Renting a cell phone
Jun 10th, 2005, 03:12 PM
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Renting a cell phone
Does anyone have experience renting a cell phone in Italy or to use in Italy? We would like to have one because they are so handy. My husband got a quote for over $100 from Sprint. Too much. Does anyone have any recommendations from actual experience. We will need it for about 2 weeks. Thanks!
Jun 10th, 2005, 03:32 PM
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Is there a reason you want to rent a phone? Do you have a cell phone in the US? If so, and it is at least triband GSM, you should be able to use it in Italy. With an Italian SIM card you would have an Italian number and folks would need to call you on that number (though your incoming calls are usually free.) Calls you make back to the US are usually cheaper than if you wree calling using your US account, too.
You may be able to just use your US phone and keep your usual number if your carrier has international coverage. Folks would call you just as if you were in the US, but you pay higher per minute costs for all calls made and received.
You may be able to just use your US phone and keep your usual number if your carrier has international coverage. Folks would call you just as if you were in the US, but you pay higher per minute costs for all calls made and received.
Jun 10th, 2005, 06:42 PM
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Consider buying a phone from Mobal.com - no monthly charge or minimum fees, just per-minute rates. Granted, those rates are not cheap, but whould suffice for emergency or quick calls now and then. Otherwise, unlock the phone (the higher-priced ones supposedly are arriving unlocked) and buy an Italian SIM when you get there for better per-minute rates.
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34587164
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34573040
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34518118
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34587164
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34573040
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34518118
Jun 11th, 2005, 03:13 AM
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If you are staying in Venice, Florence or Rome, try contextvenice.com, contextrome.com or contextflorence.com. Last year I was in Rome for almost a week by myself and it was so great to be able to be reached easily no matter where I was. The calls with the cell phone were much cheaper than some other options. And they dropped it off at my hotel and I left it with the front desk for them to pick up when I checked out. No problems at all and gave me a great connection to home for a woman traveling alone and it especially gave my family comfort that they could easily reach me anytime. I didn't HAVE to have it, but definitely was glad that I did.
Later this year, I'm going to Paris and Florence alone for about a week each and have asked about renting again.
Good luck and enjoy your trip to Italy.
Later this year, I'm going to Paris and Florence alone for about a week each and have asked about renting again.
Good luck and enjoy your trip to Italy.
Jun 11th, 2005, 03:22 AM
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So let's see....for a week you paid probably if you got a good rate $40 to rent the phone and it will be another $40 again for this trip so that's $80; for about that money you could buy a mobile phone in any mobile phone store or ebay and then a prepaid SIM pack where I assure you the calls will probably be somewhat cheaper etc. etc. etc.
Again, I can't value what people consider convenience. In most cases, renting a mobile phone is not the way to go. Yes if you are on a business trip for 2 days or something like that.
You can buy your own mobile phone, sign up with a company like riiing and be all set for the foreseable future.
Yes it requires a bit of homework but the threads here are full of advice of what to do and if convenience is your game, once you've done it, it is done and you can retain the same number on riiing for trips back as often as you want or loan it to a friend or whatever.
I just don't understand, and I don't mean this in a perjorative manner, what this obsession is with renting a mobile phone.
Again, I can't value what people consider convenience. In most cases, renting a mobile phone is not the way to go. Yes if you are on a business trip for 2 days or something like that.
You can buy your own mobile phone, sign up with a company like riiing and be all set for the foreseable future.
Yes it requires a bit of homework but the threads here are full of advice of what to do and if convenience is your game, once you've done it, it is done and you can retain the same number on riiing for trips back as often as you want or loan it to a friend or whatever.
I just don't understand, and I don't mean this in a perjorative manner, what this obsession is with renting a mobile phone.
Jun 11th, 2005, 03:38 AM
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Hi xyz123. I would never rent a mobile phone. On the ten or so trips I have made to Europe before my last one I have always considered it but the price just scared me. And frankly, after hearing some of the horror stories, I am glad I haven't.
But I think what you fail to realize is that before you answered the four million or so posts that you have answered here, it was never clear to me what was involved owning a phone. I think the mobile phone system in the US (which is changing) has given a lot of us a mind set that renting was the only thing possible.
It took someone like me a lot of reading to finally understand how to go about owning and operating my own phone. Now I have two!
There are some who have posted about buying phones before but the idea has finally become more popular.
Think back on the last few months of postings how many tutorials have been given on byying, owning and operating a cell phone in Europe.
If I hadn't been following the thrreads and wanted a phone in Europe, I probably would have considered renting, also. Except, I am a cheapskate.
But I think what you fail to realize is that before you answered the four million or so posts that you have answered here, it was never clear to me what was involved owning a phone. I think the mobile phone system in the US (which is changing) has given a lot of us a mind set that renting was the only thing possible.
It took someone like me a lot of reading to finally understand how to go about owning and operating my own phone. Now I have two!
There are some who have posted about buying phones before but the idea has finally become more popular.
Think back on the last few months of postings how many tutorials have been given on byying, owning and operating a cell phone in Europe.
If I hadn't been following the thrreads and wanted a phone in Europe, I probably would have considered renting, also. Except, I am a cheapskate.
Jun 11th, 2005, 03:56 AM
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Hi rbn,
Consider the $49 Nokia phone at www.mobalrental.com.
You will own the phone and the phone number forever.
The rates are rather high - abt $1.95/min, but if you want the phone only for emergency use, there are no fees or charges other than for calls you make or receive.
Consider the $49 Nokia phone at www.mobalrental.com.
You will own the phone and the phone number forever.
The rates are rather high - abt $1.95/min, but if you want the phone only for emergency use, there are no fees or charges other than for calls you make or receive.
Jun 11th, 2005, 08:54 AM
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I am the original poster and after reading all the responses and threads I think I am going to pass altogether. We don't go to Europe often and frankly, I couldn't understand 80% of the info out there. I don't know what a SIM is or why one has to unlock a phone. Heck, I can't even program my VCR. And I use the most basic functions on my Sprint phone here. But I am a good and kind person and a great cook! I think I'll go the old phone card from the Tabacchi and phone booth route. Thanks! 
Jun 11th, 2005, 04:34 PM
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xyz123, Thanks for your input, however, I neither have the time or ambition to learn about buying a cell phone right now when I had a perfectly fine experience renting one. And I really don't want to sign up with anyone for anything longer than the trip itself. Just my choice. I'd rather spend my time researching where I'll go and what I want to do. I'm glad that buying is such a great option for you and others, but to each his/her own. And for me, price isn't always the most important consideration, sometimes convenience and time spent researching and getting it done enters into it to. I'm sure the fact that you're educating the board about buying is a help to others.
Sher, I've only been posting for less than a week, so I haven't seen a single thread on this topic yet. So thanks for understanding and shedding some light on why some people just haven't read about that option and maybe aren't up to speed on it yet.
rbnwdln, I certainly can understand your decision and I hope that you have a fantastic trip to Italy. Enjoy!!
Sher, I've only been posting for less than a week, so I haven't seen a single thread on this topic yet. So thanks for understanding and shedding some light on why some people just haven't read about that option and maybe aren't up to speed on it yet.
rbnwdln, I certainly can understand your decision and I hope that you have a fantastic trip to Italy. Enjoy!!
