Smartphone - using in Europe

[Osem]

The wife and our eldest are off to Slovakia in a few weeks and she obviously wants to use her mobile phone - an unlocked LG GT540 Optimus on Virgin Mobile. She's not planning to set up roaming with Virgin but, subject to cost, hopes to buy some form of PAYG SIM card when she arrives, hopefully one with which she can access the internet at an affordable price so we can stay in touch freely via e.mail. We have no idea if that'll be possible, however, so as they'll be staying with friends who have wi-fi networks at home, will she be able to access the internet free of charge via those networks at least?

One other possible option is for her to take an Orange PAYG SIM (which we don't use but has about £10 unused credit on) and just keep in touch with home via text. Anyone got any idea how much Orange charge for roaming/texting, would it cost her to receive texts and would we have to set that up with Orange prior to her leaving?

Neither of us have used mobiles overseas before so would appreciate any tips/advice those of you who know more about this sort of thing than we do may have.

TVM as always.

[danielf]

Easiest (and free) would be to simply use the friends' network. She wouldn't need a new sim for that. Roaming will be very expensive. A local SIM might work, but I found that when I last tried that, my phone rejected it, even though I bought it outright so it shouldn't (I thought) be tied to a network.

[Osem]

Tks Daniel. We bought the phone from CPW so it should be unlocked and it has been used with several different network SIMS in the past.

If using a friend's network would there be any particular security implications for her to consider or precautions she should take?

[danielf]

Originally Posted by Osem

Tks Daniel. We bought the phone unlocked from CPW but aren't sure if it'd work abroad.

If using a friend's network would there be any particular security implications to consider?

It should work abroad, but there is a possibility that it won't accept a foreign SIM (other might know better). My O2 phone which I bought outright (from O2) didn't accept a foreign SIM when I last tried it.

I can't think of any security issues in using someone's wifi (or any wifi hotspot). I'd certainly have no problem using it for browsing and email.

Edit: Oh, I see you have used it with other SIMS. That ought to work then.

[Osem]

Thanks.

Yes, she'll only be using the phone for email and basic surfing I imagine.

[Lord Nikon]

danielf - when you say you bought it outright from o2 you mean you bought it on PAYG from o2?

It'll still be sim locked to O2 as they are still subsidized at a minimal level with the expectation you are going to be using it with an O2 sim and they can recoup the subsidy through topups while pricing the phone low enough to be competitive.

Translation - it'll need unlocking.

[Mr Angry]

Osem, this may be of interest / use.

Slovakia O2 SIM