1. schiff6827's Avatar
    So here's my problem:

    My girlfriend is Swiss (but lives in the US) and likes to text with her friends/relatives in Switzerzerland. Unfortunately when we send texts to people using Swisscom from VZW it never gets there (yes I've called VZW to make sure I don't have international texting blocked). Because of this she has to have ATT or TMo (but would prefer VZW).

    So here's the question - If we get her a Tour and convince VZW to unlock it and put a ATT simcard in there, can we send texts to Switzerland from the sim and make calls on VZW?

    Any other suggestions short of carrying 2 phone?

    Thanks!
    07-07-09 08:18 AM
  2. festiva93's Avatar
    I have limited experience with this on my Storm but it worked great. I just used the manage connections icon to switch back and forth between ATT and Verizon. I got an unlock code from a third party. That was a HUGE selling point for me on teh Storm... and now the Tour. I pre-ordered!
    07-07-09 08:25 AM
  3. lnichols's Avatar
    Not at the same time. I'm pretty sure you have to manually tell the phone to be GSM or CDMA (or auto but it will take CDMA if available). So she could switch to GSM and send/receive TXTs, but not make or receive CDMA calls, or do the opposite. You can't have both CDMA or GSM working at same time.

    I would say your best option is to go with TMo or AT&T so you only have one account that does what you need it to do. The only other option if you definitely gotta have VZW would be to find some software/service that you can access via VZW that will send TXT to gateway and that Gateway will send to friends.

    Check out Vopium at vopium . com . Looks like it will let you send txts to Switzerland for $0.14 each from any carrier, and also makes calls there for $0.14 per minute. You will be using your carriers txt/call minutes too as all you are doing is calling/txting a vopium gateway and it is bridging to the other country gateway. You can try it for free. I haven't used it but saw some good reviews and have been looking into it.
    Last edited by lnichols; 07-07-09 at 08:34 AM.
    07-07-09 08:31 AM
  4. Griffspen's Avatar
    I have limited experience with this on my Storm but it worked great. I just used the manage connections icon to switch back and forth between ATT and Verizon. I got an unlock code from a third party. That was a HUGE selling point for me on teh Storm... and now the Tour. I pre-ordered!
    So, how did you do this? Do you have a VZW account or ATT?
    07-07-09 08:48 AM
  5. festiva93's Avatar
    I have VZW and I had a friend who got me a pay as you go SIM card from ATT (not sure of the term they use). I popped out the SIM that came with the Storm and put in the ATT. When I wanted to call that friend, I just switched over to ATT via manage connections. When I wanted to text him, I switched back to VZW for my text plan. It's a very simple switch over. It's like having 2 phones in one. I had two voicemails (if I wanted, I just atayed with one) and two phone numbers. I hope this helps
    07-07-09 08:55 AM
  6. Dr.Sadistic's Avatar
    Wow, thats very interesting...
    07-07-09 10:30 AM
  7. Griffspen's Avatar
    I have VZW and I had a friend who got me a pay as you go SIM card from ATT (not sure of the term they use). I popped out the SIM that came with the Storm and put in the ATT. When I wanted to call that friend, I just switched over to ATT via manage connections. When I wanted to text him, I switched back to VZW for my text plan. It's a very simple switch over. It's like having 2 phones in one. I had two voicemails (if I wanted, I just atayed with one) and two phone numbers. I hope this helps
    So, you have to pay as you go with the AT&T number?
    07-07-09 11:11 AM
  8. schiff6827's Avatar
    So it sounds like with the VZW/GSM solution she'd have to flip over to the GSM network to check and send texts which isn't really desirable. Vopium looks promising though.

    Thanks for the feedback!
    07-07-09 11:28 AM
  9. britishturbo's Avatar
    So here's my problem:

    My girlfriend is Swiss (but lives in the US) and likes to text with her friends/relatives in Switzerzerland. Unfortunately when we send texts to people using Swisscom from VZW it never gets there (yes I've called VZW to make sure I don't have international texting blocked). Because of this she has to have ATT or TMo (but would prefer VZW).

    So here's the question - If we get her a Tour and convince VZW to unlock it and put a ATT simcard in there, can we send texts to Switzerland from the sim and make calls on VZW?

    Any other suggestions short of carrying 2 phone?

    Thanks!
    There should be no reason you can't text to people over there... I text people int he UK all the time... very strange...

    Just have the people back home get BlackBerry's... then you can just use BBM to talk to them... much better idea!

    Also... most carriers let you send and receive an email as an sms... i.e. [email protected]... then you send an email from your bb in the states... costing you nothing... and the person receiving gets a text message from your email addy... try it...

    btw.. for swisscom it should be: [email protected]

    Let me know if I can help out any more...

    Cheers.
    07-07-09 12:09 PM
  10. JustinD2473#IM's Avatar
    So it sounds like with the VZW/GSM solution she'd have to flip over to the GSM network to check and send texts which isn't really desirable. Vopium looks promising though.

    Thanks for the feedback!
    I would say switching back and forth to be able to text internationally isnt that big of a deal. to have it all in one phone i would deal with it. i guess the only bummer is having to pay for two services. but oh well.
    07-07-09 12:11 PM
  11. natedeezy's Avatar
    So I can have main VZW and a sim with another number on the same phone?

    Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com
    07-07-09 12:43 PM
  12. schiff6827's Avatar
    There should be no reason you can't text to people over there... I text people int he UK all the time... very strange...

    Just have the people back home get BlackBerry's... then you can just use BBM to talk to them... much better idea!

    Also... most carriers let you send and receive an email as an sms... i.e. [email protected]... then you send an email from your bb in the states... costing you nothing... and the person receiving gets a text message from your email addy... try it...

    btw.. for swisscom it should be: [email protected]

    Let me know if I can help out any more...

    Cheers.
    Ha! We've exhausted all these options.

    Intl texting does work to lots of places but apparently VZW doesn't have an agreement in place with Swisscom or any other Swiss carrier.

    Swisscom and all the other Swiss carriers block BBM (so you have to pay for texts).

    In order to get a phonenumber(at)bluewin.ch email address you have to basically do all your internet business through them (including pay an exorbitant rate for a home internet connection and an arm and a leg for mobile data).

    Switzerland is unfortunately very unwired in some ways....
    07-07-09 01:14 PM
  13. schiff6827's Avatar
    So it sounds like with the VZW/GSM solution she'd have to flip over to the GSM network to check and send texts which isn't really desirable. Vopium looks promising though.

    Thanks for the feedback!
    Actually I don't think Vopium works. It looks like it would solve the sending problem, but she'd still have no way to receive.
    07-07-09 01:51 PM
  14. egobuster1's Avatar
    i would just sign a contract with ATT and call it a day. they have better phones then verizon anyways
    07-07-09 02:08 PM
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