petitefrancaise

Just back from a couple of weeks in Europe and the UK.

T-mobile data service was absolutely fine and didn't cost me anything extra.

I deleted FB app from my phone and tablet months ago. Didn't miss it and didn't need it once. There was the odd time I thought it would be nice to post a photo but actually, my abilities as a photographer are limited to say the least. My sister, my dad, my son and my daughters either don't have FB accounts or or don't post to them much. I quite liked not having the distraction.

Messenger was vaguely useful but not much.

Whatsapp was great for messaging and calling those I needed to. No cost involved.

I got a google voice number before I left and downloaded a hangouts dialler. This was free. To call back to the US from EU was free using google voice. To call mobiles and phone numbers in the UK/EU was 1 cent a minute. Using t-mobile would have cost me 20cents a minute. I had to call the airlines customer service line a few times with waiting times of 20 minutes+ so google voice saved me quite a bit there.

I could have got an EU sim but continuing with my own US sim meant that I got the calls from the USA that I needed.

The star of the show for me was google maps. In the cities, the public transport option was fabulous as were the walking directions.

Netflix for those first jetlagged nights when I couldn't get to sleep!

Kindle app on my tablet for reading.

tom169

Unless you're travelling to Dubai. My mother recently discovered that Whatsapp calling is banned there.

scrubbedexpat091

Anytime I travel I go completely cell phone free, we don't get service outside of Canada, I like it as people can't bother me on my vacation namely co-workers....

I used google voice or whatever it's called sometimes, but have always found it somewhat unreliable, and try not to use it for important calls or calls where there will be a hold time since they seem to drop a fair amount of the time.

Giantaxe

And China.

Giantaxe

I think you mean using Google Hangouts (which is a VOIP App). Google Voice would actually use your cell phone carrier to place the call. A good explanation here in the replies:

https://productforums.google.com/for...ce/Mok6XVcztyA

petitefrancaise

yes, you're right.
The app displays my google voice number for hangouts. When I make calls using my cellphone, I am given the option of using google voice or the device number.