Help! We hope to be in Italy for two weeks but I need to be in touch with home (US). We have ATT and I have both the original iphone and a new samsung. I do not know the best way to receive calls, texts, etc. I want to be somewhat frugal but need to communicate without frustration, especially since every 3 days we are travelling to a new city in Italy. Get a sim card? Rent a phone? Please advise.
Is it ridiculous to want data on my phone too? Or should I just try to check email at the hotel?
Posted by
Tuscaloosa, AL
1152 posts
Because you are with AT&T and are looking to communicate without frustration my advice to you would be to check out AT&T's World Traveler Plan. It isn't the cheapest option, but it is apparently fairly reliable and doesn't require you to do much of anything different from what you do now with your phones. AT&T also offers international data packages (there is a link on the screen describing international calling rates). It may be sufficient to cover your needs. Once again, there are cheaper alternatives, but they all involve some extra expense and hassle. If you go this way, be careful with your usage. Even at lower rates, the costs can mount quickly.
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32392 posts
Mar, My suggestions are the same as Paul mentioned. If you're planning to use occasional voice calls and text messaging, then one of the AT&T "travel plans" would probably be the easiest and best option. One point to note is that unless both of your phones are "unlocked", then you won't be able to use either travel SIM cards or local SIM's purchased in Italy. Another thing to check is whether your Samsung phone is a quad-band model. If you decide to travel with the Samsung phone, be sure to check the Charger to ensure it's designed for "world operation". You will of course need Plug Adapters for the Chargers. One word of warning though if you decide to travel with AT&T - BE SURE to tell your contacts NOT to call you while you're abroad, as you'll be paying for each incoming call. Also, being awakened by trivial calls in the "wee hours" of the morning from someone that didn't bother to check the time is a huge annoyance! Regarding data access, using the AT&T travel plan is a something you could consider. However, keep in mind that it will provide far less capacity than you're used to at home, so you'll need to be careful not to exceed that. Especially with the iPhone, there is often lots of activity taking place in the "background" that uses data, so you'll need to make sure the data settings are configured appropriately. One option would be to keep the data switched off except when it's required. Use Wi-Fi as much as possible. I'll be travelling with an iPhone for the first time later this year, so these are issues I'll be dealing with as well. Happy travels!