Phones in Ireland

Marie · Guru

Phones in Ireland

Michele Erdvig · Host

I'm sure the "phone experts" Tony and Bob will chime in shortly. I still have a dumb phone so they will have better info. Meanwhile, you might enjoy Bob's article: https://irelandyes.wordpress.com/2013/08/19/gizmos-and-gadgets-confessions-of-a-techno-geek-in-ireland/

Itallian Chauffeur · Moderator

It depends a lot on who you got your iPhone from -- Verizon has transitioned to unlocked phones, so a simple SIM swap should suffice. I'm NOT sure about Sprint phones, but you could ask at your local Sprint store.

I've had decent luck with '3'Mobile for phone / data and Tesco has some excellent bargains (and decent coverage) as well. Calls to the US via Tesco run 2 Euro cents per minute -- which is hard to beat. texts are 14 Euro cents each. 3 Mobile calls to the USA are charged at 35.58 Euro cents per minute. If you buy the NA 'Add On' for 3.04 Euro, cost per call drops to 20.33 Euro cents per minute. Texts cost 35.58 Euro cents.

So, Tesco is probably the better bargain.

Roy · Guru

Sprint has free global roaming. Free unlimited text and 2g data. Phone calls are .20 a minute.

Marie · Guru

Wow! Thanks guys. I will call sprint to make sure I am ok. Barring that, I will just buy ANOTHER Tesco phone. LOL.
This will be my third one. (The other two got lost somewhere along the way...)

Marie

tony2phones · Guru

Might be better to pick up an unlocked Android phone before you get over here cheap Tesco phones are getting difficult to get hold of "in store" and Android phones can generally double up as GPS and wifi hotspots.

Marie · Guru

Turn out Sprint has us covered, as Roy said. So we are good to go. Thanks, everyone!!!

Roy · Guru

The past two trips Sprint has worked well, ever since my old Tesco flip phone was no longer useable. I use the WhatsApp app for free phone calls.

Michele Erdvig · Host

What happened to the Tesco flip phone, Roy?

Marie · Guru

HI Roy,

Isn't Whatsapp for messaging? I have an iphone. How can I use it to make calls?

Thanks, Marie

tampacb · Veteran Member

Tony, I have a new I phone as well as a my husband has a droid from Verizon...prefer to just use one phone while in a ireland. What do you mean a simple SIM swap should work? And should I also call Verizon to have them make some sort of change to out plan. We currently have unlimited data and usage Here in the US. Thanks!

Itallian Chauffeur · Moderator

You can check at your nearest Verizon Store, to see what their International Roaming plans cost, but most of their newer phones are unlocked. Installing a local SIM card into your phone when you reach Ireland will turn it into a 'Local' phone. A typical 'Pay As You Go' SIM package comes with plenty of data and phone and text credit and usually costs between 25 - 30 Euro. They are usually valid for a month. Simply remove the Irish SIM when you leave and the phone will revert to the Verizon network.

If you don't know how, the people you buy the SIM from will almost always do it for you -- It's really quite easy.

tampacb · Veteran Member

Thanks Bob, where would I buy this sym card when I land in Shannon then head to bunratty then Galway. A store in one of those 3 towns?
Thanks.

Itallian Chauffeur · Moderator

You are looking for a SIM card -- 'Subscriber Identity Module' . It identifies your phone to the Network and allows it to connect.

It depends on which service company (provider) that you want, how quickly you want to have it and how much of a detour you are willing to make.

3 Mobile and Tesco have stores in Ennis, Limerick and Galway: https://www.storelocate.ie/tesco/tesco.html http://www.three.ie/stores/

Another option (for multi-choice) is Carphone Warehouse: http://www.carphonewarehouse.ie/shop/phones-plans/all-plans

In Shannon Town (at the Skycourt Shopping Center), there is a Vodafone Store: https://skycourtshannon.com/store/vodafone/

Other Vodafone Locations: https://n.vodafone.ie/stores.html#