Traveling to Europe - Is Verizon LYING to Me About My Options?

[Pancake]

All info so far has been spot on, wifi will work fine, just place phone in airplane mode and good to go.

However, Skype does NOT work over wifi, unless they've developed this service in the last week or two and I didn't notice. Fring is a decent alternative. You can read a bit more about the issue here: Wifi for skype? - Droid Forum - Verizon Droid & the Motorola Droid Forum

Best of luck on your travels!

 

[sleaziep]

Thanks jcolt!!!

 

[sleaziep]

All info so far has been spot on, wifi will work fine, just place phone in airplane mode and good to go.

However, Skype does NOT work over wifi, unless they've developed this service in the last week or two and I didn't notice. Fring is a decent alternative. You can read a bit more about the issue here: Wifi for skype? - Droid Forum - Verizon Droid & the Motorola Droid Forum

Best of luck on your travels!

Wifi still doesn't work. Installed fring.. NSL so far on calls though.. keeps giving me the error that it is connecting with skype and try again in a few moments. Still working it out.

 

[tiggerxplur]

right now i have no service on my droid (couldnt pay my bill) and it all works fine on wifi no problems at all

also too turn airplane mode on you will save battery and for sure not be roaming

 

[Pancake]

Wifi still doesn't work. Installed fring.. NSL so far on calls though.. keeps giving me the error that it is connecting with skype and try again in a few moments. Still working it out.

Yeah, it's definitely not you. Fring is pretty bad. They've got some major issues right now that they need to work out. In my experience, Fring works about 50% of the time, every time. There are a couple more alternatives out there, you're welcome to try them - just search "Skype" in the market and they should come up, or hit up Google for "Skype alternatives."

Sounds like you're on the right track, though, you've got the idea. VOIP is the way to go, don't let Verizon tell you you must make your phone "useless."

 

[eagle132]

So a question about skype while on wireless. Can you only make calls, or can you receive them too? Can you get a number from skype and have it work via fring or skype mobile?

Going abroad in a few months myself and figuring out my options.

 

[TexasRules777]

Well i just got back from europe for 2 weeks and what i did was just use the airplane mode when i was away from wifi. Wifi worked great after the phone got settled though my widgets for time wouldn't update, but email,downloading apps,maps,web all worked fine on wifi and i had no surprises on my bill when i got home. Just get a airplane mode widget and make it your best friend!!!

 

[tommyz]

Well i just got back from europe for 2 weeks and what i did was just use the airplane mode when i was away from wifi. Wifi worked great after the phone got settled though my widgets for time wouldn't update, but email,downloading apps,maps,web all worked fine on wifi and i had no surprises on my bill when i got home. Just get a airplane mode widget and make it your best friend!!!

Why wouldn't you leave it in airplane mode the whole time you are outside of the US (CDMA signal)?

 

[TexasRules777]

Geez when you put it like that....yea i'm an idiot cuz i didn't think about that till just know..guess paranoia?

 

[tommyz]

Geez when you put it like that....yea i'm an idiot cuz i didn't think about that till just know..guess paranoia?

I wasn't being sarcastic. I thought there was a legitimate reason, maybe the GPS needed it or something.

 

[TexasRules777]

No worries man i didn't take it that way I just thought that i had to turn it off airplane mode to use wifi..plus i didnt want to waste my battery searching for a signal..now the real trick is when i go to mexico next week...any ideas?

 

[sleaziep]

Yeah, so fring is working inbound, but cannot make calls outbound. Better than nothing. FYI: The configuration that I have set up is call forwarding from my Droid to a dedicated skype online number. This works even with the battery pulled from my phone, which would lead me to believe that it will work the same way overseas. If I don't answer skype on my computer, (and my phone is on) the call routes to fring, which is working quite well for inbound calls at this point. fring also works with wifi only in airplane mode. Sadly, I cannot make outbound calls with fring. Oh well, better than nothing.

Thanks for all your help!! I am still afraid that call waiting won't work if I disable my service through the vacation hold feature. Does anyone know if call forwarding will work if you suspend your service in this manner?

 

[Pancake]

I've found that the best way to wrangle with Fring is to repeatedly restart it and ask it to load your Skype buddy list. After a few times, it will. When it loads up the list, the calls generally work for me.But in response to above posts, I'm not sure about call forwarding over WIFI. It seems like a guide is needed on this topic. Also, in response to eagle's question, and to reinforce this fact, Skype mobile does not work over WIFI. At all. Incoming or outbound.

 

[hookbill]

Correct me if I'm wrong but I thought Skype only worked from one Verizon phone to another.

 

[Rsswga]

I just wouldn't go if my Droid wasn't going to be working to its fullest