How to use a North American smartphone in Ireland (Republic + North)?
I will be visiting Ireland (Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland) this summer (first trip in Europe!) and I'm from Canada.
We want to be able to use our (unlocked) Smartphones in Ireland for:
- GPS travelling (we are touring the whole island)
- Internet (I will need at least 4 GB of data)
- Local phone calls and texts
I have a Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge and a Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus (both unlocked). I checked some plans online and I'm not sure I can use the data/GPS in Republic of Ireland (Europe) and Northern Ireland (UK).
What would be the best course of action for my needs? Can I do it while in Canada?
Best Answer
I'm not very sure regarding the Republic side of things, but if by some luck your first destination is the UK (Northern Ireland) then I can recommend getting a PAYG (Pay As You Go) Three sim card. You should be able to just find it in shops. Once you have it, you can either top up online (I believe you should be able to access three.co.uk for that even without any credit on your sim), or by visiting Three's branch/shops that have green Top-up logo.
At the time of writing this, you can convert your money into the following addons:
- £10 - 2GB
- £15 - 5GB
- £20 - 12GB
- £27.50 - 36GB
- £35 - Unlimited in the UK (it's actually 2TB).
All of the above include unlimited local phone calls/texts and last 30 days.
Now for the major benefit of the SIM, you can use up to 15GB of data from the available allowance while traveling abroad in the EU, i.e. to the Republic of Ireland! (can use up to 12GB in the USA even!)
Three even confirmed in case of Brexit their free roaming in 71 countries policy will not change.
Regarding device compatibility, it is true that networks are different in Americas and elsewhere. Three UK uses the following frequencies:
- Band 20 | 800MHz for 4G
- Band 3 | 1800MHz for 4G
- Band 1 | 2100MHz for 3G
Looking at gsmarena.com, Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge seems to support all the above bands/frequencies, same goes for Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus . So unless those phones sold in Canada have different specs than what gsmarena mentions, you should be fine to use Three sims in the UK (Northern Ireland)!
For the Republic specifically, Three also exists there and from browsing at their website, I believe you can get a prepay SIM with unlimited data for €20 (8GB of which you can use in the EU, i.e. Northern Ireland - not sure about the Brexit situation this way around).
Frequencies used by Three IE (couldn't find the bands though):
- 800MHz & 1800MHz for 4G
- 2100MHz & 900MHz for 3G
- 900MHz & 1800MHz for 2G
Enjoy the holiday!
Pictures about "How to use a North American smartphone in Ireland (Republic + North)?"
How can I use an American phone in Ireland?
Mobile Phones If your cellphone is on a GSM system, and you have a world-capable multiband phone, you can make and receive calls while you're in Ireland. Just call your wireless operator and ask for "international roaming" to be activated on your account. Unfortunately, per-minute charges can be very high.Will my US cell phone work in Ireland?
Don't worry \u2013 your cell phone will still work here! Most of us don't go anywhere without our cell phones, so you're going to want to bring your digital best friend with you to Ireland. Your mobile should switch to a local network while you're here or you can manually select the network you want to use.Can I use my mobile phone in Ireland?
Republic of Ireland is a Go Roam in Europe destination which means you can use your data here at no extra cost. If you have an Add-on with a data allowance of 12GB or greater, a fair use limit applies, with use over 12GB subject to a surcharge (see below).Do North American phones work in Europe?
It's a fairly painless process: Confirm that your phone will work in Europe. Nearly all newer phones work fine abroad (as do older phones purchased through AT&T and T-Mobile), but it's smart to check with your carrier if you're unsure. Research your provider's international rates.HOW TO USE YOUR PHONE WHILE TRAVELING! (International Phone Plans) - MUST WATCH!!!
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: shutter_speed, Khan Nirob, Karolina Grabowska, Andrea Piacquadio