Can anyone tell me about cell phones in Italy. My daughter is going over for 9 months to study. Can you get a plan here in the US or do you have to get one over in Italy?

Jack

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Kim,

Benvenuto Jack! (And start here.)

Bill

Gazetteer of Italy

thanks, a big help, a great place to start!!!

Pauline and others put a lot of work into that; but if you still have some loose ends of course, we're still here.

The web page on Slow Traveler is very good and complete.
I can offer a bit of refinement on using a “world phone,” a phone with frequencies to work in the US and in Europe (Asia as well). I have an Ericsson WorldPhone that works anywhere in the world. I use it in Italy with an Omnitel (TIM) SIM card. This is definitely the best of all worlds. Very inexpensive service, works all over Europe, convenience of a single phone, although you need a different number in Italy/Europe for people to reach you. All of the operational things noted on the web page are true, but here are a few things to look out for when using a world phone:
First: The phone is LOCKED. There are 2 types of UNlokcing that you need to ask your service provider to perform:
1> Unlock to use International roaming. You might not be concerned with this if you are only going to use your phone with an Italian SIM (International Roaming is VERY expensive), but you want to be aware of it so that you don’t get it confused with number 2.
2> Unlock to use with a European SIM. This was mentioned on the web page, but be aware that it can take as much as 2 weeks for them to get the secret codes to unlock your phone. (US phone prices are heavily subsidized by the networks, consequently Europeans were coming here and signing 2-year contracts for cheap/free phones and then just taking them home!)

Second: Registering as a user on an Italian network. Once you are registered and get your SIM card, everything works like magic, but signing-up and going through the red tape can be a major hassle. Unlike recharging your phone with more time with the plastic cards you buy at any tabacchi, you must go the Omnitel (TIM) store. So you need to be in a city and mindful of business hours. When I registered 4 years ago, TIM would not register a straniero, foreigner. Omnitel (TIM) would, but you must have your documentiPASSPORT with you. (I once took a friend to an Onmitel store to sign-up. They forgot their passport, so the clerk in typical Italian fashion, just used my passport number to get the computer to accept it!) It takes from ½ to 1 hour to get through all this (assuming you find someone who speaks a bit of English), so allow one of your mornings to get it done.

I make it sound awful, but it is well worth it. Calling the States from a vaparotto on the Grand Canal for pennies is a real treat.

Passionate for Olive Oil & Italy
www.casadecase.com

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Originally posted by EVO:
... Omnitel (TIM) would, but you must have your _documenti_PASSPORT with you... I make it sound awful, but it is well worth it. Calling the States from a vaparotto on the Grand Canal for pennies is a real treat.

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Everything you say about this Omnitel service is true. I bought my phone last time I was in Venice two months ago. Everything is perfect but I have a question. Do you know if the Codice Fiscale they assign you when you buy your Italian phone number can be used for anything else, like opening a bank account? Like you, I've had the wonderful experience of talking to my daughter and grandson from a vaporetto and as you say, only for pennies

"Canto alla vita alla sua bellezza ad ogni sua ferita ogni sua carezza..."

"I sing to life, to its beauty, to each of its wounds and each of its caresses..."

[This message was edited by Westsider on 29 December 2003 at 07:48 PM.]

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Originally posted by Westsider:
. Do you know if the Codice Fiscale they assign you when you buy your Italian phone number can be used for anything else, like opening a bank account?

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No unfortunately. To do anything else you need to apply for a real codice fiscale.

Moving to Italy and Driving in Italy

Basically everyone in my program went and bought new phones. They are cheap (80 euro or so base price).

--
Ex-expatriate, wishing he was back in beautiful Bologna.

Thanks Cristina. I thought it was too good to be true

"Canto alla vita alla sua bellezza ad ogni sua ferita ogni sua carezza..."

"I sing to life, to its beauty, to each of its wounds and each of its caresses..."

Hey!!! I can probably be useful for once! I worked at Omnitel Customare Care for a while two years ago!!!

The best thing for your daughter is to buy a sim card here from one of the three operators (TIM, Vodafone (former Omnitel), or Wind).
If she has a three band cellphone she can use it everywhere, otherwise, she won't be able to use it both here and at home.

If she buys a cellphone here (they are pretty cheap and they usually go with a sim card) she'll be able to use it everywhere in Europe.

When you sign the Omnitel contract, you must have a passport or ID with you. Passport is always better.
The codice fiscale that they give you is the one they wuold give you if you applied for one. They use one of those generators like this.
So yes, in theory it should be the same number. But now burocrats also want a photocopy of the actual plastic card. (Not for the cellphone)

There are several plans. You have to choose the best one for your needs. Usually the day is divided into several periods, each with its own calling rate. Usually calling in the morning is more expensive than calling in the afternoon or in the evening. But it all depends on the plan you choose.
They usually introduce you to the various plans.

I have a plan called "Italy": I pay the same price all day long to all regular telephones and other Vodafone cell phones. I pay more money to call other operators cell phones.
Calling abroad is not that expensive. There are different tarifs for different countries.

You do not pay to receive. unless you are abroad and you receive a phone call on your cellphone. In taht case both people pay.

If your daughter has an Italian telephone and you call her from the States, she doesn't pay anything. If she call you she pays the international call.
It will be around 30 eurocents per minute.

Omnitel customare care is 190 and they have a website 190 onlinewhich is only in Italian though. But if your daughter is here for 9 months hse will know enough in order to understand.

At the customare care there is always someone who can speak English and who can help you.

The last thing: you can choose between rechargeable cards or contracts with monthly bills.
For rechargeable cards (very convenients) you can choose many methods of payment. Not only plastic cards, but also your credit cards, you can recharge your phone from ATM and there are even vending machines. And of course you can buy "ricariche" from the internet.

Ciao!

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