I am traveling to Venice, Florence, and Rome next month and would like to explore my options for cellphone usage. I have read through some of the posts on the site, but they are mainly about 1 year old and they also dont' quite match up to what I want to inquire about. Which of the following two options are better or are they equally good ? 1) See if my current cellphone in the U.S. can be unlocked and then buy a SIM card in Italy to use while in Italy. If this option is chosen, any suggestions on where is the best place to buy a SIM that would work in Venice, Florence, and Rome ? 2) Buy a disposable phone in Italy to use while I am there. What I mean by disposable is a phone that is preset with a limited amount of minutes and after they expire, the phone can basically be turned back in for reuse, recycle, etc. An example would be the AT&T "Go Phone" they have in the U.S. Any other suggestions. I mainly want to have one in case I need to call my bank in the U.S. for any reason, or if I need to call my business in the U.S. to check voicemail messages, etc. Thanks much,
Jack
Posted by
New York, NY, USA
11294 posts
Option 2 is fine, but Option 1 is better for 2 reasons: 1. It's cheaper to buy a SIM card alone, than a new phone with a SIM card. 2. You will know how to operate your current phone, it will already be set to English, and you will already have your numbers programmed in (or can do this before arrival). Any Italian SIM will work all over the country (barring, of course, rural areas with poor coverage). And the rates are the same for the whole country. In other words, a Vodafone SIM bought in Rome has the same rates and works in all the same places as a Vodafone SIM bought in Venice. To learn more about the companies offering SIM cards in Italy and their pay as you go deals, look here: http://www.prepaidgsm.net/en/italy.php. Remember to specifically check the rates to the US; some plans can have good domestic rates but high international ones, or good rates to some foreign countries but not others. If you are looking at a carrier's page with these details, you may need Google Translate, but it's worth doing this "homework" to save expense later. Heed the part on the bottom of my linked page about getting a Codice Fiscale, and remember you'll also need your passport. And since you seem to be unsure if you will even be making any calls at all, consider Option 3: see if your current phone will work in Italy as-is, and what the rates would be. It will cost between $0.99 and $1.50 per minute, but you save on the cost of buying a new SIM and/or new phone.
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32402 posts
Jack, Whether your current Cell phone can be unlocked and used in Europe will depend on which U.S. network you're with and which model of phone you're using. IF your phone IS compatible with European cell networks, the two easiest options are: 1.) Buy a SIM card when you arrive in Italy. TIM or WIND seem to be the two largest and most popular networks. If you take this route, you'll have to deal with the Codice Fiscale, registration using your Passport and topping up when your minutes are depleted. This option will provide cheapest calls within Italy, but cost of calls back to the U.S. may depend on which plan you choose when you sign up. 2.) Buy a SIM (or phone with SIM) from one of the travel phone networks such as Roam Simple, Cellular Abroad, Call In Europe, Telestial, Mobal, EuroBuzz, One Sim or Max Roam. Many of these use a U.K.-based number and have post-paid billing (calls charged to a credit card) so there's no need to top-up (depending on which of these firms you choose). Calls will be slightly more expensive than by using an Italian SIM. Some of the above firms provide a "local number option" (extra charge) which provides a U.S. number in your home area which is "mapped" to your travel number. That makes it easy and inexpensive for people back home to reach you without dialing international long distance calls. Happy travels!