| A traveler to Italy needs to be careful in choosing | | | | Furthermore, the calls are prepaid so you never |
| the cellular service to use, so as not to end up | | | | receive a bill nor do you need to sign a contract |
| paying higher rates. In some cases, you as a | | | | or commit to lengthy periods of cellular service. |
| traveler can stay connected at a fraction of what | | | | Calls to the US are cheap, costing only about |
| you may need to pay for conventional rented cell | | | | $0.40 per minute, but whenever possible in order |
| phones, or on roaming with your original country | | | | to save even further, you may ask people to call |
| provider. As with a majority of countries in the | | | | you back on your cellular number. Your incoming is |
| world, Italy uses the GSM standard which offers | | | | free and you can afford to receive long calls. |
| quality digital services affording excellent phone | | | | While the person calling you will be paying for an |
| reception and clear sound quality. | | | | international call, rates to Italy can be very |
| With the exception of GSM tri-band phones it will | | | | reasonable - especially if the person calling you |
| be difficult to use your current cell phone and you | | | | chooses the right provider or uses a calling card. |
| may have to make special arrangements with | | | | In order to take advantage of paying local cellular |
| your current cellular carrier. They will provide you | | | | rates you must ensure that your GSM cell phone |
| a handset with a SIM (Subscriber Information | | | | is compatible with the Italian system at 900 GSM |
| Module)chip inserted into the phone which contains | | | | frequency, and is unlocked. GSM phones come |
| such information as the cell phone number, voice | | | | from the manufacturer unlocked - it is the carrier |
| mail and call logs. Getting set up in this manner | | | | that locks them in order to ensure that even if |
| with your current service provider will however, | | | | you do have an international cell phone from a US |
| allow you to retain your original phone number and | | | | or Canadian retailer that works in Italy, it won't |
| receive and make calls anywhere in the world. In | | | | work with anything other than the carrier's SIM |
| this case, there is usually a monthly fee for being | | | | card. |
| able to use the service internationally plus high | | | | Cell phone use overseas. |
| roaming rates (call rates) and other applicable | | | | In 99% of the world the local cellular service |
| charges such as renting the handset and having it | | | | standard is called GSM. We use this in the states |
| delivered to you. | | | | as well. When combined with a SIM CARD (which |
| Another alternative is to rent a cell phone. You | | | | usually goes under the battery of the phone) the |
| can rent a cell phone for Italy at any international | | | | phone is able to communicate and the SIM CARD |
| airport either prior to departing or upon arrival or | | | | also holds the telephone number and memory for |
| through many other ways such as the yellow | | | | pre-paid credit. Rates can be extremely low using |
| pages. Rates generally average $25-$50 per week | | | | this system. |
| for the handset rental plus per-minute charges for | | | | For example in 99% of all SIM CARDS incoming |
| actually placing and receiving calls. There are | | | | calls are free and calls to the states can cost a |
| usually minimum per day or per week usage | | | | trifle. Such as, from the UK to the USA 7 cents |
| rates, regardless of whether you have used the | | | | minute, from Israel 22 cents, from Australia 27 |
| service or not. | | | | cents. Yes, USA Dollar cents! There are today |
| The least expensive alternative is to use the | | | | even prepaid service providers in the USA |
| same service that the Italians use: a local, Italian | | | | offering rates of 10 cents per minute to call |
| cellular solution. With this approach, you will be | | | | anywhere in the US to any type of phone. No |
| paying local rates which are inexpensive and | | | | contracts, no credit card checks, no bills. Pre-paid |
| furthermore, you can receive unlimited, free | | | | always means no minimums no contracts, no |
| incoming calls from anywhere in the world, | | | | obligations. You only pay for the calls made. You'll |
| including the US or Canada. Calls are not routed | | | | need an unlocked GSM tri-band or quadband |
| through numerous foreign switches and therefore | | | | UNLOCKED phone. |
| the possibility of dropped calls is close to nil. | | | | |