[smokn05]

I'm on an 8310 with AT&T and I'll be in Germany for a couple weeks this month. I've read about unlocking etc. but still had a few questions about roaming etc.

1) If I understand right, my phone will work fine in Germany as is but I'll pay international roaming. The only reason to unlock it is if I want to use a German sim card and not pay roaming correct?

2) what happens with my pushed email and texts? If I keep my ATT sim I assume I'll still get emails pushed to the phone while in Germany. Would I pay international charges for those incoming emails and texts?

3) what if I get a German sim card, do my emails/texts/phone calls just build up until I put the ATT sim card back in the phone as if the phone was turned off?

4) If I want to still make a few calls and texts to the US from Germany while on a German sim card, will there be international charges?

5) I'm on a family plan so the other phone will be the one I'm calling/texting. Will she get international charges for texting my phone with a German sim in it?

It seems to me the easiest way to do it would be just to keep the ATT sim and just get the international text plan since it's only for 2 weeks and we don't need to stay in touch "that" often.

I appreciate any input. I stopped by the local ATT store but I knew more than the sales lady.

[Pete6]

I'm on an 8310 with AT&T and I'll be in Germany for a couple weeks this month. I've read about unlocking etc. but still had a few questions about roaming etc.

1) If I understand right, my phone will work fine in Germany as is but I'll pay international roaming. The only reason to unlock it is if I want to use a German sim card and not pay roaming correct?

2) what happens with my pushed email and texts? If I keep my ATT sim I assume I'll still get emails pushed to the phone while in Germany. Would I pay international charges for those incoming emails and texts?

3) what if I get a German sim card, do my emails/texts/phone calls just build up until I put the ATT sim card back in the phone as if the phone was turned off?

4) If I want to still make a few calls and texts to the US from Germany while on a German sim card, will there be international charges?

5) I'm on a family plan so the other phone will be the one I'm calling/texting. Will she get international charges for texting my phone with a German sim in it?

It seems to me the easiest way to do it would be just to keep the ATT sim and just get the international text plan since it's only for 2 weeks and we don't need to stay in touch "that" often.

I appreciate any input. I stopped by the local ATT store but I knew more than the sales lady.

1/. Provided that AT&T has roaming enabled (allowed) under your plan then your phone will work just fine. Outgong calls wil be charged at the local rate + an AT&T premium (whatever that is).

2/. emails will come thru' just fine again provided that you can log in to the German data network under your plan. Ask AT&T they may have an international data option that you need to pay for.

3/. I live in Switzerland but have family in England. I keep a 2nd phone with a UK pre-paid card in it. This allows my BlackBerry to remain as my prime phone for emails and business calls on my regular number and I can use the UK phone to talk to my friends and family without paying additional charges. Maybe you can find an old phoen to take with you. It will have to be unlocked.

4/. Yes to both.

5/. Almost certainly but you really should talk to AT&T.

If anyone calls your US phone from the US or Germany whilst you are in Germany then they will pay the cost of the call to the US (either from within the US or from Germany). In both cases you will pay the cost of an international call from the US for each and every call that you receive.

IMO it is not worht unlocking your BlackBerry. If you remove the US SIM card then where will all your US calls and emails go whilst the US card is not in your phone?

Find or source an old unlocked phone and put your German SIM card in that for the duration. It will be, by far the cheapest solution.

[Go Blue]

You don't say if the other phone on your family plan is a BB, but if it is then you could use Blackberry Messenger to text back and forth at no cost.

Pete6 got it right on your questions..... but I would add that on question 3, yes, if you have a local SIM card in your bb, AT&T will just see your phone as if it is turned off if the AT&T SIM card is removed. Your AT&T emails will stack up and will not be delivered until you put in your AT&T SIM card. Your incoming phone calls would just go to voicemail, and you would not get notification or access to them until you put your AT&T SIM card back in. (I suppose you could call using your local SIM card to retrieve voicemails but it would be an international call to do so.)

[Branta]

Pete explained it pretty well.

You don't say if the other phone on your family plan is a BB, but if it is then you could use Blackberry Messenger to text back and forth at no cost.

The BB used in Germany will need international roaming for BB data (and phone if you want to do voice). That's not free from most cell providers, not even for data which would be within your plan at home. However you will probably find a roaming data scheme is not too costly for low volume casual use.

The unfortunate part is that most of USA doesn't do time zones, folk have this crazy idea you will be awake at the same time as US residents. Make sure you don't get woken at 4am!

[smokn05]

I just upgraded my data plan to the AT&T World BB Data plan and it's $65/mo (only $35 more than the standard BB data plan) and it's unlimited data in the US and worldwide. This will be excellent for navigating around using the GPS programs.

[Pete6]

What are the local call charges like using your new plan? You should see the normal local carrier's call charge + a premium for these. Incoming local calls are gonn a be a problem cuz the calling party will have to call the IS and then you willpay the cost from the US to Germany. Thi is where you need your local pre-paid SIM card and a 2nd phone.

I live with this all the time as I livive in Switzerland and have family in the UK and a son living in the US. Tha's why I know where all the pitfalls are - I have fallen down them all.