What is the best way to minimize costly cell charges on my iPhone during my 2 weeks touring RSA? Buy a chip at the airport?

To buy a chip at the airport that will work you need to make sure your Iphone is an unlocked version. Your phone number will also change which depending on your situation could be more trouble than it's worth. You could just pick up a disposable phone down there or check with your carrier and see what adding an international plan for a month would cost. The big variable will be how much airtime you will be using.

Your phone will have to be an unlocked version. I have a Blackberry phone I hadn't used in several years my AT&T rep unlocked for me and it worked great on my recent South Africa trip. I got the product noted below and was quite happy with it.

Sim Cards

For those who wish to unlock their own phones, I've heard there is a program called jailbreak that can do it but I've never personally tried it.

Call your carrier and tell them where you are going. There is a certain code you have to dial in, for Verizon at least, that does something for the roaming. I have a Blackberry and my wife has an Iphone and we used both when we were in SA duing the summer. We didnt use the internet, but used text and phone and had no crazy charges.

Turn off your data roaming.

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:
Turn off your data roaming.

The data transmission is where the huge charges happen. As was mentioned, contact your carrier, they can explain options, operation, and change chips/cards as needed.

It is amazing to be sitting in an outback area of South Africa, pick up a signal, call my wife and other than a split second delay in transmission and reception, it sounds like I'm talking to her here in town. Of course, there is the nine hour time difference.

Leave the phone at home - cheap and hassle free.

quote:

Originally posted by Kernel:
Leave the phone at home - cheap and hassle free.

No Kidding!!

the iPhone 5 does not have a replaceable SIM card. having said that, contact your carrier and see what they offer for international service( minus of course the ridiculous data roaming charges). my iPhone5 worked fine in the Caprivi in Oct and my iPhone 4 worked fine last year in Costa Rica- at VERY cheap rates for a short term plan. however, in both areas, i just turned the phone on to see what would happen- i didn't use it. the local network was easily accessed. the cell phone when i am on vacation is for MEDICAL emergency use only. i DON'T WANT TO BE REACHABLE BY ANYONE BACK HOME

As nice as it is to hear that your cell phone works in the middle of nowhere (for emergencies and such), it's also sad - means the world is shrinking.

I went to my AT&T store about two weeks ahead of my departure date. They sell a low charge option for overseas use for about $9.99 per calendar month. Dropped my cost to about 33 cents a minute, with no roaming $$$.

Rich

A few things to check out for your i phone.

1. can you disable the automatic up date features or have a i phone rep show you how to do so. as your phone will continually roam and check for up dates while your phone is on and this will cost you on a per minute basis. And this up date will take place every time you turn your phone on.

2. check with your carrier to see if you can have your plan modified for access in the countries that you are traveling and do so by start and end dates to reduce your charges. I let my carrier know my travel plains day by day as to what country i would be in.

The Last person i read about who went on a safari and did not turn off the auto up date feature and received a bill close to $5,000 for his 10 day safari and then another 3,500 for the 7 day safari as they were back to back.

I love my iPhone but it is much easier and cheaper to throw a local sim card in a cheap unlocked phone (I use a Nokia) and you are in business. I think I spent around $20 in SA last year and my wife called the number using Skype when she needed to talk. Never used up the time as incoming call are free. In the next 4 months I will be in Hungary, Slovakia, Poland, Laos, and Cambodia and I do the same in each. Now the caveat to all the above is if you just want the phone for emergencies then use the international plan from your provider, turn off the data roaming as suggested and your bill will be manageable.

Regards,

Don

I turn my phone off when I depart the US and turn it on again upon arrival back home. Everyone in Africa has a cell anyway for you to use in emergencies.
Cal