Cellphone challenged....

Others will be more knowledgeable about sim cards and unlocked etc, but I am also a Sprint user and when I signed my contract last week, I spoke to our Sprint store manager, who stated that I can add on an international calling and data plan while I am traveling for specific dates. He indicated that it was between $15 and $30 per month depending on the level of plan coverage I wanted for the period that I would be gone. I just have to call and activate an international plan before I leave. The plan does have some data restrictions and if I go over the allowed amount, I am billed automatically for the next level of coverage, but it appeared to be rather easy to use. The biggest benefit was that I could keep my own phone number. I have also called Sprint support and received the same information. I suggest you call the Sprint customer service # if your local store is not very helpful. Hope this helps.

Regarding SIM cards this is my experience. Go to a Tim store, in major cities they mostly speak English, get the plan you want, they will replace the SIM card for you. Watch how they do it, ask them, then do it yourself, or wait till u get back and go to your sprint store. I have used the TIM store outside S.M.N train station in Firenze several times over the years they are very helpful. As it turns out the same man has always helped me.

If you done want to deal with the hassle buy a cheap phone and plan when you get there. 50€ Cost which includes some base level of minutes. Then to add more minutes go to a TIM store, or a tabac hi with your phone and buy more minutes. It is only daunting the first time.

Roninrome.com has a lot of info on phones.

Call Sprint if you don't think your local is knowledgeable.

PS: Stay away from the kiosks in malls.

I may have answered my own question this morning, but I am still a bit wary.....I chatted online with a Sprint international rep....she tells me there is a new Sprint international roaming plan I can have added on-calls are 20cents/ min, and free unlimited data. I asked the cost of the plan, and she responded it's free.......if this is true, sounds great!

Now please tell me what I am missing! Haha!

Checked out the Sprint offering. Calls at 20 cents and unlimited data at no additional charge. Sounds almost too good to be true.

Read the fine print on the offer carefully. Seems to be lots of taxes and fees associated with the plan. Not many European countries are covered. Italy is. Data is at 2G speeds (like a 56K dial up modem speed, in other words = slow). Will probably work for keeping in contact with family and calling hotels just fine. You can use the hotel WiFi to do large data transfers at night (sharing pictures and so on) if the provided data speed is too slow. I got by on just WiFi my last few trips to Europe.

I had Sprint for many years but left them because they did not have any international plans at that time. Their current offers sound great now compared to my current carrier.

Check with Sprint if your phone can be unlocked.
Basically if you pay the full price for your phone, it can be unlocked.
If you purchased through Sprint and are still paying for it in a two year contract, Sprint will not unlock it until you have fully paid for it (I.e. After the two year contract has expired).

Scenario 1. Your phone is fully paid and sprint unlocks it for you.
In this case when you are in Italy you can buy a local SIM card and insert it in your phone.
TIM and VODAFONE both have special plans for tourists (TIM WELCOME and VODAFONE HOLIDAY)
- TIM WELCOME gives you 2Gb of data, plus 200 minutes (to call locally or internationally) for €20.
- VODAFONE HOLIDAY gives you also 2Gb of data, but also gives you 300 local or international minutes, plus 300 SMS (text) messages (to text worldwide). Vodafone gives you more minutes and text messages, but it costs you more (€30 instead of €20 charged by TIM). Which is better depends on your usage.
Both plans are for one month.

Scenario 2. Your phone is not fully paid and Sprint won't unlock it.
If you want to use your iPhone in Italy, You have no choice but enroll on one of Sprint international plans.

After trying some alternatives, I found it easiest to just use my carrier's international plan. What I disliked about purchasing a phone in Europe or taking the Sim card route was dealing with installing additional time and interpreting messages. I had not considered the hassle of dealing with messages and instructions in a language I don't understand.

Ultimately, I decided it was worth paying a somewhat higher cost for the ease of using my regular plan and having my regular phone number. I should note that I don't use the phone much in Europe – just for short calls home to check in, occasional arrangements in Europe, and a little Internet searching. I have Verizon, and $50 worth of data was more than enough for a month-long trip.

Not sure what difficulty with the language one would encounter with a Vodafone Holiday package.
It's designed for visitors and instruction messages from Vodafone come in English.
Installing the SIM card takes 2 seconds. All you need is a binder clip to push the SIM container or the SIM tool.
Or you can ask the sales person to do it for you.