Using Mobile Wi-Fi Internationally

[returner323617]

A couple of questions, if I may, about using Vodafone's Mobile Wi-Fi devices internationally:

• Could I buy a Mobile Wi-Fi device (e.g. R216) in the UK, but use that in anouther country, e.g. Spain..?
• Assuming that I operate this device on a PAYGO basis, could I top-up for short-term usage in other countries..?
• If I buy a 4G device, will this fallback to 3G if 4G is unavailable locally..?

My plan is to buy my own device, leveraging Vodafone's presence to this in various European countries, when I travel for holidays.  Ideally, I would buy short-term top-ups locally, or perhaps managed out of Vodafone UK...

Thanks in advance.

[drey_p]

Hi there

If you buy a device in the UK, you can use it abroad, this is called roaming and is usually more pricey than using it in the UK.

You can top up the device online on Vodafone website. You will need a UK debit or credit card and UK billing address.

Yes, a 4G device will use 2G or 3G if 4G isn't available

[returner323617]

Thanks drey_p..!

So, as a follow-up, if roaming a "UK-based" device internationally is relatively expensive, would it be possible to take my UK-purchased device internationally, and simply buy a local PAYGO service/SIM..?  Would there be any reason blocking the UK device - fitted with a local SIM - from connecting to the local Vadafone network..?

[drey_p]

The devices are typically locked which means that they won't work with anything other than a SIM card from the particular network that supplied them.

Jeff has also given you some really good advice that will save you a bit of money....

[returner323617]

OK, so much for my brilliant plan.  I might end-up with a collection of country/network-specific devices...

[jeffkinn]

You should be aware that Vodafone UK has no connection to networks in other countries other than the brand name.

If you go to Spain for instance you could just as easily end up on the Movistar network as Vodafone ES.

[returner323617]

Thanks jeffkinn..!

So, there's no joined-up global network...good to know.

I'm hoping that this disconnect also extends to no blocking of a "foreign" Mobile Wi-Fi device with a local PAYGO SIM.

[jeffkinn]

There is no joined up global network. Whether you can put a foreign sim in any decide depends on whether or not it's locked to the parent network.