Travelling Abroad - Phones n such

[Gavin Scott]

Herro

I'm jetting off, as one does, this weekend to the US, and thought I'd better work out how to enable my HTC phone to work over there.

Vodafone have disappointed me greatly, as I've discovered they don't do any kind of plan that would suit me for data usage stateside. They have "International Traveller", but that only kicks in if I'm on a 1500 minute plan (and I'm not on that much), and there is no opt-in-for-30-days plan available like there is for Europe.

I don't have a burning desire to have emails on my phone as I'll have my laptop anyway, but I thought it might be fun to have facebook on the move, and be able to make status updates and check in to places.

Thinking it might be smarter to unlock my HTC Desire (how easy is this - is it a handset that phone unlocking places can do easily?) and picking up a PAYG US SIM. Does that sound realistic?

Also - does anyone know if Visa Debit would be widely accepted there? My sister (who I'm travelling with) has a pre-paid card thing which you can load up with Sterling and it converts at the rate on the day of conversion - so I can stick a few hundred on that tomorrow. Either that or use my Visa Debit at ATMs over there and pull out a couple of hundred dollars at a time. I'm sure Visa debit works - but I don't want to get caught short.

Any answers to the second point would negate my need to pop up to the bank at lunchtime. So think on and look sharp.

Please.

[Sput]

http://www.htccode.com/ is apparently (just from my perusing some forums) a reasonable way to go for unlocking and costs fifteen euros. Voda might do it too for a charge, I know T-Mobile do.

No idea about visa debit, but I had no trouble with my maestro in cash machines when I was over there in 2005 - the bank just likes to know in advance (though this is actually more a problem travelling east than west)

[Gavin Scott]

http://www.htccode.com/ is apparently (just from my perusing some forums) a reasonable way to go for unlocking and costs fifteen euros. Voda might do it too for a charge, I know T-Mobile do.

Ta - will look into that tonight.

No idea about visa debit, but I had no trouble with my maestro in cash machines when I was over there in 2005 - the bank just likes to know in advance (though this is actually more a problem travelling east than west)

Yes, just been up to the bank. They say Visa debit is widely accepted, but they need to know the dates and location - which I duly gave them. It costs £1.50 per transaction, so I'll probably just pull lots of $ out the ATM.

My only slight hesitation is that their systems were down, so he scribbled my details on paper and promised to do this later.

Eeep. Hope he remembers.

[Inspector Sands]

I've always found Visa Debit to be easier to use over there than Maestro but Debit cards still aren't as universal there as they are here. I recommend taking a credit card as in my experience there are some instances where only a credit card will do.

They'd only take a credit card as security when I checked into my accommodation last time even though I wasn't paying for it. In the end the receptionist photocopied my Visa Debit card with a bit of paper obscuring the word 'Debit' on the front

[Jake]

Herro

I'm jetting off, as one does, this weekend to the US, and thought I'd better work out how to enable my HTC phone to work over there.

Vodafone have disappointed me greatly, as I've discovered they don't do any kind of plan that would suit me for data usage stateside. They have "International Traveller", but that only kicks in if I'm on a 1500 minute plan (and I'm not on that much), and there is no opt-in-for-30-days plan available like there is for Europe.

I don't have a burning desire to have emails on my phone as I'll have my laptop anyway, but I thought it might be fun to have facebook on the move, and be able to make status updates and check in to places.

Thinking it might be smarter to unlock my HTC Desire (how easy is this - is it a handset that phone unlocking places can do easily?) and picking up a PAYG US SIM. Does that sound realistic?

Also - does anyone know if Visa Debit would be widely accepted there? My sister (who I'm travelling with) has a pre-paid card thing which you can load up with Sterling and it converts at the rate on the day of conversion - so I can stick a few hundred on that tomorrow. Either that or use my Visa Debit at ATMs over there and pull out a couple of hundred dollars at a time. I'm sure Visa debit works - but I don't want to get caught short.

Any answers to the second point would negate my need to pop up to the bank at lunchtime. So think on and look sharp.

Please.

I'm off to the US for the first time in May, can you let me know how you get on with your Visa debit? Also thought about doing the same with a PAYG sim, but I'm not that sure my phone would work over there, still its worth a try.

[Gavin Scott]

I'm off to the US for the first time in May, can you let me know how you get on with your Visa debit? Also thought about doing the same with a PAYG sim, but I'm not that sure my phone would work over there, still its worth a try.

Yep, will have laptop with me and the house has broadband so I'll be posting throughout. Well, when I'm not on a flume or a rollercoaster or shopping or dining out or in the pool.

God, I'm so jealous of me from next week.

[Gavin Scott]

Hello folks.

Well, its 20 past 9 here, and its been a gorgeous sunny day. Went to Magic Kingdom and had tremendous fun. I'm also packed to the drawstrings with delicious meaty food. I had a steak and cheese sandwich for breakfast no less (from the International House of Pancakes - oh yes).

Anyhoo, on the point of mobile phone usage - forget it. Searching all the providers I couldn't find a deal which allowed for PAYG data usage at any less than a dollar a megabyte. Its dead easy to get pre-pay or PAYG SIMs, but they're only useful for talk and text - and some carriers who do offer data (minimally) as part of a talk package need to be pre-authenticated a week in advance. Saw lots of people on forums saying "buy SIMs from eBay and activate them over the net before you go" - with a slew of replies from folks saying they couldn't activate (presumably because of geo tagged location issues. Left my HTC on "Airplane mode" so I can use it as a camera only.

So, I thought I'd stick to the WiFi in the apartment - except that was a problem too, as they have an odd way of setting up usernames and passwords on it.

A quick trip to a gigantic Wallmart and I have an 8m CAT5 cable running from the DSL box. Hurrah.

Anyway, should you be interested (and even of you're not), I'll post lots of waffle about my doings over the next week or so.

Thinking maybe Disney Hollywood Studios tomorrow. Tower of Terror is brilliant.

[Inspector Sands]

Anyhoo, on the point of mobile phone usage - forget it. Searching all the providers I couldn't find a deal which allowed for PAYG data usage at any less than a dollar a megabyte. Its dead easy to get pre-pay or PAYG SIMs, but they're only useful for talk and text - and some carriers who do offer data (minimally) as part of a talk package need to be pre-authenticated a week in advance. Saw lots of people on forums saying "buy SIMs from eBay and activate them over the net before you go" - with a slew of replies from folks saying they couldn't activate (presumably because of geo tagged location issues. Left my HTC on "Airplane mode" so I can use it as a camera only.

Why don't you just turn off 'mobile internet' and use it as a normal roaming phone? That would let you recieve old fashioned things like texts and calls but won't rack up data roaming charges

[Gavin Scott]

Why don't you just turn off 'mobile internet' and use it as a normal roaming phone? That would let you recieve old fashioned things like texts and calls but won't rack up data roaming charges

Have done, actually. Its jumped on to AT&T by default. Call costs are £1.35 per minute, texts 35p plus 10p, and data comes in at just £3 per MB. What a snip! Disabled my data, naturally.

Not had any texts through, so keep switching back to Airplane mode.

Did Universal Islands of Adventure today and had a look at the new Harry Potter land. Very impressive to look at - but there's something peculiar about snow capped roofs in 28 degree sunshine.

Decided to go peroxide blonde too, and quickly realised that with a sun burned face I look a little like a rhubarb and custard sweetie.

[jsm]

Regarding debit cards, they're pretty widespread. I think they're accepted wherever credit cards are-I think they have the capability of being used as a credit card at places that don't accept debit.

[Gavin Scott]

Regarding debit cards, they're pretty widespread. I think they're accepted wherever credit cards are-I think they have the capability of being used as a credit card at places that don't accept debit.

This is true. First transaction the clerk told me to "swipe again and hit credit", and it went through no problem.

Just wish they would check a signature once in a while. Its no bleedin' wonder there's so much fraud. The yanks just can't be bothered to be vigilent.

I would ask why they don't have chip & pin - but then there are commercials running extolling the virtues of 2-ply toilet paper like its a new invention.

And on examination, the loo roll in my bathroom is only one ply.

Certainly explains a couple of mishaps.