pantelia

I'm going to Best Buy today to upgrade my phone. I've done some research, chatted with a Verizon rep online and I'm getting some conflicting information. Verizon rep says both the S3 and the S4 are global ready, but I've found some information online that says the S3 is not truly global ready. Just curious if anyone out there has used either or both in Europe and what your experiences have been.

Thank you!

aliced

The phone is not the problem, it's your carrier; T-Mobile in October has announced the end of overseas roaming fees (European countries and many others), but you must clarify their costs for roaming data, texting. We had a fixed cost for phonecalls and for texts, but were supposed to have learned how to close off mobile data from coming in except from when you're connected to wi-fi, when there is no cost incurred. In Lucerne, thought I was in the hotel's wi-fi but I did something wrong and within 5-10 minutes incurred $200+ in data roaming charge. T-Mobile sent me texts right away as they were accumulating to alert me. So yes the Galaxy III is a fantastic phone in Europe, for maps, clarity, phoning, texting, speed was excellent, but it will depend on your contract with your carrier and knowing what to set or unset on your phone to avoid roaming. I think this is what you mean by "global ready" in that nothing in the chip had to be reset for overseas service.

aliced

Meant to clarify you must check with YOUR carrier's roaming costs if you do not have T-Mobile. We travelled in September before the no-roaming policy was implemented.

greg

I have not used either, but you can find it out at their web site. I find reps, whether banks or phone companies, are often clueless about international usages. They only seem to read attorney approved online scripts that "seem" to match what you are looking for. Liability avoidance first, customer support last...

If you go to their web site, you can find out what the phones can do. I don't find the S3, just the S3 mini which says: "GSM global not supported." http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/d...galaxy-s3-mini (under Specs)

S4 is GSM global supported according to their specs: "Global Network: EDGE/GSM (850/900/1800/1900), HSPA/UMTS(850/900/1900/2100)" http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/d...sung-galaxy-s4

DebitNM

The S3 "should" be GSM with the new updates to 4.3. I got my update yesterday and according to all I have found online, the "jellybean" is indeed GSM - this is for Verizon BTW, not sure about other carriers.

The S3 is an ok phone, ok for pictures. It is VERY difficult to read the screen out in the daylight, just an FYI.

If I were getting a new phone, I don't think I would bother with S3 when a newer version is available. It wasn't when I upgraded last year.

hetismij2

I assume, reading DebitNM's post that the S3 is different in the US to that available in Europe.
Go for the S4 if you can afford it. Always best to get the newest model you can afford.

With regard to turning of mobile internet, it is a setting on the phone. Nothing to do with your provider.

DebitNM

Using internet with a US phone in Europe does indeed have to do with provider. There is a difference in the phones for onethings {GSM vs. CMDA}; same phone different carrier = different. Another is whether the phone is locked or not.

DebitNM

I wish there was an edit button! I meant the voice/text has to do with provider. I am not sure about data.

Seamus

Have used S3 in multiple western European countries (voice, text and data)without problem. Camera is so good for general usage that I don't even carry my "real" camera anymore.

Deb - I don't have any problems reading the screen - wonder if you can adjust settings?

DebitNM

I have tried, Seamus; no luck. We are a three S3 family and they all seem to have this flaw

Cali

My husband and I both have S4 phones and we used them all over Europe this fall. They worked great. We used our cell cameras more than we used our good cameras. Pictures are wonderful.