Iphone 5 nano sim card for both voice and data?
 

I will be landing in Frankfurt in mid May and would like to purchase a sim card for my iphone 5 (unlocked) Do they sell one that covers both data and phone calls? Can anyone recommend a particular one they have used?

I understand that the nano sim card is very small. Where does one store it while not in use so as not to lose it?

Thanks for any advice you can give me.

You can pick one up a prepaid card at one of the T-Mobile or Vodafone shops in Frankfurt. All you'll need is your passport.

You can either buy a small sim card case or use the plastic case the sim card comes in.

Thanks, Robert. Do you know if there would be a T-mobile or Vodafone shop in the airport? We are driving directly to Rothenberg and won't be going into Frankfurt. Also, do they sell cards that do both data and phone in one or would I need two cards? The iphone 5 takes a nano sim card which is small than the regular ones. Are these hard to come by?

Are you sure you need a sim card? I was told by Verizon Wireless that the iphone 5 has a sim card built in so I wouldn't need to buy one for my trip to Spain and France.

Thanks for your reply, Vonse. If I use Verizon's sim I will be paying Verizon International rates. I was told that phone companies offering sims in Europe charge much lower rates than Verizon and so I would just have to switch sim cards when I am overseas. Did you get an international plan for data and phone from Verizon? If so, how did that work out?

The information in this link was most helpful for us for using the iPhone 4 in Europe. However,
it has not been updated for a 5 but may still be same. You might take a look and see if it is
helpful. Have a good trip.

http://www.holeinthedonut.com/2010/0...avel-settings/

Vonse, you would need to have your iPhone unlocked in order to use another carriers sim when traveling, otherwise you'll be paying roaming charges.

T-Mobile has a new International Talk and Texting option when traveling for $10 month/line, but they do not offer a data roaming package. Strange, since T-Mobile is the largest service provider in Germany.

The data roaming packages offered by both Verizon and AT&T are about the same, $0.25/MB up to 100 MB for Verizon and 120 MB for AT&T.

We got a global phone and data plan from Verizon. I don't intend to make many calls and plan to mostly use data when I have access to wifi. It's all very confusing for me - it's like learning a foreign language. I'm leaving for Europe this afternoon and will let you know how it works.

Vonse: If you are back from your trip, how did it go? I would really like to have data available in my phone for maps when I'm on the street in Spain this fall. (Have a terrible sense of direction LOL).

Samoca, I'm pretty sure it all went well, though I haven't checked my Verizon account since our return. We had to add to our data plan about halfway through the trip. I used wifi and had the cellular setting turned off while in the hotel, and turned the cellular setting on while out and about. Several times I forgot and left the cellular setting on. Google maps was very, very helpful in Barcelona. Hope this helps!

Let us know how much it cost when you find out!
Also, do you know if the plan you used would allow you to go to other countries too or is it just for 1 country?

I'm also going to be using my iPhone 5 - under a verizon plan - in Spain next week. I called Verizon and signed us up for the global plan for voice and txt because we rented apartments and need to call the owners of the first one on the day we arrive. We'll have wi-fi in our apts - supposedly - and will turn the data off. Verizon also told us to go to Vodaphone (sp?) if we want to get a sim card for using data there and it will be cheaper.
Vonse, which plan did you get, just for data? You didnt get a sim card while there, but just used the one currently in your phone?
Using the maps would be helpful, but I don't want to rack up a huge bill.

AFAIK Verizon Iphone 5s are made with a SIM-card slot but in the US the SIM is not used, because it is a CDMA phone. However, the slot is in the Iphone, usable outside the US. Only GSM phones (AT&T and T-Mobile) in US use the SIMs. I don't have a Verizon phone in the US, so don't know how much the Verizon roaming plan costs in Europe. Hoping Vonse will tell us.

If you decide to get a local sim (HIGHLY recommended), make sure your phone is unlocked before you land.