International mobile use

[Marie]

I spend more than half the year in Ireland, remainder in USA and mainland Europe. I have been using an unlocked mobile phone with AT&T as service provider in USA and change the SIM when in Ireland - to an O2/3i on a Pay-As-You-Go plan.

Now I wish to move from this "dumb phone" to a "smart phone" and fancy a shiny Samsung 5. It is an unlocked phone. The service provider in the USA is Verizon. The store tell me it is compatible with "most other"service providers, internationally. As I really really must get this right..........is there a way of establishing compatibility of this Verizon-plan (allegedly-unlocked) phone without contacting each Irish service provider individually? Any experiences or suggestions of the most efficient and economic provider for the Irish SIM? Having recently had the souring experience of AT&T in the USA appropriating $489 of credits "because they had not been used within the agreed period" I want to get this right.

 

[mathepac]

Do NOT buy a Samsung or any other Android phone until you check these out - (9/10) in most independent reviews and around half the price of any other smartphone.

They are only sold SIM free. They have single SIM and dual SIM phones, finger-print recognition, USB TypeC ports, 2-pin US, EU and 3-pin Irish/UK chargers, nice flat charger/data cables and a bunch of other cool stuff.

I was thinking of the dual SIM phone for you - PAYG here and PAYG in the States, one phone no physical SIM swapping. Read the specs in the links below.

https://oneplus.net/ie/x

https://oneplus.net/ie/2

I have no association with oneplus, being an unapologetic, shameless Apple fanboy from waaayyy back before God's time.

HTH

 

[Leo]

Look at the likes of GSM Arena to see the networks/ frequencies supported in a particular country and check the specs of your phone to ensure you're covered.