Cellphone service
Aug 2nd, 2009 | 03:40 PM
#3
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 97
Likes: 0
I have discovered that I can use my ATT phone with out using their service. I requested instructions on how to unlock my phone. I follwed the instructions and inserted an Italian TIM card which after I arrived in Milan. It was purchased in airport. The cost was about 5Euros and they text you with specials to increase the time.
I would also suggest making a couple color copies of your passport. It will be required to register your card. Also, I found it simplier to give the copy to the hotel instead of my real passport and they were happy with the copy which they returned.
I would also suggest making a couple color copies of your passport. It will be required to register your card. Also, I found it simplier to give the copy to the hotel instead of my real passport and they were happy with the copy which they returned.
Aug 2nd, 2009 | 04:46 PM
#5
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,271
Likes: 0
You don't rent mobile phones in this day and age...you buy them.
Easiest...upon arrival in Italy, find a mobile phone store. There are several different companies...one of the largest is called TIM....go in and with your fractured Italian they will sell you an inexpensive phone along with a sim card package....the sim card package has been running €10 with €5 worth of call credit....you don't need a phone with a lot of bells and whistles so the cheapest will do...might run not much more than €30 if that much. Voila done.
Ask them to set the menus to English and work with them to set up your voice mail (in English)....calls to the USA are not all that cheap...there are better solutions such as buying a phone card with a local Italian number and ringing the Italian number to call the USA (assuming you're from the USA)...also if you need more time you go to a tabachi or whatevwer a tabac is called in Italy and get recharge tickets.
As an alternative, ebay has several offers for an ekit dual US/UK number....it seems to be a good deal....the sim card costs $9 with $3 shipping and comes with $10 of credit.
Calls to the UK number by your friends are received for free in Italy while calls to the US number on the sim card are received in Italy and cost you 19¢/minute....you can buy a cheap cell phone on ebay...just make sure it is gsm and at least has the 1800 band although having both the 900 and 1800 is better and having four bands is best (especially since this sim card also works in the USA as sort of a prepaid sim package with calls costing as little as 9¢/minute to make and receive in the US (although fine print there is a 50¢ connection fee to make or receive a call) but the card seems to be getting good reviews on prepaidgsm.net
How can you go wrong for $9 anyway? For the most part throughout Europe with this card if people call you on your US number, as noted you pay 19¢/minute...calls back to the USA throughout most of Europe are 49¢/minute not too bad (Canada too)...calls within Europe to landlines are 49¢/minute although more expensive to European mobiles..(you can look up all the details on ebay)...voila you have a cell phone and service (BTW an advantage of this card as opposed to many of the local Europeans sim cards is all you have to do is do one event every 9 months (sending a text message will do) and the card remains valid. Can't see too many drawbacks..no hassle, no fuss.
Easiest...upon arrival in Italy, find a mobile phone store. There are several different companies...one of the largest is called TIM....go in and with your fractured Italian they will sell you an inexpensive phone along with a sim card package....the sim card package has been running €10 with €5 worth of call credit....you don't need a phone with a lot of bells and whistles so the cheapest will do...might run not much more than €30 if that much. Voila done.
Ask them to set the menus to English and work with them to set up your voice mail (in English)....calls to the USA are not all that cheap...there are better solutions such as buying a phone card with a local Italian number and ringing the Italian number to call the USA (assuming you're from the USA)...also if you need more time you go to a tabachi or whatevwer a tabac is called in Italy and get recharge tickets.
As an alternative, ebay has several offers for an ekit dual US/UK number....it seems to be a good deal....the sim card costs $9 with $3 shipping and comes with $10 of credit.
Calls to the UK number by your friends are received for free in Italy while calls to the US number on the sim card are received in Italy and cost you 19¢/minute....you can buy a cheap cell phone on ebay...just make sure it is gsm and at least has the 1800 band although having both the 900 and 1800 is better and having four bands is best (especially since this sim card also works in the USA as sort of a prepaid sim package with calls costing as little as 9¢/minute to make and receive in the US (although fine print there is a 50¢ connection fee to make or receive a call) but the card seems to be getting good reviews on prepaidgsm.net
How can you go wrong for $9 anyway? For the most part throughout Europe with this card if people call you on your US number, as noted you pay 19¢/minute...calls back to the USA throughout most of Europe are 49¢/minute not too bad (Canada too)...calls within Europe to landlines are 49¢/minute although more expensive to European mobiles..(you can look up all the details on ebay)...voila you have a cell phone and service (BTW an advantage of this card as opposed to many of the local Europeans sim cards is all you have to do is do one event every 9 months (sending a text message will do) and the card remains valid. Can't see too many drawbacks..no hassle, no fuss.
