Three do have roaming arrangements for Australian Three customers (3 Like Home) which is ok for call rates, but still 50c / MB, and if we need to call ahead to another country to check bookings or whatever, then we pay Australian international rates. Also concerned about roaming rates if the phone switches over to another network, without knowing, and then getting hit for $500 in calls and data.
If I can work out VoIP on my HTC Desire then I could just use that, or I suppose we could just get some cheap phone cards if we really need to call internationally. Most of our calls will be to each other and my wife being happy that she can check her voicemail, although we will forward our home VoIP line to whatever local number we have.
So Italy is the only country we need to pre-arrange anything to get a SIM card? All other countries you just need a passport at the most? I have now created two Codice Fiscale's for my wife and I using the website.
Three Like Home
UK, Hong Kong, Italy, Sweden, Austria, Denmark and Ireland. Standard roaming rates will be charged if you are roaming on another network
Call Description Rate*
To receive calls FREE
Voice/Video calls made to Australia or to other mobiles/landlines within roaming country 35¢ per 30 secs*
Voice/Video calls made to other countries Country dependent - as per the international call rate from Australia to the country you are calling
Voicemail retrieval from within roaming country 35¢ per 30 secs*
SMS/MMS from your mobile Charged as per individual rate plan1
Mobile Web/Broadband Use/Use of handset as a modem within roaming country 50¢ per MB