We are travelling to France for 3 weeks
What is the best solution for cell phones.
We want to be able to use data most of the time for maps, research etc. And text.

Jennifer
Thank you for all the tips!
I'll be get my phone unlocked !!

Use a free app called Navmii. You can download maps and voice based GIS instructions and use it without data services. Worked great in Italy last fall.
Find a spot with wireless for research.

We took our phones and paid the Bell plan for Europe. They have different options. I much preferred having my own phone with its configuration and apps. The phone came in very handy for navigation. We like wandering back streets and it was great in Paris and other cities for helping us find our way back to our accommodations. On the other hand, having the phone unlocked and buying a local SIM card and plan might be less expensive.

For all the people saying just use your Canadian carriers "roam like home" coverage - that option is only economical if you're only going for a handful of days and you don't already have an unlocked phone (unlocking fee through rogers is $50). Any longer than that and it's way way cheaper to unlock your phone and buy local sims when you land at your destination. The rest of the world has much much cheaper cellphone rates.
We're about to head to Italy for 5 weeks and will be doing just that.

We are now in Germany and I bought 400mb of data before we left. Have only used 5. Of you start a trip on wifi the directions keep working even when cellular data is turned off. It has been a lifesaver. I have only turned on my cellular data twice so far and we have been here for a week.

Buy an unlocked phone in the EU.
It will come with enough prepaid coverage to last your entire trip, including data.
And you'll have left over when you come back.
Cost is around $120

If you have an older phone, get it unlock here and buy a sim card there. Must cheaper than roaming using Telus. Most rental cars have gps.

Download maps.me
It's an app that allows you to download complete area maps while on wifi, then use for navigation without being connected. It also contains lots of tourism info. We loved it!

hmm wonder if that works in canada cause we're campin this summer n thatd be great instead of buyin a gps

Yes it works in Canada as well. My son uses it when he travels as he only had a small data plan. Some area maps are a decent size file, so I ran could not download a map because I ran out of room on my phone.

We didn't change our plan at all. For communicating, my husband doesn't have fb so he used whatsapp and downloaded maps.me. For me, I used Facebook when wifi was available. No charges at all
.

buy a local sim card with data package. don't use your own Canadian one for data. you could be changed over 10k dollars for it.
btw your phone needs to be unlocked for sure. otherwise like they said, get a local unlocked smart phone with enough coverage for the countries you want to travel.

We are with Bell and paid $10/day for the Roam Better plan. 100 MB of data (plenty for navigating) and unlimited calling and texting locally and back to Canada. It was very convenient.

Agreed-we did the same with Rogers.

I have never paid more than 20 euros/ pounds for a sim that had more that enough time and data for the month or 6 weeks that I go for was there. The equivalent of less than $40. Canadian

If you aren't planning on texting to Canada that much, get a sim there. Data is MUCH cheaper (I had 300mb for a month and paid 5€)

Plus the sim which was 10 I think

Get a sim there. The only downside is the realization that for 5 euros a month you get more data and more coverage than what you pay $200 for back home.

Tell me about it I went online and for $10-15 euros 7-10GB

If you have a smart phone down load Magic Jack app and then you can make calls back to the US and Canada no charge when in Wifi range

Thanks all this is great info. I'll be buying a SIM card. Does the SIM card work in all Europe regardless of where's bought?

unlocked phone and local SIM, much cheaper than any roaming plans from here.

You have to buy SIM card in France. Ask the store people

It's only available in France ?

Sim card is not very expensive and you have to ask for the coverage.

We are doing Europe as well and have read to take an unlocked phone and buy SIM card.

Unlock your phone and get a SIM card from vodaphone

We r doing Europe r the options different or just leave your cell phone home

Wayne, they're making so hard. I've traveled all over the world. Only time I had no service until my last day was when I paid Bell additional coverage being in Jamaica
. How maddening. We always just use whatsapp and mapsme.com (free map app for everwhere). Use whatsapp for your texting n sending pics! I also use facebook..... but seriously if all tgey need is some reliable, free method to communicate, this is it FREE. No sim card required

Google 'mobile internet sticks' Some places you can rent portable hotspots that you just carry with you. That way you can hook up any wifi enabled devices.

It's way cheaper to get a sim when you are there.

Unlock your phones before you go if they're not already unlocked. You can buy a tourist SIM card and cell/data plan at Paris airports and a few other places.

I used roam like home for telus last year was 7.50 a day

Telus has packages that work well and are reasonable....you know....reasonable for Telus.

We were there in November and we just added a package it was fine. But we also used paper maps

If you are on Roger's it's $10 a day for roam like home. Unlimited access just like you are here.

Local SIM card plus buy yourself gps with Europe dowload

Who's your cell phone carrier? Rogers has "Rome like home"... It's great. I used it traveling in Europe last summer.
http://www.rogers.com/consumer/wireless/travel...

There's lots of pick pockets. Be careful

Get a sim card there.

Following