Need Option for Italy for One Month

slobizman · **Need Option for Italy for One Month -** 13-03-2007, 01:50

I'm in California and will be in northern Italy for the month of May. I'm a CDMA Verizon customer so I know my phone will be useless there. I'm looking for the best option to purchase or rent a phone that I will only use in Italy for in-Italy calls, some infrequent calls to California, and perhaps daily text messaging to my friends and family in California (mostly Verizon).

Can someone please help me out with my options?

I very much appreciate it.

Effendi · 13-03-2007, 07:38

I fear no Italian carriers will deliver SMS to Verizon numbers, maybe Vodfone since they belong to the same group, but I fear you'll have some problems... but maybe using some programs like SMSbug or MobiSMS it could help.

Anyway, I suggest you to buy a cheap dual-band (900/1800) phone on eBay and use it here in Europe. It's much cheaper than renting one. Then any carrier can be ok, the TimClub offer could be probably a very good solution with the best coverage and good rates. Wind has become less convenient as in the past, but for longer calls the new Wind12 (I have to update the site) is not bad... SMS will always cost 15 eurocent to Italy, while SMS to the US will cost 15 cent for Wind, while 30 cent with the others...

slobizman · 13-03-2007, 13:25

That's interesting. My son went backpacking through Europe last summer and had a phone that he was able to text message us with. But he got it in London to begin with.

Not quite sure I understand why an Italian service would not deliver SMS. I can't recall if he actually texted us while in Italy, or just from the other countries.

So, it's not a hardware isue, it's a decision by the Italian services?

MATHA531 · 13-03-2007, 14:15

I think Effendi may not be correct in his assertion...despite the fact Verizon has not joined the rest of the world in using GSM for its network in the USA (despite the fact vodafone is a 48% owner of it!)....there is no reason why text message sent from Italy on an Italian provider would not be receivable on a verizon wireless phone, none whatsoever.

slobizman · 13-03-2007, 14:32

Can anyone else confirm this?

Effendi · 13-03-2007, 20:21

I hope I'm wrong, but I fear that SMS interconnection with non GSM carriers is not much considered by Italian carriers... At least Vodafone should know about Verizon. Anyway if you PM me with you Verizon number we can test with Wind (prepay) and Vodafone (postpaid), so we discover if it works or not

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	(#1)
slobizman (Offline) Junior Member Newbie Posts: 3 Join Date: 13 Mar 2007 Country:	Need Option for Italy for One Month - 13-03-2007, 01:50 I'm in California and will be in northern Italy for the month of May. I'm a CDMA Verizon customer so I know my phone will be useless there. I'm looking for the best option to purchase or rent a phone that I will only use in Italy for in-Italy calls, some infrequent calls to California, and perhaps daily text messaging to my friends and family in California (mostly Verizon). Can someone please help me out with my options? I very much appreciate it.

	(#2)
Effendi (Offline) The great Dictator! Prepaid Prophet Posts: 2,487 Join Date: 13 Jan 2004 Location: Trieste/Trst Country:	13-03-2007, 07:38 I fear no Italian carriers will deliver SMS to Verizon numbers, maybe Vodfone since they belong to the same group, but I fear you'll have some problems... but maybe using some programs like SMSbug or MobiSMS it could help. Anyway, I suggest you to buy a cheap dual-band (900/1800) phone on eBay and use it here in Europe. It's much cheaper than renting one. Then any carrier can be ok, the TimClub offer could be probably a very good solution with the best coverage and good rates. Wind has become less convenient as in the past, but for longer calls the new Wind12 (I have to update the site) is not bad... SMS will always cost 15 eurocent to Italy, while SMS to the US will cost 15 cent for Wind, while 30 cent with the others... Working Prepaids: IT: Wind, Vodafone IT, UNO Mobile; SM: Prima; UK: 3, Virgin; INT: TravelSIM, Truphone. Deceased Prepaids: CZ: Oskar, Eurotel; SK: Orange; DE: E-Plus, Aldi, Simyo; GE: Geocell; AM: Armentel; PL: Heyah, Plus; LT: Tele2; LV: Amigo; EE: Elisa; UA: Kyivstar; NZ: Vodafone; INT: UM, UM+, ICQSim. GSM/3G Phones: Nokia Lumia 630 dual sim

	(#3)
slobizman (Offline) Junior Member Newbie Posts: 3 Join Date: 13 Mar 2007 Country:	13-03-2007, 13:25 That's interesting. My son went backpacking through Europe last summer and had a phone that he was able to text message us with. But he got it in London to begin with. Not quite sure I understand why an Italian service would not deliver SMS. I can't recall if he actually texted us while in Italy, or just from the other countries. So, it's not a hardware isue, it's a decision by the Italian services?

	(#4)
MATHA531 (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Specialist Posts: 869 Join Date: 15 Oct 2004 Country:	13-03-2007, 14:15 I think Effendi may not be correct in his assertion...despite the fact Verizon has not joined the rest of the world in using GSM for its network in the USA (despite the fact vodafone is a 48% owner of it!)....there is no reason why text message sent from Italy on an Italian provider would not be receivable on a verizon wireless phone, none whatsoever.

	(#5)
slobizman (Offline) Junior Member Newbie Posts: 3 Join Date: 13 Mar 2007 Country:	13-03-2007, 14:32 Can anyone else confirm this?

	(#6)
Effendi (Offline) The great Dictator! Prepaid Prophet Posts: 2,487 Join Date: 13 Jan 2004 Location: Trieste/Trst Country:	13-03-2007, 20:21 I hope I'm wrong, but I fear that SMS interconnection with non GSM carriers is not much considered by Italian carriers... At least Vodafone should know about Verizon. Anyway if you PM me with you Verizon number we can test with Wind (prepay) and Vodafone (postpaid), so we discover if it works or not Working Prepaids: IT: Wind, Vodafone IT, UNO Mobile; SM: Prima; UK: 3, Virgin; INT: TravelSIM, Truphone. Deceased Prepaids: CZ: Oskar, Eurotel; SK: Orange; DE: E-Plus, Aldi, Simyo; GE: Geocell; AM: Armentel; PL: Heyah, Plus; LT: Tele2; LV: Amigo; EE: Elisa; UA: Kyivstar; NZ: Vodafone; INT: UM, UM+, ICQSim. GSM/3G Phones: Nokia Lumia 630 dual sim