[TI] Renting or buying a cell phone for trip to Italy

[Kathy Kirkpatrick]

I'm happy with my T-mobile service over there. You need to turn on the
worldwide service first, at no charge and almost instantaneous.

Also, you need a tri or quad band phone since they run on the other band
widths over there.

I've had friends pick up a phone or sim card at airports all over Europe.

Like Jim said, you see the Tim or Wind services show up on your phone over
there and get charged roaming. On T-Mobile it's 99 cents/minute. That
includes calls made to Italian numbers since you're using your US number.

They sell international calling cards over there that can lower the rate
to 5 cents/minute, but be sure to add in any charge your hotel wants to
add to the bill (often 1 Euro/minute). Pay phones also add a fee (payable
with an Italian phone card, as little as 5 Euros for the card), less than
1 Euro for 3 minutes.

Phones on the street can take an MCI card you can buy here cheap, but
those phones don't always work right and the street noise can be
overwhelming. Per minute is about 5 cents, maybe less. Plus the phone fee.

Another option is to have internet access and use Skype for free (or a
small fee for connection to a real phone, not a computer). More and more
places (hotels, cafes, public buildings) have free wireless and/or
internet (some modems). Others charge as much as 6 Euros/hour, still tons
cheaper than phone roaming charges. Many internet points (often a video
arcade or cafe) have cameras on the computers. PDAs or SmartPhones make
this a good option, although I've got my laptop with me lately because of
all the photos I want to be sure get home safe and sound.

Maybe more information than you wanted, but there are lots of options.

Kathy Kirkpatrick
GenTracer
PO Box 11955
Salt Lake City, UT 84147
801-755-6991
gentrace at gentracer.com
www.gentracer.com

> I'd check with your US wireless provider first. I know AT&T, and I believe
> Verison, offer European service.
>
> AT&T charged us a small monthly fee. We activated the European service
> before we left for Italy and deactivated it when we got home. It was in
> addition to our US service charge.
>
> Our phones operated on either the TIM or WIND networks in Italy. Much like
>  "roaming" service does here..
>
> At the time (2006)  there was some lead time with AT&T to establish the
> European account, so it is best to check into it a month or so before
> leaving.
>
> Don't know anything about CelluarAbroad.
>
> Jim
>
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> TerminiImerese at comunesofitaly.org
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>


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