smhoff

My husband and I will be traveling through Europe on a motorcycle for 3 weeks very soon. We've done a lot of reading about cell phone and data useage and are more confused now than when we started our research. Looking for advice... we want to be able to listen to music while riding. our helmets are bluetooth but our old ipod shuffle is not. Full face helmets makes it a bit difficult to listen to music via the motorcycle speakers. Our phones are locked, we have Verizon service here in the states. Their int'l plan seems expensive and confusing. How can we stream music without paying a fortune in data...is that possible. We figured we'd buy a euro prepaid phone to make some calls, using whatever free wifi is available when we make stops to communicate via facebook, etc. but the data useage while riding is stumping us. suggestions?

ribeirasacra

Blue tooth ear-pieces are illegal in France.
Sift through the rubbish in this information to understand the law.
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...for-france.cfm
If you have a European device then roaming charges are capped.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europe...ng_regulations
http://ec.europa.eu/digital-agenda/en/roaming-tariffs

china_cat

Music streaming will use so much data, it will be an expensive proposition no matter how you do it. Use the iPod with wired earbuds, or download music onto your phones.

greg

What is the source of music?
You have ipod shuffle, which is not a Bluetooth device. Ok.
You also have a locked Verizon phone. Is this the source of music? If so, Bluetooth transmission has nothing to do with the cell roaming. The Bluetooth is totally done locally and does not in any way use cell network.

However, Bluetooth legality is a different matter.

For non music part of your question, are you sure your phone is locked? Most recent high-end Verizon phones with SIM slot and LTE capabilities are all sold unlocked. You can test this out unambiguously if you can borrow an AT&T or T-Mobile SIM of the correct size and see if your phone complains. It is ok to see "non Verizon SIM" message. It is just a notice and not an error. If unlocked, you would eventually see AT&T wireless or T-mobile as the name of the carrier.

hetismij2

You cannot use your bluetooth headsets in France - not even to talk to each other or for GPS directions. Idiotic but true.

You could download music to your phone before you leave home and listen to that in countries where it is legal to do so, though my motormouse son only uses bluetooth to talk to his GF on her bike or when she is pillion on his, and for GPS. He finds music too distracting on journeys where he doesn't know the way, and prefers to travel in "silence".

Robert2533

Riding a motorcycle through Europe will keep you on your toes. You don't need any additional distractions beyound road signs, speed limits, speed cameras, high speed traffic, heavy truck traffic, circles, etc.