How to keep overseas cell phone costs down

international sim card

My Daughter is going to Europe this summer, and needs a cell phone, can she just use her AT &T provided phone?What about international roaming charges,they look very costly.

Most AT&T and T-Mobile USA phones work in Europe.Sadly if your using Verizon Wireless or Sprint Nextel,the technology is differant. see what The differences between a CDMA and GSM cell phones are in cell phone providers.

You can switch out your SIM card as it has all your account information on it ,or you could go for a prepaid local card.

Switching out your phones sim card is not a tech heavy task.Infact its quite easy. Subscriber Identity Module (SIM), is usually located in the battery compartment of your cell phone.Its a really simple thing to do ,you might have to remove the battery,no special tools or skills needed.Those living outside the USA. change their SIM card all the time depending on which country you are in.

International roaming charges start at apx $1.29 minute (per cingular/at&t) and up vs. a usa tax using local sim card overseas of $.020 p/minute

Check with your cell service provider if you do NOT have an unlocked cell phone If you phone is locked,you better check 1st to see if you can add another SIm card as there is a SIM lock for your phone and also a subsidy lock that is in place to prevent you from inserting and using the SIM from another GSM service provider on your phone.

If all else fails you can go prepaid.