SIM card

you'll need an unlocked quad band GSM phone for it to work. I got a TIM sim card last year for 10 euros that had 5 euros worth of time on it.

karen,

It would help to know which Cell network you're with in the U.S., and the type of phone handset?

As the previous post mentioned, you'll need to have a quad-band, unlocked GSM phone.

Cheers!

No, the quad band phone has the two US frequencies and the two rest of the planet frequencies.

Just find a phone store and get a SIM. As I recall the prevalent networks are TIM, WIND and Vodafone. They all have websites where you can locate a store.

Ok, Ron,-thanks much. Now I have the unlocked, GSM, Quad band phone. Do I need to be concerned about the 'frequency' over there matching up with the frequency my phone uses, etc? (thought I read somewhere about that?)

Nope- if you have a quad band that covers european frequancies. So when you get here, stop at a phone store and buy a Sim card.

There is a nice guide at http://www.prepaidgsm.net/en/italy.html that lists the major operators. They'll ask for your passport and make a copy when they sell you a SIM chip.

As an aside, it may not be worth going to the trouble if you're bringing your phone as a just-in-case contact method or to make an occasional call. You can make & receive calls with ATT, for example, at $1.29/min (less if you sign up for a plan). On the other hand, if you expect to call within Italy or want to have longer conversations back home it can be a good idea (remember incoming calls are free to you, have folks calling you get a cheap US-based plan).

I bought the TIM card for 10 Euro there, but I found that TIM's rates were so bad that it would have been cheaper to buy a SIM card before I left from eBay or something for the UK & just use that. The rates are much better if most of your calls will be to the US, and it still works for all the calls you'll need to make within Italy. Also, that way, you'll have a phone the minute you land instead of having to run to the TIM store & wait in line to purchase it there.

As far as experience, my phone functioned just as it did in the US once it had the SIM card (except Internet on the phone didn't work). When there was good service, the calls were as clear as they were at home.