Making calls to US from Italy

Hi Dennis a couple of possibilities: the hotel we stayed at (ibis chain) had rediculously low prices from the room. something like 10 cents a minute. otherwise just buy a phone card at a store and use a pay phone.

Skype is convenient, cheap, and dependable so that would be my first choice. Local phone call work well also. Even if you had a cell that would work it would be very expensive around $1/minute.

I bought a TIM phone for 29 euro when I was in Italy last summer and bought minutes as I needed them. Cost to US was 10 cents per minute.

If you can rely on WIFI and only call when it's available, then I would use Google Voice or Skype. Their calls will be very, very cheap. Otherwise, I would suggest getting a TIM phone (if you have an unlocked phone you can use that instead of buying one there. Otherwise their cheapest phone is 29 euro). You buy a 10 euro SIM card, which has 5 euro of credit on it. You can recharge it at TIM stores or Tabacchi. With their "international" SIM card, you can call most European/North American countries for 10-16 cents a minute, which is much cheaper than you would be roaming with Verizon. (However, you have to consider the initial phone cost.) How long will you be in Italy? That can help determine your best option, too.

Dennis, please note that wi-fi hot spots are not always regular occurances in Italy. (except Micki D's and your hotel.) Skype works great. Free calls to anyone on their computer and lo-cost (a couple of cents a minute) to anyone else, anywhere, if you buy a few bucks of airtime time from them. When my Cousin went with us to Spain this June she found out that her Verizon phone would not work, but that they "offer a free GSM phone rental program for occasional travelers -- if you've been a subscriber for a while, they will lend you a phone at no charge for a short trip (less than 21-days). Call Verizon on 800-711-8300 to find out if you qualify", or go to thier web site and read more. They transfered her number to the rental phone, and she signed up for and got reduced texting rates, and reduced? $1/minute calls.

Thanks Steve. Thats some good info.

I rented a phone from Verizon last year. It's good only if your trip is 30 days or less, calls were 99 cents/minute and texting was alot cheaper. They'll give you more details when you call. The nice thing about it is you get to keep your own number, but make sure you warn everybody you know not to call you or your bill may get horrendous!! One thing though, as soon as you get your phone, charge it right away to make sure the charger works. Mine didn't but luckily, my travel buddy had rented the same kind of phone so I was able to use hers. I was talking to a couple I met during the trip and they weren't able to use their phone at all coz the charger or maybe even the phone was broken and they didn't realize this because they didn't even attempt to charge the phone till they got to Rome.