Re: Tmobile working in Italy

It's important to try to understand what people mean when they talk about mobile data speeds. People mean different things.

If you have a 4G T-Mobile phone, it will connect to the fastest LTE networks available in Italy - or the fastest LTE bands (frequencies) that your phone supports. There are different LTE frequencies used in different countries. T-Mobile in the US uses LTE bands 2, 4, and 12 (and maybe a few others); but T-Mobile's roaming partners in Italy use different LTE bands. In Italy, the carriers use LTE bands 3, 7, and 20. If your phone for some reason doesn't support band 3, 7, or 20, you won't get 4GLTE connections in Italy or not with that phone, whether you have T-Mobile or not - even if you get 4G at home.

But no matter what speed your T-Mobile phone connects at, T-Mobile "throttles" the data speed (slows it down) to 2G speeds. They do this on purpose. Even if your phone says connected as "4GLTE" it will be slowed down to 2G speeds. It's slow...but unlimited.

T-Mobile will sell you a "data pass" if you need faster data, if you find it too frustrating. Some people get by with the slower throttled speeds. Some don't and buy a data pase or buy a local SIM card.

I have T Mobile Magenta Plus.
https://www.t-mobile.com/cell-phone-plans/magenta-plus
I used it in Italy for over 5 weeks.
It works for all the needs you stated and more (you can also navigate on the internet, send unlimited texts). Just don’t use it for voice, unless you use WhatsApp voice calls, which are free.
I also have a local SIM on an extra iPhone I use in Italy, just because I need an Italian number for my needs, but you won’t need one.

I have a grandfathered international plan that has unlimited data, text. I don't plan to make any calls as they are $.25 per minute.

Check with T-Mobile to make sure you actually get free international data with that plan. Until the Simple Choice plan a few years ago, old grandfathered plans did not.

Install Google Voice if you want to make free calls home to the US, even to landlines. Or check out the "WiFi Calling" feature - if you phone supports it, you can avoid that 25 cents/min call fee if you can use that feature. Must be on WiFi and have the feature enabled, though, and good only for free calls to the US.

I have T-Mobile and have been all over Italy. Expect 2g in most places. Occasionally, I got faster data speed and in remote areas got none.

Maps can take awhile to load. It may be easier to download those ahead of time.

Internet calling may not work. For calls, I waited until I had wifi or if necessary bit the bullet and paid the fee.

We will be switching to T-Mobile in a couple of months but still currently have Sprint. Each line includes unlimited text and 2G data free of charge internationally with the option of upgrading to 4G data. Calls are $0.25 a minute but we used the Whatsapp app.

2G worked perfectly fine for us in Rome this past March and Prague last September. Its a little slower than what we are used to but perfectly fine to use our maps, apps for transportation and to check on things like operating hours and nearby dining. I would imagine that T-Mobile would be comparable at the very least

We use Google Fi and it works very well in the US and internationally including Italy. It switches seamlessly and we have the same phone number where ever we are. The only disadvantage is cost for heavy mobile data use ($10. per GB) and you need a phone that's Google Fi enabled.

This data point may be useful for folks worried about the potential to run up heavy charges for data usage:

During this year's trip my cellular data usage always fell between 1 and 2 GB per month. I had Wi-Fi in all my hotels so I didn't stream any video when out and about. I tried to remember to download my local maps (Google MyMaps) before leaving the hotel, but I didn't always manage that. I used cellular data very heavily for basic web surfing when I was on a train or bus and when waiting for my food to arrive in restaurants (Wi-Fi often not being not available). I was surprised at how much I appreciated having web access away from my hotel; it allowed me to keep up with this forum!

If you're paying for data by GB, do be sure you have Wi-Fi at your hotels. I relied totally on my tablet with its much larger screen when in my hotel room. It has no SIM and l've never tethered it, so I didn't have to worry about using any cellular data on the tablet. I see that I used 6.6 GB of data during one 4-week period.

Thank you everyone for your experiences and information.
When my husband called Tmobile they had checked our phones to see if they would work in italy and then proceeded to give a blanket statement of you'll have 3G or better.
Also they told us there are no data roaming charges for international.
So just wanted to confirm this with other travelers.
I know their plans have changed..so I may call them back with additional questions 're my grandfathered international plan.
Well definitely use whats app for phone calls..hoping we have Wi-Fi..staying in airbnb.
Thank you
Joy

WhatsApp only works if the other person has it also. It is popular in Europe, though, if you need to reach locals.

If your phone supports the "WiFi Calling" feature do figure out how to use it before you leave - then you can make free calls to the US while your phone is on WiFi and you have turned on the "WiFI Calling" feature. You can use WiFi calling at home too if you want to (e.g. your phone has no cell reception but you have WiFi). If your phone doesn't support WiFi Calling, look into Google Voice instead for free calls to the US, even to landlines (unlike WhatsApp, does not require the other person to have it).