ita, I really have no idea. I want to be able to use it in the UK to make calls as needed since we're going to be moving around a lot. If necessary I can just get a calling card to call the US when were there if there is not a reasonably priced phone option that can do both.
Yes. Lucky for you, people may be in danger.
Buffy ,'Him'
Buffistechnology 3: "Press Some Buttons, See What Happens."
Got a question about technology? Ask it here. Discussion of hardware, software, TiVos, multi-region DVDs, Windows, Macs, LINUX, hand-helds, iPods, anything tech related. Better than any helpdesk!
sj - Aug 18, 2011 8:36:05 am PDT #17535 of 25501
"There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea."
§ ita § - Aug 18, 2011 8:40:56 am PDT #17536 of 25501
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.
If you want to be able to make local calls in the UK, I'd just get a burner phone when you get there. It's always going to be cheaper than tying yourself down to a US carrier.
meara - Aug 18, 2011 8:45:55 am PDT #17537 of 25501
nd I have read some crazy things about roaming charges with Verizon if you take your phone abroad, so I am wary about doing that.
Just turn it into airplane mode, and then turn WiFi on, so you can use it wherever there is Wifi, but it won't use the cell system and incur roaming charges. The peril is if you take a smartphone abroad, think "I didn't make any calls so I'm good" but it was trying to download your email and scrabble games and stuff.
§ ita § - Aug 18, 2011 8:49:51 am PDT #17538 of 25501
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.
Just turn it into airplane mode, and then turn WiFi on
I did not know you could do that. All this time I have been assuming Airplane Mode meant no transmitting at all.
Vortex - Aug 18, 2011 8:50:16 am PDT #17539 of 25501
"Cry havoc and let slip the boobs of war!" -- Miracleman
I never realized that you could turn the wifi on when it was in airplane mode. I feel a little stupid right now.
eta: okay, seeing ita! s comment I feel better now.
§ ita § - Aug 18, 2011 8:53:48 am PDT #17540 of 25501
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.
Of course, I just turned Airplane Mode on on my tablet, and then turned on WiFi, Bluetooth and GPS, so I'm not sure all of what's being achieved. What with me not having cell service on it.
Tom Scola - Aug 18, 2011 8:55:41 am PDT #17541 of 25501
Remember that the frontier of the Rebellion is everywhere. And even the smallest act of insurrection pushes our lines forward.
I don't have a data plan on my iPad, but it still uses 3G and talks to the cell towers.
§ ita § - Aug 18, 2011 9:00:57 am PDT #17542 of 25501
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.
it still uses 3G and talks to the cell towers
Well, that's because Apple stalks you. But I don't have cell functionality on this tablet, so I don't think that's an issue.
sj - Aug 18, 2011 9:01:00 am PDT #17543 of 25501
"There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea."
Just turn it into airplane mode, and then turn WiFi on
Would that mean I could use it as a phone using WiFi? I'm feeling particularly clueless on this issue.
Maria - Aug 18, 2011 9:15:22 am PDT #17544 of 25501
Not so nice is that I'm about to ruin a Friday morning for a bunch of people because of a series of unfortunate events and an upset foreign government. - shrift
sj, renting a phone is going to be ridiculously expensive. They will charge you a daily or monthly fee for just the rental of the handset, plus they inflate the per minute price of calls. Many carriers in Europe don't charge for incoming calls, but the rental companies will still hit you with a surcharge.
I agree with ita !, buy a cheap, unlocked GSM phone, and get a UK SIM card once you arrive. You can buy one before you leave, or you can wait til you get to the UK. With the current exchange rate, it will probably be cheaper to buy the phone here. Amazon sells unlocked phones, but I've used myworldphone.com for years without any issues. Make sure you get a quad-band phone; it can be used just about everywhere. The bonus? You now have a phone that can go with you country-to-country, and all you have to do is buy a SIM card and add minutes.
I use the same phone in the US, Italy, and France. Just swap out the card and you're ready to go. Definitely use a calling card to call back to the U.S. It's pennies per minute compared to the highway robbery that is international cell phone rates.