I'm so glad to have found this community, and hope that someone will be able to give me some more useful advice than I have been able to find so far in hours of internet searching.

I'm sending my 18 yo daughter to Italy (Rome, Florence, Venice) from US with a school group. It is, of course, the same week that college acceptance letters are due to arrive at home. She would really like to stay in contact.

I'm thinking about buying the Sieman's A70 unlocked phone from mobilee.com for $80. The last time we traveled to Europe, we rented a phone from Verizon. Its advantage was that any one calling me from the US only had to dial my regular cell phone number. I do think that owning a unlocked gsm phone is now the way to go. I don't really care about too many phone functions, I just want it to work! The Sieman's A70 looks like an acceptable choice.

What I can't figure out is since my daughter is only going to be in one country, am I better off buying an Italian SIM card from Cellurabroad.com or an international SIM card from United-Mobile.com . Or is there a better place to buy an Italian SIM?

I do realize that it is most often advised to just go to a tobacco shop and buy a SIM card in Italy. But, I would really like to deal with this prior to her leaving, so I know the phone number, and so she doesn't have to detour from the group to run to a tobacco shop. Any insights? Thanks so much.

If the only travel EVER is to Italy this one time, then the Italian card is probably the best option. I believe you can buy them on EBAY USA, DE or IT for much less than you would normally pay.

Another option is for her to call home using an MCI, ATT or other calling card and stay in touch.

If OTOH there will be other travels to other continents at some time in the near future (say 1 - 2 years), why not invest in an international card?

Good luck.

Stan

Now you can buy Wind prepaid cards for just 5 euros, including 5 euros of credit, which is really cheap. If you are not in a great hurry we could take one for you and you can pay us by Paypal, but first we have to wait for AndreA to come back from Switzerland (next week). If you are in a hurry I can see if I can directly help you by myself.
Just let me know :)

Also AndreA lives by Florence, so he can be very helpful also for any other things in that part of Italy, so feel free to ask! :)

Oh yeah! She should send her 18 year old daughter to see Andrea. Yeah, right! ;)

Actually, I usually advise waiting until you get to a country to buy a SIM but this might be an exception. She is probably not a seasoned traveler and it might be a good idea to try to have a SIM in hand when she arrives. Both Cellular Abroad and Telestial are reputable firms who deliver what they claim. However, the premium you pay when you deal with them is pretty stiff.

What is this "mobilee.com" I get a "domain for sale" sign when I enter that address.

Thanks for replies so far. I do hear that Telestial is a rip off. Any other ideas?

I think I typed it wrong the first time....they seem to have tons of unlocked phones for sale.

http://www.mobilebee.com/

Mobilebee.com
121 West 27th Street, Suite 502, New York, NY 10001
+1 (646) 336-7000

To me it seems rather silly to spend $80 + shipping for a phone (Siemens A70 as you suggested) IF YOU DON'T need the phone but for 2 weeks, at least initially.

From the way you write, you and your family either have NO cell phone service or you have service with a non-GSM provider. OR you may wish to pick up a pre-pay service like T-MO and get a phone that way. Kicker is you must wait 90 days to unlock a pre-pay phone. There are ways around that -- anyone with postpay T-MO service could ask for the unlock code for you as if the phone were their own.

If you DO have GSM service, you might be able to have your current phone UNLOCKED so you could give that phone to your daughter. Then you could upgrade your handset for your US service.

A usable cell phone may be closer than you think. You cannot find anyone in the family or circle of friends with a spare phone?

Just two examples:

My son (21) just signed a new contract with T-MO for a year and got a new phone. I sold his old Nokia 6010 (850, 1900 -- no good for overseas) and he got a new quad band for free. After less than 4 weeks with the phone, it accidentally fell from his pocket into the toilet and now works intermittently. I have temporarily loaned him a spare phone. I have another clunker as backup.

Before Christmas 2005 a friend told me he was going to Portugal. I offered him my Riiing card and a phone. He found someone at work who had recently also been to Portugal on business who loaned him a phone and local SIM card.

It IS possible there are phones you can use near you.

Good luck,

Stan

I would not call Telestial a "Rip off". I would just say that they charge a premium for what you get from them. Since there are two firms who sell pretty much the same products and charge pretty much the same prices, (being a believer in competition) I have to assume that there are some high costs involved with that business.

I've looked at the MobileBee site and that Siemens phone looks like a good deal for a traveler.

I take it that your regular wireless carrier is Verizon? Does she have her own phone? Have you asked Verizon what it would cost to get a SIM linked to her number, without renting their phone?

For getting an Italian prepaid SIM, you pretty much get it after you get there or deal with the aforementioned companies. Or maybe one of your friends is like me and keeps an active Italian SIM, just in case...

why not :)


<span style='font-size:12pt;line-height:100%'>Effendi </span>. I checked the offer page for wind italy and it states that validity is 12months , and you need a refil after 12th month! .. can you extend the card for another 12months with a 4euro refil , or does it have to be bigger?

Don't worry: 4 euros is enough to extend the validity of the card as you need.

My other complaint with the rip off artists at Telestial and the other one (incidentally is there such a thing as price fixing in the USA?) is you have no choice of which network you buy the sim on. You get the network in the country they are featuring on their site that week (or month)...

Example: I was travelling to Ireland about a year ago and was looking to pick up a local Irish sim...same business you want the number before you leave...the only Irish carrier Telestial had was Meteor which is generally acknowledge to be the weakest of the Irish networks...I wanted either Vodafone IE or O2-IE preferring vodafone because you can use vouchers from other vodafone operations to keep thethe number active more easily (don't know if O2 UK vouchers work on O2-IE but I do know Vodafone UK vouchers work on Vodafone IE (as well as Vodafone NL, Vodafone DE, SFR, Vodafone IT etc.)....in any event I passed on the Telestial offer which was something like $50 plus shipping (don't you love when they charge you $15 for shipping when USPS charges them $4)...and decided to wait for arrival in Ireland. Sure enough there was a Vodafone IE store right in the arrivals area of the Dublin airport...10? for a sim card including 5? of service and they had a special if I registered the sim (using the hotel's address) I would get an additional 5? of call credit...somehow my math tells me that would make the sim card free...of course since I use callback world to call North America, ultimately I still had 9,25? left on the card when I left Ireland...the one year expires in April...I will be visiting the UK in April...the choice is mine to walk into a Vodafone UK store and buy a voucher to keep the account active or since I now rely more or less on United Mobile to let it expire.

My preference has always been for local sims for incoming as I find them more reliable (although I have to admit United Mobile reliability has increased tremendously over the past year and is now pretty stable).

None of this would have been possible if I had accepted the Meteor offer on Telestial. In almost all cases, their charges are 3 times the price you will pay by waiting and buying the local sim upon arrival and in this modern era of text messaging and e mail, letting your friends know your number is no big deal.

Thanks, once again, for all the replies. To answer some questions:
We have 3 Verizon phones on a family plan and one Sprint phone, none of them are GSM. I do not think I can just get a SIM from verizon hooked to my daughters cell number, but I will ask.

After renting the phone from Verizon 18 months ago, I realized that having a mobil to use when in Europe was very useful . (the rental car died as we were filling it up outside of the Salzburg Airport. Somehow, the security system froze, the car wouldn't start and we were really just around the corner from where it needed to be returned. Several phone calls later, they sent someone out to reprogram security system. The whole process was much easier because we had a phone with us)

I think many americans rent cell phones to take to Europe, just because it's easier to deal with even if it is more expensive. I have decided just to buy a GSM phone to own, find a way, before she leaves the US, of setting it up for my daughter for her trip and then owning it for any future travel (Hopefully soon).

My sister, who is married to a Brit, and has lived extensively in Europe (Paris, Rome, London) says that since nothing in Italy works as it should :) I should buy the international SIM card vs an Italian SIM card. And since many people report that United Mobil is more reliable than it used to be, I do think this is the solution.

I can always buy local SIMS for future travel, I just want to be able to set my daughter up with a phone for this trip to Italy, with the least amount of hassle. And, to not spend the money on Verizon rental, which will cost more than this process, and I won't own the phone.

So, is that Siemans phone a good choice to own, or is there something better in that price range ($80)? And, do you agree that buying a united mobile card for this particular trip, is the better thing to do?

Thanks for all your honest answers.

The first thing you need to understand about this bunch is that we are all dedicated to doing things the cheapest way possible. We spend huge amounts of time looking for a way to make a phone call for a few pennies less. The advice you get here will always have that slant.

Verizon used to have a system where you could get a GSM SIM for roaming overseas. The SIM cost something like $10/month. Since they came out with their expensive dual-mode GSM/CDMA phone, they may no longer offer just the SIM. But do ask. The advantage of having a roming SIM is not low cost, it's universal access. Once you have it, you don't have to worry about how you will get a phone that works. Having the ability to GSM roam gives me the leasure to find the local prepaid SIM I want after I get there.

There are many better phones than the Siemens but $80 is about the least you will pay for a new, unlocked GSM phone, without working some strange deal. It will be a good phone that will work well for your family.

Check your international calling rates to a mobile phone in Liechtenstein. The costs run from 11c/min to around $1.70/min. This is where the UM SIM is based and the cost of calling the UM number will influence your decision. Otherwise, just about everyone here owns at least one UM/Riiing SIM at least as a backup.

Here is the only problem with United Mobile....

You get a Liechtenstein number (country code 423)...that's not the big deal you would dial 011 423 66 3xx xx xx. The big deal is that long distance charges from the US to Liechtenstein mobiles vary humongously and have been going up in recent months. I have a UM sim....my AT&T ld plan features a $1/month option for international calling. As of this writing, they are an unbelieveably low 11?/minute to call the Liechtenstein mobile vs. something in the order of 40?/minute to call local sims in most European countries. You will have to charge what your ld carrier charges to Liechtenstein mobiles and some of the cheaper ones, say net2phone direct don't always go through. AT&T quality is excellent and always goes through but many are skeptical what with the charges for calls to Liechtenstein mobiles having tripled in the last year, how long the AT&T rate will hold.

Also, be aware, united mobile operates on a call back system. That means if your daughter were calling the United States from Italy on her United Mobile phone she would dial the number +1 212 555 1212 for example, she will get a message to the effect please wait (the siemens phone does work on United Mobile as do most Nokias) and will get a call back and hear the ringing tones. For mobile phones, the charges are not pad 0,39?/minute with a 0,25? fee for each call. Incidentally you can now buy a United Mobile card denominated in US dollars. Their web site has the details. Also topping up the card is easy.

However, you can do much better with a callback service. Currently the best priced callback system is callbackworld at www.callbackworld.com. Here's how that works...they give you your own US number...you dial the number as above. You hear the phone ring and after 2 rings you hang up. About 10 seconds later, a call back comes in (the 2nd callback) and the computer asks please enter phone number followed by the number sign key now....and you do that and the call goes through at an astoundingly cheap rate of 14? (US) /minute billed in 6 second intervals (talk for 66 seconds and pay 16?, not the 1,03? you would with United Mobile)...they (cbw) also give you an 800 US number but it is not a dedicated number to you, you need a pin, which you can key to the Liechtenstein number and by dialing it you would pay the 14?/minute charge.

When it works, it's great. And recently it has worked pretty well. Call quality is okay considering callback world uses intrnet providers similar to other internet providers, on the European end the quality is fine as you are roaming on some local network...the beauty of callbackworld is you don't pay anything to United Mobile as the triggering call is never answered and on the callback you are receiving and while in Western Europe you don't pay to receive on gsm carriers as long as you are in the home country of the sim. The United Mobile sim considers every Western European country as well as Central European and Eastern European as well as Australia, China and South Africa to be home countries.

The bad thing? Well there was another company called enlinea which until a month ago provided almost the exact same service for 12?/minute and their 800 number did not require a pin. But in the last month, the rate has tripled to 42?/minute making it not such a great deal. Also sporadically callback world has been down for extended periods of time (local carriers blocking calls??) but in that event you can always fall back on the naitive united mobile system and as noted calls are not all that expensive for a roaming mobile situation.

Also be aware it's far easier to make a local call (while she's in Italy to say an Italian friend) on the local sim. You can also use cbw on the Italian sim but it's triple the price of the Liechtenstein mobile.

There is really no one answer...what folks here are trying to do is lay out all the options and then you have to decide. You can order, I think you have discovered, a United Mobile sim cirectly from the web site, have it denominated in US currency and you will know your Liechtenstein number as soon as the card arrives.

My vote despite it all is still probably, in this case, for the Italian sim mostly due to the fact she will be in only one country.

Two choices for cheaper international calls with an Italian SIM - also get either a calling card or callback service, or both. Some calling card access numbers are recognised and blocked; I'd be interested to know about the Bizon ones which would charge 2c on top of the SIM call charge (Wind ?0.10)

Another choice for reaching UM cheaply, only just launched, is the Finarea VoIP company www.internetcalls.com - call charge 10.44c ?, about 12.5c US - the very interesting part is call forwarding and an incoming number (not US yet though), which means it's usable without an internet connection. But note - it would only be worthwhile if you expect to use it quite a bit for chargeable calls, as the initial credit will expire in 120 days

FYI...

Yes, least expensive.

Calls from US (probably ANYWHERE) to mobile phones (except US, Canada) are GENRALLY more expensive than to land line phones. For Germany a call to a land line is genrally < 5 US cents per minute. About the best you can to for to a German mobile is 20 US cents, most often more like 25 - 30.

If your daughter will have a land line in the hotel room, call that instead.

I ALWAYS preferred calling the hotel rooms in Germany and Malta where family stayed last summer.

Stan

Since she is only going to be in one country, a local Italian sim will be the better option. UM gives you the advantage if you will be visiting several countries, so you can just have one number to roam with. As for the phone (or even the sim) check ebay. You can get very good unlocked phone for a very good price on eBay.

I am with sprintPCS myself, and we have 2 unlocked GSM phones (bought on Ebay) for international travel. BTW, I also have the UM sim just in case. As mentioned, this sim is good if your trip will take you to more than 1 country. I will get a chance to test mine in April when a will be on a cruise that docks in 4 countries.

i see you have a wind card .. thanks for the info


Cause in france you need to put something like 75e a year to keep the number , right ?

Which French operator?

I have Orange FR and you really need "only" 20? a year...that is 2 10 day ?10 top ups as you get 6 months extended validity of the sim after the 10 days are up (although you lose the 10? credit or whatever is left)...hate that way of doing things...at least riiing lets you keep validity for 9 months if you make 1 call...if you make a call you should be able to extend validity.

The other problem with both Orange FR and SFR, well not so much with SFR as you can use foreign vodafone vouchers to top up, is if you don't have a French credit card the only way to top up is with vouchers bought for Orange FR specifically; Orange has not yet mastered how to use other Orange vouchers to top up while outside of France so you have to buy them in advance...

Usually is more expensive here in France than in Italy but not so much.
With Breizh Mobile 10? are enough for 8 months validity and with NRJ Mobile at least one call or sms every 6 months...

I'm here :) liz5959 let be free to ask waht you want, it's a pleasure for me to help PPGSM friends :thumbup:

Hi 0700700,

Following up on Matha's and Maccoy's posts, with Bouygtel's Carte Nomade a 15-euro recharge extended your ownership of the number 8 months when I was last in France in January. I'll be back there in a few days. If there's any change in that policy I'll post it. But I imagine it has remained the same. (The 10-euro recharge did not extend it that long.)

Marc

Just to follow up: there's been no change to the Bouygtel policy. Recharging for 15 euro in March extended my possession of the number until November.

Marc

In May I'm taking my unlocked Nokia 6102 GSM phone with me to Italy for a 5-6 week visit, including a week in Firenze. I plan to buy a TIM SIM either before I leave the USA or immediately upon arrival because family and others need a telephone number where I can be reached if necessary. I do not know whether there is any advantage in buying a TIM SIM in the USA just to have the telephone number if I still need to go through the bureaucratic application process to get it activated in Italy, and to select various options (I have no idea what they are) for voice mail etc. I'll have a callback service so that I can modify the answering message on my home phone in the USA.
Driving from Innbruck across the Brennero to Firenze, where is my first opportunity to buy a TIM SIM that does not require a lengthy detour into a city where one cannot park anywhere? I'll stop for lunch in Campogalliano.
Thanks for suggestions, Oliver

There's an official TIM shop in Bressanone/Brixen, one of the first exit on the motorway after the Austrian border.

Here are the details:
IL TELEFONINO
Via Mercato Vecchio, 8/c
39042 BRESSANONE BZ
Tel.: +39/0472/834473

The problem is that it's in the centre, and I fear it's a pedestrian zone.

There is another TIM shop (not flagship) here:
AUTOMUSIC
VIA VITTORIO VENETO 28/1
39042 BRESSANONE BZ
Tel: +39/0472/831888

Via Veneto is beside the motorway and surely it's not a pedestrian zone.

You can take a look on ViaMichelin for the route.

Hey guys,

I reccomend that you buy a Vodafone Omnitel SIM CARD.. Their rates are relatively cheap compared to the other Operators such as TIM and Wind.

I always use Vodafone Omnitel when I'm in Italy, it's never let me down!!

: B)

Sorry sean89 but it's really the opposite, Vodafone has the highest tariffs in Italy, there's not much to discuss with it. Anyway for a traveller I think it doesn't change much.