SIM Card in Italy

[BurBunny]

Am considering buying a SIM card for my Galaxy cruise and post-cruise stay. Though my GSM phone has $.99 rates, I'm wondering if purchasing a local SIM card would make more sense. Am planning to use it to aid in meeting up with tour drivers, make reservations for dinner and such. For calls back to the US, I'm thinking my regular SIM would make more sense. But input is welcome

 

Could someone with experience give me an idea of prices and where I can obtain one either in the Rome airport or near the Termini train station? Best deals? Or is this really unnecessary?

[David C]

BurBunny: My wife and I spent quite a bit of time trying to figure out the hows and whys of SIM cards in Italy, Greece and Turkey in anticipation of our Eastern Mediterranean Galaxy trip next month. Finally, I gave up and purchased a GSM World Phone from a company I found on the internet at mobalrental.com. If cruisecritic's board police block the address, just do a google or yahoo search on the words "mobal" "cell" and "phone." And "mobal" is not misspelled!

 

For what it is worth, I purchased the $49.00 model (plus $10.00) for shipping. It will only work outside the United States and Canada. I received the phone (including a recharger with a variety of interchangable prongs which should work anywhere in the world) last week, and after following the easy-to-follow instructions, inserted my SIM card and battery and charged it up. I was assigned a phone number in England and will only be charged for actual usage. The bill will appear on my VISA card. If the phone is not used for 18 months, you need to call to reactivate your service. Rates are a little on the high side but I don't plan to spend alot of time on it. It is only intended for emergencies and the like. In Italy and Greece, the rates for incoming calls are $1.25 per minute, calls within those countries are $1.25 per minute, calls to the United States and Canada are $1.50 per minute and calls to all other countries are $2.95 per minute. In Turkey, the rate for incoming calls is $1.75 per minute, calls within Turkey go for $1.50 per minute, calls to the United States and Canada will set you back $2.95 per minute all other calls to other destinations cost $4.75 per minute.

 

This phone will only work while we are on land or, presumably, docked in port. Those who call you on the phone will need to pay international rates for a call from their phone to your England phone number. The phone also has voicemail/message capabilities and in order to retrieve messages you will be charged for a call to England.

 

Since we haven't left the United States yet I am unable to vouch for how well this will work. Others, however, have provided glowing reviews of the service and the telephone itself. You might want to consider this if the ability to keep in touch is as important to you as it is to us. Hope this is of some assistance to you.

 

David C.

[BurBunny]

Appreciate the input, David. My regular T-Mobile account has $.99/minute rates from Italy, so that's my worst-case option and better than the rental phones. But when I compare that to about $.15 with Italian SIM cards (and $.50 back to the US), the SIM cards begin to look better and better.

 

From my research, seems the TIM network is the most comprehensive? Anyone have any experience using a quad-band GSM phone and a TIM SIM?

[travelbugs]

We also have a quad band with a TIM card. Our neighbors just returned from Italy and brought one back for us. From what I understand you have 6 mos. to reactivate it before it expires. They returned 3 weeks ago and we are leaving May 8th. We plan on getting it recharged while we are there but at least now we have a phone # to pass on to people. When are you leaving? If it's within the range we can work something out. We also have one for Spain. The only place we haven't got one for yet is Greece (we will also have the computer and will SKYPE as needed). P.S. be sure your phone is unlocked before you leave.

[BurBunny]

Thank you, Travelbugs! Appreciate the offer... though we may be a little tight on the time frame. Am leaving for Italy on June 1. I'm pretty sure I can get a TIM easily before I leave, just wondering how well it works. But if you do come back in time and we can arrange it, let me know. I'll be back from Indonesia on May 21. (I know, tight time frame - which is why I'm trying to deal with this now!)

 

You sound like me - I use my laptop and Skype a lot, too when on the road. But when you're trying to meet up with a tour driver, talking to your laptop is just a bit over the edge on the odd side (but shhh, don't tell anyone - my PDA now has Skype installed, too).

 

Phone was never locked. Purchased from a TMo associated company, but the phone they sent was an unlocked version. Have already checked with other cards here in the US and good to go. Woohoo!

[petersonwith3]

What about while on sea days? I will be on the Liberty at the end of the month and will need to make a call, back to the states, on one of our sea days...trying to figure out a way to do this in the most cost effective manor.....Thanks for your help

[BurBunny]

I've used Skype while aboard several different ships, including the Liberty. Doesn't work wonderfully well, as the connection is a bit slow for voice communication, but it does work. Better if you have a bluetooth headset or other external headset rather than using the laptop speakers/mic.

 

Just know you're calling at the online rates, about $.75/minute. Still better than the rate from your cabin!

[Mark_in_Colorado]

I've seen many discussions about the use of SIM cards in Europe on the Fodor's travel forum (www.fodors.com/forums/threadselect.jsp?fid=2). If you do a search on "SIM" or such, you should find a lot of information from knowledgable folks.

[BurBunny]

Mark, thank you - you're right, excellent discussions there.

 

Have purchased a TIM card which will be initialized and ready to go so I'll be set when I arrive. With almost 3 weeks mostly in Italy, figured that was the easiest so I'd have the number before I left.

[Tropic]

Where and how did you get your TIM card and what were the fees for the initial card?

[BurBunny]

Purchased on eBay. Search under "Italian SIM" or "Italy SIM". Was about 20 Euro with 5 Euro credit on it.