Anybody care to share their experiences with AT&T/Sprint/Verizon's International cellular plans?

I would like to have access at a reasonable price while in China, Japan, India, France.

I'm not looking for Skype etc, already set up with that. I'm more concerned with having the ability to make and receive calls overseas.

Thanks,

G

 

I've found the U.S. carriers plans to be prohibitively expensive for that. Outside of wifi coverage, I sometimes use my unlocked phone with a sim card, for local calls in the countries I most frequent.
Probably not what you are looking for, but you might check into skype "wifi", similar to skype, but allows you to connect to local carriers (Singtel, China Tellcom, HK Telcom, etc..) wifi signals for a small fee, 4 to 7 cents a minute or so, and the usage is deducted from your regular skype account. Works pretty slick.

 

Get a T-Mobile phone with WiFi Calling. When connected to a wifi network, the phone acts like it is in the states for all calls (no roaming). Viber is also a good app to use over wifi. They also charge less for roaming than the other carriers, although ATT offers data roaming packages that the others do not.

 

I have my mobile set up for AT&T international calling but I only use it in an emergency. I don't have the international calling plan -- just the ability to use my iPhone internationally. Then I save the billing statement and expense it to the company since it's usually to call CDG ops or a cab, etc..

If you go look at the international rates from AT&T they're not good at all. You pay approx $25/month to use the AT&T international calling plan on a US phone. That drops your per minute cost down to about $2.30 from $2.50. Yes, it's literally a 15-25 cents savings on the per minute charge. And with AT&T, the countries and the rates differ, some by big amounts. In England, I think the per minute rate is $1.95 and if you get the AT&T international plan that costs drops a whopping 15 cents down to $1.80.

YMMV but that's what the rates were just a couple of years ago. Ergo, if I need to make a work related call, I make it then bill the company.

Some guys use Skype but I use a MagicJack and it's been the best $40 telecommunications gadget I've ever had. I only use it to call back to the States from overseas.

 

I agree on the Viber, it's a great program/app. A nice advantage over skype is that you don't have to have your phone on and skype open to receive a call or text, it will show the text or ring even if your phone is off (as long as you're not in airplane mode).

Check out the skype wifi program/app though. It really is great for what it does, allowing you to connect from anywhere in the world without having to find a starbucks or other wifi to connect.

 

First thing I did was set up an international calling plan at home for outbound international calls. Then, for example in HKG, I bought a local HKG Nokia cell phone that came with 300 international outbound minutes (for calling back to the US) and not sure how many incoming minutes it came with, but it was quite a bit. That cost me about $45 US. So, when I am in HKG and away from SKYPE, WiFi, etc., I fire up that phone. I have 300 minutes (re-chargable) I can use to call home or the family can call me from the US. Sounds confusing but it was pretty easy. I'm sure jailbreaking an iPhone and using local SIM cards is the same concept.

 

AT&T International calling plan is $5.99/mo. England is $0.99/min. France .99/min, HKG 1.99/min

 

I use Xfinity at the house and the international rates are about .10/min to your hotel and about .25/min to a mobile phone.

International Rates

 

Sprint does not charge for International plans, works everywhere I have tried EMA, CDG, BOG,GUA, GDL etc. 1.25 TO 2.99 per minute. Text .05 to receive .50 to send. Only use in emergency otherwise use Skype.

 

I "heard" that students enrolled in college in Paris are given a WiFi access code that works on the Orange network (or similar) throughout the city. Now, if one could just get some college student/waitress to tell ya what theirs is )