Travel Bookings

Hi Travel Management & ESS Gurus;
I would like some clarity on this please!:
1) An employee wants to request for an Air Ticket/Rail Ticket or Hotel Booking to the admin department in a company, Is this functionality is possible in TM or ESS? If yes please tell me the relevant t codes or explain how?
Thanks!

Hi Vinoth,
Let me know if you have any further clarification.
Best Regards,
Raj

Similar Messages

Reconcile amounts paid to external vendor for Travel bookings

All,
We are implementing travel expenses in SAP. Employees can use an external provider for booking flight reservations. This external vendor invoices the company for these expenses on a weekly basis. After the trip is undertaken, the employee enters the expenses. How do we reconcile the money that has been paid to the travel agency and the trips expeenses.
scenario
Step 1 - Employee calls up travel agency and books flight ticket to, say, California. The cost of ticket is 1000 Dollars.
Step 2 - Employee undertakes the trip.
Step 3 - Employee enter the trip expenses. They enter the flight costs that have already been paid by the company as expense type "flght paid" and the difference amounts are paid to the employee.
"Flight paid" - 1000
Hotel - 500
The employee is paid 500 dollars through FI.
Now the task of travel administrators is to check whether the amounts invoiced by the travel agencey match the amounts entered by the employees. They also want to ensure that employees mistakenly or intentionall do not enter the receipt type as "Flight" insead of "Flight Paid" when they are filling the travel expenses. What is the best way to handle this reconcilation issyes in travel management.
Appreciate any inputs on this issue.
regards
Sam

Hello Sam,
There are 2 options I could see here:
1) In the release you can customise in table V_T706S_RECEIPT on which the User cannot use the Expense Type "Flight" per.
2) You can use the User Exit EXIT_SAPMP56T_003. In this case it check the data before the user save the trip.
Regards,
Raynard

F.27 and FBL5N

Hi All
Our cusotmer runs their credit agents statement for every month for their travel Bookings for outstanding dues and overdue, recently ABTA was assigned to Head Office, so the system is able to capture only those transactions which took place after ABTA is linked to Head Office but fails to track those overdue items before ABTA was not assigned to Head Office. All the open items are captured in FBL5N (Customer Line Item Display) but when processing F.27 (Periodic Account Statements) some open items are not captured which took place before ABTA was assigned to Head Office.
Please let me know if there are anyways we can solve this probelm in Config or through ABAP.
Helpful answers will be rewarded.
Thanks a lot:)
Ramesh

Have you tried using a worklist which includes both values?
Would you consider journalling the OI from ABTA to the correct account?

Booking confirmations that get lost by the email s...

With the holiday season upon us, I imagine many of BT's customers will be making holiday/travel bookings, wanting to print boarding cards, buy rail tickets/plane tickets/make hotel reservations on line. All of these vital documents tend to be sent to you by email, which can be an expensive disaster if the email system doesn't deliver them and you find yourself without vital information at a railway station or checkin desk. At the moment, a substantial number of BT customers are experiencing issues with accessing their email, and losing email material that has disappeared deep into the bowels of either yahoo or bt or criticalpath/openwave never to be seen again. This is beyond your control, and we have no idea when BT's email service will settle down to its more usual patterns of operation. Advice!! - whenever you get to a booking confirmation web page online, immediately save it/print it/archive it as a saved web page or print it to a pdf file and check the file to make sure it is readable and that you have ALL the required information. Do that BEFORE clicking any "NEXT" button on the booking site. Then print out your paper copy and save the file to any device you are taking on holiday as well. Don't simply rely on the "we will send you an email bookiing confirmation" - because you could be disappointed - or seriously out of pocket. Unfortunately, even if the failure of the email to arrive safely costs you a lot of money you are unlikely to be able to sue for compensation. best to use the belt and braces method and assume that the email WONTarrive. Just in case.

That's good advice but not simply because of the current shananigans with BT Mail. I routinely check that I have received email info* before logging off a confirmation page, copying the page if the email doesn't arrive pdq. It's little effort compared with the potential bother.
*Safely downloaded by Thunderbird of course. Anyone who doubted the security value of using an email client must surely be rethinking it by now.
You can click the white star next to this message if you think it was helpful.

BT Yahoo Calendar - Clock change fault

Since BST started my BT Yahoo Calendar has been showing incorrect ventries........it appears that the Calendar has decided to advance all future stored event times by 1 hour ..... Thus for example my travel bookings/appointmentsd for say 9am are now appearing as 10am. .

Hi Zulu17
I'll see about getting this sorted for you.
Could you drop me in an email please with your BT account and telephone number along with a link back to this thread.
Just send using the contact us form in my profile under the 'about me' section and mark FAO Craig please.
Thx
Craig
BTCare Community Mod
If we have asked you to email us with your details, please make sure you are logged in to the forum, otherwise you will not be able to see our ‘Contact Us’ link within our profiles.
We are sorry but we are unable to deal with service/account queries via the private message(PM) function so please don't PM your account info, we need to deal with this via our email account :-)”
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If someone answers your question correctly please let other members know by clicking on ’Mark as Accepted Solution’.

BB Travel will not up load westjet bookings

BB Travel automatically updates car rental info, air Canada, British air flight info but does nothing with confirmed bookings from westjet even though they are a recognized company/partner. This problem occurred with older BB and continues with my new Z10.

Hi AGL,
Welcome to the support community!
Could you provide a bit more information please so we can better assist?
How are these iteneraries being received on the BlackBerry Z10 smartphone? Are they received as .rtf attachments in your email account?
Is the email address you are using for this itinerary the same as your primary BlackBerry Travel email address?
What happens when you try forwarding your travel confirmation email to [email protected]?
I look forward to your response.
-FS
Come follow your BlackBerry Technical Team on Twitter! @BlackBerryHelp
Be sure to click Kudos! for those who have helped you.
Click Solution? for posts that have solved your issue(s)!

Blackberry Travel Z10

I installed the new Blackberry Travel. Works great, but it does not automatically move my incoming email bookings. If I forward the email to [email protected], all is fine. I also dop not have the "add to blackberry travel" in the menu in my hub. I have added the email address in bb travel that I am using in the bb hub. Anyone know what I am doing wrong?

You have to enable automatic email scanning for travel itineraries to be added automatically. That said, I don't recommend using the auto feature since it has been known, already, to negatively affect battery life. Also, I never found it reliable on my old BB so didn't bother even enabling it.
If you're manually sending them to BB Travel then you aren't doing anything wrong. There is no "add to BlackBerry Travel" menu item. I just added a contact called BlackBerry Travel and just use that to forward to.
1. Please thank those who help you by clicking the "Like" button at the bottom of the post that helped you.
2. If your issue has been solved, please resolve it by marking the post "Solution?" which solved it for you!

ESS Travel - request transportation / accommodation

Help
I'm using business package ess of the portal.
I thought he represented the transaction trip with all its features.
However I am not finding place to come with information, transportation and accommodations in the functionality of creation of requests for travel.
I need this functionality in my project.
Do you have any suggestion.
Does bp ESS does not have this functionality (request transportation / accommodation)?
thank you.

it's does effect your current Portal ESS.
Only you are upgrading the Backend system to Eh P2 which means for travel you will get additional software component FIN_TRAVL_1 which needs to be activated after upgrading the ECC.
You can read the below SAP PROVIDED Notes
SAP NOTES
FIN_TRAVEL_1: Business Function Travel Management (New)
Use
As of SAP ECC 6.0, Enterprise Extension Travel Management Extension, enhancement package 2 (EA-TRV 602), you can use the business function Travel Management. This business function encompasses the new and extended functions of the Travel Management (FI-TV) component described below.
New User Interface in SAP Enterprise Portal
The extended travel management applications in Employee Self-Service (ESS) of SAP Enterprise Portal are based on Web Dynpro ABAP technology. If you activate this business function, SAP Enterprise Portal no longer launches the Web Dynpro Java applications, but rather the new Web Dynpro ABAP applications. Users require new authorization profiles, which are defined in the new standard roles. The following Web Dynpro ABAP applications are available in ESS:
My Trips and Expenses
The Personal Object Worklist (POWL) for travelers lists the travel requests, travel plans, and expense reports (travel expenses) for each individual traveler. Travelers run applications from within the POWL; for example, to create a new travel plan using the data from a travel request, or to change the expense report. Travelers also can launch the applications for creating travel requests, travel plans, and expense reports, directly in ESS.
My Employees
The POWL for travel assistants lists the travel requests, travel plans, and expense reports for all employees assigned to the assistant. Travel assistants can perform tasks such as creating and changing travel plans for employees, and copying travel plans from other employees.
Create Travel Request
Create Travel Plan
Create Expense Report (Create Travel Expense Report)
My Travel Profile
Route Planning
Unlock Personnel Number
If certain conditions are given, you can implement the new Web Dynpro ABAP application for the following standard role in Manager Self-Service (MSS):
Approving Manager
To implement this new application in SAP Enterprise Portal, you need to provide an iView.
This application enables you to perform the approval process without SAP Business Workflow and Organizational Management. For more information, see the section that follows.
New User Interface: SAP NetWeaver Business Client (NWBC)
Users can run the following role-based Web Dynpro ABAP applications in the NWBC, independent of the new standard roles assigned to those users:
Traveler
The POWL and applications are the same as the My Trips and Expenses application in SAP Enterprise Portal. The POWL also provides access to the applications My Travel Profile, Route Planning, and Unlock Personnel Number.
Travel Assistant
The POWL and applications are the same as the My Employees application in SAP Enterprise Portal. The POWL also provides access to the applications My Travel Profile (for all employees), Route Planning, and Unlock Personnel Number (for all employees).
Approving Manager
The POWL for approving managers lists the travel data requiring approval for all employees assigned to the manager. Approving managers can approve or reject expenses, and send explanatory comments to the employees via e-mail.
The POWL enables approving managers to define substitutes for limited periods of time, and to act as a substitute for other approving managers.
Travel Policy Administrator
Users with this role can execute the following Customizing applications for managing travel policy:
Change Predefined Addresses
Define Maximum Rates and Default Values for Expense Types
Define Maximum Amounts for Hotel Nights
Define Hotel Catalog
Define Customer Programs
Define Agreements Between Travel Service Providers on Customer Programs
Integration of Travel Requests and Travel Planning
The areas of travel requests, travel planning and expense reports are fully integrated in the new Web Dynpro ABAP user interface. Users can copy the following travel data:
When creating travel plans, users can copy data from their travel requests. When users create a new travel plan, the system displays a list of open travel requests, from which users can copy data to the new travel plan.
When creating expense reports, users can copy data from their travel requests or travel plans. When users create a new expense report, the system displays a list of open travel requests and travel plans, from which users can copy data to the new expense report.
The POWL of each user shows the status of the user's trips and provides users with easy access to the subsequent actions that are possible (for example, once a travel request is approved, the user can choose Create Travel Plan).
Integration of Travel Services and Travel Preferences in Travel Requests
In travel requests, you can specify which travel services are required for the following modes of travel (but you cannot reserve or book them here):
Flight
Hotel
Car rental
Rail
Other travel services
For more information, see the section that follows.
The system displays the preferences of a traveler based on his or her travel profile. At a later date, you can transfer the data a travel request to a travel plan, and book your trip. Alternatively, you can transmit the travel request to a travel agency, which then books the trip for you.
Other Travel Services
In travel requests, you can now specify (but not reserve or book) other travel services. Other travel services include the following:
Ferry
Helicopter
Airport shuttle
In Customizing you determine which other travel services are displayed and which entries can be made by users. See Other Travel Services.
Copying of Travel Requests
Users can copy travel requests. Travel assistants can copy travel requests of one traveler for another traveler, and edit the new request. (Both travelers need to be on the employee list of the travel assistant.)
Saving of Drafts of User Entries
The Save Draft function allows users to temporarily save your entries in the applications (except in travel travel planning). The system saves the incomplete entries with the status Open.
Expense Types per Schema
To each schema, you can assign those expense types that need to be available in the respective schema. If you do not specify any expense types for a schema, then all expense types stored in the system apply to that schema. You can use this function to create a schema for miscellaneous receipts, which enables employees to enter receipts that are not directly related to a specific trip. These might be expenses for phone costs, office supplies, or promotional gifts on behalf of consultants or sales staff. See Restrict Travel Expense Types for Trip Schemas.
This function is also available in SAP GUI.
Advanced Passenger Information
In travel plans, you can enter additional passenger data for Advanced Passenger Information System (APIS). When a flight is booked, this data is transmitted to the airlines via a Global Distribution System (GDS). In Customizing, for each country key you can determine whether travelersare required to enter APIS data, and which data items are required. See Define Data for Advanced Passenger Information System.
This function is available only in the new Web Dynpro ABAP user interface.
Sarbanes-Oxley Compliance
The following functions have been extended to ensure audit ability of statutory rules, such as those prescribed by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act:
Credit Card Receipts in Expense Reports
You can define in Customizing that users cannot delete credit card receipts. See the field documentation under Set Up Feature TRVPA for Travel Expenses Parameters.
In expense reports, you can itemize your private expenses as separate receipts and allocate them to private expense types (for example, use of mini-bar). This documents the personal portion of expenses in the system.
Additional Receipt Information in Expense Reports
When entering expenses, you can specify internal and external participants of an entertainment event in the form of a table under additional receipt information. You can evaluate this information in reporting. In Customizing, for each trip provision variant and expense type, you can determine whether users are required to enter such participants. See Field Control for Additional Receipt Information.
These enhancements are also available in SAP GUI.
Use of Scanned Receipts and Adding of Attachments
If you use optical archives for Travel Management, in expense reports you can display receipts that are scanned into the system. When scanned receipts are allocated to an expense report, the system shows them in the POWLs for travelers, travel assistants, and approving managers.
Travelers can add attachments to their expense reports (for example, the agenda of a convention). This can be done when creating an expense report or in the POWL. Attachments are linked to the trip number and can be viewed by travel assistants and approving managers.
Enhancements in Flight Reservations
Flight reservations have the following new functions:
You can determine whether the Amadeus reservation system should apply Value Pricer or Master Pricer in fare-driven flight availability queries. You do this with the MASTERPRICER attribute in table TA20SWITCH. See Define Enterprise-Wide Control Parameters.
The system sorts best-price query results by price, but groups different flight combinations that have the same price. Within these groupings, you can select any combination of outbound and return flights.
If you have set up a direct connection to a flight reservation system such as TRAVELfusion (in addition to GDS), the system shows the available flights for both reservation systems in the fare-driven flight availability list.
Enhancements in Bookings at Deutsche Bahn (German Railway)
Train reservations using NVS (Amadeus) have the following new functions:
You can book tickets for multiple passengers. You can specify whether each individual passenger has a BahnCard. For international trips, you can enter the age of each passenger, for example, to receive a discount for people under the age of 26.
You can book tickets, reserve seats, or both.
When booking a trip, you can request a Bahn-Tix. Then, prior to departure you can pick up the train ticket at any DB ticket machine for intercity rail traffic. At the ticket machine you can identify yourself with your BahnCard, credit card, Eurocheque card, or the order number shown in the booking data.
Enhancements for Hotel Reservations
You can sort hotels according to different criteria such as price, star rating, or distance from the address.
Generic XI Interface to Rail Portals
As an alternative to using a global distribution system (GDS) to include rail connections in Travel Planning, you can instead use rail portals for this purpose. Using SAP NetWeaver Exchange Infrastructure (XI), Travel Planning provides a generic interface for connections to rail portals. One such connection is the Deutsche Bahn Corporate Portal (also referred to as Bahn Internet Booking Engine = BIBE).
Generic XI Interface to Flight Reservation Systems
As an alternative to using a global distribution system (GDS) to include flights in Travel Planning, you can instead use flight reservation systems for this purpose. Using SAP NetWeaver Exchange Infrastructure (XI), Travel Planning provides a generic interface for connections to flight reservation systems. This enables you to book flights with low-cost carriers (LCC) and Web fare deals on the Internet. Travel Planning displays the offers of flight reservation systems as part of the fare-driven flight availability list, together with offers from a GDS.
Enterprise Services
Report programs and BAdIs (Business Add-ins) are available for the new Enterprise Services for the following process components:
Expense and Reimbursement Management
Travel Management
Business Data Management
Personnel Administration
For more information, see HCM_SRV_CI_1: HCM, Enterprise Services 01 (New).
Effects on Existing Data
You can continue using existing travel data without restrictions.
Effects on Customizing
The following IMG activities are new:
If you want to implement the other travel services in the Travel Request component, perform the IMG activities under Travel Request.
To adjust the processes for the integration of rail portals, use the Business Add-in (BAdI) Adjust Processes for Integration of Rail Portals.
To configure APIS, perform the IMG activities Define Data for Advanced Passenger Information System and BAdI: Adjust Creation of APIS Elements.
To assign expense types to schemas, perform IMG activity Restrict Travel Expense Types for Trip Schemas.
The following IMG activities have been extended:
To define that users may not delete credit card receipts, perform IMG activity Set Up Feature TRVPA for Travel Expenses Parameters.
To extend the additional receipt information with the participants in entertainment, perform IMG activity Field Control for Additional Receipt Information.
To use Master Pricer, perform IMG activity Define Enterprise-Wide Control Parameters.
See also
For more information, see the SAP Library under Business Function Sets and Busines
Regards
Vijay

How can I avoid re-configuring my outgoing server when travelling?

I have always "reconfigured" my 'outgoing server' -- the smtp setting under MAIL preferences -- when travelling outside my ISP's service area. (For 12 years with Eudora, and now 4 years with MAIL). But often at hotels, or in airports, it's not possible to get the info, that is, the smtp designator for the ISP serving the hotel or airport. When unable to get that info, I have to revert to using my home ISP's "webmail" which is clunky, limited, slow, inflexible, and doesn't integrate well with my Apple MAIL later. I hate using it.
When I AM able to get the local smtp designator info when on the road, it nearly always does the trick and I am able to do all my email work as I would back at my home office.
However, recently, I stayed with a friend on the west coast, (let's call him Brian) who is something of a Mac expert, but he was unable to confidently give me the smtp designators for his local ISP-- apparently because he never has to change his smtp configuration when on the road! Like me, he uses two servers, that is, he is connected at his home via the phone company's DSL service using a high speed modem, but he likes to retain the email address he had originally got from an earlier ISP he used, back when he was on dial-up. So he pays that ISP a monthly $5.00 to allow him to continue to use the email address he has had since being their customer way back when. So we called both of Brian's ISP's and got their smtp designators. However, neither of these, when plugged into my MAIL preferences, would allow me to "send" using Apple MAIL and I was again obliged to use my clunky webmail.
Now, it seems to me he is being "relayed" (is that the right term?) by the phone company sending outgoing mail over to the older ISP, and the older ISP relays his mail over to the phone company's server to give him his incoming mail. When I am visiting him, this may be to confusing for the smtp configuration in my MAIL.
I would think not, though, because I have a similar setup: I connect to a cable company modem from my home on the east coast, but my address is the one I got from our local phone company before high-speed became available to us via the cable TV service. When we switched from the phone company's dial-up to the cable company's high- speed, we kept the original email address --which was specific to the phone company-- and we pay $5.00 per month for the privilege. Seems very similar to Brian's setup.
However, at Brian's, changing the smtp designator doesn't work to allow me to send emails from Apple's MAIL program.
Brian tells me he doesn't have to do this smtp change when he travels, with his Apple MAIL. He doesn't know why I do it, nor why I should have to. I suspect, that unknown to him, his ISP has some kind of setup whereby his smtp designation is a sort of "universal" outgoing server designation, and his outgoing emails are accepted no matter which ISP he is using when away from home. And I think my MAIL configuration must be incompatible with that. This is just my suspicion.
So my questions are:
1. why doesn't Brian have to re-configure his smtp outgoing server when he travels? and...
2. how can I get that kind of universal "email send-ability" when I travel, and not have to be challenged with having to re-do my outgoing server when travelling, using Apple's MAIL?
Any insights will be most gratefully received!!!!
PS I'm using Snow Leopard on MacBook 10.6.8; I think Brian is using Leopard on a 15-in Powerbook.

Many email providers allow you to send from outside their network if you set up authentication to their servers in your outgoing mail server setup. You may wish to confirm this with your email provider, but you can just try this:
1) Go to the Accounts preference in Mail
2) Select your email account
3) On the Account Information tab, locate the "Outgoing Mail Server" section and pull the menu down to "Edit SMTP Server list"
4) Select the appropriate outgoing server and go to the Advanced tab
5) In the Authentication pulldown, select "Password" and enter in your email account ID and password
6) Click all the applicable "OK" buttons to close it all up and save the information.
That may work with your email provider, or they may have additional settings needed such as "Use Security Sockets Layer (SSL)". Your provider should be able to tell you what specific settings you need if the basic user name and password don't work.
Regards.

Travel Time Not Showing on iPad

When I look on my phone, iCal blocks off my travel time so I know at a glance that I can't schedule anything there. However, I bought a new iPad mini tonight and it does not show the travel time blocked off. It will calculate the travel time and show me how long it will take if I select the appointment. But it won't show me travel time in the week view. What am I missing??

So how do we get this message to the wizards that need to do a bit more programming work? Travel time (which was around years ago and suddenly disappeared about 4 OS's ago) is super. But markroos is right: If it doesn't show up on the mobile devices we love, it is useless. Because, duh, we don't take our iMacs on the road with us, do we?

Error while creating a Travel Request

Hi All,
EP 7,ESS/MSS 1.0
We have a issue in Creating Travel Request in Portal.
Once we fill all the required entries to create a travel request and click the review button it pops a message saying " Errors have been discovered when checking the Expense Report. Please correct them in order to proceed." .
When i check the same in backend using the tcode- TRIP, we are able to create the travel request.
Can some one tell me where we are going wrong and is there any configuration at backend to be done still.
Thanks,
NR

Hi NR
Ensure that all the variant are properly integrated between Travel & Expenses.
Also, for testing, removing the integration and test if the pop-up comes back.
If this helps, pl do reward.
Thanks
Narsimha

Error while creating Travel request

Dear All,
ESS 2005/SP6
While creating travel request in I am getting following error
"Errors have been discovered when checking the Expense Report. Please correct them in order to proceed."
Regards,
Kamal Rawal

Hello Kamal
Did you manage to resolve the issue in relation to "Errors have been discovered when checking the Expense Report."?
Best Regards
Roger Earle
[email protected]

Direction on safe power adapters for iPods from US to Travel in France

Hello, I searched other topics found the Apple power adapter plug for the ipod discussesd this topic (which I do already have), but it did not SPECIFICALLY say that it will convert from US (110v) to Euro - France (220) volt. All the instructions from available power adapters (non-Apple) specifically say 'not for use with stereo or musical equipment.'
Help ! Can I just plug in my Apple ipod power adapter INTO a standard 110v to 220v converter and not worry about problems? Do I need to look for a special voltage adapter that works between certain amps or voltage ranges?
Best Buy, Radio Shack, Travel Smith and Sharper Image were NO help.
Looking not to fry my 60GB video ipod during a month long trip to Europe..
Help Please -- Au Secours! Jesse At One
Thanks and happy ipoding.
P.S. It is still next to impossible to find how to post a question. Instructions misleading, unclear and incorrect. oooppss...
Dell Prescision 370 Windows XP </span<br

hiya!
but it did not SPECIFICALLY say that it will convert from US (110v) to Euro - France (220) volt.
the accepted input power range is given in the "About the Apple iPod Power Adapter's Voltage Requirements" section in this document:
iPod: About the Apple iPod Power Adapter
... and there's info on the World Travel Adapter Kit given in the "Charging iPod around the World" section in this document:
Charging your iPod battery
if you feel so inclined and you have the time, you can submit feedback about your navigational difficulties here:
AppleCare Website Suggestions (improvements to fora, etc)
love, b

Travel adapter 220V to 110V

I'm traveling to Mongolia with a 3GS and need to know if all I need is a simple plug adapter or whether I need a plug adapter and step-down voltage converter for my iPhone. I understand the concept of a plug adapter simply allowing a different plug type to access the same voltage (220V in this case), but I worry that the charger and iPhone won't be able to handle the 220V when its built for 110V power here in the US.
Any thoughts?

I also raised that question some months ago. If you have the latest plug from Apple, all you will need is the plug adapter. I always travel with both....the plug adapters and a voltage converter in case I, or someone in my group, have an older appliance.

Travel Overseas Italy: Comprehensive Task List

I will be traveling to Italy in January from my base in New York. Since this is my first time taking a Verizon phone overseas, I have spent some time researching the Verizon web site to prepare myself for a journey with minimal problems.
You’ll find my resulting notes below. This research might be helpful for others who are planning an overseas trip. Even if it is not to Italy, you may want to answer the same questions for your destination country.
If you spot any errors, please post corrections.
I have a Blackberry Storm 2 which is one of Verizon’s global phones. That means the hardware (the installed SIM card) is already programmed for international use.
Here is Verizon’s website with information on using a global phone while traveling internationally:
http://b2b.vzw.com/international/Global_Phone/index.html
Verizon also has created a useful Trip Planner here:
http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/tripplanner/tripplannercontroller
Those web pages provide the following information about travel to Italy:
Before leaving the U.S.
1) A few days before departure, call Verizon and have them activate your SIM card for “international voice roaming” as well as “international data roaming” if you plan to use the phone to access data. This can be done by calling Verizon customer service at 800-922-0204 or *611
EDIT: Arrange for the SIM card activation to begin a few days before you depart. That way you can call Verizon before you leave and make sure they have actually activated the card.
2) Dial *228, press SEND, and select option 2 to update your roaming capabilities.
3) To save some money on voice calls, sign up for the GSM voice value plan (see details below.)
EDIT: Arrange for the GSM voice value plan to begin a few days before you depart. This will allow you to call Verizon before you leave and make sure the plan has actually been initiated.
Voice calls:
The GSM Standard Roaming Per Minute Rate is $1.29. This is charged whether you are making or receiving a call.
If you sign up for the GSM Value Plan, at $4.99 per month, the Roaming Per Minute Rate is $0.99. Verizon’s site says this is “the ideal plan if you plan to talk more than 30 minutes a day.” But it would seem to offer a substantial discount at lesser usage. A Verizon representative suggested calling to set up this service three to five days before departure. Initiation can be future-dated.
How to dial voice calls:
When in Italy, here is how to call a US number. I’ll use the 212 area code for the example: Dial the Italy country exit code [00], then the US country code [1], then the familiar 10-digit area code and number. On landline phones the format for calling a number in the US 212 area code would be this:
00 1 212 XXX XXXX
On a cell phone, pressing the * or 0 key while you are in GSM mode is supposed to automatically insert the country exit code, which for Italy is 00. So you would use the following format:
+ 1 212 XXX XXXX
If you call out of your address book while in GSM Mode, you usually do not need to add the exit code and country code to the number; they are added automatically.
To call an Italian number while in Italy:
Dial the plus sign, then the country code, then the local number with area code.
To call another country while in Italy:
Dial the plus sign, country code, international number.
To reach the toll-free customer service in Italy:
Dial the plus sign, then 1, then 908-559-4899 [ EDIT: Then you may enter the PIN number which is on the Global Support Card you received with your phone. ]
People in the US can call you by using your usual 10-digit number. They do not have to dial the US exit code (which is 011) or the Italy country code (which is 39). The person from the US is not charged anything extra; that person is just calling a regular US phone that happens to be overseas.
To get voicemail while in Italy:
To pick up your voice mail, call your own cell number using the “Call to US” instructions above. (The format would be + 1 212 XXX XXXX). Then you interrupt your voice mail greeting and enter your password when prompted.
Text messages:
You can send text messages to a cell phone in the U.S. by just dialing the regular 10-digit phone number (do not dial Italy exit code or US country code). Your fee for sending a text message is 50 cents per message, whether or not you sign up for the GSM Value Plan. You can attach a picture to a text message at no extra charge.
Someone using Verizon here in the U.S. can send you a text message in Italy by using your regular 10-digit number. (It is not necessary for them to start with the 011 US exit code and the Italy country code). You can receive text messages for five cents each. Receiving a picture attached to a text message costs 25 cents.
Data usage by the phone:
Using the cell phone for data access (email, web surfing, audio and video downloads from the Internet) is extremely expensive under the “pay per use” plan which will apply if you do not sign up for a discount data plan. The “pay per use” fee is $20.48 per MB. (Note that text messages are not considered data, and are charged at a separate rate. See the information previously in this document.)
Here is Verizon’s page that describes the global data rates:
http://b2b.vzw.com/international/GlobalData/rates_coverage.html
For an idea of how data access charges might add up at such rates, consider Verizon’s chart of typical usages. The figures below were taken from the following Verizon page:
http://b2b.vzw.com/international/GlobalData/rates_coverage.html
Email (text only) = 10 KB
Typical Web Page Lookup = 1.5 MB (This can add up fast).
Audio Streaming = 40 MB/hr
Lo-Res Video Streaming = 200 MB/hr
Hi-Res Video Streaming = 400 MB/hr
Digital Photo download/upload (Hi-Res) = 1 MB
1 MB = 1,024 KB
1 GB = 1,024 MB
To make the data charges manageable you can call the Global Services department and sign up for Verizon’s Global Data Plan. The cheapest of such Global Data plans costs $30 per month. That gives 50MB of data connectivity, then you can access additional data for $5.12 per MB. All numbers are pro-rated for the time you are in the country.
Important: Avoid surprise data charges. If you are not going to use your phone for data, go to “Mobile Network Options” and turning off “Data Services While Roaming.” You could also turn off “Data Services” itself.
[ The above information refers only to data usage over your cell phone. Some people also use Verizon’s “Broadband Connect” service, which provides for data usage on a laptop. This requires either that the laptop contains an internal Internet modem, or the user engages in “tethering,” which involves attaching the cell phone to the laptop with a cord. (I do the latter while I am in the US.) To use that service overseas you would need to sign up for yet another package from Verizon. Verizon’s page says: “Data used as a tethered modem or mobile hotspot requires its own global data allowance separate from your smart phone data allowance.” (Since I will only be in overseas a week, I have not looked into the charges for this service.) ]
Use Wi-Fi
Rather than use the phone for data access or tethering, use public wi-fi which is available in many hotels, coffee shops, and public areas.
When arriving in Italy
Make sure your phone’s network settings are set to “Global.”
You will receive a text message tell your how to use your phone for international calls. The phone will show that it is using the “Vodafone” network.
[ Edits: ] You can call the U.S.-based Verizon support while you are in Italy. Use the above instructions for calling a US number. Dial:
+ 1 908-559-4899 (This is air time and toll free).
EDIT: If you are using a payphone to call that number, a global staff person will call you back to save you additional expenses.
If your cell phone is lost or damaged, you can call the country specific access number, (for Italy it is 800-90-5825). Wait for tone, then enter the calling card number and PIN on the front of your Verizon Wireless Global Support card (which came with your cell phone.)
Reminders
1) You cannot call 800 numbers from overseas. So get alternative numbers from your phone, credit card companies, and others. Also, calling will not work.
[ EDIT: It may be that some 800 numbers will work while you are in Italy, but they are not free. I am not sure about this. ]
2) Italy uses the GSM Dual Band voice network, and the same for its data network.
3) The “Network Technology” setting should be set to “Global.” The phone may fall back to EDGE or GPRS if 3G is not available in a location. The phone should automatically adjust if that happens.
4) When making an international call to any European phone number that begins with a zero, omit the zero — unless you are calling Italy. For example, to call the UK number 01606 54321 from France, you’d dial +44 1606 54321. + is the international prefix, 44 is the country code, then the number with the leading zero omitted. Italy is the lone exception — if you need to call there don’t drop the leading zero.
[ End ]
Message was edited by: writer_sam, after his trip overseas.

Roaming Charges Overseas and Wi-Fi
As it happens, I will be traveling once again to Italy. This time it's Rome and I have upgraded to a BB Torch 9850. Here are some additional notes, this time about the conflict in settings between the need to limit data roaming charges and the desire to use Wi-Fi. The notes below will be especially useful for those using Blackberries, although others may find the information a good template for their own prudent research.
While roaming overseas I want to be able to make and receive voice calls, but I want to avoid incurring charges for data communication through Verizon's mobile network. Those data communication charges can result from the use of the phone for email communications, web site browsing, and apps that might access data in the background without my knowledge. Such charges can be exorbitant.
At the same time, I want to be able to use the phone to access the Internet via Wi-Fi for such activities as emailing and web surfing, which use data.
Those two interests can conflict when it comes to setting a phone’s networks and connections. I called Verizon for some insight. Here are the settings suggested by the representative.
While you are not in a Wi-Fi area, use the following settings. These will allow you to make and receive voice calls and text messages, but you will not be able to access the Internet for web browsing or email:
1) “Mobile network:” ON. [ This will allow you to make and receive voice phone calls and send and receive text messages over the mobile network. ]
2) “Data services:” OFF. [ Arguably, this could be left ON as long as the next entry, “Data while roaming,” is set to OFF. That’s because any data attempting to move through the mobile network while overseas would be in a “roaming” state, so the next entry should stop it from being processed. However, the representative tells me that some customers have reported being hit with data charges while overseas when they left their “Data services” set to ON. Therefore the representative suggests setting this to OFF. ]
3) “Data while roaming:” OFF [ This will keep your mobile network from processing any data while you are overseas. ]
The above settings are appropriate if you want to just use your phone for voice and text messages. If you also want to take advantage of Wi-Fi, read on.
While you are in a Wi-Fi area and you want to use Wi-Fi, switch to the following settings. These will allow you to receive and send emails over Wi-Fi and browse the web, but you will not be able to use your phone to make or receive voice calls or communicate with text messages:
1) “Mobile Network:” OFF [ This will keep your mobile network from processing data so you will not be hit with exorbitant data roaming charges. ]
2) “Data services:” ON [ This will allow the phone to process data communications through Wi-Fi]
3) “Data while roaming:” OFF [ This is an extra security measure to assure the phone does not process data communications through its mobile network while in a “roaming” location. Arguably, this could be left ON, since your “Mobile Network” setting is OFF and thus should not process any data. However, the representative told me that some customers have reported data usage charges when “data while roaming” was left ON. So turn it OFF. ]
Additional notes: Procedures for making the above settings may vary by device. On my BB Torch I take the following path: For “Mobile Network” tap the Blackberry symbol in the upper right hand corner of the screen. For the other settings tap “Options,” then “Networks and Connections,” then “Mobile Network” or “Wi-Fi” Network. You can leave the “Wi-Fi” checkbox ON at all times.
Text messages, in contrast with emails, do not incur data charges. During my last trip to Italy, texting proved to be a great way to communicate with friends back in the USA. I did not attempt to use Wi-Fi at all.
Hope this helps. One alternative to the above is to sign up for a global data plan from Verizon. Yet roaming charges even under those plans can add up quickly.
On a related note, the rep told me that it can take up to 48 hours for Verizon to recognize data usage. (Apparently has to do with the fact that overseas carriers are slow in reporting. Same goes for smaller domestic carriers when stateside.) So if you make a mistake in settings, you really can't find out something is wrong before incurring an expensive delay.
Hope the above helps.

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