Here are The Traveling Professor's best tips on using your cell phone on your next trip to Europe.

Buy an International Plan from Your Service Carrier:   The easiest, but not the cheapest way to go. Use your phone overseas just like at home.  Data can be a little slow and the plans can be expensive.  For instance, T-Mobile has a plan at about $85 a month.  AT&T have plans for about $10 a day.  

Get a SIM Card:  If you have what is called an "unlocked" phone, purchase an international SIM card.  It will cost anywhere from about $10 to $30 per month.   The downside is, your phone now has a European phone number.  That involves letting everyone at home know they need to dial a European phone number in order to get in touch.

Use a Phone Only When WiFi is Available:  That's what The Professor generally does.  In general, if you really, really need to use a phone to text or connect to the internet, a connection can be found somewhere, especially in hotels, museums, and restaurants.   Loaded on my iPhone is WhatsApp and Skype.  They both permit free calls.  And of course, when connected to WiFi, I can connect to everything else.

Use a VPN:  The Professor recently discovered this valuable tool.   When in Europe, travelers may not have access to things like their Netflix or YouTube accounts.   A VPN works around these restrictions. A VPN can also provide more security when using a phone anywhere.   It is simple and easy to use.  The one The Professor recommends is SurfShark.