Samsung Galaxy S4 and International Use
lev1234
Newbie

Hi all!

I am going to be studying abroad in Amsterdam from September till January and would like to take my phone with me. I currently have an iPhone 4S but am in the process of upgrading to a Galaxy S4 for it's Global capabilities. My question is for the purpose of being able to receive/send voice calls both domestic and international (to other European countries and home to the US) and to have access to the internet is it better to sign up for Verizon's $25 monthly data plan + $5 voice plan or should I just get a sim card in Amsterdam? Any further insight will be appreciated.

0 Likes
Re: Samsung Galaxy S4 and International Use
PDawg2013
Contributor - Level 1

Be warned lev1234 that if you upgrade to the S4, your going to have to get a craptastic plan from Verizon, until the end of your two year contract. They will not give you the sim unlock code until you buy the phone outright for 699 dollars or complete a 2 year contract. If I were you, I would stick with the iPhone because they are unlocked by default.

0 Likes
Re: Samsung Galaxy S4 and International Use
lev1234
Newbie

Would that mean that I wouldnt have the option of purchasing a local sim card in Netherlands and thus be forced to sign up for the $25 + $5 plans offered by Verizon?

0 Likes
Re: Samsung Galaxy S4 and International Use
PDawg2013
Contributor - Level 1

Yes to being stuck purchasing a VZW international crappy plan. They lock your sim to their plans on their branded phones that are not iPhones until you finish a two year hitch or buy the phone outright. Try calling customer service sometime and asking them. They should admit that I'm right on this. Or, search the web and look at the horror stories others have told about being duped by VZW related to traveling overseas and not being able to use local sims to get cheaper calling to the US.

0 Likes
Re: Samsung Galaxy S4 and International Use
Jax_Omen
Specialist - Level 3

where are you getting this nonsense? VzW 4g LTE phones are REQUIRED to be sim-unlocked per FCC mandate for the Block C Spectrum they use. This applies to the iPhone5 and any 4g LTE phone. The problem with the S4, S3, Note 2, Lumia, and possibly others, is that the VzW software doesn't allow custom Access Point Names to be manually entered, preventing data usage on other networks.

0 Likes
Re: Samsung Galaxy S4 and International Use
jfb1326
Enthusiast - Level 1

I have taken my US bought Galaxy S4 to Thailand and had no trouble inserting a Thai SIM and getting voice to work.  However, if you want data, the phone will have to be rooted and the Access Point Name information entered manually.   See link below for rooting instructions.

As far as the Access Point Name information goes I just Googled "APN for AIS Thailand"  (This is the name of my carrier) and entered the pertinent data in Settings -> Wireless & networks-> Mobile networks -> Access Point Names -> New APN and now have voice as well as data.  Only problem I have now is the pesky Non-Verizon SIM message but other than that all seems to be working normally. 

>>Link removed; discussions concerning rooting, jailbreaking, hacking, etc., are against the forum's <<


Message was edited by: Verizon Moderator

Re: Samsung Galaxy S4 and International Use
Jax_Omen
Specialist - Level 3

Content regarding rooting your phone is against the forum rules.

Thank you for confirming that the stock software on the VzW S4 does not allow manual editing of Access Point Names, however.

0 Likes
Re: Samsung Galaxy S4 and International Use
lelias2k
Newbie

>>Duplicate post removed for cross-posting violation of the

    See   for original message<<


Message was edited by: Verizon Moderator

0 Likes