D-man's profile

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128 Messages

Sunday, February 19th, 2023 12:49 AM

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What is the best way to use your Xfinity mobile phone internationally?

I am going to be traveling to Europe later this year and want to know the best way to deal with my phone so I don't get a surprise bill for several hundred dollars.  I see there is a Global Travel Pass for $10 per day or a pay as you go.  I probably won't be using it that much, maybe just to call home a couple times or to call or text the other people that are with us.  If data is that expensive, I can probably go without it for much of the time and just use wifi at night at the hotel.  Is there a better option than what is offered here?   What about these international sim cards I see that look a lot cheaper?  What is the best route to go?  

Accepted Solution

Problem Solver

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755 Messages

2 years ago

Based on your criteria above your best bet might be the following:

1.) Set up Global Travel Pass now, even though you might not use it. You can always turn it off, and use pay as you go, or turn off data roaming to not use either of them. 

2.) If your phone is unlocked and you have a SIM or eSIM available, check out Truphone which is a vey inexpensive data only cellular service, and then use WhatsApp, or other non carrier service for calls and messaging between you and your friends at home or traveling with you. Or just use Truphone for maps and other data purposes. Remember that if you are on a pay by the gig plan you will still pay you $15/GB even if you use the GTP. 

3.) Use WiFi Calling at night if you are not using the GTP. 

A lot depends on whether your traveling companions are using travel passes or not?

Contributor

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128 Messages

@DaveO3​ Hey thanks for the answer.  I should have mentioned that we are going to be there for like 25 days so I don't really want to spend $250 for a Global Travel Pass on both my phone and my wife's.  I wasn't thinking, and just bought a new phone so it won't be unlocked for a while, but hers is.  So it sounds like data will be the expensive thing here, right?  On the GTP, it says you get 512 MB and then do you pay the $15/GB after that?  I was thinking maybe the pay as you go and then disable mobile data so then you won't get charged for any data, right?  Then we can just pay 10 cents per text or 30 cents per minute to talk.  If we need data, we can do that at the hotel wifi like you said, or maybe get Truphone on my wife's unlocked phone.

Problem Solver

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755 Messages

Mostly correct. The 512MB is just the limit on high speed data per day on the GTP. 

It’s important to know that if a phone is on by-the-gig then XM counts the data used for visual voicemail and for the data for MMS (any picture etc. added to a simple text/SMS), so when you disable XM cellular data, they are disabled. So email pictures and video while on WiFi, and get voicemail while on WiFi calling. 

It’s important know the difference between powering a phone on/off, airplane mode on/off, cellular data on/off, data roaming on/off!

Contributor

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128 Messages

@DaveO3​ I am going to ask a followup on this since it is getting closer to that time.  So I am going to rule out the GTP, as I don't want to pay close to $500 to have it on two phones.  My wife's phone is paid off and unlocked so I will look into getting an eSIM for that, even if it is data only, because then we can still use it with whatsapp or something like that.  Will wifi calling even work with that?  I suppose if not, what do I need to do to enable the Xfinity pay as you go?  It will be fine to spend the 10 cents per text if we need it like that.

As far as my phone, since it is not paid off, I thought about getting an eSIM for my daughter's phone that allows tethering.  She will always be nearby so I can just connect to it like a hot spot and use the same wifi features I mentioned above.  Would that work?

Problem Solver

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755 Messages

@D-man​ I think that you have it figured out pretty well. As far as an eSIM, Maya Mobile seems to have better coverage than others? Look at eSIMdb.com. 

Official Employee

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1K Messages

@dave03 provided great information on options to take while looking for access to your mobile device internationally @D-man. If you plan on being out of the country for an extended period, an eSIM would certainly not be a bad idea.

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