Im going to Amsterdam sometime in Febuary and was wondering if my phone will auto start roaming and pick up a signal for a Dutch network when I arrive. My last two mobiles did when I have been to Holland but as this the first time I have had a smartphone I just wanted to ask.
Also could I use free wi-fi out there and do you think phone would last nearly a day without being charged. As I know the flight is just over an hour but would also be listening to music on the phone for part of that flight.

Darren

Yes as long as you have automatic network selection on and as long as roaming is enabled by your provider then yes.

I would advise turning off data roaming though so you don't get hit with any shock data bills. Wifi will work too, as for the battery life I don't know as I don't own that handset.

Thanks for some info.

Darren

If my Desire S is anything to go by using the WiFi all day long and listening to music on it as well is a real battery killer. You might be lucky to last the day but I'm charging the thing every 3 or 4 days just sat on standby, not even using it much.

Take at least the USB lead that comes with it so that if you do get the chance to plug it into something with USB you can top up the battery. You don't need the plug in charger bit, I've charged it off a laptop and even a USB interface in the car!

Thanks for info. Im only going for an overnight stay and will be back home the following night and will not have a laptop with me so I may take the full charger with me just incase. The now I seem to charge the phone every 8 to 12 hours and thats only with half the battery used.
I do turn the phobe off overnight when im in bed.
I have only had the phone just over a week.

Darren

Just remember a UK mains plug won't fit a Dutch mains socket. Not sure if a there was an alternative plug base with mine (if there was it's now missing in action)

I know the UK plug will not fit. I have been to Holland before a good few years ago but never used a Smartphone abroad before.

Darren

Ive recently used a smartphone in Holland, this is what i did/suggest you do to prevent data charges:
Get a pay as you go sim, at the moment vodafone UK offer a £2.00 for 25mb per day offer while in Europe, once you start using data your charged £2.00 but you then have 25mb to use, alternatively get a local Dutch prepaid sim card if you can access a shopping area vodafone Netherlands offer a pre paid smart phone sim with 1GB of inclusive data for €19.99

Put your contract sim card in an old non smart phone.

Before you go, look at how much data you use, and how you use data, there are plenty of data counter apps out there, and you can also get an app that will turn off mobile data completely ( quick settings for example) or if your android Rom supports it data can be turned off from the notification bar, the cyanogen mod7 version of Android supports this, as does ( i think) MUIU

Ways to reduce your data and other costs:
- Use a data freindly browser opera mini uses a proxy server that reduces the data size on images, graphics and other such stuff on websites.
Turn off background sync, and automatic e-mail updates
E-mail, dont text. Reply to text messages via e-mail, a standard text e-mail uses a tiny amount of data, and that tiny amount will cost less than a text, if youve turned off auto sync on your email it should be possible to send emails without receiving them.

Want to e-mail photos, again you can reduce their size, the reduce photo size app will cut the file size of photos on your phone, i sued 640x480 to send photos via e-mail, its not print quality but good enough to email, its also generates a much smaller file to add as an attachment.

Use Wifi - its cheaper and usually free theres plenty of free wifi in Schiphol airport.

Thanks for the info. I was thinking about about using wi-fi when I was out there. its only an overnight stay I going for so.
I will also keep the mobile data network set to off before I go.

Darren

I use my phone al the time in Europe on wifi. Most major hotels provide it free. There is always McDonalds!

Make sure you switch off data roaming. As other advise buy a local sim if you need mobile 3g access.

If you ever intend to say longer, I would also download Skye or similar.

i do this the data roaming the other way round (Dutch phone in the UK) - check with your network the data roaming situation, im with T-Mobile and when im on a non Dutch network i can choose to pay 2 euro for a whole days unlimited internet access or 15 euro for the week....

Its near the end of the 2nd week in Feb I will be going. Im sure when I got of the plane last time and tureded my old phone on with in a min or so it found a Dutch network then when I got to the centre of Amsterdam it changed to another Dutch network.
So I said this will be the first tiome i will have used a smartphone abroad.
Thanks for all the info so far.

Darren

I also bought a pack of two screen protectors from the 02 shop when I got the phone.
Is it worth my while thinking about buying a case to protect the phone as well.
Also whats the signal like in the likes if Amsterdam or abroad with the phone. For where I stay the signal can very from 1 bar to full signal with the phone in town.
I have even seen it very from 1 bar to no signal in my living room if im sitting near the tv for a few seconds.
My old Sony Ericsson Elm had an ok signal in town but not but much more then the HTC Desire S.

Darren