Buy a Prepaid Phone in Europe
North American mobile phones function on networks that contain different frequencies from the networks in Europe. All mobile phones in Europe operate on the frequency bands of 900 and 1,800, whereas North American networks have frequency bands of 850 and 1,900. When you travel to Europe, you may want to buy a prepaid phone if your mobile phone does not carry European frequencies or if you want to avoid accruing high roaming fees with your current carrier. As a traveler, you have several different options in regard to using a phone in Europe. You can rent or purchase a prepaid phone in Europe or use a European SIM card in an unlocked mobile phone. Continue reading to learn about your options if you need to buy a prepaid phone in Europe.
Contents
Steps
Mobile Phone Rental Option
- Rent a mobile phone with a European phone number.
- Rental phones can be purchased from any car rental company, hotel in Europe or from an Internet company that provides a mobile phone rental service.
- A list of the Internet companies are provided on the Slow Travel website, which is included in the Sources section of this article.
- Learn about all your rental phone's features and fees.
- Ask about per-minute charges, emergency services and features such as voice mail.
- Inform friends and family of your European phone number.
- Remind people who call you that they may pay additional fees since they are dialing a European long-distance number.
Buy a European Prepaid Phone
- Purchase an unlocked Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) phone when you arrive in Europe.
- You can buy GSM prepaid phones before you arrive or from the airport, a department store or corner phone mart when you arrive in Europe.
- Learn from the mobile phone vendor about the phone's fees and coverage.
- Find out if a contract is required, learn the regions in Europe your phone will receive coverage in and methods to refill prepaid minutes.
Use an Unlocked GSM Mobile Phone
- Buy an unlocked GSM phone that is compatible with the frequencies in Europe of 900 and 1,800.
- Before you buy a particular mobile phone, refer to its manufacturer if you are not sure which frequency bands it supports.
- Unlock the personal GSM mobile phone you already own.
- Contact your mobile phone provider or your phone's manufacturer for directions on how to unlock your mobile phone for use in Europe.
Use a Prepaid SIM Card
- Purchase a prepaid SIM card to use in your unlocked GSM mobile phone when you arrive in Europe.
- Look for a prepaid SIM card in the airport, a corner phone mart or a department store when you arrive in Europe.
- SIM cards are the small chips that contain your phone number and account information and are interchangeable between all GSM mobile phones.
- Ask the prepaid SIM card vendor about the SIM card's fees and coverage.
- Learn about the prepaid SIM card's coverage areas in Europe, methods for refilling minutes, minute expiration dates and all rates and fees associated with the service.
- Remove your North American SIM card from your mobile GSM phone.
- Insert your prepaid European SIM card into the phone for the duration of your travels.
Tips
- Although prices and rates may vary between all options, using prepaid European SIM cards is generally the least expensive option compared to using your North American SIM card.
- You may need to purchase a plug adapter for your mobile phone if you are using a North American phone in Europe or if you want to charge your European phone in North America before you travel.
- In some cases, you can use your North American SIM card in Europe depending on the type of rate plan and international features you have. Contact your mobile phone provider to verify rates and to check if your rate plan supports your ability to roam on networks in Europe.
