Is there any way without a sim to tell if the phone can receive data at
a given location? I don't need to use the phone, only to see if there
is a signal that it could process if it had a sim.

Perhaps there is an app that does signal checking without a sim?

I don't want to take the sim from my current phone because changing sims
bothers me. I always get the phone upside down and then I drop and lose
the sim, and especially to go back and forth while in my car or by the
side of the road. (I've already lost things that drop and somehow get
under the car seat. At least I think that's where they are.)

Plus it's an academic question. That makes me curious. And the answer
might be useful when you or I have no sim at all, or we're on the phone
with the kidnappers and we can't interrupt the phone call.

I have a cellphone bought in Europe which doesn't have all the bands
that are most often used in the USA. Bands 2 or 4 iirc, but maybe 1 or
3. Two places, in and a little northwest of Eldersburg Md, I couldn't
get any data. The coverage map for MintMobile said there was coverage
there but iirc in the band my phone doesn't have.

So in preparation for a trip where I'd be driving around a lot in rural
areas (a trip that has been postponed for over a year because of
Corona), I bought a global phone that has all 4 bands, 1, 2, 3, and 4,
but I haven't moved over to it yet. (I sort of like that now if I break
or lose my phone, it's one that's not fully capable, and THEN I can
change to the better phone.)

Now I have a plan to go rubber-rafting for a few hours and at the end of
the trip, to use a phone app to get a taxi to take me back to my car.
(How yuppie is that!) I was hiking in the same area a couple weeks ago
and my phone coudln't get any data, so maybe if I changed to the new
phone I could get data. If the phone doesn't work, I could come to a
stop, maybe because of a hole in the boat, next to some lonely road near
the river with no way to reach Lyft, for example. Even at the boat
landing at the end, if someone is actually there at the time and if he
would lend me a cellphone, the billing is done in the app and he'd end
up paying for my taxi ride. No stranger wants to do that.

Maybe this is obvious but is there any way without a sim to tell if the
phone can receive data?

I plan to check out the area in advance and I could bring a laptop if
that would help, but I don't see how a laptop would help unless I had
another sim.

In article <rihedgl2m8mst7bfpe39g6m111grjrj1jf@4ax.com>, micky
<NONONOmisc07@fmguy.com> wrote:

> Is there any way without a sim to tell if the phone can receive data at
> a given location?

no, because it depends on which carrier.

you would need to test with a sim from each of the carriers that serve
that location.

> I have a cellphone bought in Europe which doesn't have all the bands
> that are most often used in the USA. Bands 2 or 4 iirc, but maybe 1 or
> 3. Two places, in and a little northwest of Eldersburg Md, I couldn't
> get any data. The coverage map for MintMobile said there was coverage
> there but iirc in the band my phone doesn't have.

that's another issue.

the phone has to be compatible with the carrier's bands.

Am 26.06.21 um 17:52 schrieb micky:

> Is there any way without a sim to tell if the phone can receive data at
> a given location? I don't need to use the phone, only to see if there
> is a signal that it could process if it had a sim.
>
> Perhaps there is an app that does signal checking without a sim?

Some network operators did allow emergency calls without a SIM in their
2G/3G networks. Depending on your local law, it might be a very bad idea
to dial these numbers without an actual emergency, though. Also, a
successful phone call does not give you any indication of data connectivity.

In 4G/5G networks, there is absolutely no connectivity without a SIM.
Even if the phone's modem should receive some kind of signal, it would
not be able to tell, which operator this is and whether it is a public
network at all.

Get yourself a cheap prepaid SIM with a minimal data plan for testing!

In article <ob3kqh-oq46.ln1@hergen.spdns.de>, Hergen Lehmann
<hlehmann.expires.5-11@snafu.de> wrote:

>
> > Is there any way without a sim to tell if the phone can receive data at
> > a given location? I don't need to use the phone, only to see if there
> > is a signal that it could process if it had a sim.
> >
> > Perhaps there is an app that does signal checking without a sim?
>
> Some network operators did allow emergency calls without a SIM in their
> 2G/3G networks.

all of them do. it's required by law.

some carriers might also allow calling customer service to activate a
cellular plan.

> Depending on your local law, it might be a very bad idea
> to dial these numbers without an actual emergency, though. Also, a
> successful phone call does not give you any indication of data connectivity.

yes it does.

> In 4G/5G networks, there is absolutely no connectivity without a SIM.

yes there is.

without a sim, the phone is required to make an emergency call.

what you're thinking of is that voice calls on lte/5g are actually a
data connection, aka voip. there is no such thing as a voice channel
anymore. everything is data.

> Even if the phone's modem should receive some kind of signal, it would
> not be able to tell, which operator this is and whether it is a public
> network at all.

yes it can, and they're public.

> Get yourself a cheap prepaid SIM with a minimal data plan for testing!

the test is valid for only one carrier.

On 6/26/2021 8:52 AM, micky wrote:
>
> Is there any way without a sim to tell if the phone can receive data at
> a given location? I don't need to use the phone, only to see if there
> is a signal that it could process if it had a sim.

No.

> Perhaps there is an app that does signal checking without a sim?
>
> I don't want to take the sim from my current phone because changing sims
> bothers me. I always get the phone upside down and then I drop and lose
> the sim, and especially to go back and forth while in my car or by the
> side of the road. (I've already lost things that drop and somehow get
> under the car seat. At least I think that's where they are.)

I once lost my U.S. SIM while changing SIMs on an airplane. It wasn't a
big deal, when I got back to the U.S. I just put in a new SIM. On the
way back, another passenger on the plane did the same thing. So I think
that changing the SIM with the phones inside inside a gallon ZipLoc bag
bag may be a good idea since the SIM cards have a nasty habit of going
flying.

nospam wrote on 26.06.2021 19:41
>> Get yourself a cheap prepaid SIM with a minimal data plan for testing!
>
> the test is valid for only one carrier.

The OP can try these apps to see what they tell him on his Android phone.
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=make.more.r2d2.cellular_z>
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tts.imnos_mobile>

No ads. Ever.

All of this basic functionality is _impossible_ on iOS given there are no
apps in the Apple app store to do even something _this_ incredibly simple.

While this functionality is impossible on iOS (given the app functionality
doesn't exist in the Apple App Store) for Android the op could load any of a
number of similar free apps telling him exactly what cellular connections
currently exist (down to the frequency band, and exact unique carrier ID &
even often down to the specific antenna array)

For example, Cellular-Z alone tells me the SLOT sim operator & mssisdn, net
operator MCC and MNC, and the serving cell data net, cell type, tac, pci,
eci, earfcn, frequency, band, and, of course, I obtain a running graph of
the real time signal strength along with a list of neighboring cells, their
bands, earfcn, pci, rssi, rsrp, and rsrq for comparitive purposes.
--
All of this basic functionality is _impossible_ on iOS given there are no
apps in the Apple app store to do even something _this_ incredibly simple.

In article <sb7pp0$h9k$1@dont-email.me>, sms
<scharf.steven@geemail.com> wrote:

> I once lost my U.S. SIM while changing SIMs on an airplane. It wasn't a
> big deal, when I got back to the U.S. I just put in a new SIM. On the
> way back, another passenger on the plane did the same thing. So I think
> that changing the SIM with the phones inside inside a gallon ZipLoc bag
> bag may be a good idea since the SIM cards have a nasty habit of going
> flying.

only if the person is a klutz, but to guarantee it's not dropped or
lost, use an e-sim.

In comp.mobile.android, on Sat, 26 Jun 2021 10:56:46 -0700, sms
<scharf.steven@geemail.com> wrote:

>On 6/26/2021 8:52 AM, micky wrote:
>>
>> Is there any way without a sim to tell if the phone can receive data at
>> a given location? I don't need to use the phone, only to see if there
>> is a signal that it could process if it had a sim.
>
>No.
>
>> Perhaps there is an app that does signal checking without a sim?
>>
>> I don't want to take the sim from my current phone because changing sims
>> bothers me. I always get the phone upside down and then I drop and lose
>> the sim, and especially to go back and forth while in my car or by the
>> side of the road. (I've already lost things that drop and somehow get
>> under the car seat. At least I think that's where they are.)
>
>I once lost my U.S. SIM while changing SIMs on an airplane. It wasn't a

I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one who can have trouble with this.

On my my first transatlantic trip since sims existed, I was amazed to
see several people putting them in their phones when they turned the
lights on on the plane. People who seemed like more experienced
travelers than I, who should therefore know better. I haven't lost a
sim on a plane but I've dropped other things and in coach, you can't
even see the floor! Let alone reach something.

>big deal, when I got back to the U.S. I just put in a new SIM. On the
>way back, another passenger on the plane did the same thing. So I think
>that changing the SIM with the phones inside inside a gallon ZipLoc bag

That's a good idea. I've already learned to husk corn with my hands in a
shopping bag. But they often have holes so I'll look for a quality,
transparent bag big enough to to this.

I've also thought about spreading out a blanket on the ground, but
things tend to go 4 times as far as one can imagine. I don't know how
they do that, but I learned it in highschool. I'll find a bag.

>bag may be a good idea since the SIM cards have a nasty habit of going
>flying.

On 6/26/2021 12:49 PM, micky wrote:
> In comp.mobile.android, on Sat, 26 Jun 2021 10:56:46 -0700, sms
> <scharf.steven@geemail.com> wrote:
>
>>On 6/26/2021 8:52 AM, micky wrote:
>>>
>>> Is there any way without a sim to tell if the phone can receive data at
>>> a given location? I don't need to use the phone, only to see if there
>>> is a signal that it could process if it had a sim.
>>
>>No.
>>
>>> Perhaps there is an app that does signal checking without a sim?
>>>
>>> I don't want to take the sim from my current phone because changing sims
>>> bothers me. I always get the phone upside down and then I drop and lose
>>> the sim, and especially to go back and forth while in my car or by the
>>> side of the road. (I've already lost things that drop and somehow get
>>> under the car seat. At least I think that's where they are.)
>>
>>I once lost my U.S. SIM while changing SIMs on an airplane. It wasn't a
>
> I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one who can have trouble with this.
>
> On my my first transatlantic trip since sims existed, I was amazed to
> see several people putting them in their phones when they turned the
> lights on on the plane. People who seemed like more experienced
> travelers than I, who should therefore know better. I haven't lost a
> sim on a plane but I've dropped other things and in coach, you can't
> even see the floor! Let alone reach something.
>
>>big deal, when I got back to the U.S. I just put in a new SIM. On the
>>way back, another passenger on the plane did the same thing. So I think
>>that changing the SIM with the phones inside inside a gallon ZipLoc bag
>
> That's a good idea. I've already learned to husk corn with my hands in a
> shopping bag.

Shucks, I've never thought of doing that, but it's a good idea.

> But they often have holes so I'll look for a quality,
> transparent bag big enough to to this.

--
Ken

On 6/26/2021 8:52 AM, micky wrote:
>
> Is there any way without a sim to tell if the phone can receive data at
> a given location? I don't need to use the phone, only to see if there
> is a signal that it could process if it had a sim.
>
> Perhaps there is an app that does signal checking without a sim?
>
> I don't want to take the sim from my current phone because changing sims
> bothers me. I always get the phone upside down and then I drop and lose
> the sim, and especially to go back and forth while in my car or by the
> side of the road. (I've already lost things that drop and somehow get
> under the car seat. At least I think that's where they are.)
>
> Plus it's an academic question. That makes me curious. And the answer
> might be useful when you or I have no sim at all, or we're on the phone
> with the kidnappers and we can't interrupt the phone call.
>
>
>
>
> I have a cellphone bought in Europe which doesn't have all the bands
> that are most often used in the USA. Bands 2 or 4 iirc, but maybe 1 or
> 3. Two places, in and a little northwest of Eldersburg Md, I couldn't
> get any data. The coverage map for MintMobile said there was coverage
> there but iirc in the band my phone doesn't have.
>
> So in preparation for a trip where I'd be driving around a lot in rural
> areas (a trip that has been postponed for over a year because of
> Corona), I bought a global phone that has all 4 bands, 1, 2, 3, and 4,
> but I haven't moved over to it yet. (I sort of like that now if I break
> or lose my phone, it's one that's not fully capable, and THEN I can
> change to the better phone.)
>
> Now I have a plan to go rubber-rafting for a few hours and at the end of
> the trip, to use a phone app to get a taxi to take me back to my car.
> (How yuppie is that!) I was hiking in the same area a couple weeks ago
> and my phone coudln't get any data, so maybe if I changed to the new
> phone I could get data. If the phone doesn't work, I could come to a
> stop, maybe because of a hole in the boat, next to some lonely road near
> the river with no way to reach Lyft, for example. Even at the boat
> landing at the end, if someone is actually there at the time and if he
> would lend me a cellphone, the billing is done in the app and he'd end
> up paying for my taxi ride. No stranger wants to do that.
>
>
> Maybe this is obvious but is there any way without a sim to tell if the
> phone can receive data?
>
> I plan to check out the area in advance and I could bring a laptop if
> that would help, but I don't see how a laptop would help unless I had
> another sim.
>

When I was kayaking a lot, I used to hitchhike the shuttle. I would
always wear my life jacket while doing so. I seldom waited long. As one
person that picked me up said, " I never saw an axe-murderer in a life
jacket".

Of course, you would need a mask too, today.

On 6/26/2021 12:49 PM, micky wrote:
> In comp.mobile.android, on Sat, 26 Jun 2021 10:56:46 -0700, sms
> <scharf.steven@geemail.com> wrote:
>
>> On 6/26/2021 8:52 AM, micky wrote:
>>>
>>> Is there any way without a sim to tell if the phone can receive data at
>>> a given location? I don't need to use the phone, only to see if there
>>> is a signal that it could process if it had a sim.
>>
>> No.
>>
>>> Perhaps there is an app that does signal checking without a sim?
>>>
>>> I don't want to take the sim from my current phone because changing sims
>>> bothers me. I always get the phone upside down and then I drop and lose
>>> the sim, and especially to go back and forth while in my car or by the
>>> side of the road. (I've already lost things that drop and somehow get
>>> under the car seat. At least I think that's where they are.)
>>
>> I once lost my U.S. SIM while changing SIMs on an airplane. It wasn't a
>
> I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one who can have trouble with this.
>
> On my my first transatlantic trip since sims existed, I was amazed to
> see several people putting them in their phones when they turned the
> lights on on the plane. People who seemed like more experienced
> travelers than I, who should therefore know better. I haven't lost a
> sim on a plane but I've dropped other things and in coach, you can't
> even see the floor! Let alone reach something.
>
>> big deal, when I got back to the U.S. I just put in a new SIM. On the
>> way back, another passenger on the plane did the same thing. So I think
>> that changing the SIM with the phones inside inside a gallon ZipLoc bag
>
> That's a good idea. I've already learned to husk corn with my hands in a
> shopping bag. But they often have holes so I'll look for a quality,
> transparent bag big enough to to this.
>
> I've also thought about spreading out a blanket on the ground, but
> things tend to go 4 times as far as one can imagine. I don't know how
> they do that, but I learned it in highschool. I'll find a bag.
>
>
>> bag may be a good idea since the SIM cards have a nasty habit of going
>> flying.
>
>

Use a paper bag. Less chance of zapping the SIM with static. And, it
holds it's shape, so easier to work in.

In comp.mobile.android, on Sat, 26 Jun 2021 13:47:31 -0700, Bob F
<bobnospam@gmail.com> wrote:

>On 6/26/2021 8:52 AM, micky wrote:
>>
>> Is there any way without a sim to tell if the phone can receive data at
>> a given location? I don't need to use the phone, only to see if there
>> is a signal that it could process if it had a sim.
>>
>> Perhaps there is an app that does signal checking without a sim?
>>
>> I don't want to take the sim from my current phone because changing sims
>> bothers me. I always get the phone upside down and then I drop and lose
>> the sim, and especially to go back and forth while in my car or by the
>> side of the road. (I've already lost things that drop and somehow get
>> under the car seat. At least I think that's where they are.)
>>
>> Plus it's an academic question. That makes me curious. And the answer
>> might be useful when you or I have no sim at all, or we're on the phone
>> with the kidnappers and we can't interrupt the phone call.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> I have a cellphone bought in Europe which doesn't have all the bands
>> that are most often used in the USA. Bands 2 or 4 iirc, but maybe 1 or
>> 3. Two places, in and a little northwest of Eldersburg Md, I couldn't
>> get any data. The coverage map for MintMobile said there was coverage
>> there but iirc in the band my phone doesn't have.
>>
>> So in preparation for a trip where I'd be driving around a lot in rural
>> areas (a trip that has been postponed for over a year because of
>> Corona), I bought a global phone that has all 4 bands, 1, 2, 3, and 4,
>> but I haven't moved over to it yet. (I sort of like that now if I break
>> or lose my phone, it's one that's not fully capable, and THEN I can
>> change to the better phone.)
>>
>> Now I have a plan to go rubber-rafting for a few hours and at the end of
>> the trip, to use a phone app to get a taxi to take me back to my car.
>> (How yuppie is that!) I was hiking in the same area a couple weeks ago
>> and my phone coudln't get any data, so maybe if I changed to the new
>> phone I could get data. If the phone doesn't work, I could come to a
>> stop, maybe because of a hole in the boat, next to some lonely road near
>> the river with no way to reach Lyft, for example. Even at the boat
>> landing at the end, if someone is actually there at the time and if he
>> would lend me a cellphone, the billing is done in the app and he'd end
>> up paying for my taxi ride. No stranger wants to do that.

I went down there today to check things out, using my current phone, not
the new one, and I didn't even have to be where the river goes through
the woods. Even at the edge I had no signal. Then two cars pullled up
with 3 teenagers and I asked them if they could get data, and none of
them could. They already knew that, and they told me to cross the
bridge and go to the top of the hill, and then it worked. But if if
were halfway through the woods on the river, it would take 40 minutes to
get to the top of that hill. (I'll just plan on getting through that
park and out the other end.)

I still think I'll go there with both phones, move the sim from one to
another (now that I know about bags), and compare the signals.
>>
>>
>> Maybe this is obvious but is there any way without a sim to tell if the
>> phone can receive data?
>>
>> I plan to check out the area in advance and I could bring a laptop if
>> that would help, but I don't see how a laptop would help unless I had
>> another sim.
>>
>
>When I was kayaking a lot, I used to hitchhike the shuttle. I would
>always wear my life jacket while doing so. I seldom waited long. As one

That's a good idea.

>person that picked me up said, " I never saw an axe-murderer in a life
>jacket".

In 1976, my roommate and I took the train from NYC to Wilson NC, with
our bicycles, and at 3AM we met his cousin who had come from Florida.
Then we went to the coast and turned north. We were supposed to ride
early and late and sightsee in the middle of the day, but we didn't, and
I couldn't take the hot weather and that they didn't want to spend any
time at Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, so I left them to hitchhike
back to the train line. I thought it would be really hard with a
bicycle but it wasn't. Mostly pickups, but one sedan and one girl
about 25, with a sedan I think.

She told me her boyfriend would be mad that she picked up a hitchhiker
but because of the bicycle, she thought I was okay. And indeed, I did
not rob her.

>Of course, you would need a mask too, today.

Of course.

On 26/06/2021 22.53, Bob F wrote:
> On 6/26/2021 12:49 PM, micky wrote:
>> In comp.mobile.android, on Sat, 26 Jun 2021 10:56:46 -0700, sms
>> <scharf.steven@geemail.com> wrote:

>> I've also thought about spreading out a blanket on the ground, but
>> things tend to go 4 times as far as one can imagine.  I don't know how
>> they do that, but I learned it in highschool.   I'll find a bag.
>>
>>
>>> bag may be a good idea since the SIM cards have a nasty habit of going
>>> flying.
>>
>>
>
> Use a paper bag. Less chance of zapping the SIM with static. And, it
> holds it's shape, so easier to work in.

Good point.

Me, I simply sit somewhere quiet in the airport to do the changing,
maybe using a coffee table or another seat as table. My problem was that
I had lost the pin to push open the compartment, or something like that
(too short). I approached some stand selling things and asked if they
had pins for sale or knew who would, and why (recollection foggy). I
think he/she smiled, said I was not the first one, and lent or sold me
something :-)

--
Cheers, Carlos.

In comp.mobile.android, on Sun, 27 Jun 2021 13:23:15 +0200, "Carlos
E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> wrote:

>On 26/06/2021 22.53, Bob F wrote:
>> On 6/26/2021 12:49 PM, micky wrote:
>>> In comp.mobile.android, on Sat, 26 Jun 2021 10:56:46 -0700, sms
>>> <scharf.steven@geemail.com> wrote:
>
>
>>> I've also thought about spreading out a blanket on the ground, but
>>> things tend to go 4 times as far as one can imagine.  I don't know how
>>> they do that, but I learned it in highschool.   I'll find a bag.
>>>
>>>
>>>> bag may be a good idea since the SIM cards have a nasty habit of going
>>>> flying.
>>>
>>>
>>
>> Use a paper bag. Less chance of zapping the SIM with static. And, it
>> holds it's shape, so easier to work in.
>
>Good point.
>
>
>Me, I simply sit somewhere quiet in the airport to do the changing,
>maybe using a coffee table or another seat as table. My problem was that
>I had lost the pin to push open the compartment, or something like that
>(too short). I approached some stand selling things and asked if they
>had pins for sale or knew who would, and why (recollection foggy). I
>think he/she smiled, said I was not the first one, and lent or sold me
>something :-)

My phone was stolen while I was on vacation, and by the time I bought a
new one and then got another sim, it was only 2PM but all the stores had
closed early for some holiday.

I went to a restaurant and looked around. Five tables had people. I
picked the one with 5 people, boys and girls in their 20's or 30's.

They were all eager to help. One girl took off one of her earings and
used its post to open the sim drawer, and another one called the guy who
sold the sims to get him to activate it for me**. She had to call
several times but she was undaunted. The guys smiled and encouraged
them.

**He had a mailbox on the street in front of the house of one of his
friends who lived fairly near the airport, with maybe 30 sims, some in
envelopes with names on them and others without envelopes. So you could
get one 24 hours a day. That's where I got the original one. He
didn't charge me for the second one and even gave me the same phone
number.

Bob F <bobnospam@gmail.com> wrote:
> On 6/26/2021 12:49 PM, micky wrote:
>> In comp.mobile.android, on Sat, 26 Jun 2021 10:56:46 -0700, sms
>> <scharf.steven@geemail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> On 6/26/2021 8:52 AM, micky wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Is there any way without a sim to tell if the phone can receive data at
>>>> a given location? I don't need to use the phone, only to see if there
>>>> is a signal that it could process if it had a sim.
>>>
>>> No.
>>>
>>>> Perhaps there is an app that does signal checking without a sim?
>>>>
>>>> I don't want to take the sim from my current phone because changing sims
>>>> bothers me. I always get the phone upside down and then I drop and lose
>>>> the sim, and especially to go back and forth while in my car or by the
>>>> side of the road. (I've already lost things that drop and somehow get
>>>> under the car seat. At least I think that's where they are.)
>>>
>>> I once lost my U.S. SIM while changing SIMs on an airplane. It wasn't a
>>
>> I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one who can have trouble with this.
>>
>> On my my first transatlantic trip since sims existed, I was amazed to
>> see several people putting them in their phones when they turned the
>> lights on on the plane. People who seemed like more experienced
>> travelers than I, who should therefore know better. I haven't lost a
>> sim on a plane but I've dropped other things and in coach, you can't
>> even see the floor! Let alone reach something.
>>
>>> big deal, when I got back to the U.S. I just put in a new SIM. On the
>>> way back, another passenger on the plane did the same thing. So I think
>>> that changing the SIM with the phones inside inside a gallon ZipLoc bag
>>
>> That's a good idea. I've already learned to husk corn with my hands in a
>> shopping bag. But they often have holes so I'll look for a quality,
>> transparent bag big enough to to this.
>>
>> I've also thought about spreading out a blanket on the ground, but
>> things tend to go 4 times as far as one can imagine. I don't know how
>> they do that, but I learned it in highschool. I'll find a bag.
>>
>>
>>> bag may be a good idea since the SIM cards have a nasty habit of going
>>> flying.
>>
>>
>
> Use a paper bag. Less chance of zapping the SIM with static. And, it
> holds it's shape, so easier to work in.

Never needed to worry about this as roaming to the majority of countries I
wanted to go to was included in my bundle. Now the UK has left the EU
that's not going to be the case anymore.

Am 27.06.21 um 22:06 schrieb Chris:
> Bob F <bobnospam@gmail.com> wrote:
>> Use a paper bag. Less chance of zapping the SIM with static. And, it
>> holds it's shape, so easier to work in.
>
> Never needed to worry about this as roaming to the majority of countries I
> wanted to go to was included in my bundle. Now the UK has left the EU
> that's not going to be the case anymore.

Believe me: This will be by far the smallest problem the UK and its
population will face the next generation or two.

On 6/27/2021 1:06 PM, Chris wrote:

<snip>

> Never needed to worry about this as roaming to the majority of countries I
> wanted to go to was included in my bundle. Now the UK has left the EU
> that's not going to be the case anymore.

Yeah, I noticed that Vodafone UK greatly worsened their PayG service
since Brexit occurred.

But for U.S. people, when we travel, we have the option of paying high
prices to our carrier for high-speed foreign data, or using a prepaid
foreign SIM card. T-Mobile U.S. includes international low-speed data,
and SMS, on some of their plans, but when I tried using it in the UK and
Ireland it was of very limited value, and when I got back to the U.S.
the coverage issues of T-Mobile were not palatable to us.

The last trip I made to Europe, I ordered a Vodafone UK PayG SIM. It
works in the U.S. as well (at high cost) but I was able to activate it
before leaving for Europe. We didn't go to the UK, only to Italy, but it
worked fine. There were some people traveling with us using T-Mobile
international roaming and I had to let them hotspot into my phone
because their data speed was so slow (though they could have paid extra
for higher speed data). Every time I hear someone in the U.S.
complaining about T-Mobile coverage, and I ask why they keep it, the
answer is the same "free international roaming." I'd rather have good
U.S. coverage and then on 1-2 international trips per year go through
the hassle of swapping SIM cards.

When I traveled from mainland China to Hong Kong on a train, I would see
people changing SIM cards on the train.