I live in the USA, but I'll be on vacation in Rome for two weeks this
coming November. My provider is Mint (using T-Mobile service). I don't
expect to make or receive any phone calls while I'm there, but just in
case I need to, I'd like to have the ability to do it on my Pixel 4a.

Any suggestions as to what I can do at a low price?

On 13 Jun 2023 06:45:30 -0700 Ken Blake wrote:
>I live in the USA, but I'll be on vacation in Rome for two weeks this
>coming November. My provider is Mint (using T-Mobile service). I don't
>expect to make or receive any phone calls while I'm there, but just in
>case I need to, I'd like to have the ability to do it on my Pixel 4a.
>
>Any suggestions as to what I can do at a low price?

What problems do you expect using your Mint service in Rome? Does Mint not
offer roaming? Does your phone not have the correct frequency bands?

I've used UK GSM phones on the US T-Mobile network, which used GSM like in
Europe - but it was a few years ago.

You could buy a local SIM but I doubt if you need to, and some countries
make it difficult for foreigners to do so. (I had an Italien SIM and had
to provide my Italian 'codice fiscale' - tax code!)

--
(Remove numerics from email address)

On 13.6.23 2:45 pm, Ken Blake wrote:
> I live in the USA, but I'll be on vacation in Rome for two weeks this
> coming November. My provider is Mint (using T-Mobile service). I don't
> expect to make or receive any phone calls while I'm there, but just in
> case I need to, I'd like to have the ability to do it on my Pixel 4a.
>
> Any suggestions as to what I can do at a low price?

This link has a pretty comprehensive breakdown of how to get the best
card for your purpose.

https://tinyurl.com/26uyvqjp

--
Bob,
Tetbury, Gloucestershire, England

If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything. — Mark Twain

On Tue, 13 Jun 2023 14:39:14 -0000 (UTC), Dave
Royal<dave@dave123royal.com> wrote:

>On 13 Jun 2023 06:45:30 -0700 Ken Blake wrote:
>>I live in the USA, but I'll be on vacation in Rome for two weeks this
>>coming November. My provider is Mint (using T-Mobile service). I don't
>>expect to make or receive any phone calls while I'm there, but just in
>>case I need to, I'd like to have the ability to do it on my Pixel 4a.
>>
>>Any suggestions as to what I can do at a low price?
>
>What problems do you expect using your Mint service in Rome?

It wasn't that I was expecting problems. Rather I wanted to make sure
it wouldn't be very expensive.

>Does Mint not
>offer roaming?

Yes, they do, and after I sent the message, I checked their web site
and bought $10 worth. So it's probably OK.

>Does your phone not have the correct frequency bands?

I had assume it did, but I don't know for sure.

>I've used UK GSM phones on the US T-Mobile network, which used GSM like in
>Europe - but it was a few years ago.
>
>You could buy a local SIM but I doubt if you need to, and some countries
>make it difficult for foreigners to do so. (I had an Italien SIM and had
>to provide my Italian 'codice fiscale' - tax code!)

On Tue, 13 Jun 2023 15:54:50 +0100, Bob Henson
<bob.henson@outlook.com> wrote:

>On 13.6.23 2:45 pm, Ken Blake wrote:
>> I live in the USA, but I'll be on vacation in Rome for two weeks this
>> coming November. My provider is Mint (using T-Mobile service). I don't
>> expect to make or receive any phone calls while I'm there, but just in
>> case I need to, I'd like to have the ability to do it on my Pixel 4a.
>>
>> Any suggestions as to what I can do at a low price?
>
>
>This link has a pretty comprehensive breakdown of how to get the best
>card for your purpose.
>
>https://tinyurl.com/26uyvqjp

Thanks very much.

Dave Royal <dave@dave123royal.com> wrote:
> make it difficult for foreigners to do so. (I had an Italien SIM and had
> to provide my Italian 'codice fiscale' - tax code!)

There's a website that will generate you an official codice fiscale with
some basic details: I got one to sign up to an Italian VOIP server despite
never having been to, or having any connection with, Italy.

Theo

On Jun 13, 2023, Ken Blake wrote
(in article<news:4fsg8itvoobvg85chikf51v929cmlll7dh@4ax.com>):

> Any suggestions as to what I can do at a low price?

What about Google Voice?

Ron, the humblest guy in town.

Am 13.06.23 um 18:51 schrieb RonTheGuy:
> On Jun 13, 2023, Ken Blake wrote
> (in article<news:4fsg8itvoobvg85chikf51v929cmlll7dh@4ax.com>):
>
>> Any suggestions as to what I can do at a low price?
>
> What about Google Voice?
>
> Ron, the humblest guy in town.

Even more information and tracking for Google? Not really.

--
Gutta cavat lapidem (Ovid)

On Tue, 13 Jun 2023 08:51:13 -0800, RonTheGuy <ron@null.invalid>
wrote:

>On Jun 13, 2023, Ken Blake wrote
>(in article<news:4fsg8itvoobvg85chikf51v929cmlll7dh@4ax.com>):
>
>> Any suggestions as to what I can do at a low price?
>
>What about Google Voice?

I know next to nothing about it. Can I make calls with it? On my
Android phone?

On Jun 13, 2023, Ken Blake wrote
(in article<news:pmch8i5mh9sc3jju6fo590u5a1485f383b@4ax.com>):

>>> Any suggestions as to what I can do at a low price?
>>
>>What about Google Voice?
>
> I know next to nothing about it. Can I make calls with it? On my
> Android phone?

Google Voice has long been a topic on this newsgroup a thousand times.
So it shouldn't be the first time you've heard of it if you've been here.

Google Voice is a free app that makes free phone calls to anywhere in the
United States and it receives free phone calls from anywhere anywhere.
https://support.google.com/voice/answer/115061

That includes phone calls to and from normal landline numbers too!

You get a phone number with Google Voice but you can have it ring any
number of phone numbers, and it can transcribe voice mail to your email.

The app is available on all the consumer platforms as far as I know.
https://voice.google.com/about

Europe calls are about 2 cents a minute so that's what it should cost you.

Ron, the humblest guy in town.

On 6/13/23 11:28 AM, RonTheGuy wrote:
> On Jun 13, 2023, Ken Blake wrote
> (in article<news:pmch8i5mh9sc3jju6fo590u5a1485f383b@4ax.com>):
>
>>>> Any suggestions as to what I can do at a low price?
>>>
>>>What about Google Voice?
>>
>> I know next to nothing about it. Can I make calls with it? On my
>> Android phone?
>
> Google Voice has long been a topic on this newsgroup a thousand times.
> So it shouldn't be the first time you've heard of it if you've been here.
>
> Google Voice is a free app that makes free phone calls to anywhere in the
> United States and it receives free phone calls from anywhere anywhere.
> https://support.google.com/voice/answer/115061

IF you have a wifi connection. I have no data plan so I depend on the
kindness of public free wifi hotspots.

AND make sure you actually CAN receive phone calls. For some reason I
couldn't until I spent maybe an hour resetting things that I was pretty
sure I hadn't set to begin with three or more years previous. Perhaps
just giving it a phone number to forward calls to (but not authorizing
the forward) did it. At any rate, make sure it works in advance of need.

> That includes phone calls to and from normal landline numbers too!
>
> You get a phone number with Google Voice but you can have it ring any
> number of phone numbers, and it can transcribe voice mail to your email.
>
> The app is available on all the consumer platforms as far as I know.
> https://voice.google.com/about
>
> Europe calls are about 2 cents a minute so that's what it should cost you.
>
> Ron, the humblest guy in town.

Ha!

--
Cheers, Bev
Never argue with a woman holding a torque wrench.

On n 2023 17:06:08 +0100 (BST) Theo wrote:
>Dave Royal <dave@dave123royal.com> wrote:
>> make it difficult for foreigners to do so. (I had an Italien SIM and had
>> to provide my Italian 'codice fiscale' - tax code!)
>
>There's a website that will generate you an official codice fiscale with
>some basic details: I got one to sign up to an Italian VOIP server despite
>never having been to, or having any connection with, Italy.
>
>Theo

Yes, mine was a fake code too. I needed an Italian address, but anywhere
would do.

I had SIMs from all over Europe when that was the only way to get
affordable data in usable amounts: eg €3 per month for 40MB (not GB) in
Greece. I used four of those SIMs in rotation.

It's all much easier now with standard roaming tariffs across the EU. I
still have a German SIM but the rest have all expired.
--
(Remove numerics from email address)

On Tue, 13 Jun 2023 10:28:09 -0800, RonTheGuy <ron@null.invalid>
wrote:

>On Jun 13, 2023, Ken Blake wrote
>(in article<news:pmch8i5mh9sc3jju6fo590u5a1485f383b@4ax.com>):
>
>>>> Any suggestions as to what I can do at a low price?
>>>
>>>What about Google Voice?
>>
>> I know next to nothing about it. Can I make calls with it? On my
>> Android phone?
>
>Google Voice has long been a topic on this newsgroup a thousand times.
>So it shouldn't be the first time you've heard of it if you've been here.

Yes, I've heard of it, here and elsewhere. But since I was never
interested, I didn't pay much attention to it.

>Google Voice is a free app that makes free phone calls to anywhere in the
>United States and it receives free phone calls from anywhere anywhere.
>https://support.google.com/voice/answer/115061

Calls to anywhere in the US, but not to numbers in Italy? If that's
the case, I don't think it's what I want. I may want to do things like
call a taxi while I'm there.

>That includes phone calls to and from normal landline numbers too!
>
>You get a phone number with Google Voice but you can have it ring any
>number of phone numbers, and it can transcribe voice mail to your email.
>
>The app is available on all the consumer platforms as far as I know.
>https://voice.google.com/about
>
>Europe calls are about 2 cents a minute so that's what it should cost you.
>
>Ron, the humblest guy in town.

Ken Blake <Ken@invalid.news.com> wrote:
> On Tue, 13 Jun 2023 10:28:09 -0800, RonTheGuy <ron@null.invalid>
> wrote:
>
> >On Jun 13, 2023, Ken Blake wrote
> >(in article<news:pmch8i5mh9sc3jju6fo590u5a1485f383b@4ax.com>):
> >
> >>>> Any suggestions as to what I can do at a low price?
> >>>
> >>>What about Google Voice?
> >>
> >> I know next to nothing about it. Can I make calls with it? On my
> >> Android phone?
> >
> >Google Voice has long been a topic on this newsgroup a thousand times.
> >So it shouldn't be the first time you've heard of it if you've been here.
>
> Yes, I've heard of it, here and elsewhere. But since I was never
> interested, I didn't pay much attention to it.
>
>
> >Google Voice is a free app that makes free phone calls to anywhere in the
> >United States and it receives free phone calls from anywhere anywhere.
> >https://support.google.com/voice/answer/115061
>
> Calls to anywhere in the US, but not to numbers in Italy? If that's
> the case, I don't think it's what I want. I may want to do things like
> call a taxi while I'm there.

I don't know the first thing about Google Voice (GV is only available
to US users), but I think you're misreading this.

I read it as *free* calls to anywhere in the US and *cheap* (2ct/min)
calls in Europe: See Ron's (quoted) comment at the end.

> >That includes phone calls to and from normal landline numbers too!
> >
> >You get a phone number with Google Voice but you can have it ring any
> >number of phone numbers, and it can transcribe voice mail to your email.
> >
> >The app is available on all the consumer platforms as far as I know.
> >https://voice.google.com/about
> >
> >Europe calls are about 2 cents a minute so that's what it should cost you.
> >
> >Ron, the humblest guy in town.

Dave Royal <dave@dave123royal.com> wrote:
> I had SIMs from all over Europe when that was the only way to get
> affordable data in usable amounts: eg €3 per month for 40MB (not GB) in
> Greece. I used four of those SIMs in rotation.

Ah yes, I remember that tariff. Cosmote I think it was? I remember having
a pile of Cosmote SIMs, possibly for the same reason.

> It's all much easier now with standard roaming tariffs across the EU. I
> still have a German SIM but the rest have all expired.

If you're only interested in data, not calls or SMS, there are some
reasonable deals from international eSIM providers like Airalo. eSIM means
you can set them up without needing to go and buy a physical SIM, or to show
up at the police station with your passport (or whatever the local
requirements are).

International eSIM providers that give you a number for voice and SMS are
rarer, though. They might work for VOIP services like Google Voice, though.

Theo

Am 13.06.23 um 20:28 schrieb RonTheGuy:
> On Jun 13, 2023, Ken Blake wrote
> (in article<news:pmch8i5mh9sc3jju6fo590u5a1485f383b@4ax.com>):
>
>>>> Any suggestions as to what I can do at a low price?
>>>
>>> What about Google Voice?
>>
>> I know next to nothing about it. Can I make calls with it? On my
>> Android phone?
>
> Google Voice has long been a topic on this newsgroup a thousand times.
> So it shouldn't be the first time you've heard of it if you've been here.
>
> Google Voice is a free app that makes free phone calls to anywhere in the
> United States and it receives free phone calls from anywhere anywhere.
> https://support.google.com/voice/answer/115061

But not in Europe AFAIK.

--
De gustibus non est disputandum

On Jun 13, 2023, Frank Slootweg wrote
(in article<news:u6anfd.vms.1@ID-201911.user.individual.net>):

> I read it as *free* calls to anywhere in the US and *cheap* (2ct/min)
> calls in Europ

Yes. GV is free calls to anywhere in the USA & cheap calls overseas.
https://toomanyadapters.com/google-voice-travel/

That's why it's the number one choice of expats, I'm told.
https://www.instarem.com/blog/google-voice-expat/

When I call people in Europe, it costs me about 2 cents a minute.

Mostly I call France and the UK but Italy should be the same.
https://www.openphone.com/blog/google-voice-international-calls/

Lots of people say that Google Voice is the best option abroad.
https://mafrenchlife.com/google-voice-abroad/

Ron, the humblest guy in town.

On Jun 13, 2023, Joerg Lorenz wrote
(in article<news:u6ajgn$19lqi$2@solani.org>):

>> Google Voice is a free app that makes free phone calls to anywhere in the
>> United States and it receives free phone calls from anywhere anywhere.
>> https://support.google.com/voice/answer/115061
>
> But not in Europe AFAIK.

This was discussed many times so you must have missed it in the past.
You get the Google Voice while you're in the USA.

You use it a few times to call internationally.
So you can set up the payment plan (for the 2 cents/minute).

Then you take the device abroad.
And you use it on Wi-Fi or cellular while you're abroad.

This is all a repeat of what was posted many times here so I'm done.

Ron, the humblest guy in town.

Am 13.06.23 um 22:36 schrieb RonTheGuy:
> On Jun 13, 2023, Joerg Lorenz wrote
> (in article<news:u6ajgn$19lqi$2@solani.org>):
>
>>> Google Voice is a free app that makes free phone calls to anywhere in the
>>> United States and it receives free phone calls from anywhere anywhere.
>>> https://support.google.com/voice/answer/115061
>>
>> But not in Europe AFAIK.
>
> This was discussed many times so you must have missed it in the past.
> You get the Google Voice while you're in the USA.>
> You use it a few times to call internationally.
> So you can set up the payment plan (for the 2 cents/minute).

Not needed at all. My mobile plan costs me $45 a month and I have
everything full flat in Canada, USA, US overseas territories, Mexico,
and of course all of Europe. Google voice is absolutely redundant in Europe.

--
De gustibus non est disputandum

Am 13.06.23 um 22:36 schrieb RonTheGuy:
> On Jun 13, 2023, Joerg Lorenz wrote
> (in article<news:u6ajgn$19lqi$2@solani.org>):
>
>>> Google Voice is a free app that makes free phone calls to anywhere in the
>>> United States and it receives free phone calls from anywhere anywhere.
>>> https://support.google.com/voice/answer/115061
>>
>> But not in Europe AFAIK.
>
> This was discussed many times so you must have missed it in the past.
> You get the Google Voice while you're in the USA.
>
> You use it a few times to call internationally.
> So you can set up the payment plan (for the 2 cents/minute).
>
> Then you take the device abroad.
> And you use it on Wi-Fi or cellular while you're abroad.
>
> This is all a repeat of what was posted many times here so I'm done.
>
> Ron, the humblest guy in town.
>

--
De gustibus non est disputandum

RonTheGuy <ron@null.invalid> wrote:

> Ken Blake wrote:
>
>> Any suggestions as to what I can do at a low price?
>
> What about Google Voice?

https://support.google.com/a/answer/12743190?hl=en

Italy is included, so maybe Google Voice (GV) would be available from
there. The OP will need an Internet connect via wifi or cellular data.
If not connected to wifi, the OP will still need a cellular carrier to
have data service to connect to the Internet to make a VOIP call to GV.
The OP should install the GV app, and configure it to ask which dialer
to use to make a call (sometimes the regular dialer is required to use a
cellular carrier when GV fails).

Instead of using a phone, the OP could use the GV web site to make calls
since the computer which is connected to the GV site obviously already
has an Internet connection; however, the OP will need a headset to hear
and speak audio during the call, and that means the available computer
must not have its USB ports disabled, and the audio settings are
available to switch to the headset device. Don't rely on someone else's
computer having speakers and microphone.

Calls to/from USA and Canada destinations are free. International calls
incur a cost, the OP better have a credit card registered in his Google
Voice account (Wallet) to pay for those intl calls. You have to
configure your GV account to dump some credit in there as a reserve
against future GV expenses, like intl calling, or enable the
auto-recharge feature to load more credit when the Wallet balance falls
below a threshold.

https://support.google.com/voice/answer/7491761?hl=en
https://voice.google.com/u/0/rates

There isn't just 1 rate for a country. Depends on the type of telephony
device to which the call gets connected; i.e., landline vs mobile vs
toll-free vs receiver's carrier vs etc.

https://www.openphone.com/blog/google-voice-international-calls/

If the OP plans on having "calls" to just family and friends, better to
use an Internet chat client. That means pre-planning to have them use
the same chat service as yourself, like WhatsApp, WeChat, Pidgen, mIRC,
etc. However, Internet access may not be free wherever the OP happens
to get access. A resort will likely have you pay for Internet service,
or it's added to your cost. An Internet cafe will charge for use of
their computers, and you may have problems getting a headset to work on
a locked down workstation (they may have a mic and speakers, but forget
about private calling unless you get a separate room).

Ken Blake <Ken@invalid.news.com> wrote:

> I live in the USA, but I'll be on vacation in Rome for two weeks this
> coming November. My provider is Mint (using T-Mobile service). I don't
> expect to make or receive any phone calls while I'm there, but just in
> case I need to, I'd like to have the ability to do it on my Pixel 4a.
>
> Any suggestions as to what I can do at a low price?

https://www.mintmobile.com/features/international-roaming/
(looks like you already checked this out)

If you're only going to make calls to friends and family, maybe you
could convince them to get the same chat client (WhatsApp, WeChat, mIRC,
Skype, etc). Wherever or however you get an Internet connection, like a
wifi connect to your smartphone, you could use the chat client. If you
can't get a wifi connect on your phone for Internet access, you need a
cellular carrier to use their data service.

Google Voice is also usable from their web site, or using the GV app on
your smartphone, but you'll need Internet access (wifi, cellular data),
and likely a headset for speakers and microphone unless you're toting
around your own computer with those. Wherever you are staying might
offer Internet service (at a cost, or included in the room rate).

Am 13.06.23 um 22:48 schrieb Joerg Lorenz:
> Am 13.06.23 um 22:36 schrieb RonTheGuy:
>> On Jun 13, 2023, Joerg Lorenz wrote
>> (in article<news:u6ajgn$19lqi$2@solani.org>):
>>
>>>> Google Voice is a free app that makes free phone calls to anywhere in the
>>>> United States and it receives free phone calls from anywhere anywhere.
>>>> https://support.google.com/voice/answer/115061
>>>
>>> But not in Europe AFAIK.
>>
>> This was discussed many times so you must have missed it in the past.
>> You get the Google Voice while you're in the USA.>
>> You use it a few times to call internationally.
>> So you can set up the payment plan (for the 2 cents/minute).
>
> Not needed at all. My mobile plan costs me $45 a month and I have
> everything full flat in Canada, USA, US overseas territories, Mexico,
> and of course all of Europe. Google voice is absolutely redundant in Europe.

I do not want Google to know to whom I'm talking and when.
And even more so all my contacts can reach me under the mobile number
they already have for many many years.

IMHO Google is a p..ce of sh.t.

--
De gustibus non est disputandum

On 2023-06-13 22:36, RonTheGuy wrote:
> On Jun 13, 2023, Joerg Lorenz wrote
> (in article<news:u6ajgn$19lqi$2@solani.org>):
>
>>> Google Voice is a free app that makes free phone calls to anywhere in the
>>> United States and it receives free phone calls from anywhere anywhere.
>>> https://support.google.com/voice/answer/115061
>>
>> But not in Europe AFAIK.
>
> This was discussed many times so you must have missed it in the past.
> You get the Google Voice while you're in the USA.
>
> You use it a few times to call internationally.
> So you can set up the payment plan (for the 2 cents/minute).
>
> Then you take the device abroad.
> And you use it on Wi-Fi or cellular while you're abroad.
..............................**********

And where do you get that cellular from? Because that is the main problem.

The answer is that you have to ask your provider, what is the cost for
having data on the destination country. If this is expensive, you need a
local SIM on the destination (or from another EU country).

If your answer is "use a free WiFi", that is totally unreliable if you
need a taxi.

--
Cheers, Carlos.

On 13.06.23 23:06, Joerg Lorenz wrote:

>> Not needed at all. My mobile plan costs me $45 a month and I have
>> everything full flat in Canada, USA, US overseas territories, Mexico,
>> and of course all of Europe. Google voice is absolutely redundant in Europe.
>
> I do not want Google to know to whom I'm talking and when.
> And even more so all my contacts can reach me under the mobile number
> they already have for many many years.
>
> IMHO Google is a p..ce of sh.t.

Do you use YouTube or Chrome or the GMail app?
--
miniLock ID: AUDETPpz34FaiQcKwV8yw5wgqU22s54UNm1boJPqY7J3L
Please use base64 or base91 for ASCII armor.