Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
My $50 Digiland tablet does everything a cellphone will do, except make and receive phone calls. Requires wi-fi. Phone, penny-a-minute on a plan like MyTello, or Friend your contacts on FB. I think on newer tablets, you can insert a SIMcard for wi-fi.
Reconsider how urgently you will need immediacy of contact.
I happen to be with Verizon which offers a 10 dollar per day plan but my understanding is it doesn’t cover roaming. Sounds like a SIM card is best.
Can I assume it is always best to use WiFi?
I have Verizon and I have "TravelPass" on mine. It is $10 per day charge for any day that you use your phone in another country to give you access to use your normal plan that you use here in the US. So whatever type of plan you currently have now here in the US will work in Italy for $10 per day. I used this on our phones every day while travelling all over Italy recently and my phones worked just as they would here and all I was billed was the $10 per day per phone that was used.
Traveling to Italy in a couple of months. Have researched using my cellphone while there. Can someone with experience tell me the simplest and cheapest way to proceed? I’ve seen all sorts of ideas but nothing that is really clear on the matter.
Any practical information greatly appreciated. I use an android phone.
First of all you have to have an UNLOCKED phone.
If you have T-Mobile then you are covered. The T-Mobile plans are accepted in many, many countries, including Italy.
If you don't have that when you arrive in Italy, on the airport, buy a sim card with an Italian number and data put it in your phone and you are all set for browsing, google maps etc... It is important to have the best data plan. But in order for the sim card to work you have to have you US phone factory UNLOCKED. If it's locked it's NOT going to work. Check with your phone company. They are very reluctant in unlocking phone for US customers, but if your phone is paid off, you can ask them to do it for you.
If you are still paying for your phone perhaps you can buy an unlocked phone second hand. There are websites out there where you can do that. swappa.com comes to mind.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
34,753 posts, read 58,116,312 times
Reputation: 46247
Quote:
Originally Posted by dijkstra
I have Verizon and I have "TravelPass" on mine. It is $10 per day charge for any day that you use your phone in another country to give you access to use your normal plan that you use here in the US. So whatever type of plan you currently have now here in the US will work in Italy for $10 per day. I used this on our phones every day while travelling all over Italy recently and my phones worked just as they would here and all I was billed was the $10 per day per phone that was used.
How many days were you using your $10/ day travel Pass in Italy?
If you don't have that when you arrive in Italy, on the airport, buy a sim card with an Italian number and data put it in your phone and you are all set for browsing, google maps etc...
It's typically cheaper to buy one in advance. Just like everything else in airports, SIM cards will be pricey.
Who is your provider in the US? T-Mobile has great plans you can use in the EU - explore Magenta Max plans.
Or buy a SIM card there (not at the airport, but they are sold in many places). Your phone needs to be unlocked. You also need to register your card - name, DOB, addresse, email, and passport #. All SIM cards in EU must be registered. You can do it online. https://thesavvybackpacker.com/how-t...ope-data-plan/
Is your phone eSIM compatible?
You can also use Signal app - all calls are made over a Wi-Fi or data connection and (with the exception of data fees) are free of charge, including long distance and international.
So, this might be your option.
How many days were you using your $10/ day travel Pass in Italy?
Weeks?
Months?
Yeah, $10/day sounds like a good deal until you consider the length of your trip. I was going to be in Europe for 12 days. That would have been $120, as opposed to the $60 SIM card I purchased.
Find out from Verizon. Who is their partner? If you need to purchase a "plan" of change out the sim card they will advise.
When you land and turn on your phone you will be barraged by a number of providers aching for your biz. Choose the Verizon partner, click on it, and away you go.
Verizon will advise you on what is best for your area of travel, need for service, and cost of plans/sim card. Get it done here so when you land you just turn it on.
My last travels were with T Mobile, and as advised above, you just flip to their European link when you land and away you go. Of course, that means you have to have T Mobile here in the USA which is not so good.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
