? About SIMS cards

[The emperor has no clothes]

I don't know crap about cell phones, so this is probably a stupid ?. We are going to Ireland and we would like to have phones in case we get separated in city traffic. I have an iPhone 3s. Can I put a sims card in it in Ireland and have it work? I've also read that they need to be unlocked by my carrier AT&T. If this will work when I come back can this all be reversed ? TIA

[R J]

Call A T & T and ask them that question.

Better to get the information needed from the horses mouth than from an a**hole.

[The emperor has no clothes]

Call A T & T and ask them that question.

Better to get the information needed from the horses mouth than from an a**hole.

pretty good advice RJ 

[Titan]

Exactly what R.J. said.
Phone companies offer specific plans for traveling to other countries. If you don't have the right one, it can cost you many hundreds of dollars from just having the phone turned on.

[Robert]

RJ is right about calling AT&T and others are right about the cost. But you can still use ATT when you get back on the 3 especially since they will have to give you a unlock code to go with another carrier. My phone is a T Mobil I 6 I bought unlocked from Apple without a contract, but I use ATT.  I bought a unlocked GSM phone so I could just put a sim card in it and go with who ever I wanted as long as its GSM. Most of Europe is GSM so there shouldn't be a problem just inserting a sim once you get a unlock code and establish a plan with a carrier. Just one other idea to check out unless you need data or maps that use data you may be wiser to buy a disposable phone that doesn't use data and you can just throw away when done.


http://www.att.com/travelguide/coverage/coverage_details.jsp?CIDL=372&MNC=CING

[CajunRider]

Find an unlocked cell phone and buy a pre-paid sim at the airport when you land.

Some times you can also get a cheap phone ($50 range) that comes with a sim card loaded with $10 or $20...

I never tried it in Ireland, but I've done that a few times in Asian countries. 

[fudgie]

Don't think Iphones have sim cards.

[Robert]

Don't think Iphones have sim cards.

Depends on the carrier the phone is made for not the phone. CDMA most times does not have a sim card like ATT, T Mobil. But there is a I phone that is a true world phone and can do any carrier.  

Remove the SIM card from your iPhone or iPad

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201337

Some new Apple phones have the ability to make calls over wifi when a carrier signal is weak like in your house.

[The emperor has no clothes]

I talked to the AT&T people. They want to hook me up with an international plan. We are only going to be there 10 days and I don't foresee any more international travel within the year. They did say they could get me an unlock code but it would take 48 hrs and then I would need a sims card once we got there . I think I am going to go with a cheap phone once we get there. They have a Vodafone store near where we rent the motorcycles. A cheap Samsung is 20 euros and then however much time you put on it. It's probably not even going to get used. I will have an iPad and iPhones that we can wifi with. I mostly want to have something that if we get separated from our friends in city traffic we can get hooked back up. Thanks for the advice guys, a lot of this technology stuff is Greek to me

Don't think Iphones have sim cards.

evidently the newer ones don't but I live in the stone ages with a iPhone 3s

[Divot]

Consider buying an used, unlocked GSM phone on eBay and then get a SIM card to put in it when you get to Ireland.  I purchased a phone for less than $20 and use it whenever we travel out of the US.  A SIM card with a minimal, but adequate, amount of talk time is usually less than $15. 

[BF]

Go talk to the Verizon store.

[Chippy01]

I talked to the AT&T people. They want to hook me up with an international plan. We are only going to be there 10 days and I don't foresee any more international travel within the year. They did say they could get me an unlock code but it would take 48 hrs and then I would need a sims card once we got there . I think I am going to go with a cheap phone once we get there. They have a Vodafone store near where we rent the motorcycles. A cheap Samsung is 20 euros and then however much time you put on it. It's probably not even going to get used. I will have an iPad and iPhones that we can wifi with. I mostly want to have something that if we get separated from our friends in city traffic we can get hooked back up. Thanks for the advice guys, a lot of this technology stuff is Greek to me

Don't think Iphones have sim cards.

evidently the newer ones don't but I live in the stone ages with a iPhone 3s

Meathead, you don't buy time on a phone here, you buy credit.
From what little knowledge I know of the mobile phone system here, my OH recommends that when you get here go to your local Tesco store, and get a cheap Tesco Mobile phone for about €30 and get €10 credit put into it.
Make calls and use the credit, if you get lost a lot, just top up with more credit if you run out at any Tesco store. There's a Tesco in virtually every town here.
You can also call home on it @ 2 (€)cents a minute. Check it out here - http://www.tescomobile.ie/priceplans/pay-as-you-go-plans.aspx
The in-store tech-guy will set you right. If you have an open phone, you can just get a SIM card from Tesco without having to buy the phone.

BTW, when are you coming over? If you're anywhere around Gorey in Co Wexford let me know and I'll guide you in for a coffee. 

[The emperor has no clothes]

I talked to the AT&T people. They want to hook me up with an international plan. We are only going to be there 10 days and I don't foresee any more international travel within the year. They did say they could get me an unlock code but it would take 48 hrs and then I would need a sims card once we got there . I think I am going to go with a cheap phone once we get there. They have a Vodafone store near where we rent the motorcycles. A cheap Samsung is 20 euros and then however much time you put on it. It's probably not even going to get used. I will have an iPad and iPhones that we can wifi with. I mostly want to have something that if we get separated from our friends in city traffic we can get hooked back up. Thanks for the advice guys, a lot of this technology stuff is Greek to me

Don't think Iphones have sim cards.

evidently the newer ones don't but I live in the stone ages with a iPhone 3s

Meathead, you don't buy time on a phone here, you buy credit.
From what little knowledge I know of the mobile phone system here, my OH recommends that when you get here go to your local Tesco store, and get a cheap Tesco Mobile phone for about €30 and get €10 credit put into it.
Make calls and use the credit, if you get lost a lot, just top up with more credit if you run out at any Tesco store. There's a Tesco in virtually every town here.
You can also call home on it @ 2 (€)cents a minute. Check it out here - http://www.tescomobile.ie/priceplans/pay-as-you-go-plans.aspx
The in-store tech-guy will set you right. If you have an open phone, you can just get a SIM card from Tesco without having to buy the phone.

BTW, when are you coming over? If you're anywhere around Gorey in Co Wexford let me know and I'll guide you in for a coffee. 

Thanks chippy. What I read is that tesco quit selling them in their stores and you have to get them from their website now. Do you know if that's correct ? We are leaving in a couple days . Other than our 1st and last night we are winging it. If we are headed your way I'll message you  Thanks

[Gryphon Rider]

Don't think Iphones have sim cards.

My previous iPhone 4S and current iPhone 5S both have SIM cards.

[Chippy01]

The last phone I bought in Tesco was a year or so ago, when I got herself an upgrade. We just walked in, picked the phone, herself talked to the guy about what plan she wanted and he set it up there and then. I just supplied the wallet ....  
I cannot say if they have changed their policy since then, but the Tech section of our local store appears to be the same as it ever was.

If you happen to go via the Tesco route, try and opt for a Tesco Extra store; they are slightly larger, have a bigger range, and are open 24hrs.

Enjoy your trip.  

[The emperor has no clothes]

The last phone I bought in Tesco was a year or so ago, when I got herself an upgrade. We just walked in, picked the phone, herself talked to the guy about what plan she wanted and he set it up there and then. I just supplied the wallet ....  
I cannot say if they have changed their policy since then, but the Tech section of our local store appears to be the same as it ever was.

If you happen to go via the Tesco route, try and opt for a Tesco Extra store; they are slightly larger, have a bigger range, and are open 24hrs.

Enjoy your trip.  

Thanks for the info. I'm sure we are going to have the time of our life 

[Super Santa]

A consideration (WARNING) when traveling overseas if you have DROPBOX.

If you take photos with your phone, Dropbox can use a lot of data on your plan when out of country.  Suggest turning OFF the auto-update feature on it before traveling.

I thought I had turned everthing off when I went to Cancun last year.  Never thought of Dropbox.  Got home and had over $200 in additional data usage that month.  That hurt but I paid it.  Was my own fault.

[Chippy01]

Good advice, Early Bird.

In fact, turn off your mobile data completely. It just costs too much, especially when travelling overseas.
If you take photos with the phone, leave them in the phones' 'gallery' file until you can (a) upload via free wifi, or (b) download them onto your computer when you get home.

[Robert]

Gee, seems like alot of good information from those who are, "expletives". I never ceased to be amazed at the wealth of knowledge by those who are members here, A diverse and educated crowd. So much for the stereo type of uneducated motorcycle riders.

[Hook#3287]

Have a great trip!,

[The emperor has no clothes]

A consideration (WARNING) when traveling overseas if you have DROPBOX.

If you take photos with your phone, Dropbox can use a lot of data on your plan when out of country.  Suggest turning OFF the auto-update feature on it before traveling.

I thought I had turned everthing off when I went to Cancun last year.  Never thought of Dropbox.  Got home and had over $200 in additional data usage that month.  That hurt but I paid it.  Was my own fault.

Thanks, will do 

Have a great trip!,

Thanks Bill, we will