postpaid customers only this article is not good for any prepaid customers as far as I know is not good for prepaid customers only good for postpaid now prepaid really should at International stuff also but they’re not going so if you have a regular Verizon contract plan or AT&T or T-Mobile contract plan or something like that yet it will work however if you have a prepaid plan with Prepaid this will not work
The funny thing about cell phones what people don’t realize internationally is this.. America has the cheapest cell phone bills in the world you go to another country Mobile phone bill is expensive specialized Canada and most countries they don’t have unlimited I find only American cell companies has unlimited but anywhere else in the world is not unlimited so cell phone bill how much more expensive in other countries than America America has the cheapest in the world..
What is the most efficient route for my clients to reach me like normal as I am planning to take a 45-day trip, vacationing in Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei and Vietnam next year. My current carrier is At and T, pre-paid plan. I was told that I had to switch to international plan so I won’t miss the communications / calls/ texts from local America callers while I am abroad from country to country, layover in Japan during the trip. I had inquire in person at At and T store. They said it’s $100 per month. Unlimited data, and forgot what others included. So I will need to pay $200 for 45 days. Is there any other options? The main purpose is I want to be able to use my iPhone 13 like exactly in America, texting, answering calls, reply calls, use YouTube, social media, connecting my potentials, connect existing clients, business associates. Please PM me.
I travel mostly to Asian countries, never ever to Europe especially not to France. Had to work in France 20 yesrs past, it was a horrible experience being there and the arrogant low life French and the hate they have for Americans. As relocating to the Philippines as my wife is a Filipina. We used WHATSAPP and is great, just need WIFI. Purchased a phone there for use.