GPS, Airplane mode, Geo-tagging while in Europe with iPhone.

[Jonathan Levin]

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Greetings.

I am hoping that some of you may have some insight on this.

I'll be traveling to Italy with my SL3 and iPhone with Verizon service. Here in the states, I have had good luck using the LeicaFotos app to geo-tag my images on the SL3 (Bluetooth?) The app needs to be running in the background on phone.

I don't want to spend 100$ US per phone line  for their "International Travel Plan", and honestly I look forward to not emailing or texting anyone while away. The only thing I'd like to happen is the ability to keep geo-tagging while in Italy. From what I understand I would just need to keep iPhone in "Airplane Mode" and make sure Bluetooth is enabled. Will this technique work to tag the location of the pictures I take with camera? If I get desperate I think I can use a hotels wifi.

Thanks. Look forward to your answers.

Jonathan

[jaapv]

Just buy a  local SIM card at the airport when you arrive.  It will be valid for all of the EU. 

[BWColor]

I can’t imagine traveling without the ability to use maps, or translation apps.  We are traveling in South Korea and we use apps for walking/bus/train routes and verbal/written translation.  Our T-Mobile plan provides 5GB/billing cycle of free data and unlimited texting while traveling in most countries without extra charges.  Purchasing a SIM card is a good way to go if your T-Mobile phone is unlocked.

[FlashGordonPhotography]

You could easily just test this at home. Try it and see what happens.

Gordon

[Jonathan Levin]

Thank you for your answers.
jaapv- I’m not sure about sim chip idea but will definately look into that. I’m also thinking that I would get just one phone with the data plan and my better half can hotspot to my phone if she wants.

BWColor- sounds like TMoble has better international (included?) plan

FlashGordon- why didn’t I think of that. Will test tommorow. 

[Sandokan]

Check out an eSIM so you can also hotspot your phone to it. 

PS - using a hotel wifi will result in all photos being geotagged to the hotel

Edited July 17, 2024 by Sandokan

[hoolyproductions]

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As jaapv pointed out It's very easy to pick up a pre-paid SIM card in the EU, at my local airport you can buy them in the arrivals hall.

I don't think the phone's GPS is active in airplane mode? So you would have a bluetooth connection but no location data (as suggested you could try it out).

 

[jaapv]

If your phone has an eSIM you can pop the card into the empty card slot and have a dual SIM phone.

[jaapv]

On 7/17/2024 at 2:54 AM, Jonathan Levin said:

Thank you for your answers.
jaapv- I’m not sure about sim chip idea but will definately look into that. I’m also thinking that I would get just one phone with the data plan and my better half can hotspot to my phone if she wants.

BWColor- sounds like TMoble has better international (included?) plan

FlashGordon- why didn’t I think of that. Will test tommorow. 

It is not an idea, it is the usual thing to do when travelling internationally.
I have been doing this for ages, travelling into Africa, the USA, etc.. Every international airport I have been sells local SIM cards. You can replenish them everywhere or online through Apple Pay. You can also buy an eSIM online:

https://saily.com/esim-italy/

https://wise.com/us/blog/international-sim-card-for-europe

[Photoworks]

Link 

you can get a eSIM for $15 and be good for 30 days.

I don't think the GPS of the phone will work without the internet, as most of the connections are started by true cell antennas, the GPS takes a few min to get started and won't work indoor.

 

Alternatively, you can use the phone to track the GPS on the phone and sync the images later, I use WorkOutDoors on my iPhone and Photo Mechanic 6 on the computer.

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[Stef63]

You don't need to use airplane mode. Just turn off "data roaming." Your phone will stay connected to the cellular network, allowing you to receive calls (which you can ignore). Meanwhile, your GPS will still capture your location and share it with your camera.

[Jonathan Levin]

Thanks for the sim info.

I spoke with Verizon and think I have a reasonable solution:

They have an international plan that includes BOTH our phones with unlimited everything, 250 minutes talk (will never use that much in 2 weeks). This would increase my bill about 100$ US per month. The good thing about this is that I am able to go back to my original plan if I do it within 30 days. So for both of @ 50$ a line this may be the way for me to go.

i think I’ll be to pre-occupied with worrying about a door coming off plane to be able give the sim thing a go. Great suggestion though.

[PhotoCruiser]

I understand that this is a old tread, but this question pops frequently up, here and in other forums.

There are too much people who have very bad experience with EU plans on non EU cellphones as it happen some times that something with the EU plan does not work and user get a absurd phone bill. The mos absurd one was a Florida man who visited Switzerland and when he came home he got a 143'442 Dollar bill from Tmobile and only after media and lawyer pressure Tmobile stepped back and cancelled the bill.
Yes, Switzerland is not Europe, but same happened also in Europe including phone users with automatic system updates download activated and their iPhone downloaded at night a several GB big software update.

As Jaapv already wrote, i also buy a local SIM in a country outside of Switzerland and Europe and pull physically the one i have and i have automatic downloads for any software set to off to avoid that background updates drain my local card.
I did this back in 2013 when visiting the Emirate of Oman and doing a 3 day offroad trip with a rented car and only we had to navigate was the downloaded google map maps and GPRS internet if there was a signal. Worked surprisingly well!

Chris

 

 

[Stef63]

21 hours ago, PhotoCruiser said:

I understand that this is a old tread, but this question pops frequently up, here and in other forums.

...

As Jaapv already wrote, i also buy a local SIM in a country outside of Switzerland and Europe and pull physically the one i have and i have automatic downloads for any software set to off to avoid that background updates drain my local card.
I did this back in 2013 when visiting the Emirate of Oman and doing a 3 day offroad trip with a rented car and only we had to navigate was the downloaded google map maps and GPRS internet if there was a signal. Worked surprisingly well!

Chris

 

 

Today’s technology has evolved towards eSIMs, making staying connected abroad much simpler. Most modern smartphones now support multiple eSIMs and/or physical SIM cards active at the same time. This allows you to easily purchase a time- and data-limited eSIM online for a specific area or country as an add-on.

If you’re traveling (in the above example) to Switzerland, you can get a 1GB, 7-day eSIM via services like Airalo for just $4 USD—a great deal! Once the eSIM is installed, you can decide how to route your traffic between your regular phone subscription and the eSIM.

When arriving in Switzerland, for instance, you would typically disable data roaming on your regular SIM to avoid extra charges, while keeping voice calls active on your primary phone number. All your data usage would then go through the eSIM. It’s a cost-effective and convenient solution for travelers.

  

Edited January 22 by Stef63

[PhotoCruiser]

I have my Swiss Phone Number as e-SIM and my Italian Phone Number as normal SIM in my iPhone.
When outside Europe is pull the Italian SIM and insert the local one.
That works better for me and my setup as i would prefer to not overwrite the e-SIM

However, all depend on what phone traveller has and if the country he visits has easily available e-sim.

Some countries i visited getting a SIM was super simple and in all supermarkets available, others make it difficult.

Chris

 

Edited January 22 by PhotoCruiser

[andybarton]

On 7/17/2024 at 10:46 AM, jaapv said:

If your phone has an eSIM you can pop the card into the empty card slot and have a dual SIM phone.

Can you also have several eSIMs?

[Photoworks]

I have 2 eSIM active all the time on my iPhone in the USA.

 

[jaapv]

16 minutes ago, andybarton said:

Can you also have several eSIMs?

Yes. 

[andybarton]

That’s the answer then. 

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[LocalHero1953]

Apple says you can have up to 8 eSIMs.

And two active eSIMs at any one time.

Edited January 22 by LocalHero1953