cell phones in Italy

If you have ATT or T-Mobile, you can take your GSM phone and purchase a pre-paid SIM card at any italian phone company such as TIM, Wind or Vodafone. If you have Sprint or Verizon, your out of luck. They use CDMA and it doesn't work in Europe. If you can use your phone, MAKE SURE YOU BACK UP YOUR CONTACTS BEFORE YOU REMOVE YOUR SIM CARD. If you don't you could lose all your contacts when you place the US SIM card back in the phone. Or try any of these services and get a pre-paid phone there. One more thing, if you have a smart phone go to your market and find a note pad and write down any important phone numbers on the note pad. GOOD LUCK!

Thanks, Miguel. I prefer to buy a phone in Italy and just pay for minutes on it if that's possible. I don't plan on using it much and don't plan on using it after this trip. So, just a cheap phone I can buy in Italy, hopefully, with pre-paid minutes that I can keep adding minutes to as needed. Is this possible? If so, does anyone have any suggestions as to which shops would carry it or which phone is better for this purpose? Thanks,
Marge

marge, One point to clarify, is that if you presently use a quad-band GSM phone, you WON'T be able to use with Italian SIM's unless the phone is unlocked. You can easily buy an inexpensive PAYG Phone in Italy. Note that you'll have to present your Passport for "registration" at the time of purchase. The main networks in Italy are TIM, WIND and Vodaphone. It's not usually too difficult to find a Cell phone shop. As you'll probably be arriving at Termini station, check the shopping mall on the floor below track level. As I recall, there's at least one Cell phone shop there (possibly TIM). Cheers!

Yes, Ken is right. I were there last month checking the phone out.

Thanks to everyone for their helpful responses. Ken, I'll actually be arriving in Rome at the Fiumicino airport, and since we'll have a reserved cab waiting for us, I was thinking I'd find a phone shop near Piazza Navona, where we will be staying in Rome. I can also ask for a cell phone shop location at the place where we'll be staying. Thanks again for everyone's ideas. It's good to know I won't have a problem just picking up a cheap cell phone to use while I'm there.
Marge

marge, The reason I suggested Termini station, is that many travellers go from FCO into Rome via the Leonardo Express, which goes to Termini (that's my usual preferred method). I figured if you'd be passing through Termini anyway, it would be easy to take a few minutes and stop at a Cell phone shop. I don't know of any shops near Piazza Navona, but I'm sure there will be one in the vicinity. Cheers!

We are leaving for Italy in about a month and are going to use the following plan. If you have Verizon, you can use their Global Travel Program. For $19.99 (this is the shipping fee to you and comes with a prepaid FED EX return label), they send you a loaner phone which will work in Italywith your US phone number. Calls are $1.29 per minute incoming and outgoing anywhere (within Italy and to the US). For $4.99 you can get your calls for $0.99. Texts are $0.50 for outgoing and $0.05 for incoming. It works very well. I used it going to England a couple of years ago. The good thing is that while you are at US airports your regular plan is in effect and thenbecomes the global plan when you are outside the US.