Cell Phones or Smart Phones usage over in Italy???

[kjasmin]

Has anyone purchased the international plan through ATT? Want to see if there are better choices out there for international phone/data plan.

KJ

 

[OhanaCuz]

I did. I've used the International Day Pass on two river cruises and it was great. You get charged $10 for a 24 hour period and you can use your voice, text, and data like you normally would back home. It doesn't matter if you travel to another country during that 24 hour period.

If you're going away for a month it's not a good deal but for a person like me who makes short, infrequent overseas trips it's perfect.

 

[aggiedog]

We've done the same. It works well, but can get expensive, and there is a limit on the amount of data it covers. You can pay more for unlimited coverage. Be warned that using apps like google maps or other "how to get there" apps will suck your data.

For longer trips in the future, I think I'll look into switching sim cards for the duration. I have a friend that swears by that.

 

[Bobo912]

If you're willing to change carriers, T-Mobile has unlimited texts and data at no additional cost and 25 cents/min for calls to over 210 countries, including Italy. We just got back from Scotland and we used a lot of data and texted quite a bit as well, with no extra cost. I don't make calls when I'm travelling unless it's an emergency, and fortunately I haven't had any of those recently. Any calls can usually wait until I can connect to WiFi.

 

[Alacrity]

If you plan to make a lot of calls, texts or data a local SIM may be the most cost effective option. There are also SIMs you can purchase which will work globally, handy if you travel to different countries (I have one called sim4globe for example). There is a reference to local providers that shows some of the providers in different countries: http://prepaid-data-sim-card.wikia.com/wiki/Prepaid_SIM_with_data

I usually use my service providers international plan (Verizion). But, i don't tend to use my phone much and rely mostly on WiFi at the hotels. I'm on vacation after all!

 

[2-pointdoe]

I also had the $10 a day plan through AT&T but did not use it. The hotels all had wifi and that was sufficient for our needs.

 

[sayhello]

If you plan to make a lot of calls, texts or data a local SIM may be the most cost effective option. There are also SIMs you can purchase which will work globally, handy if you travel to different countries (I have one called sim4globe for example). There is a reference to local providers that shows some of the providers in different countries: http://prepaid-data-sim-card.wikia.com/wiki/Prepaid_SIM_with_data

I usually use my service providers international plan (Verizion). But, i don't tend to use my phone much and rely mostly on WiFi at the hotels. I'm on vacation after all!

Don't you have to have an unlocked phone to use a SIM card?

Sayhello

 

[DollyM]

On both my Viva Italia and Bella Italia ABDs I picked up a SIM card from a local carrier’s store (Tim) on my pre-day (near the Vatican and at the Naples train station). It was about 20€ total for the card, the activation, and 4GB data. I did the same thing in London (non-ABD) with EE and it was similarly priced. I was only interested in data so I didn’t look at pricing for voice/text options.

 

[aggiedog]

My only experience is with iPhones, and yes, you have to have it unlocked. If you own your phone outright (not a monthly rental/payment plan) you call Apple and they magically unlock it. If you don't own your phone, I don't think you can officially unlock it. (I think there may be a hack for it?) The sim card pops out easily with the right slim implement.

My daughter is studying abroad this semester, and ATT wanted us to do the $10/day plan. For 5 months, are you insane??! She switched the sim card her first day in Singapore. The biggest issue then is not losing the tiny sim card until she gets back home.

 

[Grifdog22]

If you are on domestic USA Sprint plans they have free global texting and 2g data throughout Italy with calls at $0.20/minute. In a month we'll let you know how that works out. Our pre and post day hotels have free wifi and our iphones are also wifi calling enabled, so we'll use that. On Sprint you can upgrade while traveling to high speed LTE for $25/week or $5/day with a few clicks on the phone if you need it.

We used the free global throughout our trip in Australia with Sprint and it was blazing fast; all covered within our existing Sprint plan at no extra charge. We never needed the "upgrade" as we already felt like we had it.

I DID NOT intend to sound like an ad there. Sorry. I've been frustrated with AT&fee and Verizon in my business and switched over to Sprint a few years ago and have been very happy with the service at a fraction of what I was paying before.

 

[OhanaCuz]

We've done the same. It works well, but can get expensive, and there is a limit on the amount of data it covers. You can pay more for unlimited coverage.

There is a limit, but it's the same data usage limit you have from your plan when in the USA.

https://www.att.com/offers/international-plans/day-pass.html
"Data: International Day Pass lets you use data in all IDP countries without roaming charges. Data will be drawn from your domestic plan allowance. "

 

[Alacrity]

Don't you have to have an unlocked phone to use a SIM card?

Sayhello

You do, absolutely.

In the case of Verizon, if I recall their policy correctly, all phones are unlocked Internationally. At least those that can work internationally (they once called those "World Phones"). They are phones that have at least some of the GSM bands available. Some are unlocked domestically and are unlocked after they are off contract/paid for. On other carriers you'd want to check their policy about unlocking phones. I know T-Mobile has an attractive International plan and their phones, along with AT&T are GSM based phones.

Alternatively, you can purchase an inexpensive (or more expensive if you like) unlocked GSM phone for use internationally and I've even seen a few companies that rent phones to use abroad. Next time I buy a phone I plan on buying an unlocked phone to use at home and while traveling.

 

[sayhello]

You do, absolutely.

In the case of Verizon, if I recall their policy correctly, all phones are unlocked Internationally. At least those that can work internationally (they once called those "World Phones"). They are phones that have at least some of the GSM bands available. Some are unlocked domestically and are unlocked after they are off contract/paid for. On other carriers you'd want to check their policy about unlocking phones. I know T-Mobile has an attractive International plan and their phones, along with AT&T are GSM based phones.

Alternatively, you can purchase an inexpensive (or more expensive if you like) unlocked GSM phone for use internationally and I've even seen a few companies that rent phones to use abroad. Next time I buy a phone I plan on buying an unlocked phone to use at home and while traveling.

So if you get an international SIM card with your unlocked phone, is it your normal phone number, or do people have to call & text a different number?

Sayhello

 

[aggiedog]

For my daughter, as she got the new sim card thru Singtel in Singapore, it is a new number, which is long distance to call us here in the US. It works best for using the new number/data local to where you are. We use an app called ******* to text/talk to her. It goes thru wifi and is free for all involved.

 

[Alacrity]

So if you get an international SIM card with your unlocked phone, is it your normal phone number, or do people have to call & text a different number?

Sayhello

With a local SIM it would typically be a different number, local to where the SIM is purchased. The "global" sims can be different. The one I have, for example, has a US number (with an area code from Minnesota!) but many will come with a European number or, for a fee, possibly both International and a US number.

Some are a little odd on how they work. Someone may call my US number and they will get a message to hang up. The system then rings my phone, wherever I may be, and calls them back to connect the two. This prevents them from getting an International phone bill! But, I end up paying for the call! Texts, I think, go through as normal.

I would imagine, though I haven't tried, that a US number could be forwarded to the International number. That way someone would not have to know the other number. A Google Voice number, as an example, can ring multiple phones...I wonder if it could forward to an International number? May be worth a try.

 

[CaliforniaGirl09]

So if you get an international SIM card with your unlocked phone, is it your normal phone number, or do people have to call & text a different number?

Sayhello

Do you have an old iPhone around? You can unlock that and use that strictly for international travel. That's what we do. We just take that phone and pop in a new SIM every time. As PP said, local sims will have local numbers.

EDITED to add: For example, I have a Giffgaff card that I reload every time I go to the UK. To give you an idea of the *crazy* savings... last time I paid £7.50 for 1 GB of data, 250 call minutes, and unlimited texts. I also topped up a few pounds to be able to make international calls home. It's silly cheap in the UK for mobile rates.

 

[sayhello]

Do you have an old iPhone around? You can unlock that and use that strictly for international travel. That's what we do. We just take that phone and pop in a new SIM every time. As PP said, local sims will have local numbers.

EDITED to add: For example, I have a Giffgaff card that I reload every time I go to the UK. To give you an idea of the *crazy* savings... last time I paid £7.50 for 1 GB of data, 250 call minutes, and unlimited texts. I also topped up a few pounds to be able to make international calls home. It's silly cheap in the UK for mobile rates.

I'll have to see if my old Galaxy S3 still works or not. My Galaxy S5 died a horrible death. That *does* sound like a great way to do it. I imagine Iceland would have local SIMs.

Sayhello

 

[Alacrity]

I'll have to see if my old Galaxy S3 still works or not. My Galaxy S5 died a horrible death. That *does* sound like a great way to do it. I imagine Iceland would have local SIMs.

Sayhello

IF the Galaxy is an unlocked GSM phone you should be good! In the US, T-Mo and At&T are probably GSM.

and Iceland:
http://prepaid-data-sim-card.wikia.com/wiki/Iceland

 

[sayhello]

IF the Galaxy is an unlocked GSM phone you should be good! In the US, T-Mo and At&T are probably GSM.

and Iceland:
http://prepaid-data-sim-card.wikia.com/wiki/Iceland

It's Verizon. I don't believe Verizon is GSM. Thanks for the link.

Sayhello

 

[Alacrity]

It's Verizon. I don't believe Verizon is GSM. Thanks for the link.

Sayhello

Verizon has some GSM phones, they call them World Phones or World Devices. I use Verizon and mine happens to be. But, looking up the specs of that particular phone shows that it is CDMA only. Not a "World Phone". Verizon's International plans are not bad if you have a phone that can use them. It's $10 per 24 hour period for what they call TravelPass and it uses your usual voice, text and data limits. If you use it they charge you (you'll get a text) if you don't they don't. Their online account options let you check and activate it.