PWMTrav

I won't put myself down as an authority since I'm back to the iPhone and using my TIM SIM. I'd suggest you take a look here for issues in the past year:

https://www.reddit.com/r/ProjectFi/c...data_in_italy/

https://productforums.google.com/for...oject-fi/italy

As far as I know, in Italy, Project Fi attempts to roam to TIM, 3 and whoever else T-Mobile's roaming partners are.

In general, cities and large towns seem to have good coverage. More rural areas are less reliable. And not everyone is having success with automatic network selection - some are having to force pick a network.

Reds2011

Perche, it sounds like this just released AT&T plan would be just what you need.

$10/day sounds much better than what you are dealing with at the moment. Just watch the data use apparently.

Perche

Thank you, Reds 2011. That does sound great for some of my shorter trips. I'm at 1.8 GB of usage and I've been here a little less than 3 weeks. I probably used a lot of data driving through the south where GPS is needed. This would still be more expensive than a TIM card and data, but there are some obvious potential advantages. People generally send a text to me using my USA phone number. Once that USA SIM card is gone, unless you specifically tell people to send you text messages to your email address and set up your phone properly, you will not get those messages. Not to mention the missed phone calls. It would be expensive at 300 per month, but for trips of certain length, I'm definitely going to look to it when I get back.

tusphotog

Have you considered using Google Hangouts when you have an Italian SIM plugged in? All calls are routed as data from a US phone number.

Perche

Interesting. I assume you have to be wifi connected. If so, how does this differ from FaceTime and iMessage?

Perche

This might be pretty expensive for longer trips. I've been here for almost three weeks, and will probably be here until at least February 3rd. I paid 42 euros, including for a new SIM card and 4GB of data for 42 euros, and have already used 2Gb. A five week trip on the ATT plane would be $350 plus over charges for that much data use. I'll definitely consider it for 4 day weekends so my regular phone number will be useable if people need to be in touch with me for business. Its also probably a good thing for people who might be in Italy for a week, and who don't use their phone at all from outside their hotel when they are not on wifi. If they do send one text in a day, that text will cost them $10 euros. If they make one phone call the next day to call a taxi, that's another $10. For people who can generally stay off their phone and just use it once or twice in a week, it could make sense. For someone going only for a week who needs to constantly be on the phone, $70 could make sense. Other than specific situations, I suspect it will not work for most.

I'm still working on my 4GB of data and have 2GB left, I've made most calls and sent most texts from the apartment, although a few times per day I have to make a phone call from the street, and am still under the 100 minutes I received for the 42 euros. It seems like ATT still has a long way to go. Maybe people won't arrive home and be shocked with an $800 phone bill because they inadvertently downloaded a bunch of emails, or had to call their airline and were on hold for 20 minutes.

I still don't see a product that works. I don't know how many people have tried to text or call me using my USA number over the last three weeks that I've missed.

iapetus

I used Verizon's version of this plan when I was in Rome for a week last October. I thought it was terrific! Being able to use my phone as freely as I would at home was great. I loved not having to monitor my data usage and being able to check my e-mail at will. I'm definitely going to sign up for it when I visit next month. Even if it isn't the cheapest way to go, the simplicity and ease-of-mind it buys is completely worth it to me.

However, I think it would choose a different plan if I were so fortunate as to spend five weeks in Italy.

TWA884

With Google Hangouts you can make calls to and receive them from any phone number, landline or mobile, using your Google Voice number. The other party does not need to have the app installed in order to communicate with you.

Perche

Would I have to be connected to WiFi, or can I make such a call from anywhere? Right now I make calls when connected to WiFi using Skype.

The problem is, for someone to call me, we have to make an appointment, and I call them using Skype. Is there a benefit to Google Hangouts compared to Skype?

The problem is, once you put that TIM SIM card in there, you no longer have a functional USA phone number. People naturally try to call or text using your USA number, but it's not active. Therefore, you're basically out of touch.

You can give certain people your Italian phone number, but you can't email a thousand potential contacts that for the next five weeks, your phone number is +39 etc. Most won't make an international call anyway.

When I am not on WiFi and able to use Skype, I can call people using my TIM card, but 100 minutes for a one month plan doesn't go very far. Yesterday I called American Airlines to update flight plans, and just that was a 15 minute call. I could have called them by Skype, but I had to call them from an office to respond to an immediate offer about something. I think that 50 texts also comes with the plan, but I received a text from TIM yesterday, saying they are all used up. I'm still good with data, but I cannot tell if Google Hangout is any different from Skype.

boybi

Can't you bring another phone for your TIM sim card?

I'm used to carrying 2 phones, even in my home country. I have a main phone, and an extra phone for receiving sms for the daily reports.

I use this extra phone to put the foreign sim card whenever I travel, I'll get the missed reports from the monthly reports anyway.

Perche

I used to carry two iPhones, or at least have one that I'd leave in the hotel with my original SIM, but I dropped it once and broke the glass in the USA. I couldn't get a convenient appointment at the Apple store. Someone recommended an unauthorized shop that "fixes iPhones," and they replaced the glass for $100. It crinkled and broke within a week. I took it back, they said there is no warranty. I went to another unauthorized dealer who claimed to use authentic parts, and paid $150 for a new glass. It also lasted about a week. I finally took it to an Apple store. They said that once you let an unauthorized store touch your phone, Apple will no longer touch it. So, it remains at home with a broken glass, and I have only one iPhone now.

Reds2011

One of the drawbacks of staying with iPhones - no dual sim option.

I have got so used to the convenience of my dual sim Android that I couldn't imagine going back to a single sim phone.

TWA884

Google Hangouts works over WiFi or cellular data.

It works exactly like your regular phone app except that you have to use the Google Hangouts dialer to make and answer the calls. People can call you from any landline or mobile phone by dialing your Google Voice number; they don't need to install a dedicated app.

When you set up a Google Voice account, you will have the option to select a phone number in any US area code.

You may wish to continue this discussion in the Travel Technology forum where the real experts hang out (pun intended).

mkjr

What's the best option for heavy data usage for two weeks? Is there any unlimited plans? Needed for heavy streaming while away.

Any MIFI rentals? I need to keep my SIM since I need my number for work purposes and for work stuff, my company pays the dime on the phone.

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PWMTrav

Offerings change constantly. Your best bet is to go into a store on arrival and ask. Vodafone, Wind and 3 are more likely to offer larger chunks of data than TIM, although I have recently seen a 10GB offer from TIM.