I've printed the material on the website, so please forgive me if this question is answered there.
I arrive at Genoa airport at 6 pm on Sunday evening. Will I be able to rent a cell phone there for my weeklong stay?
Also, will I be able to return it, since my flight out of Genoa is at 7:25 am the following Sunday?
I am toying with the idea of "I'm on vacation, in Italy, I don't need no stinking cell phone," but....perhaps it would be a good idea. (Frankly, I was in Paris for a week and didn't use one, so...)
This message has been edited. Last edited by: Kim,
You will pay more for renting than for buying a new phone. They can cost less than $100 and that includes $20 worth of time. You will not pay to receive either. When you get back home sell it on eBay or to someone here.
quote:Originally posted by AlanP: otherwise, will there be a store in Camogli? perhaps in Portofino?
We Italians have a big hXXd-on with cellphones. I suppose there will be several in both Camogli and Portofino. Look for TIM or OMNITEL signs.
Alice Twain --
Sciur capitan, questa che l’è la verità, adess ghe n’hoo piee i ball, Giovanni el turna a cà. Se te voret scriv te regali la mia pena, se te voret sparam questa l’è la mia schena.
Mr capitain, this is the truth Now I am sick of it, Giovanni goes back home If you want to write to me, I’ll give you my pencil If you want to shoot me, here’s my back.
For a week: Cell phone rental cost from the US is $51, plus $1.34/minute (because I already have a SIM card, thus saving $25). (AT&T)
It sounds like I am better off buying a phone in Italy than renting a phone in the US, if I use the phone for 30 minutes over the week, which I probably will do even if all I do is check voice mail a few times. If I use the phone for less than that, it's probably a wash.
Of course, there is some risk that I won't be permitted to buy a phone in Italy because I am not a resident of Italy, is that right? (I can not in my wildest dreams imagine that that rule is followed.) What is the real risk of this?
Most places now are willing to fake a bit of info to sell phones. If you don't feel like risking finding someone who will not, just bring your passport and a "codice fiscale number" which you can calculate HERE Just write it on a piece of paper and when they ask for it you can always say that you left yours back at home. Make sure that you name on your passport is the same EXACT name that you use for the codice fiscale calculation.
I am going to Tuscany for two weeks in July. Also toyed with the idea of buying a phone in Italy and getting a sim card. I am a current AT&T customer. They have a GSM Phone for $99 that I can purchase and then pay $1.29 per minute to call the US, receive calls from the US, and call other places within Italy. It will get billed to my current wireless account. I don't have to purchase a plan, just upgrade my old phone to a GSM phone. I can keep my current phone number and use it in Italy. And I have a good phone that I can use when I am back in the US. After much discussion and gnashing of teeth over what to do, I think I am going to go with AT&T. It just seems that there are benefits to using them and keeping the phone for here in the US.
Posts: 43 | Location: Pennsylvania | Registered: 03 February 2003
quote:Originally posted by Dali: After much discussion and gnashing of teeth over what to do, I think I am going to go with AT&T. It just seems that there are benefits to using them and keeping the phone for here in the US.
I understand that many people think that it is easier just to use your stateside phone in Italy but I personally think it is a ridiculous waste of money.
If you buy a cell phone in Italy and use it to call the states you will be paying less than 50 euro cents per minute (depending on the plan you sign up with it could be as low as 30 euro cents). You also will not pay to receive calls and there is no monthly billing. You buy the phone with it's prepaid card (normally around $20) and all you have to do is add time to it before the end of 13 months. You can always sell it on eBay or to someone here to cover most of your cost for the purchase. You can get a phone with $20 worth of time for less than $100. Compare what you would pay with an upgrade to your stateside phone, the price difference per minute and the price to receive and see that you will be saving in the long run by following what others (myself included) have been saying.
Cristina, I tried that link, just to see what my "new" codice fiscal will be, but all it would calculate was the LAST part of the code, not the first part, that uses my name...did I mis-key something? This is the part I didn't understand with the notaio...since the codice fiscale is a set code, couldn't they have figured it out on their own and used that number until I got an "official" one? We are now in contact with an immigration lawyer who will hopefully have our problems straightened out soon! And I must agree with you about the phone...we bought one, upgraded to the litium battery, and it was only €119, plus the cost of the minutes.
Posts: 4932 | Location: Umbria | Registered: 29 June 2001
quote:Originally posted by Barb: I tried that link, just to see what my "new" codice fiscal will be, but all it would calculate was the LAST part of the code,
Seems to have a glich (did not give me my fist name part), I will check it out tomorrow and get back to you. Just so you know, for your first name you use the first, third and fifth consonats.
You can't really use the fake one for legal purposes as it will have a different ending letter from what the real one will be.
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