My husband and I are traveling to Europe this Sept. 2010. We will be spending time in Italy and Germany. For one of our lodging destinations, we will need a phone to contact the owners to meet up and be shown to our accomodations. We have traveled many times to Europe but have never gone with a phone. I have been told to get an unlocked quad-band phone and purchase a sim card. I've seen some phones on Ebay, but the prices vary greatly. Can anyone give me some more detailed info on what to look for, where to buy, etc....???
Also, info. I've found online about sim cards seems to vary greatly also. I don't know if I should buy here in the U.S. or in Italy when we get there and where? Do I need different sim cards for Italy and Germany?
Any help would be greatly appreciated...we are leaving in less than 2 months and I'm starting to stress over it!!

You can purchase a relatively cheap phone and sim card on arrival at the airport - You can generally buy a cheap nokia phone - quad band - unlocked - basic cell phone for under $50. You can then buy a sim card from any of the carriers over in Italy or Germany. If you feel you must buy a phone before you land, just get a basic one.

When you land you will want to get a pre-paid sim card and purchase minutes for it - then if you use it up, just purchase more. It's really easy and not difficult at all.

Thank you for responding. Where exactly do you purchase the sim card and minutes? Is there a place in the airport or train stations, or a type of store nearby these places?? Also, does the sim card work in both Italy and Germany? Can you make calls within Europe and also back to the U.S.?
I've also heard some people say they go through their carrier at home and just take their personal phone...what are your thoughts on that? Thanks again!

I bought a Mobal phone over the internet, new, cost 100. and includes 40dollars talk time. Incoming calls and texts are free. Outgoing has charges of course. You only pay for calls when you use the phone so it can lay dormant in a draw until your next trip. Comes with a sim card. Easy.If you want, i will report back. I leave today to London and will be using the phone for the first time.

http://www.mobal.com/ forgot to add a link for you to check it out. There is a cheaper phone as well.

Given the endless number of possible alternatives and if you're American and want to make calls in Germany, I'd buy a fonic SIM and airtime coupons at a Lidl supermarket or any of those stores or gas stations http://www.fonic.de/html/partner.html. Tariff in Germany to German fixed or mobile lines, EU fixed lines and north America is 9ct per minute. http://www.fonic.de/html/tarif_details.html

Needs to be activated online. Will also work in Italy but costs are 15ct incoming from anywhere and 39ct outgoing to Europe.

I just bought this LG phone through eBay for about $28, looks like it is brand new but a discontinued model (the seller has lots of them). Haven't used it overseas yet, but tested it at home with my world SIM and it looks good to go.
http://cgi.ebay.com/LG-CU400-FLIP-CA...item5adae886e7
The SIM I use is eKit international (same rates for 100+ countries without roaming charges), also from ebay.

For ease of use and the least hassle I like
http://CallinEurope.com

You can have a phone with SIM card in your
luggage before you leave home for about 60 bucks.

No buying what may or may not work on eBay and then looking for a SIM when you land.

I like that CiE bills to my credit card (and their rates are good) so I never need to worry about running out of minutes. I've used the phone and their service on 3 trips to Europe now
and it'd worked flawlessly.

Rob

You can by the minutes for the cell at almost any newstand, tobacco shop an any cellphone store. You can make calls all over the world with that phone and those minutes - local calls will cost less and eat up less of your "minutes" and intl calls will cost more depending on time of day and where you are calling.

You'll also be able to txt as well. I'd suggest just purchasing like 25 Euro worth of credit for the phone - and limit your calls back to the US. Use skype on your pc instead when you get to a wifi spot or at the hotel. Just use the cell phone local for reservations, emergency situations etc.

>>>>You can purchase a relatively cheap phone and sim card on arrival at the airport <<<<

Not at FCO. I'm not sure about other airports in Italy. There is a TIM store in Rome Termini station (upstairs) and an electronics store in the basement that had phones, but the prices seemed high for their phones.