Mobile Phones in Europe

By Rick Steves

A mobile phone can come in handy while traveling. Imagine the efficiency of getting driving instructions from your hotel as you approach; or letting your friend know that your train is late but you're on your way; or being reachable day or night by loved ones back home (or a lost travel partner).

Mobile phones aren't for everybody. They're expensive, and often not worth the cost or hassle. If you're on a tight budget, if your trip is short, if you'll be visiting several countries in a relatively short period of time, or if you just really want to be on vacation, you can easily get by with phone cards you buy in Europe. But if you're willing to pay more for the convenience of calling from wherever you are, a mobile phone may be a reasonable choice.

You have two basic mobile-phone options: Take your American phone (if it works in Europe), or buy one in Europe.

Mobile Phones 101

The standard mobile-phone network in Europe, and much of the world, is called GSM. Some American mobile-phone companies — most notably T-Mobile and AT&T (formerly Cingular) — use the same GSM technology as in Europe. Others (including Sprint and Verizon) use a different system called CDMA that is incompatible with European networks.

Within the GSM network, different regions operate on different bands. The United States uses two bands, and Europe uses two other bands. A GSM phone that's tri-band or quad-band operates on both US bands, plus one or both European bands — so it works well both at home and abroad.

The "identity" of a GSM mobile phone — your phone number and account information — is stored on a removable fingernail-sized chip, called a SIM card, which fits into the back of the phone. The phone won't work without a SIM card.

Some phones are electronically "locked" so that you can't switch SIM cards — therefore, you must stay loyal to your original service provider. But you can usually get this lock removed — or "unlocked" — allowing you to replace the original SIM card with one from a different company. This is especially useful if you want to use the phone in different countries, as you can buy a different SIM card in each one.

If you venture outside your mobile phone's home area, you're roaming. Making calls when you're roaming in a foreign country can be expensive. That's why Europeans routinely switch SIM cards as they cross borders. While switching SIM cards may sound intimidating, it's actually quite simple: Just pop out the phone's battery and pull out the chip.

Text messaging is becoming more and more popular in the US, but Europeans have been texting for years. Also known as an SMS, a text message is a short bit of text that's sent from one mobile phone to another. Europeans like texting because it's much cheaper than calling — usually 5–10 cents to send and nothing to receive (or 35-50 cents when you're roaming outside your SIM card's home country).

Europeans are unlikely to understand the American term "cell phone." Try "mobile" (pronounce it the way Brits do: MOH-bile) or "Handy" (most common in German-speaking countries).

American Phones

First, figure out whether your phone works in Europe. Check your operating manual or ask your mobile-phone service provider — if your phone is a "tri-band" or "quad-band," you're OK. You might have to go into your phone's menu and manually switch it from the American band to the European one, but most phones automatically detect the change.

Your mobile-phone service provider likely has an international plan, which allows you to roam throughout Europe using your home phone number. For example, T-Mobile charges about $1–2 per minute to make or receive overseas calls, with no additional fees. Ask your carrier for details.

If the rates are high or you plan on making a lot of calls, ask your mobile-phone provider to "unlock" your phone. (If your provider won't to give you the unlock code, you can usually buy one for about $20 at www.unlocktelecom.co.uk or www.thetravelinsider.com.) Once your phone is unlocked, you can buy and change SIM cards as you travel. Rather than using your American number, you'll have a European number...and pay cheaper European rates. 

European Phones

If your American phone doesn't work in Europe, consider buying an inexpensive European mobile phone instead. Although you can buy European phones from America, it's generally smarter and cheaper to shop for a phone in Europe at the ubiquitous corner phone marts or at mobile-phone counters in big department stores. No contracts are necessary — most phones come loaded with pre-paid calling time. The cheapest new phones run about $75. Ideally, buy a phone that's "unlocked," for maximum flexibility in switching out SIM cards.  

Buying or renting a used phone is another option. These days, car-rental companies, mobile-phone companies, and even some hotels offer the option to rent a mobile phone with a European number. While renting may seem convenient, it can end up being quite expensive, with high per-minute charges and shipping costs.

Buying SIM Cards

If you have an unlocked phone — whether brought from the US or purchased in Europe — you'll buy a SIM card in Europe to make it work. Remember that a SIM card is a small, fingernail-size chip that stores your phone number and other information.

Each European country has various service providers, each of which sells its own SIM card. (Since these companies are very competitive, they're pretty much the same — just look for one that offers a good deal.) SIM cards cost anywhere from $5 to $40. They come with a European phone number and starter credit. You can buy additional prepaid credit as you go (at mobile-phone shops or newsstands). Making a domestic call usually costs 10–20 cents per minute, and incoming calls are free. International calls are around $1 per minute or more to other European countries and the US.     

SIM cards work most affordably in the country where you bought them. If you roam with the SIM card in another country, call prices go way up ($1 per minute or more), and you also pay international rates to receive incoming calls. While this might be tolerable for a quick call or two, you should get a local SIM card if you want to use your phone a lot in the new country.  

Here's a checklist of things to ask when you buy a European SIM card:   

1. What is the cost per minute for domestic and international calls and for text messages?
2. Are there different calling plans with different per-minute costs? Which one is right for me?
3. What are my code (PIN) numbers and when do I need them?
4. How do I get a tally of the remaining credit on my card?
5. How can I get more credit when I run out? Can I add more credit when I'm in another country?
6. What are the extra costs for calls and text messages when I'm roaming in another country?

Before leaving the shop, turn off your phone, put in the new SIM card, and go through the entire process, from turning the phone on through actually making a call — to the store, or, for fun, to the salesperson's personal phone.  

Traveling with a Mobile Phone in Europe 

No matter what kind of phone you use, as you cross each border, you'll usually get a text message welcoming you to the new country's network, and explaining how to use their services.      

Unlike in America, incoming calls to European mobile phones cost the phone owner nothing — instead, the caller pays more to reach a European mobile phone than a fixed line. (However, if you're roaming outside the SIM card's home country, you will pay for incoming calls.)

Remember to store your phone numbers in the phone itself, rather than on the SIM card, or you'll lose access to them when you switch SIMs. When storing phone numbers, include the plus (+) sign and the country code so your calls will go through, regardless of where you're calling from.

The Bottom Line on Mobile Phones

For the majority of travelers, phone booths are the best way to make calls in Europe — they're cheap and easy to find. But if you travel frequently, a mobile phone is a great convenience. Here's a wrap-up of my advice for those who want to go mobile.

If your American mobile will work in Europe...Take it and use it if you have a reasonable calling plan. But if you will be making lots of calls, first get it "unlocked" so you can switch out the SIM card in Europe (and get better rates).

If your American phone won't work in Europe...Skip the rentals. It's cheaper and relatively painless to buy a new phone there. If you're planning to visit multiple countries, make sure it's an "unlocked" phone so you can change SIM cards as you cross borders.

I've roamed with my American phone in more than a dozen different countries. No more noisy, urine-perfumed phone booths for me...I travel Europe with a mobile phone.

Calling over the Internet

More and more Europeans — and many tech-savvy Americans — are using the Internet to save money on otherwise-expensive international phone calls. This technology is called Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP — sometimes also known as Internet telephony or broadband phone).

The major providers of this service are Skype and Google Talk. At either of these websites, you can download the application and register for free. Once you're signed up, you can talk via your computer (using the computer's built-in speakers and microphone, or through an operator-type headset) to any other computer running the program. These calls are free, no matter where you are, and the sound quality is generally at least as good as a standard phone connection. Of course, the service only works well if both parties have a high-speed Internet connection.

You can also call from a computer to a traditional telephone number (or vice versa), but the calls are not free, and the quality can be poor on the telephone end (aggravating voice delays, scratchy sound). Other companies, such as Vonage, allow you to place calls over the Internet using a fixed-line phone (rather than a computer), with cheaper rates to Europe than those offered by most old-fashioned long-distance companies.

While VoIP is not yet a practical tool for the casual American tourist (unless you're carrying a laptop with a speedy Internet connection), it's worth knowing about because of its increasing popularity in Europe. It's only a matter of time before a new European friend who wants to keep in touch asks you, "Do you use Skype?"

Updated for 2008. For lots more tips, check out our best-selling Europe Through the Back Door travel skills guidebook.

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