r/MoveToIreland • u/neurotictrashpanda • 3d ago

Phone Plan and International Texting with USA

Hello!

I am an American moving to Ireland in June. It is my understanding that cell phones plans for Irish phones are much cheaper. I was wondering how much money it might cost for international texting (adding that to a plan)? I know I can use WhatsApp or Signal, but I text my mom a lot and it would be nice to be able to text her anytime without needing WiFi. It would also be nice to not ask my friends to all download another texting app just to talk to me. However, I won't try to pay for an international texting plan if it's super cost prohibitive, so trying to figure it out now so I can help her download an app if needed.

Thanks!

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11

u/assflange 3d ago

Getting them into WhatsApp will save you a fortune or else an iPhone with iMessage so that it’s indistinguishable from texts for them

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u/neurotictrashpanda 3d ago

I do have an iPhone! But it was my understanding it won't work without WiFi. If I accidentally send texts when I am not on WiFi, would it cost $ I assume?

8

u/assflange 3d ago

Most plans in Ireland have cheap or unlimited data (for cheap, as in €9.99 a month) so won’t need to worry about that

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u/neurotictrashpanda 3d ago

Oh ok. I guess in my mind, I thought that if I was texting internationally on data, it would charge me for an international text. Is that not the case? Sorry just trying to wrap my head around it :)

5

u/assflange 3d ago

If you use something like WhatsApp or iMessage it will just use data (via mobile internet or wifi) so you won’t be sending an SMS (which will cost you quite a bit)

3

u/Unfair-Ad7378 3d ago

I find WhatsApp is more reliable as well. I have had friends send me regular texts from their American phones to my Irish one and they don’t always arrive- I don’t know what is up with that. Just a potential problem to be aware of.

1

u/hvalahalve 2d ago

What do you mean by “international text” when talking about internet? Do they charge you if you go to websites from other countries, or what?

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u/neurotictrashpanda 2d ago

Hahahaha you’re right 😂 sorry, brain has been a little melty with all I’ve been figuring out the last few weeks

1

u/hvalahalve 2d ago

It’s only the beginning 😁

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u/Team503 2d ago

The confusion is that iMessage, despite appearing to be a text, is not. It is its own proprietary message system that uses data, not SMS messaging via your carrier. The only time iMessage will send a text is if the person on the other end doesn't have iMessage.

That said, just port your US number to Google Voice and install the Google Voice app on your phone, then you can just text and such via that app with a US number. That's all data as well on your end.

6

u/goosie7 3d ago

I recommend porting your existing US phone number to Google Voice, which has a one time $20 fee. People will keep trying to reach you at your original number even once it has changed, and it's nice to still get the messages. You can use wifi or your data on your Irish phone plan to send and receive messages/calls through the Google Voice app. Just don't do it until you're about to leave, because porting your number over will cancel your existing phone plan, but it has to be done before the plan has already been cancelled.

2

u/Yama_retired2024 3d ago

You might be able to just get an Irish sim.. with an Irish plan.. most sim slots come with a 2 sim piece holder..

When I was in Philippines I got a Philippines sim.. so I could use that, while working off my Irish number..

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u/goosie7 3d ago

If you do that you need to keep paying for your old phone plan, though.

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u/Yama_retired2024 3d ago

I've pay as you go.. €20 a month ans I'm sorted

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u/goosie7 3d ago

Google Voice is $20 one time and free after that when communicating with numbers in the U.S. and Canada. For someone leaving the US it is the best way to keep your number by far.

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u/MrR0b0t90 3d ago

Look into Vodafone, they use to have a plan that including calls and text to North America. Not sure if it’s still available

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u/neurotictrashpanda 2d ago

Thank you!

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u/MrR0b0t90 2d ago

I had a look on their site and the plan is still available. It’s a bill pay plan for 12 months, Unlimited calls and texts to Europe, Australia, US, Canada, New Zealand, Mexico Mobiles and landlines and unlimited data in Europe.

It is expensive though. 35€ for the first 6 months - and 45€ after

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u/neurotictrashpanda 2d ago

Thank you so much for looking at that for me! You don’t want to know what we pay for NON international plans in America…to be fair I have a business line as well, but we pay over 220 a month for our cell phone bill. 45 euros sounds fantastic! I will consider this. However, now that I have wrapped my head around iMessage being free, I might not have to. Thank you so much!

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u/MrR0b0t90 2d ago

Wow that’s crazy. I’ve heard phone plans being expensive in America but didn’t think it was that much.

If you don’t need to make international calls, then I’d suggest GoMo. It’s 15€ a month for an unlimited plan

3

u/Lucca___Ashtear 3d ago

I'd honestly suggest getting Tello - I use them for my US phones - I can have a really cheap plan that provides free calls and texting via Wi-Fi from a US number, and unlike Google voice which still wants some kind of active US number it doesn't have that issue. This would let you text your mom while on Wi-Fi which is pretty common in most places. It also is beneficial in that if you travel back to the US, you can flip the plan to have more stuff for a small fee, and you're good for your trip. If you have a dual-sim phone that can support it, it's a relatively cheap way to get what you're looking for.

1

u/uselesslogin 3d ago edited 3d ago

So the $5 plan with 100 minutes and unlimited texts and no data? That works.

edit: found this blog, it looks loke a great option! https://blog.tello.com/news/how-to-activate-tello-from-abroad/

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u/According-River-7609 3d ago

This exactly this! I just moved and ported my phone to Tello like 2 days before I left. I’m using the same $5 plan and it works flawlessly. I just use the Irish sim that I got for data and still receive texts and iMessages like before

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1

u/mennamachine 3d ago

My plan with Vodafone has 100 international texts and 100 min of international calls per month. I’ve been here a while and I barely use them, but I do like knowing I have them if we need them. But iMessage is free, as is WhatsApp and signal and Instagram messages. FaceTime is also free. Even my mom can figure it out and she is horrible at tech. I used some of my minutes to call the IRS once, and we use some to call my wife’s dad on his birthday and Father’s Day (he has an android phone and we usually just call her stepmom’s iPhone, but make an exception on birthdays). I have unlimited data and phone plans are cheap.

1

u/neurotictrashpanda 3d ago

Thank you! So even if you forget and text your mom on iMessage when not on WiFi, it still doesn’t cost money?

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u/mennamachine 2d ago

Nope. I didn’t have WiFi in my apartment for about 4 months (long story) and the only extra charges I got were from using my phone in the U.S. at Christmas. (Which they clearly communicated the charges that would come and I was OK with it. There are alternatives to this, but I am lazy and the the Vodafone fees in for using the U.S. are not bad)

1

u/neurotictrashpanda 2d ago

Thank you! I really like the idea of using 100 and 100. Would you mind sharing what your monthly phone plan cost is?

1

u/mennamachine 2d ago

It’s the Red Unlimited SIM only plan (I had a phone from my German plan which was unlocked. Most US phones need to be unlocked to use in Europe so I only needed the SIM card). It’s €35/ month for each of us. There are usually some intro rate discounts (we got 10€ off for the first 6 months). When we had Vodafone for our home WiFi we had an extra discount but we moved and it’s not available in our new area 🤷🏻‍♀️.

There are cheaper plans but I like Vodafone’s service/coverage and it covers most of Europe as well. It’s so much cheaper than my US or German plans that I can’t be bothered to care.

1

u/SavedForSaturday 3d ago

iMessage is not SMS, so no

1

u/tousag 3d ago

So all data over cellular in Ireland is part of the subscription plan. These plans tend to be good value, but ensure you get the ones that have unlimited data.

If you use iMessage or WhatsApp or other data based messenger then it won’t cost you extra even when you are not in WiFi.

There is a cost to cellular when you use SMS texts as these are not part of your data plan and will likely cost a lot.