Italian sim card in States or at Rome airport?

Not sure what you mean by saying you could get the SIM card in U.S. Do you mean from AT&T or T-Mobile? Or do you mean from one of the travel phone companies (Mobal, Eurobuzz, Telestial, and so on)? Getting a local SIM and cheap phone overseas is probably the lowest cost option for the small usage you describe. If you already had an account with a U.S. company that worked overseas (AT&T or T-Mobile), that would be just as cheap, assuming you really did make only a few calls and sent just a few texts. It would be easier. As for what a local SIM/phone would cost, I haven't bought one in a few years, but it is comparable to a prepaid phone bought here. There have been posts here that price the SIM card at around 20 Euros. The cost of their cheapest phone would likely be around the same.

Thomas, first you have to ensure you IPhone is unlocked. Then unfortunately, there are "limited" options for purchasing a SIM card at the FCO airport. You might read Purchasing a Phone or SIM at FCO Airport. If you're connecting on Alitalia, KLM, or Air France before you arrive at FCO, you would arrive via the B Gates (probably) and there are multiple vendors there (TIM, 3, etc.). But if you're coming into FCO direct from the USA on a US-flagged carrier, you'll come through the G Gates, Immigration, etc. (see: Terminal 3 Arrivals at Fiumicino Airport) and you'll not be able to get to the B Gate area. Thus, your options are limited. The good news is that there are MANY phone vendors and SIM card options once you get into Rome. There are 2-3 options just at the Roma Termini Station. In addition, most neighborhoods have multiple shops. On our street, one block from the entrance to the Vatican Museums, we probably had 5-6 vendors. SIM cards can start as low as €5, but by the time you add time-to-talk you're probably looking at €20. An inexpensive, unlocked phone will probably run you €20-30 if you shop around. I have a couple of those inexpensive phones we've bought overseas, an "unlocked" Blackberry I bought while living in the States on eBay, and a new "unlocked" Samsung Galaxy G we bought recently here.

Ten years ago (or perhaps longer?) I bought an Italian SIM card through Telestial and used it for years. But about 3-4 years ago I received notification from "TIM" that I had to "register" my SIM card and the process was a mess. I actually ended up buying another card just because my "old" Telestial SIM card re-registration was such a hassle. (I ended up using that same Telestial SIM card for years once I moved to Italy). If you've ever had to deal with the bureaucracy in Italy and the endless paperwork ... you'll understand why I threw up my hands and just bought a "new" number. So do check your options, although with the limited time you'll be using this, it probably will not be a problem. Good Luck!

Thomas, While you may be able to buy an inexpensive PAYG SIM card that allows voice & text with your iPhone 3GS, I'm not sure you'll be able to get one that provides data capability. As Paul has mentioned in previous posts, some carriers in the U.K. offer this, but I've never seen any in Italy that offer PAYG data plans. You didn't provide any information on whether you needed data on the iPhone but if that's important you might have a look at some of the "travel phone" firms (Roam Simple, Cellular Abroad, Call In Europe, Telestial or Mobal), as a few of them offer iPhone plans with data. One advantage of these is that you'll have a working phone as soon as you step off the plane, so won't have to worry about finding a cell phone shop. Also, these plans are usually based on a U.K. phone number so you won't have to deal with the "bureaucracy" that Ron described. These firms also sell inexpensive "travel phones". As Ron mentioned, you shouldn't have any trouble finding a cheap phone for your Wife. Are you going to be heading in to Roma Termini after you arrive at FCO? If so, the shops at Termini that Ron mentioned are your best bet. As I recall, they're one floor down from track level in the shopping area. Happy travels!

You can purchase an Italian SIM card in any tobacco store when you arrive for a GSM multi channel phone. You need to get the phone "opened" for international service by your provider before you leave home. I plan on getting a E10 SIM card to call restaurants and hotels while in Italy. Another option is to pay $5.99 for international service @ AT&T and local and U.S. calls are .99 per minute. It's best if the phone was disabled for texting, to minimize any excessive bills upon your return. I plan on taking a cheap corded telephone to hook into my MagicJackPlus thru my laptop's USB port. You can call anywhere you can find a fast WIFI line, like hotels or internet cafes. Calls are free to anywhere in the U.S., and you don't even have to call "1". Just don't call home in the morning, or everyone will be mad that you've waked them up.

Another advantage in Rome to consider is Wi-Fi through your phone. In Rome, if you have an Italian SIM, there are many Wi-Fi options - see How to Find and Use Free WiFi Hotspots in Rome. I know "TIM" sells a one-month data plan, and my friend once bought a 2-week plan from a competitor for visiting family a couple of years ago, but I can't remember if it was WIND or Vodafone? There are options, but the data allowances are limited. David, I had a Magic Jack in Italy but after about 3 months I went back to Vonage as our carrier. Perhaps because of my Rome apartment connection, my "one minute of patience" as the Magic Jack loaded up was often 5-10 minutes of frustration. Then we just had too many in-call issues. Never experienced that with Vonage, so we're on the least expensive $9.99 plan. It's how we stay in touch with our family in the States. I tried the MJ in Copenhagen - same issues and we have a VERY fast connection in CPH?? When we travel we use Skype and Skype Credit (to landlines and mobiles). Living overseas we also have SIM cards from 5 countries... so we drop those in when we head there and that saves us a little money if we need to make local calls, an emergency call to the States, or if our family needs to get a hold of us. Thomas, do make sure you "properly" unlock your IPhone. I had a Embassy friend in Rome who bought a jailbreak IPhone to save money and when the automatic updates came through, her phone was NO LONGER usable in Italy - an expensive experience for her! There are many shortcuts but they many not be the best way to go. Unfortunately, I've also had US friends visiting whose home provider WOULD NOT unlock their phone - because they wanted to sell them their expensive "Euro" package. Good Luck!