Welcome to
Florence

Calling Internationally

You’ll find that calling internationally can be very expensive. For free texting and calling, download WhatsApp on your smartphone. We also recommend putting some money on a Skype account which you can then use to call landlines and cell phones in the States. Google Talk also has similar plans. Textem.net is a great website for sending one-way text messages too. 

Roaming

As of 6/15/2017, the European Union has established a new law called “Roam like at Home”, which states that if you have an Italian or other existing European contract, you will have the same charges that you have in other European nations. This goes for calls, SMS, and data use. Learn more here.

Depending entirely on Wi-Fi is not recommended.  A strong Wi-Fi connection is not available everywhere. In local coffee shops, restaurants and cafes, you need to purchase something in order to connect to their WiFi

International Phone Plans

Your carrier may provide an international plan. This is often the easiest strategy, especially if you are only abroad for a few weeks, but keep in mind that these plans may be more expensive minute-for-minute than an Italian plan.

Local Phone Plans

You can buy a flip phone with a prepaid plan starting from around 30-40 euros, although these phones can only text and call. You can also find older models of smartphones for around 100 euros, which can be a good option if you're worried about losing your US phone while abroad. Additionally, you can swap your phone's US SIM card for an Italian one for around 5-15 euros. Keep in mind that this option will also give you an Italian phone number, and your phone must be unlocked in order for this to be an option (check with your US plan carrier).

Mix and Match

You can get the cheapest local Italian phone for local communication and use your existing phone for data when you need it, either depending on WiFi or switching on/off your international data/roaming as needed.

Note: When you go to buy a phone or SIM card, you will need to bring your passport!

There are many companies that offer cheap flip phones, inexpensive smart phones, and SIM cards, usually all under the same roof. Here are a few of the most popular companies:

• VODAFONE
• TIM
• WIND

Find your nearest branch (we’ll likely point some out during our orientation!), bring your passport and head on in to get connected! 

Refilling Your Account

If you use all of your allotted minutes or your plan expires, you’ll need to put more money on your phone. This can be done online, at the company’s stores or at any supermarket, convenience store or tobacco store. Give them your preferred pre-paid amount and your phone number and wait for a few seconds – you’ll get a text telling you that your phone account has been “refilled.” 

Tricks for Saving Money

You’ll find that just making a call will take money from your credit, but there are ways to get around tricky payments:

• Hang up before the voice mail message starts to play, and you won’t be charged for the call. 
• Similarly, use “missed calls” by calling someone and letting it ring twice and then hang up. Between friends this can be used as a code, such as “I’ll send you a missed call when I get to the metro stop.” Your phone rings twice to let you know they are there, but it won’t charge either of your phones if no one has picked up. 
• Receiving calls is always free, so let people call you. Your parents can call your Italian cell phone from the US and it is free for you, but will charge them their international calling rates. Calling from Skype to a cell phone in Italy is about 3 cents a minute. 
• Only download things or upload photos when you’re using WiFi. Your phone will use up any data plan you have by trying to find signal when you’re walking around, so turn off the data signal when you don’t need it. 
• Don’t use your phone when traveling outside of Italy, unless on WiFi. You can download maps to be available offline, and whenever you are at your hotel or a café you can use Skype to call friends or use the WiFi to upload your latest photos. Most phone companies will charge you 3 Euros a day for phone usage outside of Italy (in the EU).

How to Make Calls

From an Italian Phone to Another Italian Phone

From an Italian Phone to a U.S. or Other Non-Italian Phone Number

1. Dial 00. That’s Italy’s international access code. If you’re dialing from an Italian cell phone (or your phone with an Italian SIM), you can often just dial the +, no access code needed.
2. If you’re dialing a US number specifically, dial 1 (the US country code). If you’re calling another country, dial that country’s code. So that’s 00-1 (or other country code).
3. Dial the rest of the number. All together it will look like: 00-1-555-555-5555 (for US number).

From a U.S. or Any Other Non-Italian Cell Phone to an Italian Phone Number

Going the international data plan route? Treat it like an international call:

1. Dial +. Your cell phone “knows” to replace that + with the international access code that you need to dial out of the U.S. to another country. 
2. Dial 39. That’s Italy’s country code.
3. Dial the rest of the number, including the first 0. So it’ll look like +39-055-555-5555