Desdemona

Ok got myself a world travel adapter for charging my iphone. I need access to email while I'm gone, or I shall go into iphone witdrawal Now I need to look into buying quadband phone on ebay. Any particular features I should be looking for, Bob ?

chartreuse

Careful with your iPhone. They may have changed it, but when they first came out there were horror stories about folks taking them abroad, thinking they'd switched it off, then coming home to massive data bills.

Might be worth looking into.

TimNiceBut

If it's an iPhone 3G, there is a switch in Settings > General > Network that is called 'Data Roaming'. For some odd reason, I've got that turned off . At least on the PAYG ones that is the standard setting IIRC. And that's a good thing, the data cost is a little on the high side.

Regarding the travel adapters, if you've got a slightly older iPhone that still has a little charger 'brick', Apple will sell you a set of adapter plugs for pretty much all common plugs including US. Doesn't work with the later ones where the charger is part of the plug itself

Desdemona

I know I have figured out so far that I have to turn off data roaming as soon as I leave the US. I was told to to have my phone on airplane mode and turn it on during my layover in St. Paul's Minnesota. Also to turn it back on airplane mode as soon as I board my flignt to the UK. I have to pay an extra $24 for data download while in the UK (20 megs worth) and calls at $1.00 a minute. So that's what I need a quad band phone for. Because I'm not paying $1 a minute Apparently, I can buy a sim card at the airport, for my quad band phone. Any tips from frequent travellers to the UK appreciated.

How are your kittys doing btw ?

TimNiceBut

I assume that your iPhone isn't unlocked (yet?) then?

If it is, the best thing to do is to get a UK payg SIM - this would mean that you're paying nothing to receive calls, but calls to the US might be more expensive (O2 PAYG is very expensive for calls abroad unless you pay them a one-off fee).

I'm pretty much planning to do exactly that in reverse with my officially unlocked iPhone...

Desdemona

Mine's a 3G. I have both location services and data roaming turned on ?! Is that a bad thing ?? I just have the feeling I'm probably going to have to buy a new battery either before I leave or while I'm in the UK. Maybe not. Just want to be prepared.

My phone came with the charger brick that slots right into my adapter. But I'm going to check with the Apple store in Canterbury before I do anythig hasty Any tips ??

Desdemona

I have explored that route. My iphone isn't unlocked and I kind of don't want to (unlock it) Which is why I want to get the quad band phone ?!

TimNiceBut

Location services doesn't really do anything data-transfer wise, but it's pretty pointless to have it on if you have no data connection if you've got data roaming turned off. I'd just turn data roaming off before leaving the US.

You do realise that you can't change the battery on an iPhone yourself, don't you? You need special tools to get into the phone . If you think you need a new battery I'd get that sorted ASAP but battery life on iPhones isn't that great anyway.

If you can detach the 'corner' with the actual power plug and the 'brick' is roughly 2.5" x 2.5" then you've got the older style one where you can replace the plug. I don't know what the later US-style plug looks like, though.

Alternatively if you're taking a laptop, just take the iPhone USB cable and charge it via the laptop. Takes a little longer but saves on the clutter.

Can you check with AT&T if they'll unlock it for a fee? I've had mine unlocked officially by O2 here in the UK in preparation for my move to the US. I'm not particularly fond of the unofficial 'jailbreaking' method of unlocking them and I'm a techie...

Another alternative would be to just get a cheap PAYG phone somewhere like Tesco or so when you're here. No data or anything, but at least you'll have a working phone and won't have to pay while receiving calls.

Oh, this reminds me that I better get my other iPhone on ebay, 'cos that's not unlocked.

Desdemona

Here where we are I think AT&T undertakes to send the phone to Seattle (I'm in a part of WA state where we don't yet have an Apple Store-- getting one soon I'm told) and they give me standby phone until my phone is returned. I was told by AT&T that I could get a battery in the UK if my battery runs out while I'm there. I'm going to be in Canterbury where there is an apple store. However, I plan to call Apple on the phone and get an official answer on this before I leave.

Just calling AT&T to find out about official unlocking of the phone for you. Be back to you on that in a tick.

TimNiceBut

IIRC the nearest 'proper' Apple store from here (I'm about 20 miles from Canterbury) is the one in Bluewater; that's about 1/2 hour drive minimum from Canterbury. There's a shop in Canterbury that's an official Apple reseller by the looks of it though, but it's not an official Apple Store.

I've had a damaged iPhone repaired here in the UK by these guys: http://www.ukipodrepairs.co.uk/

They do do battery changes on iPhones as well and did turn around both repairs (new screen, glass front and rear case) within 24 hours of receiving the phone. It's mail order only unless you fancy a trip to Brighton but I've been very happy with their service.

That would be more useful for you, my 'main' one is already unlocked .

chartreuse

The kittens are doing well, thanks. Velvet has lost 1.5 lbs and Esmerelda is getting big, but still likes to play Shark Baby, under the bed.

Do you need quad band, if it's just for the UK? I like the Tesco's idea...

Desdemona

Just talked to a nice lady at apple:
(1) they do NOT unlock phones for a fee or othewise. Sorry about that
(2) The bad news on my issue. They change batteries only in the country of purchase?! At least here in the US I wonder how that's going to work for you. The good news, my phone battery is still holding it's charge for 1 1/2 days, so she thinks I should be fine for quite some time. What she basically told me is that there are people who have the original iphones who have not changed their batteries to date

So I still think it's a good idea to get that quad band phone for more than one reason. You've just talked me into taking my laptop I had been planning to leave it behind ....

Desdemona

A bit of misinformation on my part here. AT&T do NOT undertake to ship the phone to Apple or provide a standby phone, according to the the nice lady at Apple. Apple "arranges" to have it shipped to them probably through FedEx or similar. And you can remove the SIM card from the iphone and use it in another AT&T phone (we have a couple lying around the house somewhere) until such time your iphone comes back from Apple ...

Bob

ATT won't unlock your iPhone in the US as they are the only official carriers of the phone in the US unlike in the UK where you've got 3 carriers to chose from, so that leaves jailbreaking it pretty much.

Much better off getting a third party to do the battery replacement if you don't want to attempt it yourself, there are some decent kits with the tools to do it yourself for quite cheap online though.

Get a cheapo phone at Tesco or whatever in the UK for just UK calls, quite a few PAYG options, though Vodaphone might be the best bet? Not sure these days.

Desdemona

Yes, I need to explore that avenue. My plan is to buy quad band phone on ebay (should cost around $20) and buy a sim card for it at Heathrow. We land at Terminal 4. Any ideas as to the stores where I can buy a sim card. Any information on cost would be appreciated as well

So pleased to hear about how well the new kittens are doing , Chartreuse