Travelling Abroad with FP2 - simple help please!

[Wendles56]

I am travelling abroad with my FP2 for the first time (UK - Czech Republic). I am not mobile savvy or technically minded and would appreciate a response in words of one syllable (!) Will I be able to use it abroad and, if yes, do I need to do anything to my phone (simple instructions please) in order to be able to use it without running up a huge bill? I anticipate it will just be used for emergencies.

[Martin_Anderseck]

Since at the moment UK still belongs to the European Union you can just use your phone as if you were at home. You’ll need an adaptor for your charger since sockets look different on the European mainland.

[AlbertJP]

If you want to use data, make sure that roaming is enabled on your phone in Settings -> More -> Mobile Networks. This is off by default to avoid roaming costs in countries where roaming isn’t free.

Sometimes people report problems with roaming here, but usually these are due to the operator, not the phone.

[Wendles56]

Thank you Martin and Albert, all information gratefully received…and understood!

[Yerosha_Sound]

In a word NO!! I’ve been a lot of places this year and just constant problems

[Martin_Anderseck]

Let me think about that: My FP2 is at home in Germany and has traveled through NL, B, LU, A, I, CZ, SLO, HRV already without any severe issues. I have used mobile data in all of these countries. I cannot confirm “constant problems” at least with my phone.

[Wendles56]

Very different experiences from Yerosha and Martin. Thank you for your responses, will have to wait and see!

[morgenstern]

My FP2 worked perfectly

• in Ireland (10 days) with my Italian simcard, via roaming
• in Chile (8 months) with a Chilean simcard

So, as far as you enable roaming, you should be perfectly able to use it.

[RSpliet]

I live in the UK and can confirm it works here (and in Sweden, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Finland and Italy) without problems. If you do happen to run into trouble, and you double-checked that roaming is enabled on your phone, it is likely that your own carrier (provider) limits or blocks the use of their services abroad. With recent EU regulations, I’d expect everything to work smoothly, but double-check with them to find out whether they allow roaming if you don’t want to be surprised.

[AlbertJP]

I can second that. With a Telfort SIM, no issues in any European country (been in B, DE, FR, L, GR, DK, SE, NO) as well as Kenya where I used dual SIM.

[Wendles56]

Thank you everyone, I’m very grateful for all of your advice (and in words I can understand!)

[AlbertJP]

@Yerosha_Sound, I understand you have issues but it would be helpful if you mention your operator & home country since that gives a clearer background for anyone looking for information on roaming.

[Alan_Bradshaw]

It should “just work”. Call charges will be higher than at home, but if you only anticipate occasional/emergency use then the extra cost will not matter. If you need mobile data too this must be enabled on the phone.

The biggest problem you are likely to have is with your operator, so you should check with them and let them know where you are going. My operator (PhoneCo-op) does not allow use abroad without requesting it (to prevent unexpected call charges). Also, your operator must have agreements with foreign operators to use their networks and these may not give the expected level of service. On a recent trip to Italy I did have problems — several times I needed to force the phone to check for a network. I believe this is an operator/network problem, nothing to do with the Fairphone.

[Wendles56]

Thank you Alan, that is particularly helpful because I am also with Phone Co-op, so I shall get on to them about my trip.

[The_Undertaker]

Other than the info given by Martin and Albert in the first two replies, there’s not much else to add. Not sure why Yerosha says ‘no’. I’ve used mine in quite a few European countries by now, as well as Thailand, Viëtnam and Cambodia, as well as Canada and the USA. No problems AT ALL.