I'm going to Europe in May and travelling through Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Germany, and Switzerland. Then I will be studying in Verona, Italy for 6 weeks. From scouring through the posts, it appears that the best option for me is to purchase a United Mobile SIM for my unlocked GSM phone. As of now, using Call Back World, I can dial out on the phone for 14 cents a minute. My family from the United States can call me using Call Back World, which would cost them 14 cents a minute (unless they can find a calling card that has a better rate for Liechtenstein cells). Is there a better way that I can get a cheap and reliable service? Should I get a second SIM for Italy only? Thank you so much in advance for your help. This board has been very helpful.

You'll love Verona, well maybe after 6 weeks it will get a little old.

You summed it up pretty well. You might want to get two phones and use the Italian (e.g. Wind) SIM for WAP and callback triggering. Use the second phone for incoming calls on your UM SIM. You only want incoming calls on that SIM.

I don't really need WAP since I'll have internet access when I need it (although not in my room, so VOIP wouldn't be that helpful). As for callback, I thought that a call to CBW using a UM SIM is not a completed call, thus you are not billed for time or the setup fee. Is this incorrect? My other hesitation regarding purchasing an Italian SIM is that I need to show Italian ID and register.

I think you can use your US passport and they will GENERATE the code fiscale for you.

You are correct about CBW. If you use it, you pay the fee.

Seems to me if you think you would make Italian calls and be called by Italians, that you would want a local SIM. Will they be willing to call you on your 423 #? I doubt it. Also, calling the Italian SIM may be cheaper than the 423. You'd have to look into that -- for your friends and family @ home.

Stan

I will be in Italy for about 6 weeks, using a GSM phone with a TIM SIM. I expect to call the US about twice a week. What are the pros and cons of the various call-back services?

Do you have access to a landline? Using the callback from a landline would be cheaper -- al least with CBW. CBW also has an 800 rate - 9 landline, 17 800 36 cellular.

I still think you would be better off using a calling card, either local or US. With Enjoyprepaid they give you a regular Italian # to dial and the rates are about 3 cents per minute back to US. There are other options - ATT, MCI, Onesuite and others, I am sure.

Our Italian friends will have other ideas for you.

Stan