I will be leaving for Tuscany in a couple of weeks and remember reading on the boards about international cell phone rental. Does anyone have any info they would like to share about their experience or who I might contact to get one? <BR>Thanks <BR>Smitty

Hi Smitty-- This is a little bit indirect, but before you go to too much trouble to set up cell service, I suggest that you investigate how widespread the coverage is in the areas where you will be. I just returned from France, and my friends got international access added to their existing phone, only to find out that in Burgundy where we spent a lot of time, the coverage was pretty poor. The phone technically worked, but was outside the service area almost all the time, until we got back to major cities. May not be the same in Tuscany, but that would be an early question to ask.

I used a rented cell phone from Omnipoint last yeat while in Italy. $49.00 per month, plus time charges. It worked great and avoided all the hassle with local phones. My wife called home the first night from hotel in Venice and the reception was like we were in the US. She just dialed the number. You can check it out at their web site, Omnipoint.com. We are returning to Europe soon and I will probably get their phone again. It also has voice mail. Per minute charges are not cheap, but at least we were able to leave one number that we could be reached at in Italy while we were gone.When you return, you place the phone in the provided fed-ex envelope and sent it back.

your existing cell phone service may also offer rental programs. e.g., my provider (Pacific Bell) contracts out Int'l rentals out to Cellhire, here is their blurb: <BR> <BR>"Cellhire provides next-day delivery of rental phones that are compatible with the country(ies) you will be visiting. For more information about the Cellhire rental program, call 1-888-271-1302" <BR> <BR>I haven't compared rates, though. <BR> <BR>Additionally, the handset rental may seem reasonable or even cheap, but you could killed on HUGE roaming fees from your U.S. cell service AND the foreign cell service. Read the fine print!! <BR>

I have had good results in Italy with Planetfone.com and in Spain and France with a phone rented from AutoEurope.com. There is a modest charge for rental (although usually not with AutoEurope if you are also renting a car). The airtime charges are quite high, but it is a good way if you need to keep in touch and can hold down your time usage.

There are several posters here who don't like renting and suggest that you buy a phone. Depending on your needs, that might be a better option, but I have found the rental process easy, and I've always had good coverage, including in Tuscany and other somewhat rural areas.

Many people have rented without incident. Others have been charged $1000-$2000 by the cell phone provider, and have found it difficult or impossible to get the charges reversed. Buyer beware.

I will stick to carrying my own phone for the reasons noted at http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34534671

Renting rarely makes sense these days when you can buy a phone so cheaply (just make sure the SIM is unlocked). Buy a SIM for the country you're visiting. Incoming calls are usually free. You can recharge them by buying a scratchoff card.

With a prepaid SIM, there's no danger of extra charges.

Oops . . . just saw the date of the OP. Hoop they had anice trip ...