For what its worth, my phone is one from AT&T wireless and they have been more than happy to sell me European compatible phones and to reap profit from international calls. If I did not put on the international package, my phone would simply not be able to call the US, so there is no need to threaten a loss of service by my provider if I try to call from Europe. I have found that when setting up the service, it is sometimes necessary to speak to different people at AT&T since some of them may hide their ignorance by denying that what you want is possible. Also, different descriptions of the billing by different persons is not unusual. Sometimes, too, there seems to be a prejudice on the part of the persons with whom you are speaking, to the effect that they think you are trying to "rip them off", rather than legitimately buy a service, and it may take some patience to get to someone sophisticated enough on their side to set up the service. Most of the people I spoke to at AT&T admitted they had never traveled outside the country, and never considered the question before, and were quick to tell me that my phone wouldn't work there, as though the conversation could be terminated with that bit of information. But, a long patient talk with them would bring out a supervisor or someone who handled overseas communication. . I never had any trouble with the rental phone acquired in the US and designed specifically to provide service for Americans traveling abroad. Maybe there is a reason why they run it through England, unlike the Italian rental phone. As for the phone cards, I don' t know. I have never had particularly good luck with them, myself, because, even if not fraudulent, you are trying to follow instructions on a foreign phone written in another language. Typically, I come home with virtually all my minutes on the card and it is then useless. Meanwhile, I have had to have the hotel place my calls which is especially expensive. I know we used to have a telephone calling card through our home phone which allowed you to call into a particular number and then place calls that way, but this is going back about 20 years. Good luck with the phone card, hopefully someone more clever than myself can give you the answer you seek. Devon
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