sarge56

I have Vonage VOIP at home and am thinking of taking it "with me" when I head to Paris and Italy in a few weeks. It is basically a USB plug in and headphones. I can then make phone calls through the computer I'm on for simply the cost of the internet time.

The Vonage website says to check if there are any laws governing VOIP usage in the foreign country to which I'll be traveling. Figured someone here would have better info.

We'll be in Florence/Venice/Rome/Paris. Are internet "cafes" pretty prevalent in these cities? Does anyone have faves that offer snacks/coffee while internetting? I think these would be preferable to "hogging" a hotel internet lobby hookup. I know my daughter. She says she will try to limit her calls home to 20 mts a day. But she has 2 little girls whom I know will want to talk to her, so thinking closer to 1/2-hour a day minimum. (On the other hand, I'll probably call my catsitter once.)

So, any input is helpful. The Vonage website also says broadband required (I'm sure no prob), but Windows installed. Is Windows pretty commonly loaded on European computers?

(We are also unlocking my Cingular phone and buying a SIM card when we hit Italy, since the bulk of our time is there and we'll want to maybe check on reservations etc.)

In Venice, we are near Rialto bridge, in Rome, the Capitol area and in Florence, we are near the Accademia. In Paris, we are on the Ile de la Cite (which looks to be right at the crossroads of the 2nd/4th/5th and 6th arrondisements.)

Thanks, friends!
Paula

AAFrequentFlyer

As long as the internet cafe offers broadband service, which I'm sure they do, you should have no problem.

Just don't forget to bring your passport when going to use an internet cafe. Italian law requires that the operators of cafes identify every user and keep a copy of the id/passport on file.

<i>ROME – Looking out over the cobblestone streets of Rome's Borgo Pio neighborhood, Maurizio Savoni says he's closing his Internet cafe because he doesn't want to be a &quot;cop&quot; anymore.

After Italy passed a new antiterrorism package in July, authorities ordered managers offering public communications services, like Mr. Savoni,to make passport photocopies of every customer seeking to use the Internet, phone, or fax. </i>

http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/1004/p07s01-woeu.html

sarge56

WOW, AA, thanks for the heads up. How sad. I'm not sure I want to let a total stranger have a copy of my passport, either. We may opt for just the phone instead.

Paula

alanRow

&lt;&lt;&lt; I'm not sure I want to let a total stranger have a copy of my passport, &gt;&gt;&gt;

Like hotel receptionists? Pretty much compulsory for folk to be registered at any hotel in Italy

sandi_travelnut

You show lots of strangers your passport...get over it fast or you won't be traveling much.

Girlspytravel

You don't have to show your passport at internet sites in Italy-I use my driver's license, as I never carry my passport with me -it always stays locked up in the apt. or the hotel- and I have NEVER had a problem using my driver's license, as it is an official government issued ID.

Girlspytravel

Also Sarge, internet cafes are harder to find in central Paris, but I found this website not too long ago that gives the internet points in central Paris, as well as Rome:

www.world66.com

http://www.world66.com/europe/france/paris/cybercafes

In Rome and in Florence, there are many internet points-you won't have any problem finding them. There are a few in Venice also, but perhaps a bit more difficult to find. If you go to:

www.veniceexplorer.net

plug in &quot;Venice shops&quot; and then use the drop-down box for &quot;internet services&quot; you can find all the listed internet points in Venice-the one I like is located just off the Campo SS Apostoli, in Cannaregio, in the small calle just by the pharmacy. Since you are staying near Rialto this location would be very close to you. The problem with internet points is that they often close, so you can't be entirely sure that one you visited 6 mos. ago is still there, but you can always ask at your hotel.

dutyfree

Both in France and Italy along with most countries of Europe, you can get over 300 minutes of calling back to the US on a phone card from your hotel(without a charge) for just 5 EUROS. You purchase them at ANY TABAC shop and just dial 9 for an outside line from the hotel with the 800 number on the back of the card and the special code. The connection is quick,easy and the connection is like being back in the states. I use these everyweek for work to call home to talk,make appointments,work on insurance billings,etc. I would never hassle with a phone and a new sim card with high roving rates for just one trip to Europe.
If you have family and friends that need to get ahold of you in Europe,then sign up for PINGLE on the internet which is about 6 cents a minute or less to Europe.You can list about 8 phones to use PINGLE and then everyone has access.
You dial an 888 number and then the number you want-cheap and easy. I have used PINGLE when my kids studied abroad and have lived in Korea,India,Sicily,Italy and Prague. The less electronic &quot;stuff&quot; you have will be easier to travel with-trust me!

greg

In Italy, at least the Internet cafes I went, they also accepted my US driver's license.

All the Internet cafes I went, I thought the &quot;broadband&quot; meant DSL. They were molasses slow. Faster than the dial up, but not at a broadband cable speed. I am not sure how well VOIP works over these lines.

AAFrequentFlyer

In my original post I did say <b>ID</b>/Passport. I never had a need to use an internet cafe in Italy so I simply quoted the article when I said &quot;bring your passport&quot;.

OTOH, I rather have the operators take a copy of my passport rather than my DL. Why? Simple. It's a long shot, but what if the owner of the internet cafe is working with some people back in your home country? S/he sees the entire family come in to the cafe, father, mother, couple of kids, then it is very possible that they call their buddies in your country and tell them that it's very possible that the house at 123 Street Avenue is empty at the moment. DL will give them that information, a passport will not.

I never have any problems giving out my passport info as long as I get to keep it. I never have a problem anybody taking a photocopy of my passport as long as I get to keep my passport. There is not much that can be done with the info included in the passport. There is a great deal more harmful info available on DL, including, at least in some states, your SSN. Combine that with your full name, address, date of birth, and you masy be looking at id theft.....