This question comes up on the Naples Facebook pages, and I like to help and give answers, but it's tiring repeating yourself all the time- so! Time to blog about it!
You've got orders to Naples! Yaaaaaay! Or Sig, or Germany, oh wherever. After you stress out over packing and cutting off your power you think "Oh crap! Will my cellphone work over there? Do I have to buy a new one? But I just bought the iPhone 7,000!" Take a deep breath. I have some answers for you.
If your cellphone takes a SIM card, you are in luck! It will work over here. Sadly some Verizon phones do not come equipped with a SIM card slot, those of you with those phones are kinda sorta out of luck. If you can get your hands on a phone with the SIM card slot keep reading.
First thing is first, in order for your phone to work in Europe, the phone needs to be "UNLOCKED." What does this mean?? I will tell you. Lets use the iPhone for example because that is what I have and that is the process that I know- Sorry android users, but follow along and work with me. An unlocked phone means your phone can use ANY Mobile Carrier. This is scary stuff to cellphone companies because you can take your brand new iPhone 7000 that you just got at AT&T and switch over to T-Mobile, Sprint, etc. It also means that you can use ANY carrier in Europe as long as you purchase a SIM card to be put into your unlocked phone.
Some people say the newer iPhones are already unlocked- check with your cellphone company to make sure. It is easier to unlock your phone in the States than to "Talk to an Agent" online for a couple hours.
If your two year contract with your current cellphone provider is up, you shouldn't have any issue getting your phone unlocked because you have fulfilled you contract with your company. If you are still in contract then they maaaaay try to fight you tooth and nail. DONT GIVE IN!
I personally was out of contract, called AT&T, talked to a guy in tech support, gave him my Sponsors last four to look up our Military Eligibility in the DOD system to be approved to have my phone unlocked. After that he walked me through the settings on my phone to find a special number (IMEI I believe it is called- don't quote me). Gave him the number, he did some magic on his end, and I was good to go. Just had to go home, hook my phone up to iTunes, back up all of my information (contacts, music, pictures etc.) do a factory reset (which is nerve racking as it completely erases your phone) and then restored my phone to have everything back on it. VOILA! My phone was a free agent! It still worked with AT&T because I was using their SIM card, and when I got to Italy, it instantly worked with a Vodafone SIM Card.
My Marito however, didn't have a smooth time getting his iPhone unlocked because he was still in contract. He isn't the most patient person with customer service, so I took over and killed them with kindness. I understood that they want him to be finished with his two year commitment but I had to tell them that we were freezing out account, and will fulfill the commitment when we return. I also mentioned the Military Clause, and that we had faxed in our orders that state we were going to be overseas. And when that didn't work I asked if this is how they normally treated their military clients. I learned that the normal customer service people don't have the power to unlock phones- TECH SUPPORT DOES! That was who I needed to talk to. After being transferred I was able to get Marito's phone unlocked, easy peasy.
Now I wish I could say the same for everyone. Not everyone has the patience or the luck of getting their phones unlocked. I've helped many, walked them through the process, and I have even chatted online with agents for them to help them out. They WILL do it. Some people give up and just buy a phone over here. The good news about that is that your phone is already unlocked- it will work in the states with an American SIM card when you go back. Bad news.... Pre Pay is totally the way to go here. 9-15 Euros compared to 70-80 Euros. TRUST me on this one. Marito got a contract for one year for work purposes, I got pre-pay, then a year later I upgraded my phone and was stuck in a contract for 2 years! To break contract is 500 EUROS (long story short, I somehow worked it out and went back to prepay after paying off my new iPhone),
Since you know that you can bring your American (or Canadian, etc) phone to Europe and have it work, what do you do with your state side plan?
That is where the Military Clause comes in. Each cellphone carrier has a clause that allows the military to suspend your contract. I want to say each company has a similar agreement, I can only testify for AT&T.
To suspend your contract (freeze, whatever you want to call it) AT&T will look you up in the DOD system to see that you are eligible, and they will ask that you fax in a copy of your orders. No big deal. Your account will freeze on the date you ask, and it will stay frozen for up to 39 months. When you unfreeze your account before the 39 months is up, you will have your original phone number and the same plan as before you left the states. Yes, even the unlimited data plan that you were grandfathered into.
I have been back state side quite a few times. Before I return I get online, chat with an agent, and have them unfreeze my account the day before I return to the states. This way, on the plane I switch out my Vodafone SIM card, and put in my AT&T card and when I land I have a working cellphone to call my ride or whomever. When I leave, I provide a copy of Marito's orders, and my phone is put back on Military Suspension, and my 39 months start over.
I hope this info clears some questions up, and since I have you reading so much I might as well include this last little bit.
You have options for cellphone providers here. Vodafone isn't the only choice- however it is easy considering Vodafone is located on both Capo and Support Site. I do not know if there is a provider located at JFC/NATO. I haven't seen one.
Your other cellphone providers are TIM, Wind, and 3. There may be a couple more I just can't think of them off the top of my head.
Also! There are numerous ways to stay in touch with people across the world. Some choose Vonage, Skype, Tango, Whatsapp, Voxer, etc. I personally don't want to pay extra for Vonage and stick with iMessage FaceTime (I'm such a sucker for Apple products for this reason).
If you have any questions don't hesitate to send me a message on FaceBook!
