Venice cell phone purchase

I just bought one from Vodafone, it was 29 Euro for a nokia phone (dont have the model with me, but it's as basic as you can get) including a vodafone sim with 5 Euro of traffic on it. Not bad, really.

Remember that you need an Italian codice fiscal to buy a phone in your name in Italy........

Thanks All, for the response.

Sorry, but I did not have the experience of cell phone stores on every corner in Venice. Actually, in rereading my last trip journal, on conflicting directions on finding one on one side of Rialto Bridge and then another, I gave up and took a vaporetto away from that "busy place". Still looking for an address that I can count on.
Regards again, Sandra

Sandra there is a full service Vodafone store near the Rialto Bridge (on the San Marco side of the bridge). Just walk straight away from the bridge and you can't miss it on the right side. Was here last summer and purchased a new sim card for my cell phone purchased previously in Italy. I found them to be very helpful here. You just take a number and wait for your turn. Also close to San Pantalon church there is an internet cafe where I purchased more Euros for my sim card a few days later. Don't remember if they sold phones here or not.

Lora - you'll need an unlocked tri or quad band GSM phone to use an Italian carrier SIM.

Biggest GSM carriers in the US are T-mobile and ATT.

You can then just replace your sim card with the one you buy in Italy. You'll have an Italian number. Most SIMs come preloaded with value ans you can add more time at most tobacho (tabacchi) shops.

I'll be in Italy in April. Would someone please give me some back ground information on cell phone use in Italy. Can I bring my own cell phone and then purchase a SIM card? Or... how does it work? What is the most ecomonical way to go?
Lora