Mobile phone sim card

First, you must have some sort of "world phone", with the proper frequencies that phones operate on in Europe. Then your phone must be unlocked to allow another company's SIM card to operate in your phone. If your phone will work worldwide, and is unlocked, you just buy a SIM card on arrival in Italy. The place you buy it can probably help you get it set up.

What does unlocking a phone entail? Also,
Is the saving substantial ?

What does unlocking a phone entail? Also,
Is the saving substantial ?

It involves putting in a code that allows another company's SIM to work. Your carrier has to tell you how to do this (there are also websites out there that can tell you how). Savings can be substantial, but just how much can depend on how you plan to use your phone. You can check the rates of foreign SIM cards at various websites. Compare those to what your carrier would charge for international roaming, and you can see the savings. Data usage is another matter, though.

Sullivan, The first question that needs to be addressed is which network your Smartphone is with? If you're with Verizon or Sprint the phone is likely CMDA and won't even work in Europe. Also, what type of Smartphone are you using (iPhone, Blackberry or ?)? If you have a phone with AT&T or T-Mobile, it's quite likely it will work in Europe, but there are a few points to be aware of. Unlocking the phone will vary according to which type it is. If you have an AT&T or T-Mobile phone, you might check with the customer service there to begin with. While you can purchase a SIM card when you arrive in Italy, you will likely only be able to buy one that will provide voice and text. Buying a SIM card that includes data is going to be somewhat more challenging, as those are usually only offered to monthly contract customers. I believe there are some networks in the U.K. that provide SIM cards (or micro-SIM's) for Smartphones, and you may be able to purchase one on E-Bay. You might have a look at the websites for some of the travel phone firms such as Cellular Abroad, Roam Simple, Call In Europe, Telestial or Mobal, as they may have a product that fits your needs. Of course, your phone will need to be unlocked to use any other SIM's. Good luck and happy travels!

You might want to check out these posts from the past year. Prepaid Italy SIM Card Italy SIM cards Sim card cost SIM Card for Italy Phones in Italy Which cellular network in Italy? Older post, but with updated information at end: Getting Italian SIM Card for cell phone? Important Information Although addressed to an iPad, this one does contain some information about phone usage, too. iPad in Italy?

Thank you everyone 4 ur informative tips :) !

The one thing I'd add is personal experience. With T-Mobile, everyone I asked was either unwilling or incapable of unlocking my phone. It was a huge headache - the book answer, from both the customer service line and in-store employees seemed to be, "Why not use your international roaming plan?" (Because it costs an arm and a leg, that's why). I finally got codes to unlock the phone but not without significant hassle first. I bought my Razr phone specifically for it's quad-band capability and changeable sim-card, so I could skip international roaming charges. If you're thinking about roaming, beware that data is a killer (more than a car payment) - too many travelers use data thinking, wrongly, "it can't be that bad". The roaming rate was advertised at $1 per minute; in practice, however, it was usually at least double (and often double that or more).

I use AT&T and before going to Italy I unlocked my quad-band phone. AT&T walked me through the process of doing that. I bought a SIM card there. Of course the instructions were in Italian, so I couldn't figure it out. I finally met an Italian woman who explained it to me. The other thing that surprised me was that the card no longer worked after I arrived in Germany. I had to purchase anothermSIM card there. My more recent trip I was going to two countries (Spain & France), and since my husband was not traveling with me I felt I would be using the phone more to communicate with him. I bought a SIM card from Telestial, which provided me with U.S. and U.K. phone numbers. What could go wrong? It was all in English, so no problems, right? Wrong!!! Not only was it complicated for someone to call me, but I was never able to make a phone call. I emailed the company, and they replied with a very long email of instructions. I followed their instructions, but was still never able to make a call. I would have been better off financially using AT&T's International plan, not mention I could have actually called someone. None of that helps with the data question of course. I don't have a smart phone. I just thought my experience might be helpful to you and others.

Andrea's experience is why, when the subject of travel SIM cards comes up, I suggest Mobal. Direct calling from Europe (or wherever) to home, regular calling from home to you. It is more per minute than some, but you can't estimate the cost that you save in frustration.

Because you mentioned you had a smartphone and others have talked about data, here is a link to a thread I started with my comments about data usage in Europe. Note that since I wrote this, others have posted about data plans available from other sources, that, while not cheap, don't break the bank. Searching for discussions about iPhone usage should show you most of those threads. For overseas DATA use, local prepaid is best solution

What you could do when you travel to Europe is to buy a roaming sim card. If you go to only one specific country like France or Germany then buying a local prepaid sim card is your best option. However if your trip constitutes traveling to multiple countries then you're advised to buy a roaming(traveler) sim card. Roaming sim cards have several advantages over local sim cards. You only have one number, no need to change every time you leave for another country. can be used worldwide.
There are several providers of roaming sim cards. Not all are good, check amazon for reviews. I use Maxroam for data (Ipad, Web) in my phone I use a traditional sim card from Tellink (http://tellinkroaming.com/) they have very good quality!