Consumer Cellular international coverage in Italy

I would not use international roaming because the fees and charges are astronomical. I’m not familiar with that company but if you have a phone with an esim that’s the way to go.

Anyone with recent experience?

Yes - Rome, CT and Lucca Nov 2023, Poland April 2024 and Budapest & Vienna Dec 2024. Coverage was fine in all cases - perhaps occasional dead spots while on the train in less populous areas.

The largest expense was for the two weeks in Poland - it was approx, $28. It's so easy - you just turn on your phone upon arrival and it's there - once you have it activated the first time. Since you pay for minutes and data, I did turn off cellular syncing for photos and backups, and would put it in airplane mode when I didn't need connectivity.

Another advantage is that you keep your phone number active. Install the app on your phone to monitor your account. Download offline maps before the trip. Perform data-intensive tasks when you're on wifi and you should be fine.

Added: Consumer Cellular offers extremely discounted rates for their international roaming - nothing like what the big providers charge.

Once again I feel compelled to note that using a European phone plan ("eSIM") does not in itself make your home phone number unusable. In fact, a data-only SIM obligates use of one's US number.

Data usage on Consumer Cellular in Europe appears to cost $0.01 per MB. That's equivalent to ~$10 per GB. Pretty expensive IMO. Most eSIMs cost less than $2 per GB. I typically use about 10 GB per month on vacation, more than twice what I use at home. Usage for me includes a fair amount of mapping apps, Google Translate and Lens, and train timetable apps. YMMV.

This really doesn't answer your question but hopefully gives you something to consider and rate comparisons:
I have not used Consumer Cellular so I can't help you with recent experience. Friends in Wickenburg AZ (50 miles from Phoenix) gave up on Consumer Cellular and changed to Verizon because the reception was so bad. My hubby has a flip phone through CC, seldom uses it and doesn't travel. I have iPhone 13 Pro Max through Verizon and use their $100 monthly international rate. A combination of Verizon, WhatsApp, and Google Voice work good for me when traveling. I was using the daily rate, but Verizon raised their daily rate so it is a lot more expensive for a month trip. I need to keep my US phone number for my technophobic husband to contact me.

This is from Consumer Cellular's website https://www.consumercellular.com/help/international-travel-and-roaming
You need to call customer service to activate International Roaming. You are then charged for usage. For Italy: voice per minute 5¢, data per MB 1¢, text per SMS 1¢. Other countries have different rates.

Thank you all for your responses, especially to markcw for validating there is good coverage from Consumer Cellular in Italy.

Friends in Wickenburg AZ (50 miles from Phoenix) gave up on Consumer Cellular and changed to Verizon because the reception was so bad.

Note that CC is now on the ATT network - so in the US your coverage will mirror that of ATT [CC used to be on T-Mobile].

For international roaming, CC connects to major providers in the territory. It isn't budget or sub-standard coverage.

I have been with Consumer Cellular for over a decade and am very happy. That said, their international rates are crazy. The five times I’ve been to Europe, I’ll admit I did without data every time and did just fine. Maps and translation are are available offline.

Consumer Cellular international rates are very expensive. (I note just now it used to be 6c per text and per MB, now it is 1c so that’s significantly better than the last time I travelled.) If you go that route, they will ship you a separate SIM card which essentially unlocks the international roaming on your phone. If you go to Europe without contacting them and having them ship that card, it won’t work.

We loved Consumer Cellular domestically. However, they had a terrible record on their international calling. About three years ago, I confirmed by telephone with them that there were no guarantees it would work, and the complaints on record were huge. Essentially, they didn't have a workable international calling plan. Maybe they have changed during the last few years because I expect they were losing customers, but I'd be very cautious. I used to not worry about a phone overseas, but these days, I feel I absolutely need one, and one with my telephone number. I had to switch to T mobile, which has worked very well overseas since. I get the basic plan and upgrade just before I travel. They also have short term travel plans, which are new, but just changing the plan works for me.

If you go that route, they will ship you a separate SIM card which essentially unlocks the international roaming on your phone. If you go to Europe without contacting them and having them ship that card, it won’t work.

Unless perhaps in the distant past, you don't need a new SIM for international roaming. They did recently provide a new SIM, which was required for the migration to ATT from T-Mobile.

You DO have to enroll in international roaming over the phone, and once you have it, it shows up in your online account.

I've used them for three trips since Nov '23, and the most expensive charge was $28 for two weeks in Poland. When you factor in what you save each month of normal use in the States, it's a great value.

In Europe you're on networks like Orange and Vodaphone. Again, three trips and no issues.

Edited to add:

If you go to Europe without contacting them and having them ship that card, it won’t work.

Yes, you must enroll and activate before you leave the States [but no new card needed] - you have to turn off your phone as part of activation, and when you turn it back on, the international roaming configuration updates your phone.

Thanks for asking this question. We tried a couple times when we were in Norway in 2023 but couldn't get it to work (Oslo and Stavanger).

We did have international roaming enabled on our 2024 trip, but in 24 days we never found the need to try it.

I hope you report back as to how it worked for you.

Thanks Markcw for that update. It's been a couple of years since I enabled mine!

Just to follow up, I looked again today and the rates have been updated once again. It now shows price per GB which is more realistic.

The price has come down enough that's it's certainly comparable to any esim. I'd likely use CC roaming next time for the simplicity.

https://www.consumercellular.com/help/international-travel-and-roaming

You could evaluate the price of an eSIM/SIM from a local European carrier to the CC international plan. Some plans only have data and others have data with calls an text. I use a local eSIM/SIM when traveling overseas with my unlocked iPhone.

There are two things to consider using your CC phone in Europe.
1. The LTE/5G bands available for inexpensive phones sold in the US are different than ones used in Europe. Need to insure your phone has the needed bands required for connection. You can search the internet to find the bands used in countries.
2. Your phone must be unlocked to use a Europen eSIM/SIM.

Slight clarification to the above. Your phone needs to be unlocked to use any SIM or eSIM from any other carrier.