Using my Dash overseas??

[Ron_Man]

The past 2 summers I've gone to the Philippines with my Sidekick 2 with an unlimited data plan.. However, each visit gave me a bill of over $700.. I remember the first summer I used the internet on my phone. So thinking that was the only reason why my bill was sky high I reverted to just text messaging on my second trip.. however, still a high phone bill.. :rolleyes:

This summer I plan on going back as well as visiting Europe this year. Now that I have an unlocked Dash with unlimited text and $5.99 T-Zones I hope my lesson is learned and I will just buy a sim card when I get there. However, if there is a chance that perhaps I can use my current plan to just make few phone calls, few texts, and even fewer web browsing, will I be in good shape? Lol or is that a dumb question should I simply buy a sim card over there? Thanks.

[LiverpoolFCfan]

Best bet would be to ask the question on the T-Mobile forum of HowardForums http://www.howardforums.com/forumdisplay.php?f=52

Just ask about phone/data charges when abroad. I read there some time ago that it is also recommended to forward all calls to voicemail before traveling. Can't remember all the details - otherwise I would gladly supply information here.

[daleksic]

Yes, buy a prepaid SimCard. There are sometimes deals where you can get a Phone and a simcard for the price of the prepaid card, depending on where you go. I got 4 brand new (crappy) phones laying around from those purchases. Make sure you dissable Cellular Data, otherwise you will run through your prepaid minutes in, well, minutes.

I try to keep it on the low and usually get like 500 minutes for 2 weeks of stay. Right now however, the Euro is very high, or the dollar low, depending how you wanna look at it, so don't expect minutes to be as cheap as here. A starter package with 100 minutes ist E15 (E for Euros). Calls within TMo Austria are free and E0.05 to landlines.

BTW, T-Mobile in Austria (will be) is the iPhone provider, that might be a place to buy it if you are interested (and want to spend E500 ~ $800), it should work here as well on TMo.

[daleksic]

Almost forgot, You can look up phone rental places. They will rent you the phone, with or without Data and talk rates are lower as they don't use prepaid rates. You still pay per minutes you use but at a lower rate than prepaid usually goes for.

If you need data that is your best solution. I don't use data overseas as Live Search only works in US and UK.

[Bupahs]

Why dont you just add T-Mobiles International Option while you are traveling?

[daleksic]

Because they charge you an arm and a leg (and a few toes of the other foot). ;)

[Bupahs]

Because they charge you an arm and a leg (and a few toes of the other foot). ;)

Really, $9.99 to add it then guaranteed prices when you are overseas (depending on where you are going and how long you plan to stay you can "lock in" a preset amount anywhere from .34 cents per minute to 5.20 per minute). I was in France last year and locked in a .50 per minute rate which was far better then any pre pay I found. The plan activated when I left, and deactivated when I came back. Simple, no fuss no mess. I was very happy. I went from paying over $800.00 to less then $300.00 for the same amount of calls.

[rushless]

Why dont you just add T-Mobiles International Option while you are traveling?

That is what I did. I go to England and my phone works fine over there. It usually connects through Vodaphone.

I download, email and surf while over there and see no extra charges unless I call someone. It is one dollar a minute, but okay for short, urgent calls.

Pretty cool surfing my local home town news site while driving down the M4- I am a passenger of course, but still in the left seat, which can be disorienting....

[Bupahs]

....but still in the left seat, which can be disorienting....

Yeah, I never could get used to that, it just feels weird LOL