Sim cards

What model of phone do you have and who is your provider in the US? These things are important to know if the phone is unlocked and will work with the frequencies of the EU phone system.

If your phone is unlocked, you will be able to exchange the SIM card for a local one to use while you're in Italy -- you will have a new (Italian) phone number, but all your data will still be on your phone and all your apps will work. You can still use WhatsApp, but calls or messages will come from your new phone number (so tell your friends to expect your call or message from an Italian number, not your home number). You just won't be able to see if you have phone messages or texts to your US phone line, because that number will be essentially on hold until you put your US SIM back in your phone when you get home.

When you replace your card with a local SIM, be sure to keep your US SIM card in a safe place - I keep it with my house and car keys, all things I'll need when I return. (I have a small little box to keep it in - it used to contain an SD memory card. you can use any kind of small envelope, pill vial, etc.).

TIM, Vodafone, and Wind all have tourist-specific packages for a SIM card and a month of service for 25 or 30 Euros - they're all a little different, so look them up on line (all have English web pages) to see what each contains. TIM's page says it's 20 Euros and Wind's says it's 15 Euros, but they charge you an additional 10 for the card itself. Vodafone's plan is renewable after the first month, so if you go with them I'd be sure to pay cash so they can't automatically renew you for a second month. I haven't used any (yet), but I'll probably get Wind or TIM, pretty much depending on which outlet is easier to find with shorter lines.

Install Google Voice on your phone before leaving for Italy. Then you can use Google Voice to make free voice calls back to the US, even to landlines, while on WiFi (even without a SIM card) or using the SIM's mobile data (if you get a SIM card). Some Italian SIMs come with calling minutes back to the US, though. Be sure to add a +1 to the front of US phone numbers before dialing them from Italy.

You can avoid the whole sim card thing two ways.

1. Keep your phone on airplane mode and connect to wifi via hotel,
   etc... and make your phone calls then through whats app, etc...

2. When I travel internationally, I bring a portable hotspot. It's small and you can refill it with data (although, I never even come
   close to using $20 worth on a week long trip). When I'm in a city
   and away from wifi, I just turn it on and connect to it via wifi on
   my phone. Instant internet. It's important to turn it off,
   however, when not in use or it may inadvertently eat up your data
   you prepaid for.

What happens if your phone is not unlocked? I have Verizon and also want this info. I do not have whats app. Thank you!

What happens if your phone is not unlocked?

When you insert a new SIM and turn the phone on, your phone will request an unlock code and not let you use the phone at all until you've either entered the unlock code or turned off the phone and removed the SIM. Don't type a wrong code too many times or you can make the phone un-lockable.

I have Verizon and also want this info.

If your phone is more than about three months old (say purchased before June 2019), it is surely not locked. Verizon only recently changed their phone locking policy. They never used to lock their phones (except prepaid phones) at all. Only recently they have started locking new phones for 60 days after first activation.

I do not have whats app.

Easy to get. Go to your app store and search for "whatsapp" then install it and follow the instructions.

When I travel internationally, I bring a portable hotspot. It's small and you can refill it with data (although, I never even come close to using $20 worth on a week long trip).

These portable WiFi hotspots may work well in certain situations: you travel a lot internationally to different regions of the world but you don't want to use your home carrier's international roaming plan (e.g. not T-Mobile or Sprint in the US with their unlimited 2G data). Or you are traveling with several people who will share the data from the hotspot. Or your phone is locked and just can't be unlocked.

But for others, these hotspots are too expensive to be worth it - plus they are one more thing to carry around and keep charged. E.g. when I traveled to Italy in May, I put 9 euros on my Dutch Vodafone SIM to get 2GB of data, good for a month, that was more than enough for my ten day trip. I never had to worry about running out of data - I could have gotten a lot more data for just a bit more money. (Or bought a TIM SIM or Italian Vodafone SIM with a lot of data.) And I used my phone's WiFi hotspot a lot to provide WiFI for my laptop on trains etc. For me personally, one of those extra WiFI hotspots would have had no benefit at all but cost more than what I had.

But for others, these hotspots are too expensive to be worth it - plus they are one more thing to carry around and keep charged.

And remembering to turn it on and off, etc.......I can pop a SIM in my phone and then use my phone like I always do, with enough data that I don't need to worry about each connection to send a message home or use Google maps. $30 for a month of data and voice while travelling seems a good value. I think that they might be helpful for multiple people travelling together, or if you make multiple short trips, but I've used local SIMs around the world easily and inexpensively.

If you are arriving at FCO there is a TIM kiosk in terminal 3. After exiting the baggage claim turn right before going outside the terminal. It will be on your right a short walk down. Be sure to check with your provider to see if your phone is unlocked. A visitors card is 30 euros and has phone minutes and data. Google maps will work fine.
RDJ