Cell Phone Service in Italy
What are my options?

I have been writing about cell phone use in Italy for 12 years now and while things have changed significantly in terms of rates, coverage and devices, the one constant is that there is still a lot of misinformation and confusion regarding cellular service while traveling in Italy. Ironically, it seems like most of the confusion is caused by the customer service reps at cellular providers such as Verizon, AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile. The main problem is that these providers often give wrong information. You cannot imagine how often people are told that their phone will work in Italy, only to find out once they are there that it does not. The reason is that their core business is domestic service – and international cellular service is indeed complicated.

What most people want to know is if their cell phone will work and if so, how much it will cost. Hopefully, the information below will give you some insight into cellular service in Italy and what is the most cost effective solution.

Can I use my cell phone in Italy?

Some US and Canadian phones, DO in fact work in Italy, although the per- minute rate is pricey. Your phone needs to have the proper network in order to work in Italy. Think of it in terms of this analogy – radios usually have AM as well as FM frequencies. Image trying to tune into an FM radio station with an old transistor radio that only operates on AM frequencies: it would be impossible. Similarly, your handset needs to be able to operate on the 900 as well as the 1800 MHz cellular frequencies in order to work in Italy or other parts of Italy. No North American provider uses those frequencies for service here but some of the phones they provide are intended for international use and indeed do have these frequencies. Regardless of what the customer service rep at Verizon, Sprint et al may tell you, you should check that your phone has the 900 and 1800 MHz frequencies – also called bands or networks. This information is available in your user guide or you can search for the specs online.

My phone works in Italy. How much will it cost?

If the good news is that your cell phone works in Italy, the bad news is that the rates are high. T-Mobile’s, Verizon’s and AT&T’s international rates vary from $0.99-$1.29 a minute plus tax – so add another 15-20%. This is for incoming AND outgoing calls. Unless you are going for a very short trip or truly will only be using the phone for emergencies, you might want to consider another much more affordable solution, which is to purchase an Italian SIM card. Besides the unlimited FREE incoming calls from anywhere in the world, outgoing rates are just a fraction of those of a North American provider. As in the US and Canada, there are different cellular carriers in Italy. The coverage is all similar but the rates can vary quite a bit. Cellular Abroad has partnered with a carrier using the largest Italian network to create a SIM card designed specifically for the US and Canadian tourist going to Italy. The main features of this Italian SIM card are that there are special low rates back to the US and Canada, 24/7 English speaking toll free customer service, the service is in English (voicemail, etc.) and very user friendly and the SIM is already activated and ready to use (Note: this is the only SIM card for Italy that does not require the user to fax or email a copy of their passport). For rates or more information on this SIM card, please click here.

My phone doesn’t work in Italy. What are my options?

If you have determined that your phone does not work in Italy, you have two other options. You can rent a cell phone or you can purchase a cell phone. Cell phone rentals are available at most airports as well as online. Bar none, renting a phone at the airport is the most expensive way to have a phone and should really only be done as a last alternative. If you are renting a car, they may offer cell phone rental services but again, the phone is free and the calling rates are very high. Always ask for the per-minute rate as well as minimums and what happens if the phone gets lost, stolen or damaged. A lot of companies charge as much as $500 as a security deposit – which you stand to lose if something happens to the phone.

Otherwise, you can rent a cell phone online. There are many choices. Cellular Abroad’s solution is the most cost effective that I have seen. Here is the best way to take advantage of this service.

First, consider if you should rent or buy a cell phone. If you do not travel often and your trip will last one month or less, it generally makes sense to rent the phone. Otherwise, you can buy a phone with the SIM card and use it for future trips to Italy or elsewhere – a tri band or quad band phone works in 200 countries worldwide depending on what SIM card you insert. A common question is about the technology and will it become obsolete if you buy the phone. It seems like a new phone with new features comes out every day, but the basic system, GSM, will be available for years. An analogy is that a car you buy today will still work in 5 years but it surely won’t have the same features and add-ons that future cars will have. Most people primarily care about being able to make and receive phone calls and less about the quality of the phone’s camera or other features so the answer is yes, it will work for future trips. In any event, the service is exactly the same.

As incoming rates are free, try to take advantage of this feature by having people in the US call you back whenever possible. To save even more money, have them use a calling card to call you. There are scores of online companies that sell calling cards to Italy. I would not necessarily recommend getting the cheapest solution, as often times the call quality is not that good or the lines are often tied up. Regarding the outgoing calls, if you dial straight out, calls will be 0.35 Euros to the US and, as of now, 0.18 within Italy but please go to https://www.cellularabroad.com/italyRcell.php for the latest rates. To save even more money, get an Italian calling card with a toll free number and use it with the service. You can pick them up in most magazine stores or internet cafés in Italy. Unique to this service, the toll free call is free. Usually, as occurs in the US and Canada, even toll free calls consume your talk time. As long as it is an Italian toll free number that you are calling, it will not deduct the talk time. Therefore, if you utilize this tactic, it will cost you about $0.10 to call back to the US and even less to call locally.

Italy cell phone rental and purchase rates may vary so be sure to go to www.cellularabroad.com for the latest offers.

Traveling to multiple destinations

While the above information applies outside of Italy, we do not recommend it unless you will only be taking quick side trips, say to France or Switzerland for a few days at a time. The reason is that the rates change and you do not get free incoming calls, so if you run out of talk time, you cannot use the service. As with the Italian solutions, you can get a stand alone SIM, purchase a phone/SIM package or rent a phone.

Currently, there are few “roaming” solutions market but, the vast majority work extremely poorly – if at all - and are not user-friendly. One exception is the National Geographic International SIM Card. The service is considered the best on the market and there is a 24/7 toll free number – from the handset - associated with it. In terms of value, the main benefit is the free incoming calls in over 60 countries. Again, if you are a frequent traveler and already have an international cell phone, all you need to do is to purchase the stand alone SIM card. If you don’t have a cell phone that works abroad, you can either rent or purchase a phone/SIM combination solution. Frequent travelers will usually purchase a phone package while infrequent travelers often prefer to rent. Again, the main benefit of this service, besides having one number anywhere you travel overseas, is the unlimited free incoming calls that you can receive in most countries. You can take advantage of that by leaving your new international number on your usual US voicemail. In theory, you can be on the phone hours per day without paying a dime.

Click here to read testimonials from Cellular Abroad clients.

I hope that this helps resolve some of the confusion involved with cellular service in Italy. As of May, 2009 the above information is current. Please contact info@cellularabroad.com if you have any questions about cellular service in Italy or other countries.

Click here to visit the Cellular Abroad website.