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| can you hear me now??? |
Hi Guys, we've had a guest ask for info on using your cell phone in France... There are certainly many options... Firstly, know this: If you do nothing at all, your phone will likely work just fine from Europe, albeit the cost per minute, data & text rate will usually be significantly higher...
Which options works best for you depends on who your carrier is and how much you think you'll use your phone.... We provide you with free wi-fi at the Villa... which means that you can use your home-plan's amenities at the Villa without any extra charges...
So if you don't plan to use your phone for much, you'll still have wi-fi available at The Villa... But if you're planning on "being accessible at all times" or want to be able receive emails, calls & texts from the US at all times, want to send texts or post to FB at all times, or perhaps using your phone as your GPS, then you'll probably want to have some sort of international plan in place.
People often ask us what we do personally... So, we have Apple iPhones that are on the ATT system, and we always sign up for either their International Day Pass. The International Day pass is $12 per day on the days you use it and includes unlimited talk and texts and then uses the data from your home plan... (and they charge for only the first 10 days of usage per each billing cycle).
We of course use our cell phones a lot both here in the US and in Europe so we have unlimited data plans at home, and it uses the data from that plan... If you're a couple using two phones, and the second phone is on the same account, ATT will only charge you $6 per day for the second phone.( again for a max of 10 days per billing cycle). We personally have been going with the International Day Pass as we have unlimited data plans at home so our costs for our two phones are fixed at $18/day for the first 10 days.
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many of our guests use their phones for their mapping program |
Verizon has similar plans... Their $12/day Travel Pass is similar to the ATT plan mentioned above...
T-Mobile, on many of their calling plans offers free unlimited texting & data (at 2G speed) with voice calls at 25 cents/minute.
And, lastly (regardless of who your carrier is) if your phone is "unlocked" (it probably is) you can alternatively buy a prepaid SIM card in Europe or an E-Sim online which is probably the least expensive option,... although this might change your phone #.
Ultimately, we suggest you consult your carrier for their advice on what will work best for you individually.
And again, you can use WhatsApp for free with the wi-fi at the Villa..
Again, while we always try our best to provide up-to-date and accurate information, plans change all the time and again, we strongly suggest you check with your own carrier for the best plan and details for your individual needs. We will in the next 24 hours, put links for the Big Three carriers to your right on the side-bar.
