[CT-Mike]

The wife and I are taking a trip to Europe this fall and I am looking for info on using my VZW 8830 while there. I have read the thread where VZW now allows me to unlock the phone and use any SIM card I want. So with that in mind, does anyone have any practical experience doing this, and if so, what carrier did you go with? We will be spending 2-3 weeks bouncing around WWI/WWII militarily historical sites, and taking advantage of space-available travel (retired military). We need to be able to check military flight schedules and the blackberry seems perfect for this.

So any and all help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Mike

[dc/dc]

Originally Posted by CT-Mike

The wife and I are taking a trip to Europe this fall and I am looking for info on using my VZW 8830 while there. I have read the thread where VZW now allows me to unlock the phone and use any SIM card I want. So with that in mind, does anyone have any practical experience doing this, and if so, what carrier did you go with? We will be spending 2-3 weeks bouncing around WWI/WWII militarily historical sites, and taking advantage of space-available travel (retired military). We need to be able to check military flight schedules and the blackberry seems perfect for this.

So any and all help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Mike

If you plan to use the BB's data services, then prepaid will not work for you. You will need to use VZW's SIM card and pay for roaming.

[CT-Mike]

Originally Posted by dc/dc

If you plan to use the BB's data services, then prepaid will not work for you. You will need to use VZW's SIM card and pay for roaming.

Well that wasn't what I wanted to hear.

[dc/dc]

Originally Posted by CT-Mike

Well that wasn't what I wanted to hear.

Sorry, that is how it works.

[CT-Mike]

Originally Posted by dc/dc

Sorry, that is how it works.

DC,

I appreciate the info, I was just hoping that there was a better option I could go with than VZW. I suppose I could just add unlimited global for a month while we are traveling, if an unlimited plan is available.

[dc/dc]

There are better options than VZW.

T-Mobile USA allows you to use all the data you want for only $20/mo. on top of your BB plan. If you pay per kb, most carriers charge $.01/kb, or $10/mb, so it's actually a very good deal if you plan to spend some time overseas.

[CT-Mike]

Considering I just did the 2-year contract extension to get this phone, I don't see me switching to T-Mobile anytime soon. Unless you are saying I can use a T-mo SIM in my Verizon phone while overseas.

[dc/dc]

Originally Posted by CT-Mike

Considering I just did the 2-year contract extension to get this phone, I don't see me switching to T-Mobile anytime soon. Unless you are saying I can use a T-mo SIM in my Verizon phone while overseas.

If you get the device unlocked, you certainly can. It won't work here in the US, but it will work masterfully in the rest of the world. Just bear in mind that it will only be at GPRS (read: slow) speeds.

That said, it is always cheaper for you to break the contract and get new service than stick with one that doesn't perform the functions you need. Just some food for thought.

[CT-Mike]

Originally Posted by dc/dc

If you get the device unlocked, you certainly can. It won't work here in the US, but it will work masterfully in the rest of the world. Just bear in mind that it will only be at GPRS (read: slow) speeds.

That said, it is always cheaper for you to break the contract and get new service than stick with one that doesn't perform the functions you need. Just some food for thought.

I do plan to get it unlocked, but I don't plan to change carriers. I get a 20% discount on VZW via my employer, not available for T-Mobile. The only other carrier I can use is AT&T, and I am not a big fan of their network coverage in my area.

Thanks for the info,

Mike

[dc/dc]

Originally Posted by CT-Mike

I do plan to get it unlocked, but I don't plan to change carriers. I get a 20% discount on VZW via my employer, not available for T-Mobile. The only other carrier I can use is AT&T, and I am not a big fan of their network coverage in my area.

Thanks for the info,

Mike

Ok. Just know that you will not have data coverage if you use a prepaid SIM card from Europe. Voice and SMS will work, however.

FYI, you can get a discount on ANY carrier as a retired servicemember.

[CT-Mike]

I will probably just go with the Verizon/Vodaphone plan for a month while we travel, and add a local SIM card to make cheaper calls, and just swap back and forth as necessary.

[dc/dc]

Originally Posted by CT-Mike

I will probably just go with the Verizon/Vodaphone plan for a month while we travel, and add a local SIM card to make cheaper calls, and just swap back and forth as necessary.

That's great in theory, but I believe VZW requires you to keep their international plan active for a year. Double-check before signing on the dotted line.

[ace587]

afaik, Sprint u can take off the plan on your account whenever u want. I would double-check like what dc/dc said

[CT-Mike]

Originally Posted by ace587

afaik, Sprint u can take off the plan on your account whenever u want. I would double-check like what dc/dc said

I just got off the phone with VZW Global Services Team, and the very nice gentleman confirmed that I can add the unlimited e-mail/data plan for $64.99/mo pro-rated, with no contract term. I can also swap SIM's back and forth to take advantage of a local SIM with much lower calling rates.

So for those of you that travel to the EU frequently, who is a decent pay as you go provider that will give me good coverage and decent rates in France, Germany, Spain, Poland, England, Luxembourg, and Austria? It would be easiest to get one SIM that would cover all of those countries so that I only have one number for the duration of the trip, but will do whatever works the best.

Thanks all for the great info,

Mike

[dc/dc]

Originally Posted by CT-Mike

I just got off the phone with VZW Global Services Team, and the very nice gentleman confirmed that I can add the unlimited e-mail/data plan for $64.99/mo pro-rated, with no contract term. I can also swap SIM's back and forth to take advantage of a local SIM with much lower calling rates.

So for those of you that travel to the EU frequently, who is a decent pay as you go provider that will give me good coverage and decent rates in France, Germany, Spain, Poland, England, Luxembourg, and Austria? It would be easiest to get one SIM that would cover all of those countries so that I only have one number for the duration of the trip, but will do whatever works the best.

Thanks all for the great info,

Mike

There's no cheap way to roam with Euro providers in Europe (though it is cheaper than VZW rates), but Vodafone has the most coverage.

[ace587]

any euro sim would cover them, but as for rates idk. i was told O2 would be best. But read prepaidgsm.net, they will compare the big euro carriers such as O2/Vodafone/Orange/T-Mobile

[shona67]

Originally Posted by dc/dc

If you plan to use the BB's data services, then prepaid will not work for you. You will need to use VZW's SIM card and pay for roaming.

You got me confused. Are you saying that if I use my own carrier T-Mobile's data services and the prepaid sim card on my unlocked 8320 would not be able to work? Is that what you referring?

[dc/dc]

Originally Posted by shona67

You got me confused. Are you saying that if I use my own carrier T-Mobile's data services and the prepaid sim card on my unlocked 8320 would not be able to work? Is that what you referring?

With very few exceptions, if you use a prepaid SIM card in ANY model of BlackBerry that accepts SIM cards, you will ONLY be able to use voice and SMS services.

Your data service from T-Mobile is reliant on your T-Mobile SIM card. If you change cards, you lose data service.