Best options for Internet service and talking or texting

My suggestion is limited to wifi hotspots, but one thing we use is the app "Whatsapp" It allows us to send messages and retrieve them when we have internet connection. We have not invested in anything like a sim card abroad, although it sounds like a good idea. Whatsapp is free and we use it to send messages to our family back in the states, since we turn off our text messages while we travel in Europe.

Start with your cell phone carrier to see if your phones will work in Europe. Ask if they have a temporary travel plan, ATT for example has a plan that allows for texts, call and some data. You keep your home/cell number and it's an easy option.

The least expensive option that offers the most data requires unlocked phones and purchasing a Sim card in Italy. Tim (an Itailan cell phone company) offers a 30 day sim with calls, texts and data for 30 euro. For another 10 euro you can add more data (if you use your smart phone features like Internet a lot). Tim stores are everywhere and have them set up the phone for you. Bring your passport to purchase the sim card.

Thanks Susane and Tim-
I like the sim card via TIM - seems like a good and cheaper method and I would think only one of us needs to purchase it. I will also download the Whatapp - I had heard of this for contact between the US and EU.

In this scenario, how would I be able to talk/ text my son and husband if only I get the SIM card and we are all in Italy?

If all 3 phones are being used, each of you will need to buy a sim card. With TIM, you need to pay €10 per sim which includes €5 of credit.

Two of you could get the most basic plan which I cannot recall the name. Under the basic plan you are only charged something like 10-15 cents per minute for talk and maybe 5 cents per text. If you just use these 2 phones only for emergencies, the €5 maybe enough for your whole trip. You can always add more credit. You can compare this to your roaming charges or a travel plan from your provider and decide which is more economical, which will all depend upon your usage. If you run out of credit, you will not be able to make calls or texts and you will need to go to a TIM to add credit.

One of you can add the Welcome option which is available for tourists (bring your passport). For extra €20, you get 200 included minutes and 2 GB of data. The included minutes may be used for free international calls. And you can tether or create a hotspot to share the data with a nearby phone, tablet or computer. Text is not included, but will be charged at about 15 cents per text using the €5 credit. The Welcome plan is valid for 30 days and only in Italy. If you leave Italy, you will need to pay roaming charges which will come out of your credit. I reccomend Welcome. I used it for a 19 day trip.

You need to go to the TIM website to figure this out and to get the exact pricing for calls and texts. It is in Italian, but there should be an English pdf which gives you the basic info.

If you do decide to do this, find a good English speaking TIM dealer and get them to set up everything for you on your phone before you use it. TIM will send you italian text messages every once in a while and I accidently activated an SMS notification which sent me a text each time I made a call. I tried to call TIM helpline, but they only spoke Italian. The SMS texts started using up my credits until I got the dealer to sort things out for me.

Fantastic info and such details - I will definitely find a good english speaking dealer to set this up. Ill also try to go online to understand it better and hope there is an english translator.
I think my problem is solved! Thanks so much for great info!

depending on the browser you are using, right click on on the page and select translate

PS. In order for the TIM sim card to work, your phone has to be unlocked. The only way to know for sure if your phone is unlocked is to borrow a card from a friend who is on a different phone service provider and seeing if it works in your phone. Your carrier can unlock for about $30. I just went on eBay and bought the unlock code for about $5. Also, you should see if your phone is GSM because i dont't think CDMA phones will work.

Your carrier will unlock it for free if you have passed the initial 2 year contract time or if you have purchased the phone on your own. All you need is the unlocking code which will be required once you insert the new SIM. test it at home first with another SIM. Once you have entered the code, you don't need to enter the code again. If you have purchased the phone on your own (for example I purchased my iphone at the apple store, not from my phone carrier) then there is no code to enter as the phone is automatically unlocked.

Actually I think TIM charges 15 euro for the SIM card, which includes a 5 euro credit. Also there is an activation fee of 3 euro to be added to whichever plan you purchase.

All in all I would plan to spend about 30 euro all inclusive for a plan that includes about 1 Gb of data at 4G speed. I just checked the plans on the websites with TIM and with Vodafone and prices are similar, so go to the first store you find.

These are the regular TIM plans:
http://www.tim.it/tariffe/chiamate-sms-internet

This is the TIM Welcome plan for tourists. It's 20 euro for 30 days:
http://www.tim.it/estero/dall-italia/tim-welcome-uk

These are the regular Vodafone plans:
http://www.vodafone.it/portal/Privati/Tariffe-e-Prodotti/Tariffe/Tariffe-cellulari-confronto-tariffe-cellulari-naviga-da-smartphone-Vodafone

This is the Vodafone Holiday plan for tourists (similar to the TIM welcome above). It costs 30 euro, 10 more than TIM because it included 100 more minutes and also 300 SMS text messages are included, whereas in the TIM plan SMS are not:
http://www.vodafone.it/portal/Privati/Tariffe-e-Prodotti/Tariffe/Estero/Vodafone-Holiday-English

Your choice my friend.

Holy Cow!
I am so impressed by the level and quality of detail that you all can provide. I guess there are real experts out there. Thanks so much. i will do a little research and feel rather confident in my choice now!
THANK you!

Take your phones to a T-mobile store and see if they are compatible with their network or can be unlocked. If so, you can use one of their unlimited plans in Europe for text and data. There's no roaming and no contract. You'll get 3G signal almost everywhere. (4G isn't' big there yet apparently?)

Phone calls are a bit more expensive (as they charge per minute) so you can use skype's app to place phonecalls.

Gloria, I 'm not sure anyone has mentioned that a new SIM card means that your phone gets a new (non-US) phone number. Going with an international program keeps your existing number. Advantages and disadvantages to both. We put our smartphones on vacation hold (no calls or texts, usable as a WiFi device, NO monthly fee except for $10 per phone) and bought inexpensive dumb phones from Euro buzz before we left home for making / receiving calls and texts (less than 10 over a one-month trip.)
Worked for us.