NEED A CELLPHONE IN THE EU? - THEN GET ONE

On a recent trip to Rome I found myself enjoying the festivities of the once a year event “Note Bianco” or White Night. Romans and Italians flock to the city to enjoy over 1000 performers at 400 different venues throughout the city; all between the hours of 9pm and 6 am. Museums, monuments and churches are open to enjoy throughout the night. If you are in Italy in September, I strongly recommend you try and experience it.

While wading through the sea of Italians in Piazza Venezia, off to my right a stage with full size waterfall draped in bright colors of purple and green. Water constantly flowing as performers on trapeze swing in and out of the colorful flowing water. My right a jumbo tron with an impromptu performance by a local famous Italian actor. His recreation of the 1970’s comedy skit brought laughs and giggles from the crowd. The every-other-word I could understand left me with a chuckle of frustration in my attempt to hear and translate the performance.

My cousin Luigi was somewhere in the ocean of people and we were calling each other on our cell phones. I had brought my US cell phone with me and despite the $1 per minute charge; it was the only way to truly communicate while on the road.

“Luigi, Ciao! I am near the big statue in the middle, do you see me?” “Si, I arrive to you in a moment” he yelled in broken English. Just as I returned the phone to my hip pocket in relief that I had connected with my family, I felt one of many nudges and bumps from the constantly moving crowd. As an experienced traveler, after a nudge I automatically feel for my wallet just incase one of the professional pickpockets had chosen me as a target. Wallet, check, hotel key, check, gum check.. phone.. phone no check.. DAM.

My years of travel, my experience in dozens of countries had left me without the helpless feeling of being robbed until now. I did not even feel an inclieling of the stealth operation. The lifting of the pocket flap, the reach and grab of my unusually large pocket PC phone; amazing skill. I salute the thief and hope he enjoys the feeling of frustration as he realizes his latest prize is locked with a password.

With almost 3 weeks of travel left in Europe, meetings with clients and numerous calls to make and receive I went into panic mode trying to figure out how to replace my mobile communication device which I had grown to depend upon like a baby to their mother.

Should I have my office buy another and FedEx it overnight across the world. I knew you could rent phones in Europe but for an expensive rental fee and crazy per minute charges. By the time I had retuned home I would have spent 10 phones worth of minute charges, not an option.

First line of attack is asking a local.. “Luigi!” yes, maybe Luigi can use his pull and escort me to the special store and use his Italian ID to get another number that I could use. I would have to pose as a Luigi for the next several weeks and risk being arrested for impersonation of a family member, but it was worth it.. lets go!

“No Problemo” Luigi kept saying. He told me to go on my own and ask for an Italian phone number at the local cellular store. Could it be that easy? I remember years ago when the frustration of $1 per minute with my US phone was just too much to bear, I tried to do the same, but it ended quickly with the fact I did not have Italian or EU citizenship, so I swallowed the enormous cell bills I received on my return. Ok, I will try, maybe things have changed.

After several attempts to go the cellular store failed because of the “siesta” where everything closes between 12-4pm or on Monday morning when everything is closed until the afternoon, I finely arrived to an unlocked door on a sunny Tuesday morning in
Rome. VodaPhone’s office on Via del Corso was a slick operation with displays of mobile phones that felt more like viewing jewelry in a redau drive shop than just another cell shop.

Where do I start, they are going to think I am nuts, an American wanting an Italian cell number.. I’m wasting my time, I thought to myself as I took a number and stood in line. 34 was the number that may save me time and my sanity, but the counter read 16.. so I waited, wondering if I should be on the phone to my office explaining the huge amount of hassle I was going to put them though. But no, I will wait and see. 29, ding, 30 ding.. no one answers the calls; probably other Americans turned away in shame for even trying. Ding 34! That’s me! I go up to my smiling counter person and ask him in Italian if I can get a new phone here.. “Si, no problemo” We atomically switch to English as almost every conversation does. I want to polish my Italian, and they want to polish their English, so enviably we choose the later. Come on over, have a seat. “Do you have your passport” I hand it over from my money belt. A few types of his keyboard and he prints out a sheet of paper and circles my new number.. WOW! That’s it, where was the shame, pointing, endless paperwork.. ok well it has to cost a ton, I squint and ask “quante costa” and wait for the smack in the face. “10 Euro” What? Is that per minute? “No” wow, I just walked into a cell store and got a new mobile number in Italy for about $13. It cost three times that at home and that’s with a two year contract! “do you need a phone” quickly re-living my pickpocket experience in my mind, I nodded. Looking over my shoulder at the glowing cases of phones, people pursousing them as if they were looking at the royal jewels. Oh, I get it.. cheap number, expensive phone.. HA! There is always a catch. OK im prepared for the worst.. “Our phones start at 29 Euro” again amazed I choose the least expensive, opting for replacing my pocket PC phone on my return. I am handed a sleek little black Motorola phone, battery charged and ready to go. The phone would work anywhere in the world, amazing. My salesperson changed the phone menus over to English and began to explain how it works. As excited as a kid at Christmas I eagerly listen to his instruction. The phone works in almost every EU country at only 15 cents (Euro) per minute. If I call the USA its one dollar per minute, just like at home, but while I am traveling, 15 cents is great!... the phone comes with 5 Euro worth of minutes on it and I can re-charge my minutes at almost any VodaPhone shop in Europe. I can also go to any newspaper stand, tobacco shop or retailer and get a scratch off card of varying amounts and recharge by calling the number on the card.. wow, do they have his cellular thing down. I left the store riding high on my new accomplishment. A mobile phone, new number and a very low bill while traveling.. all for 39 Euro; about $45.

So ask yourself the question, should I take my own phone? Rent one there? NO, just go and buy one when you arrive. You will have it for all of your future trips to Europe, it will cost you less than at home, it will give you the peace of mind while abroad of being connected; it’s a no-brainer! The only catch I could find in the entire deal was you must make at least one phone call in a year, or the number expires. Just call a friend or one of your hotels to tell them how great your trip was and you have just reserved your number for another year.

Italy has one of the most complex and successful mobile networks in the world. The process is smooth, enjoyable and convenient. So the next time you find yourself without a phone or considering if you should take yours, think twice and enjoy the experience of becoming connected in Europe.