very new to this and need help

[MATHA531]

Originally Posted by s.r.

I'm taking a study abroad trip to spain and I've heard that, in order to save money on calls within Europe, I can have my LG vx5200 unlocked and possibly just buy a SIM card for it (and get a prepaid phone card).
Is it as easy as it sounds? I just have to go to Verizon and get it unlocked and then I can buy a SIM from one of these vendors you list (united mobile, travelsim etc.)?? without having to deal with an actual carrier like vodafone or movistar?
If that is the case, let me know which you recommend or if I'm missing some key details, please help me out
thanks

sr

In your case, unfortunately, it is not as easy as it sounds if Verizon is your US carrier....you see Verizon uses a completely different technology than is used in Spain and the rest of Europe...thus your verizon phone is probably useless...it doesn't operate with sim cards which is what the European and a couple of American carriers use (although some verizon phones are dual technology but I don't think your phone is) so scratch that idea...nor will you be able to use your verizon service in Spain and the rest of Europe without renting a phone from them and paying asininely high rates.

What you need is an unlocked GSM phone with the frequencies operating on the 900 and 1800 band...such phones are easy to acquire on ebay or at some internet merchants in the USA and then when you arrive in Spain you can just get a sim package of some sort and be all set with all the perks of a Spanish gsm provider (free reception of calls, a Spanish telephone number whatever)...or you can wait till you get to Spain, walk into a mobile (it's called a mobile phone in Europe not a cell phone but it's the same thing) and buy a cheap gsm phone along with a sim package; none of which will be intimidating as it is done every day of the week when visiting various European countries.

There is a lot more you can read up on but that's the basics. If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask. There will probably be somebody here familiar with Spain and Spanish sims (I'm not) who can help you or make suggestions depending on your exact itinerary and exact needs but the bottom line is verizon is incompatible with European travel.