Can I use my cell phone in a different country?

Most modern cell phones are equipped to work internationally, however, to be able to actually talk, text or use data, you need to contact your wireless carrier to ensure that your phone can connect to a network abroad. Usually, this requires you to subscribe to your wireless carrier’s international cellular plan, which may cost a few dollars a day.

Does AT&T have an international plan?

AT&T offers 2 international plans – a day pass type plan that charges by the day, and a Passport plan that allows the user to use their phone abroad for a month for a set price.

The Best International Cell Phone Plans For Travelers [2023]

Your phone is your map, source of information, and a translator. These modern conveniences have made international travel easier and safer. Whether you’re leaving for a year abroad, going off to become an expat, or are just heading for a long weekend in Mexico, you’ll need to sort out what you want to do for an international cell phone plan.

Similar to figuring out how international plugs work, making sure your passport is ready, and deciding on what to pack, your phone requires some preparation before you leave to travel internationally.

If you decide to stick to your current carrier or switch cell phone providers, the company you work with may charge you extra for your travels. Make sure you understand your plan carefully and know what it will cost to use your data, minutes, and texts — and what happens when you go over.

Which plans work the best, what do they offer, and what do they cost? These are some important questions you’ll need to consider when looking at what options will work best for you.

In this post, we’ll take a look at:

What a world phone is, and how to equip yourself for international travel
What international plans each of the major cell phone carriers offer
What the pros and cons of each service are
Who each cell phone plan service is best for

Table of contents

What Phones Can You Use Internationally?
The Best International Cell Phone Plans
Saving on International Rates
Final Thoughts

Table of Contents

What Phones Can You Use Internationally?
The Best International Cell Phone Plans
Saving on International Rates
Final Thoughts

What Phones Can You Use Internationally?

Once a few technical words get thrown around, many people think they won’t be able to understand how any of this works. Don’t worry, using a phone overseas isn’t as difficult as it can sometimes sound.

The first thing to understand is that different companies and countries all use their own technologies and frequencies. You need a phone that is compatible with these technologies.

Verizon uses a technology called CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access). Most other carriers and the world use what’s called GSM (Global System for Mobile Communication). There are phones on Verizon that also support GSM, but those that don’t won’t work as world phones.

iphone user — One of the most popular phones, the iPhone, is considered a world phone and will work internationally. Image Credit: Jeshoots via Pixabay

Rather than explain the technical differences between GSM and CDMA, which often confuses folks, it’s important to understand that carriers use different technologies, and different parts of the world use different systems — what is relevant for you is which plans and carriers you can use abroad.

Hot Tip: If you bought a phone advertised as “unlocked” or “SIM-free,” it should be designed to be ready to use on global GSM networks.

Every carrier offers a list of popular models of “world phones,” including such options as the iPhone XRS Max and Samsung Galaxy S10.

Many of the phones you get for free or discounted in exchange for signing up for a service contract are locked. This means they are locked to the network the contract is with. Your cell phone provider prevents your phone from using another network, and it may not be able to work internationally.

Hot Tip: If your phone is locked, try asking your cell phone company if they will unlock it for you.

The Best International Cell Phone Plans

Unfortunately, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all option for international cell phone plans. Below, you’ll find information on all the major carriers and their plan options, along with the pros and cons of each. Use this to sort out what will work best for you and go with your gut.

Be aware that your needs will be different if you are traveling short-term versus a month or more. Plans like Verizon’s Above Unlimited have restrictions when you use more than 50% of your talk, text, or data while you’re traveling internationally (meaning, you shouldn’t use a U.S.-based plan when abroad full-time). They sometimes severely limit (or even cancel) your cell phone service when this happens. Keep this in mind when you’re reviewing your options.

Cell phone credit card — The last thing you want when traveling abroad is to rack up a huge bill because you didn’t know the best ways to talk, text or use data abroad. Image Credit: Bacho via Shutterstock

Verizon

Your first option on Verizon is its TravelPass plan, which gives you the option to take your regular talk, text, and data with you on your trip (meaning, you use whatever amount of talk, text and data speeds you regularly use within the United States).

You will be charged $5 a day (on every line) for days you use your service in Mexico and Canada. There is a list of 130 additional countries where you can use your phone at a rate of $10 per day. Most popular countries are included in this list, such as Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, the Netherlands, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and more.

Activating your TravelPass through the Verizon Wireless app is all you need to do to have coverage and it’s a simple add-on to your normal monthly bill.

When you arrive at an international location, your phone will automatically recognize where you are and will connect to the local signal. Once it does, your TravelPass kicks in and it won’t renew or use another pass until 24 hours (not a full calendar day) have elapsed. If you land in a foreign country at 2 p.m. on one day and leave at 11 a.m. the next day, you only use 1 TravelPass.

Verizon TravelPass Countries
Albania	Chad	Greece	Liberia	Palestinian Territory	Spain
Aland Islands	Chile	Greenland	Liechtenstein	Panama	Sri Lanka
Algeria	China	Grenada	Lithuania	Papua New Guinea	Suriname
Anguilla	Christmas Island	Guadeloupe	Luxembourg	Paraguay	Svalbard
Antigua And Barbuda	Colombia	Guam	Macao	Peru	Swaziland
Argentina	Congo	Guatemala	Macedonia	Philippines	Sweden
Armenia	Costa Rica	Guernsey	Madagascar	Poland	Switzerland
Aruba	Cote D’ivoire	Guinea	Madeira and Azores	Portugal	Taiwan
Australia	Croatia	Guinea-Bissau	Malawi	Qatar	Tajikistan
Austria	Curacao	Guyana	Malaysia	Reunion	Tanzania
Azerbaijan	Cyprus	Haiti	Mali	Romania	Thailand
Bahamas	Czech Republic	Honduras	Malta	Russia	Timor-Leste
Bangladesh	Denmark	Hong Kong	Martinique	Rwanda	Tonga
Barbados	Dominica	Hungary	Mexico	Saint Barthelemy	Trinidad and Tobago
Belarus	Dominican Republic	Iceland	Moldova	Saint Eustatius & Saba	Tunisia
Belgium	Ecuador	India	Mongolia	Saint Kitts And Nevis	Turkey
Belize	Egypt	Indonesia	Montenegro	Saint Lucia	Turks and Caicos
Benin	El Salvador	Iraq	Montserrat	Saint Maarten (Dutch)	Uganda
Bermuda	England	Ireland	Morocco	Saint Martin (French)	Ukraine
Bolivia	Estonia	Isle of Man	Mozambique	Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	United Arab Emirates
Bosnia and Herzegovina	Faroe Islands	Israel	Myanmar	Samoa	United Kingdom
Botswana	Fiji	Italy	Nauru	San Marino	Uruguay
Brazil	Finland	Jamaica	Netherlands	Saudi Arabia	Uzbekistan
British Virgin Islands	France	Japan	Netherlands Antilles	Scotland	Vanuatu
Brunei Darussalam	French Guiana	Jersey	New Zealand	Senegal	Vatican City
Bulgaria	French Polynesia	Jordan	Nicaragua	Serbia	Venezuela
Burkina Faso	Gabon	Kazakhstan	Niger	Seychelles	Vietnam
Cambodia	Galapagos Islands	Kenya	Nigeria	Sierra Leone	Wales
Cameroon	Gambia	Korea, Republic of (South)	Northern Ireland	Singapore	Zambia
Canada	Georgia	Kuwait	Northern Mariana Islands	Slovakia
Cape Verde	Germany	Kyrgyzstan	Norway	Slovenia
Cayman Islands	Ghana	Laos	Oman	Solomon Islands
Central African Republic	Gibraltar	Latvia	Pakistan	South Africa

If you use a lot of data uploading photos and using maps while you’re traveling, then you should be aware that the 4G speeds you rely on with Verizon are only available for your first 512 MB on the TravelPass. Once you’ve passed 512 MB, Verizon will throttle your speed down to 2G.

The Verizon Wireless Above Unlimited plan will offer you unlimited data, no contract, for $95 per month. You can receive a $5 a month discount if you set your payments to auto-pay.

This plan isn’t an add-on, but is one that you can use when you’re on brief trips abroad when you feel like it. Essentially, instead of charging you separate per-use days like the TravelPass add-on, the passes are built-in to the plan itself.

Talk, text, and data are included while you’re in Mexico and Canada (no extra charge) and the plan comes with 5 TravelPasses every month. This means you can use a TravelPass for talk, text, and data in 130 countries for 5 days per month with no extra expense. If you exceed the 5 free days a month, then you’ll continue at the normal rate of $10 per additional day.

Again, once you’ve used 512 MB of 4G speeds, you’ll be throttled down to 2G.

For comparison, if you decide to pay as you go on Verizon while abroad, you’ll be charged top rates. It costs $.99 a minute for calling in Canada and Mexico, $1.79+ in most other countries, $.50 for every text you send, $.05 for every text you receive and $2.05 for every MB of data you use. A simple app download or directions on a map can cost you several hundreds of dollars, so keep this in mind if you decide to pay as you go.

For cruise ships, there’s a fairly basic plan that’s included with your basic service. It will cost $2.99 a minute for calling, $.50 to send a text, and $.05 to receive a text; no data capabilities are available while at sea.

cell phone selfie — When you travel outside of the United States, you want your phone to work just like you were at home. Image Credit: outsidenomad.com

Pros:

You don’t have to worry about unlocking a phone because you’re still on the Verizon network.
It’s easy to add for short trips.
The Verizon U.S. LTE coverage has been great for a long time.
The unlimited plan includes the 5 TravelPasses, as well as free talk and text in Mexico and Canada.
Your personal number stays the same at no extra cost.

Cons:

This option can be pricey. The $5-$10 a day TravelPasses add up quickly, especially with multiple lines and on long trips.
While there are many places covered in its 130 locations, there are also many that still aren’t, so you’ll want to check to be sure you’ll have coverage for your specific trip before signing up.

Bottom Line: This Plan Is Great For: People who already use Verizon and don’t want to have to call to add an international add-on. If you take frequent and short trips abroad in areas where it has service, the Above Unlimited is a great choice.

T-Mobile

T-Mobile is a great option for international travel because its plans make things simple.

The T-Mobile One plan for unlimited data lets you keep your unlimited data and texting when you travel to 210 locations. However, it caps your data at a shockingly low 128 kbps. This means that even just browsing web pages (exclusive of video) you’ll be throttled down to 2G speeds. It also charges for international phone calls, so if you talk a lot on your phone this can become expensive quickly.

To combat these downsides, T-Mobile offers International Passes for faster data while you’re abroad. Its 5 GB pass keeps you on the 4G network for 10 days with unlimited calling at a cost of $35. It also has an option for 15 GB for 30 full days at $50.

Another option is a $5 pass with 512 MB of high-speed data and unlimited calling. This is much more limited, but if you’re traveling for a short period and don’t believe you’ll be making many calls on FaceTime or another data-consuming app, this can be a simple add-on with enough to get online at faster speeds.

Cruise rates vary depending on the ship or destination you’re traveling to (you can check here for rates), but as an example, if you choose to travel on the Royal Caribbean Voyager of the Seas which sails in the South Pacific, your at-home T-Mobile plan includes no data on the cruise ship, $.50 for sent texts, and $5.99 a minute for calls.

cell phone user in taxi — Using your phone for directions to get where you’re going is very important when traveling abroad. Image Credit: Techno Buffalo

Pros:

The 2G speed data is free with your regular plan.
Expansive coverage in 210 locations, which basically means almost everywhere.

Cons:

While it covers a great many countries, when you get beyond major U.S. cities the coverage can be spotty.
International phone calls can become very expensive very fast since they are not included.

Bottom Line: This Plan Is Great For: People who travel frequently and want international service included at no additional expense. This plan is cheapest when you don’t mind super slow 2G speeds when traveling abroad.

AT&T

On both the Unlimited & More and the Unlimited & More Premium plans on AT&T, you will be able to travel to Mexico and Canada with all of your talk, data, and text already paid for. Its Mobile Share Plus plans allow you to use your talk, text, and data when you are in Mexico.

In 100+ other countries, AT&T offers an International Day Pass for $10 a day, offering the unlimited talk, text, and data already in your regular plan.

This charge can add up quickly when you’re on longer trips, though. The AT&T Passport plan lets you use your normal within-U.S. plan for 30 days while you’re out of the country. AT&T recently redid this plan, since the old AT&T passport option only offered 200 MB of data, which is just not enough for most people.

The Passport plan costs $60 for 30 days and offers 1 GB of data and unlimited texting. You can raise this to 3 GB of data for $120 for the month. At that point, you should never go any further if you value your budget, because it charges you $50 for every GB over the 3 GB. Phone calls are not included and you will be charged $.35 per minute.

AT&T Destinations Included
Country	Day Pass	Passport	Country	Day Pass	Passport
Afghanistan			Lebanon
Aland Islands (Finland)			Lesotho
Albania			Liberia
Algeria			Liechtenstein
American Samoa			Lithuania
Andorra			Luxembourg
Angola			Macedonia
Anguilla			Madagascar
Antigua & Barbuda			Malawi
Argentina			Malaysia
Armenia			Mali
Aruba			Malta
Australia			Martinique
Austria			Mauritania
Azerbaijan			Mauritius
Bahamas			Mayotte
Bahrain			Mexico
Bangladesh			Moldova
Barbados			Monaco
Belarus			Mongolia, Rep. of
Belgium			Montenegro
Belize			Montserrat
Benin			Morocco
Bermuda			Mozambique
Bhutan			Myanmar
Bolivia			Namibia
Bonaire, St. Eustatius & Saba			Nepal
Bosnia & Herzegovina			Netherlands Antilles (includes Curaçao only)
Botswana			Netherlands
Brazil			New Zealand
Brunei			Nicaragua
Bulgaria			Niger
Burkina Faso			Nigeria
Burundi			Northern Ireland (See listing for United Kingdom)
Cambodia			Northern Mariana Islands
Cameroon			Norway
Canada			Oman
Cape Verde			Pakistan
Cayman Islands			Palestinian Authority
Central African Republic			Panama
Chad			Papua New Guinea
Chile			Paraguay
China			Peru
Colombia			Philippines
Congo, Republic of			Poland
Congo, Democratic Republic of (Zaire)			Portugal
Costa Rica			Qatar
Croatia			Reunion Island
Curacao			Romania
Cyprus			Russia
Czech Republic			Rwanda, Rep. of
Denmark			Samoa
Dominica			San Marino
Dominican Republic			Sao Tome and Principe
East Timor			Saudi Arabia
Ecuador			Scotland (See listing for United Kingdom)
Egypt			Senegal
El Salvador			Serbia
England (See listing for United Kingdom)			Seychelles
Equatorial Guinea			Sierra Leone
Estonia			Singapore
Faroe Islands			Slovakia
Fiji			Slovenia
Finland			South Africa
France			South Korea
French Guiana			South Sudan
French Polynesia (Tahiti)			Spain
Gabon			Sri Lanka
Gambia			St. Barthelemy
Georgia			St. Kitts & Nevis
Germany			St. Lucia
Ghana			St. Maarten
Gibraltar			St. Martin
Greece			St. Vincent & the Grenadines
Greenland			Sudan
Grenada			Suriname
Guadeloupe			Svalbard
Guam			Swaziland
Guatemala			Sweden
Guernsey			Switzerland
Guinea			Taiwan
Guinea-Bissau			Tajikistan
Guyana			Tanzania
Haiti			Thailand
Honduras			Togo
Hong Kong			Tonga
Hungary			Trinidad & Tobago
Iceland			Tunisia
India			Turkey
Indonesia			Turks & Caicos
Iraq			Uganda
Ireland			Ukraine
Isle of Man			United Arab Emirates
Israel			United Kingdom (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales)
Italy			Uruguay
Ivory Coast			Uzbekistan
Jamaica			Vanuatu
Japan			Vatican City
Jersey			Venezuela
Jordan			Vietnam
Kazakhstan			Virgin Islands, British
Kenya			Wales (See listing for United Kingdom)
Kiribati			Western Sahara
Kuwait			Yemen
Kyrgyzstan			Zambia
Laos			Zimbabwe
Latvia

If you’re headed onto a cruise, AT&T also has you covered with 2 plans. Its $100-a-month plan includes unlimited talk and text and 200 MB of data, with additional data costing $2 per MB. Its $50-a-month cruise package includes 50 minutes of talk (overages charged at $2 per minute), unlimited texting, and no data.

Data on cruising is expensive no matter which plan you choose, so if you can, subscribe to the onboard Wi-Fi that your cruise ship may offer.

For comparison, if you don’t choose one of these plans, you’re charged at insane rates: $3 per minute for talk, $.50 for each text sent and over $6 for every MB of data you use. Yikes!

Pros:

It’s easy to use and add to your account.
You are staying on the AT&T network so you don’t need to find an unlocked phone.
There isn’t any data speed throttling, which is common on other networks.
You can take phone calls on your regular number without paying any extra fees.

Cons:

If you’re on a share plan, you’ll need to monitor the data usage.
While there are many places that are covered (over 100), there are many that still aren’t.
The $10 fee every day for every line will add up very quickly. If you go on a family trip with 4 lines and are traveling for 5 days you could see an additional $200 on your monthly bill.

Looking for more information? See our detailed piece dedicated to AT&T International Phone Plans including countries, coverage rates, and more.

Bottom Line: This Plan Is Great For: People who love data and texting, but aren’t big on making phone calls. It’s not the best if you are on a shared plan and going to be buying an International Day Pass for everyone in your group, but the 30-day plans with unlimited data are excellent for users who mostly need its phones for data or texting while on an extended trip.

Woman using phone in front of Eiffel Tower — Texting a friend back home usually costs much less than using a voice call. To save on charges, you should text when possible. Image Credit: Tom Merton/Caia Image via Adobe Stock

Alternative Choice: Google Fi

Google Fi doesn’t come up as an option as a major carrier (yet). While it may not yet be a mainstream option, it is one that is becoming increasingly popular with frequent travelers.

Google Fi treats international data and domestic data the same. It uses the cell towers of T-Mobile and US Cellular and covers over 200 locations.

Internationally, your calls will cost $.20, unless you are on Wi-Fi, which will be free. You still have unlimited text messages while traveling internationally.

Its plans cost $20 for a month of unlimited talk and text and every 1 GB of data is $10 a month. The data is rounded off to the nearest MB meaning you only pay for the data you actually use. If you are a heavy data user, it stops charging you at 6 GB. This means your bill will never be over $80 a month.

Google Fi offers a few phones, but it is also open to using most phones you’ve purchased elsewhere, including the iPhone. Buying one of its phones (like the Google Pixel or some of the Moto and LG phones) makes it so that you can switch between cell networks and hotspots easier.

If you’re using Google Fi aboard a cruise ship, make sure to connect to the onboard Wi-Fi for free calls.

Pros:

International data and domestic data are treated the same.
Google Fi covers 170+ destinations.
There is no contract; you pay monthly.
To sign up for Google-Fi, it sometimes offer great incentives such as high-dollar gift cards or freebies.

Cons:

Even with the combination of T-Mobile and US Cellular cell phone towers, your coverage at home may vary.
Some users have found Google-Fi difficult to sign up for.

Bottom Line: This Plan Is Great For: Frequent travelers and those who have an approved phone or who are interested in buying a Google Pixel (or other phone sold by Google). It’s important that the T-Mobile/US Cellular cell towers work well for you in your local area when you’re back at home.

Saving on International Rates

There’s no doubt that using your phone outside of the U.S. can be a bit pricey — most major plans cost more than you pay for your domestic service. To save on these costs while outside of the country, there are a few things you can do:

Connect to Wi-Fi

This may sound obvious, but it’s one of the biggest ways you can save money. Most phone plans can make calls over Wi-Fi for no extra cost, and you are able to download movies, music, or check emails without using cellular data.

Most branded hotels offer some type of complimentary Wi-Fi for a daily nominal rate. When you’re in your hotel, enable your phone to automatically connect to the hotel’s signal so that you won’t have to think about whether or not your phone is using international roaming rates. Outside of the hotel, many museums, restaurants, and even public spaces offer complimentary Wi-Fi.

Use a Hotspot

There are several major hotspots designed for traveling. One of the largest brands is Skyroam. For as little as $9 a day, you can enjoy unlimited data. The hotspots offer a flat daily rate so you don’t have to worry about different charges for different areas or overages.

Since a hotspot usually provides unlimited data, it is more than likely cheaper than your traditional cell phone plan international service. You can connect your phone to this hotspot signal to make calls over Wi-Fi, download any necessary emails, and use your phone as a GPS, all without worrying about eating up precious data.

The only downside to using a hotspot is that it is an extra device you will have to carry with you when you are out. Some travelers clip the hotspot onto their belt, or stuff it in a backpack.

Turn off Your Cellular Data When You Aren’t Using It

Many cell phone plans charge for every day you use talk, text, and data abroad — and the more days you use it, the higher your charges. There may be some days, however, where you don’t need data as much — for example, you might be inside all day where you can connect to Wi-Fi, or you may be flying between countries where you will be away from a cell signal.

Whatever the case, if you shut off your cellular signal (or turn your phone in Airplane Mode, as many people do), your phone won’t connect to a network and you won’t be charged for that day’s worth of usage.

computer in cafe — While you’re traveling, consider using the public Wi-Fi in cafes and restaurants to save on cellular data. Image Credit: Rawpixel via Pixabay

Final Thoughts

The best international cell phone plan will be an individual decision.

While Google Fi isn’t one of the major mainstream U.S. carriers, it shouldn’t be overlooked as it is one of the strongest options for international plans, especially those who rely heavily on data.

T-Mobile’s plans are a strong option for those who need great coverage at home and internationally for frequent trips. AT&T’s plan for travel is great for trips to Canada and Mexico since both are included in the most basic version.

Consider what your travel plans are — where you are going and how often, what your needs are at home, and whether voice, data, or texting is most important to you. When you know what your needs are, it’s easier to make a decision on which are the best plans to get you the most coverage for the best price.

11 comments

DaninMCI July 22, 2019
Good write up. I don’t think it’s so automatic that buying an “unlocked” phone means it’s CDMA or GSM, you really need to check the phone type and carriers it will work on in my experience. I just ported over my number from Verizon to Google Fi and found it to be very easy but I know some have had issues.
- Stephen Au July 22, 2019
  Hey Danin,
  Thanks for your feedback. We appreciate telling us about your experiences.
Miles July 24, 2019
Thank you for this excellent summary of the rules about international phone service.
Several months ago I switched to Google Fi and haven’t looked back. When you’re flying internationally, just turn off Airplane Mode after landing and the phone will work (including high-speed data). No adjustments or fiddling required, no worries about roaming charges.
I do take issue with the idea of using wifi on a cruise ship…that can be very expensive. If you are within a few miles of a coast, the cellular signal usually works if you go to an upper deck and sit on the land side of the boat.
Google Fi lets you use your phone as a hotspot, so all our devices (laptop, tablet, wife’s phone) get signal through my connection.
Google Fi often has super deals on Moto G-series phones…e.g., $99. I like them because you can increase the available storage simply by inserting an inexpensive microSD memory card.
- Stephen Au July 24, 2019
  Hi Miles,
  Thanks for your feedback. We appreciate it, and it will help travelers decide which option to use.
MICHAEL H December 19, 2019
Two catches with Google FI ( Aren’t there always. )
1. you can only use international data for 6 months abroad then it’s shut off until you return to the USA once you travel abroad again your 6-month count down resets.
2. Google Fi has no dual SIM Phones.
Though I heard rumors the Pixel 5 will have a dual SIM option.
- Roger February 16, 2021
  That’s not true! My Google Pixel 4 XL has a dual sim that I’m using right now here in Panama. I’ve been in Panama for almost a year with no problem. There may be some exceptions for “data hogs” they may get shut down but for average to fairly heavy users that’s not the case.
  - Jim Worrall April 24, 2021
    Roger, how have you found the coverage, data speed and call quality in Panama?
Jerry Moore February 12, 2021
This is not correct. I live in Mexico 10 months out of the year and have never had Google FI shutoff my data, that includes my other 3 family members.
- Jim Worrall April 24, 2021
  Mr. Moore, how have you found the coverage, data speed and call quality in Mexico?
Jim Worrall April 24, 2021
International roaming is a very important, and tragically neglected, subject. This article contains information that was outdated when it was published. For example, there is no mention that Tmobile has a rate plan that doubles international data speed to a still pathetic 256mb/s.
The article did not include prepaid plans and MVNOs, some of which offer lower-cost international roaming options.
Sprint offered an excellent roaming plan in Japan when they were owned by Softbank. Now that Tmobile owns Sprint I am unsure if the Japanese roaming option remains for current Sprint customers. Tmobile is directing new Sprint customers to sign up directly on a Tmobile plan.
The article should encourage travelers to explore local prepaid sims when traveling. The article should have addressed Wifi calling in more detail including evaluating various calling apps. The article failed to discuss dual SIM phones.
Vernon LeCount October 11, 2021
With new anti-terrorism laws in place, France, Germany and some other European countries won’t sell you a Euro-wide SIM card or burner phone that connects locally on your unlocked US cell without a local address or sometimes a local bank account. If you have an international data plan on your US cell or are near wifi you can use FaceTime, What’s App, Talkatone or Google Voice for calling. I like Talkatone best since they send an email for voice messages when you don’t pick up. The per-minutes rates US cell plans charge for voice calls can be brutal. This article and others make it seem the t-Mobile plan is best in Europe (they were (are) a German company) with call rates around $.25/minute if not using a data-based app.

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The Best International Cell Phone Plans For Travelers [Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T, Google Fi]

What Phones Can You Use Internationally?