iPhone use in Europe - help me? Can I block incoming calls/texts??

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Am traveling to Europe (Belgium, Amsterdam) in July. I have researched a bit and it seems I have 2 options -

1) buy/rent a GSM (unlocked) phone, get a SIM card and use this.

2) Use my iPhone 4S (CSpire), that has the proper frequencies for Europe.

My dilemma - I can set the phone so that I only get Wifi, avoiding any crazy browsing charges, but I will get charged at international rates for any incoming calls or texts. There is no way to avoid having people call or text me, not knowing I am out of country.

So . . . to avoid this - is there any way to block ALL incoming calls/texts, except for certain numbers that I choose (wife, parents, etc.) to let through?

I would love to be able to keep my own phone there (I know I need a SIM card for it), so I can use the wifi, etc., but am scared that loads of incoming calls and texts are going to bankrupt me.
I know I can always get the cheap GSM phone and SIM card, but having my own phone and wifi would be nice.

Is there any way to block all incoming numbers except for those I choose?

Any other suggestions?

Thanks very much
 
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I'm confused, if you put a different sim in your phone has a different number. Just don't give that number out to those you do not wish to contact you. Works for me. Btw, putting the phone on airplane mode, then turning on wifi... Well, that works too (as long as you have wifi access where you are, which can sometimes be a challenge.. Depending...but in Amsterdam, at least, free wifi is abundant), since in this mode, the cell transceiver is off.

Happy travels!
 
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I understand the confusion
If I get the SIM from my carrier (CSpire), would it have the same phone number?

If not, then my problem would be solved - hadn't thought of that (though it is painfully obvious now).
Thanks

Will check with my carrier.

Dysfunction -
Have you done this and traveled abroad?
Did you get a SIM from your carrier and did it change the number?

Please let me know.
Thanks
 
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Next question -

Do I need to get the SIM from my carrier or will a micro SIM that I purchase in Europe work? I think they are quite a bit cheaper there.
I have heard that many areas require that you be a resident to get one, but we are visiting family, so they can always get it for us.

Thanks
 

vansmith

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A SIM from any carrier other than your own will only work if your phone is unlocked. Otherwise, you'll have to unlock it or be content paying fees to your carrier.

You might want to see if you have travel options available with third parties. For example, a while back I traveled to the US. I purchased a SIM from Roam Mobility which gave me (relatively so) cheap access to a US based number while I was there. Using that, I could avoid the ridiculous international package fee that I would have had to pay and I could pay per day if I chose which gave me some freedom in terms of what I paid for. Again, this only worked because my phone was unlocked.
 
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Sure, my German sim has a German number and my US sim has a US number. The sim is what contains the phone number, not the phone.

You'd need to have an unlocked phone, and then you'd need to stop by a mobile provider once in Europe.. Telekom, Vodafone, etc, etc. and pick up a prepaid sim.

If your phone is unlocked, set it to airplane mode then turn on wifi... And the phone section won't work, at all, until you disable airplane mode.
 
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Vansmith/Dysfunction -
Silly me.
I realized, after I posted, that my phone is indeed locked, so a "foreign" SIM is useless -

Looks like I'll be going with my carrier.

Thanks again
 

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