Italian cell phone

We got a very affordable (cheap) phone at a TIM store in Rome in 2012, loaded a few euros worth of time on it and were good to go, but this was just for calling within Italy (including Sicily), and worked flawlessly.

As it was an "unlocked" phone, it's been used since then in Spain, where we bought a SIM card at a Movistar store and had them install the card and set up the phone, and in Scotland, where we did the same thing at a T-Mobile store.

They are all about the same in terms of service. I have a TIM phone, use it every year by just adding more minutes.

I have the same question as Ann. Zoe or Cyn, can you tell us whether or not your phones can be used to call the US or only within Italy? Would you be willing to share the specific phone model? Thanks.

I have used it to call the US, even 800-numbers work. I don't remember the model but it was bottom-of-the-line, about 30 euro.

"I have also read that a Codice fiscia is required to buy a phone, but am hoping this is not true!"

Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't (on my trip with a friend last year to Sicily, I had to show mine at one TIM store, but he didn't have to show his at another TIM store).

So be prepared - get one and take the printout with you, just in case. Near the bottom of this page, see "Codice Fiscale, what's that?" for directions (it's really easy): http://www.prepaidgsm.net/en/italy.php