Cell-Phone in Italy for 3-week stay

We're going to France for 2 1/2 weeks in September and I found a company on the web, Mobal.com, that sells you a cell phone with a sim card that works in about 150 countries...all for $49.99, plus $10 shipping. The benefits are you keep the phone for use in future trips. And there is no monthly fee - you just pay for the minutes you use. Check it out:
http://www.mobal.com/worldphone/?source=0046&gclid=CJG3oqT2t5wCFVlM5Qod3SAHoA

Thanks for the quick reply...I will check out the website and this sounds like exactly what I was told about - only difference is getting it here and not in Italy when we arrive.

If your current phone is not "locked" you can just buy a SIM here (in Italy) and pop it in - very easy. It depends on your phone and carrier though but a Google search should let you know. I had AT&T Motorola phones from the US Virgin Islands when we got here and we just bought new SIM cards that come with new numbers. If you are in a big city you should be able to get a phone store where the staff can get you through this.

William,

It would help to know if you have a Cell phone in the U.S. and if so, which network are you with?

In addition to the firm that Roy mentioned, you could also have a look at Cellular Abroad or Call In Europe as they both offer travel phones as well as SIM cards for those that have their own GSM phones.

You could also buy a quad-band unlocked GSM Phone off E-Bay (of course "caveat emptor") and then buy an Italian PAYG SIM card when you arrive there.

With some of the "travel phone" packages, the SIM card (and phone number) become inactive if not used for a period of time, which is often about six months. I believe Call In Europe offers the option to keep the number active (for an extra fee).

Whichever option you choose, be sure to check the rates so that you have a clear idea what your costs will be.

Happy travels!

The mobal.com option looks good. However, I don't see any reference to the cost of the calls. Does anyone know?

Returned from Italy a month ago and used a cell phone we had purchased at Vodafone in 2007. Purchased a new SIM card for 30 Euros, which also included some Euros for calls, and then topped off with more Euros as necessary. The rates were .50 Euro for calls to the states, .16 Euro for calls within Italy and all incoming calls were free, even from the states. We flew into Venice and there is a Vodafone store close to the Rialto Bridge on Campo San Bartolomeo (San Marco side of the Rialto B.) I would be leary of purchasing an "unlocked" phone online. We wanted to have 2 cell phones so purchased what was to be an "unlocked" phone at a MicroCenter store in Minneapolis. When I put the SIM in and could not get the phone to work the very helpful clerk at the Vodafone store in Venice informed me that it was "locked" so I ended up with a 2nd SIM card and unable to use it. Once home again, MicroCenter allowed me to return the phone even though it was past their return policy. If you have a SIM card that can be used in 150 countries you will be paying more for the calls than if you swapped out the SIM cards for the different countries you will be visiting.

I bought an unlocked quad band phone from Cellular Blowout and a sim card from Call in Europe for my trip to Spain. Both worked flawlessly.

http://www.cellular-blowout.com/?gclid=CL3hw9H6upwCFSYoawodWw7-ng

Rates for Call in Europe for calls in Italy to USA are .49 cents per minute.

http://callineurope.com/

If you end up getting a used 'unlocked' phone on Ebay or somewhere else, one way to verify if it is indeed unlocked, place a US sim card from any company and see if it works, then place another US sim from a different company, and see if that too works. If it does, then the phone is unlocked. If you don't have a sim, or can't borrow one from a friend, go to the malls, I'm sure any of the kiosks vendors will gladly test your phone. A good cheap unlocked quad band phone I use for traveling is the Samsung A437.

I spent A month this summer in Italy and I bought my Italian SIM card, here is the US. The website is http://www.rebelfone.com/Europe_simcards.aspx?couId=55)

I had my own At&T phone which I unlocked so I ordered only the card for Italy. If you go through their webpage, you will find information about ordering just the card or a phone as well. The card arrived within a few days of my order and I loved having my Italian number before I left the US. I was able to give my family members my new number as well as those in Italy. Calling the US from Italy was very easy. No long numbers to dial or pin numbers to use. Cheap rates within Italy and only 45 cents a minute to call the US.

Thanks to all for the great info and quick replies. I will check out the option of using my Sprint/Nextel phone with a purchased SIM and confirm the cost per call...Thanks again for the great posts.

I have an AT&T phone (GSM) that I have used in Mexico and Dominican Republic but I am not sure if it is "unlocked" or not as mentioned on the website. I checked AT&T's website and they indicate that my phone will work in Italy, however I was interested in purchasing the sim card to reduce cost of calls to/from the US while we are traveling. Any advice or info would be appreciated.

Thanks!

We rented a phone from RoamSimple.com with no problems, rates seem reasonable. They have several options, an Italy SIM if you are just going to be there, or a Europe SIM if you are travelling more. Europe SIM costs a little more, but if you use the Italy SIM outside the country, rates go way up.

They also sold us a phone cheaply. We kept the phone, but returned the SIM when we got back, not going back anytime soon, and there would have been an annual charge to keep the SIM.

ATT phones are ususally locked, but you can check it by inserting a friends non ATT card. T-mobile or other. If your phone works with the T-mobile sim card, you are good to go. If it doesn't, you can have ATT unlock your phone, by telling them that you are going over seas for a few months, and need to have your phone unlocked. Call customer service and ask how to unlock your phone.

Thanks, I will try that!

William,

In addition to my previous post, one other very important point to mention....

"I will check out the option of using my Sprint/Nextel phone with a purchased SIM"

Sprint/Nextel (and other CDMA phones) DO NOT use SIM cards. The account information, phone number etc. is programmed into the phone instead.

The two easiest options (IMHO) would be to either consider a "travel" phone such as those offered by Cellular Abroad, Call In Europe, Roam Simple or others OR purchase an inexpensive PAYG Cell Phone when you arrive in Europe.

It would help to have some idea on the intended uses for the phone? Are you planning to use this mainly for local calls in Italy, calls back to the U.S. or calls FROM the U.S.?

Now that AT&T has unlocked my phone, I have tried ordering from Rebelphone website and it keeps telling me my credit card number is not a valid number! Have tried this twice last night and again today. Also, saw a post on Tripadvisor about needing to register sim card with government as noted below:
"Please note: SIM registration is required by the Italian government prior to service activation. See www.italycellphone.com for complete details."

Has anyone heard of this?

I want to make sure the phone will work when I arrive in Italy.
Thanks,
Terry

William,

Since you are only going to one country, it's much cheaper to get a sim card for that country only. The per minute call charge increases a bunch when you buy a sim card for multiple countries. Your one country card still works elsewhere but you pay roaming in the other countries.

Any unlocked quad band phone will work whether you buy it here or there. As was mentioned, take it to a kiosk in the mall and they can check if it's unlocked. I know my T-mobile razor phone can be unlocked at any T-mobile store (but not the kiosks). I'm not sure about other brands.

Terry, I just PM you with some info. Check your messages.

Jeff

I am about to take a nine month backpacking trip, where i will be visiting various countries for a couple weeks at a time. I am wondering if anyone has any advice for a phone situation, where i won't have to be dealing with sim cards, but can ditch the normal larger bill i have day to day?

You can generally get inexpensive phone cards and use them at payphones or from your hotel/hostel (if they don't charge for local calls). Most will allow you to make a phone call to a toll free number and then dial in the number you want.

This of course doesn't help if you want people to be able to reach you as you don't actually have a phone.

Happy travels.