PrePaidGSM > Operators > Italy > Prepaid data overview
Prepaid Data in Italy
Here you find the offers available for connecting to internet using a mobile phone or usb dongle while in Italy. All offers listed here have no commintments, you can use then for how long as you wish. Of course you must have a phone/dongle capable of connecting through GPRS/EDGE/UMTS/HSDPA. All usb dongles sold in Italy are unlocked, except the ones by 3 ITA.
Networks & providers
In Italy there are 4 network operators and several providers. The four network operators are:
- TIM: GSM 900/1800 with GPRS and EDGE throughout Italy; WCDMA 2100 with HSDPA;
- Vodafone: GSM 900/1800 with GPRS throughout Italy; WCDMA 2100 with HSDPA;
- Wind: GSM 900/1800 with GPRS and (sometimes) EDGE throughout Italy; WCDMA 2100 with HSDPA;
- 3 ITA: WCDMA 2100 with HSDPA;
IMPORTANT: 3 ITA (and Fastweb) customers can roam on TIM GSM network: all data offers by 3 DO NOT include roaming, so be careful to set your phone/dongle to use 3 ITA's 3G network only in order to avoid unexpected (and high) expenses.
There are also other providers which offer data options too: COOP Voce and Nòverca use TIM network, Poste Mobile uses Vodafone, A-Mobile uses Wind, Fastweb works on 3. There are other providers but they actually do not offer prepaid data options.
Coverage
TIM, Vodafone and Wind have national GSM/GPRS networks covering more than 99% of the Italian population and more than 90% of the Italian territory. TIM has EDGE everywhere on its network too, Wind has some EDGE (but not everywhere), Vodafone has NO EDGE at all.
Talking about 3G and HSDPA, all four operators have quite widespread networks. HSDPA is usually available wherever there's 3G coverage, but speed can be very different from places to places and operators to operators. Generally speaking, TIM is supposed to have the most reliable and biggest network, Wind is usually reliable as well (but with less coverage), Vodafone a big network but usually slow, 3 ITA had a very fast network startup but now it's probably behind competitors, but usually speed is probably the best of the four.
Check the coverage information clicking on the links below:
- TIM: click here;
- Vodafone: click here;
- Wind: click here;
- 3 ITA: click here;
Some little help to non Italian speakers:
- Seleziona Regione: Select Region
- Seleziona Procinvia: Select Province
- Seleziona Comune: Select Municipality
Here is a MAP which can help you with Regions and Provinces of Italy.
What and where to buy
In order use one of the following prepaid data options, you first need to buy a normal prepaid card from the provider you decided to use. With the 4 network operators it's all quite straightforward: to go a TIM, Vodafone, Wind or 3 shop and ask for a "carta prepagata" (prepaid card). No matter about the voice tariff if you are using it for data only, just be sure to get a plan with no monthly costs. You will need the famous Codice Fiscale, take a look here at the bottom of the page if you don't have one yet, and a Passport/ID Document.
Usually sim-cards are active at once or after few minutes, sometimes after a couple of hours but it can also happen that it takes a couple of days, just wait and hope to be lucky.
Since most sim cards come with just few euros loaded (usually 5), the first thing to do, while you are still in the shop, is to ask the dealer for a top-up in order to get some money to spend for the internet option. After you refilled the card you are ready to activate the data option you chose. You can either ask the clerk to do it for you (they hopefully should be able to!) or do it by yourself (it's very easy since most operators use SMS commands, listed below). Also data options usually take some time to be ready to be used. Always wait for a comfirmation SMS before starting using it. It would be a good idea to ask the clerk to set your sim card to prompt messages in English, if this option is available with the provider you chose to use.
Talking about virtual providers, if you want a Poste Mobile sim-card you have to go to any Post Office (good luck!) and A-Mobile can be found at Auchan supermarkets. Nòverca can be bought only through internet or phone, so it's not a very easy solution for non Italian residents. COOP Voce is available at any COOP supermarket and it's probably the best solution among MVNOs. Fastweb has some shops, often shared with other operators.
Data settings
Here are the settings for using the several providers for data. Blank user name and password should be ok with all providers.
| Data settings | ||||
| Type of connection | Web APN | Wap APN | Blackberry | iPhone/iPad |
| Wind/A-Mobile | internet.wind | wap.wind | blackberry.net | - |
| TIM/MTV | ibox.tim.it | wap.tim.it | blackberry.net | - |
| COOP Voce | web.coopvoce.it | - | - | - |
| Nòverca | web.noverca.it | wap.noverca.it | - | - |
| Vodafone | web.omnitel.it | wap.omnitel.it | blackberry.net | iphone.vodafone.it |
| Poste Mobile | internet.postemobile.it | wap.postemobile.it | - | - |
| 3 | tre.it | - | - | - |
| Fastweb | apn.fastweb.it | - | - | - |
Where an APN is not specified (-) you can use the web APN.
Web data offers (data based billing)
| Per KB data offers | |||||||||
| Option name | Operator (network) | Cost | Activation fee | Data included | Extra bundle | VoIP, p2p | Tethering | Activation | Deactivation |
| Internet No Stop | Wind | € 9.00/month | € 5.00 free for new sims |
1 GB/month | free (32Kbps max speed) |
no | yes | SMS to 4033 "NO STOP SI" | SMS to 4033 "NO STOP NO" |
| Mega Unlimited | Wind | € 20.00/month | € 5.00 free for new sims |
10 GB/month | free (32Kbps max speed) |
yes | yes | SMS to 4033 "UNLIMITED SI" | SMS to 4033 "UNLIMITED NO" |
| Internet Start | TIM | € 24.00/month | € 5.00 | 1 GB/month, max 14.4Mbps | free (32Kbps max speed) |
no | yes | SMS to 40916 "PRO INTERNETSTART" | SMS to 40916 "INTERNETSTART OFF" |
| Internet Large | TIM | € 19.00/month | free | 5 GB/month, max 14.4Mbps | free (32Kbps max speed) |
yes | yes | SMS to 40916 "PRO INTERNETLARGE" | SMS to 40916 "INTERNETLARGE OFF" |
| Internet Top | TIM | € 24.00/month | € 5.00 | 10 GB/month, max 14.4Mbps | free (32Kbps max speed) |
yes | yes | SMS to 40916 "PRO INTERNETTOP" | SMS to 40916 "INTERNETTOP OFF" |
| Ultra Internet Mobile fino a 42 Mbps | TIM | € 29.00/month | free | 10 GB/month, max 42Mbps | free (32Kbps max speed) |
yes | yes | SMS to 40916 "PRO ULTRAINTERNET" | SMS to 40916 "ULTRAINTERNET OFF" |
| TIMxSMARTPHONE | TIM | € 2.50/week | free | 250 MB/week | free (64Kbps max speed) |
no | no | SMS to 40916 "TIMSMARTNEW ON" | SMS to 40916 "TIMSMARTNEW OFF" |
| TIMxSMARTPHONE MAXI | TIM | € 5.00/week | free | 500 MB/week | free (64Kbps max speed) |
VoIP yes, p2p no | yes | SMS to 40916 "TIMSMARTMAXI ON" | SMS to 40916 "TIMSMARTMAXI OFF" |
| Nòverca 100 | Nòverca (TIM) | € 2.00/day | € 1.50 | 100 MB/day | € 0.003/KB | unknown | yes | SMS to 40543711 "100MB ON" | SMS to 40543711 "100MB OFF" |
| Nòverca 200 | Nòverca (TIM) | € 2.00/week | € 1.50 | 200 MB/week | € 0.003/KB | unknown | yes | SMS to 40543711 "200MB ON" | SMS to 40543711 "200MB OFF" |
| NòvercaMega | Nòverca (TIM) | € 7.00/month | € 1.50 | 500 MB/month | € 0.003/KB | unknown | yes | SMS to 40543711 "MEGA ON" | SMS to 40543711 "MEGA OFF" |
| NòvercaGiga | Nòverca (TIM) | € 11.00/month | € 1.50 | 1 GB/month | € 0.003/KB | unknown | yes | SMS to 40543711 "NG ON" | SMS to 40543711 "NG OFF" |
| Web 1 GIGA | CoopVoce (TIM) | € 8.00/month | free | 1 GB/month | € 0.50/MB | yes | yes | SMS to 4243688 "SI 1 GIGA" | Call 188 |
| Web 5 GIGA | CoopVoce (TIM) | € 18.00/month | free | 5 GB/month | € 0.50/MB | yes | yes | SMS to 4243688 "SI 5 GIGA" | Call 188 |
| Internet Go | Vodafone | € 20.00/month | free | 5 GB/month max 14.4 Mbps |
free (64Kbps max speed) |
yes | yes | Call 42070 | Call 42070 |
| Internet Fly | Vodafone | € 25.00/month | free | 7 GB/month max 43.2 Mbps |
free (64Kbps max speed) |
yes | yes | Call 42070 | Call 42070 |
| Internet 1 Anno | Vodafone | € 89.00/year | free | 1 GB/month max 14.4 Mbps |
free (64Kbps max speed) |
yes | yes | Call 42070 | Call 42070 |
| GigaWeb | Fastweb (3 ITA) | € 10.00/month | you have to pay 3 months in advance | 5 GB/month | € 0.20/MB (3G), € 0.30/MB (GPRS) | yes | yes | at Fastweb shops | at Fastweb shops |
You can use any of these offers for connecting to internet using a Usb dongle, your phone as a modem, your
iPhone, iPad, smartphone, etc...
There could be although some limitations, such as blocked p2p and
Voip calls.
Web data offers (time based billing)
| Time billed data offers | ||||||||
| Option name | Operator (network) | Cost | Activation fee | Data included | Extra bundle | Billing | Activation | Deactivation |
| Mega Ore / 50 Ore Internet | Wind / A-Mobile | € 9.00/month | € 5.00 free for new sims |
50 hours/month | € 2.00/day (incl. 250MB) | 15 mins increments | SMS to 4033 "ORE SI" | SMS to 4033 "ORE NO" |
| SuperWeb Day | 3 ITA | € 1.00/day | free | 4 hours/day | € 0.9075/hour | 1 second increments | Call 4077 | Call 4077 |
| SuperWeb Week | 3 ITA | € 3.00/week | free | 15 hours/week | € 0.9075/hour | 1 second increments | Call 4077 | Call 4077 |
| SuperWeb 100 | 3 ITA | € 15.00/month | free | 100 hours/month | € 0.9075/hour | 1 second increments | Call 4077 | Call 4077 |
| Internet 100 Ore | Poste Mobile (Vodafone) | € 22.00/month | free | 100 hours/month | € 0.50/15 mins | 15 mins increments | Call 401212 | Call 401212 |
| Web 30 ORE | CoopVoce (TIM) | € 8.00/month | free | 30 hours/month | € 0.50/15 mins | 1 second increments | SMS to 4243688 "SI 30 ORE" | Call 188 |
| Web 100 ORE | CoopVoce (TIM) | € 15.00/month | free | 100 hours/month | € 0.50/15 mins | 1 second increments | SMS to 4243688 "SI 100 ORE" | Call 188 |
You can use any of these offers for connecting to internet using a Usb dongle or your phone as a modem.
They work on your iPhone, iPad, smartphone, etc... too, but we don't suggest them because of the 15 minutes
billing (except 3 and COOP).
There could be although some limitations, such as blocked p2p and
Voip calls which could be limited/blocked.
Blackberry© data offers
If you have a Blackberry© and want to use data you have to activate one of the 4 specific offers by the 4 network operators, no other choice. Virtual network operators don't have Blackberry© plans by now.
| Blackberry© data offers | |||||||
| Option name | Operator (network) | Cost | Activation fee | Data included | Extra bundle | Activation | Deactivation |
| Blackberry© No Stop | Wind | € 9.00/month (half price till Feb 5th 2012) |
free | unlimited (max 250MB/week for videos) | free (32Kbps max speed) |
SMS to 4033 "BLACK SI" | SMS to 4033 "BLACK NO" |
| TIMxSMARTPHONE (Blackberry©) | TIM | € 2.50/week | free | 250MB/week | free (64Kbps max speed) |
SMS to 40916 "TIMSMARTBBNEW ON" | SMS to 40916 "TIMSMARTBBNEW OFF" |
| TIMxSMARTPHONE MAXI (Blackberry©) | TIM | € 5.00/week | free | 500MB/week | free (64Kbps max speed) |
SMS to 40916 "TIMSMARTBBMAXI ON" | SMS to 40916 "TIMSMARTBBMAXI OFF" |
| Mobile Internet per Blackberry© | Vodafone | € 3.00/week | free | nothing | € 3.00/250MB | SMS to 422461 "BLACKBERRY" | Call 42070 |
| Super Internet Blackberry© | 3 ITA | € 5.00/month | free | 100 MB/day | depending on your plan | Call 4040, dial 2 | Call 4070 |
Vodafone's Blackberry© option is the only one which does not offer one single KB out of e-mail and app downloading. So if you plan to use your BB also for mobile surfing you have to activate also one of the mobile internet options by Vodafone (see below).
Blackberry© users must also configure their device in order to use the Italian BB option they chose. In order to do so you have to create a BB account on the provider you chose:
- TIM: click here;
- Vodafone: click here;
- Wind: click here;
- 3 ITA: click here.
It's basically the same page for each provider. You have to click on "Crea nuovo account" to creat a new BB account.
On the following page you have to accept the rules, tiking besides the writing "Ho letto e compreso i termini e le condizioni legali." and then clicking on "accetto".
After that you have to write your BB PIN and IMEI codes and click on "continua". You will then probably be asked a user name and a password. I don't have a BB so I cannot go on the the procedure, but it should be really straightforward.
Mobile surfing only data offers
| Mobile surfing data offers | ||||||||
| Option name | Operator (network) | Cost | Activation fee | Data included | Extra bundle | APN | Activation | Deactivation |
| TIMxSMARTPHONE | TIM | € 2.50/week | free | 250 MB/week | free (64Kbps max speed) |
Wap | SMS to 40916 "TIMSMARTNEW ON" | SMS to 40916 "TIMSMARTNEW OFF" |
| Mobile Internet | Vodafone | € 3.00/week | free | 250 MB/week | € 3.00/500MB | Wap | Call 42070 | Call 42070 |
| Mobile Internet Plus | Vodafone | € 8.00/week | free | 2 GB/week | € 3.00/500MB | Wap | Call 42070 | Call 42070 |
| Mobile 7 Giorni | Poste Mobile (Vodafone) | € 2.50/week | free | 250 MB/week | € 0.50/MB | Wap | SMS to 4071160 "ON SETTE" | SMS to 4071160 "OFF SETTE" |
| Mobile 1 Giga | Poste Mobile (Vodafone) | € 9.00/month | free | 1 GB/month | € 0.50/MB | Wap | SMS to 4071160 "ON MOBILE" | SMS to 4071160 "OFF MOBILE" |
| Super Internet | 3 ITA | € 5.00/month | free | 100 MB/day | depending on your plan | Web | Call 4040, dial 2 | Call 4077 |
| Naviga3 Month | 3 ITA | € 9.00/month | free | 50 MB/day | € 0.60/MB | Web | Call 4040, dial 2 | Call 4077 |
| Naviga3 Week | 3 ITA | € 3.00/week | free | 100 MB/day | € 0.60/MB | Web | Call 4040, dial 2 | Call 4077 |
| Easy Internet Mobile | Italiacom (3 ITA) | € 1.90/week | free | 250 MB/week | € 0.20/MB | Web | Call 4111 | Call 4111 |
| Internet in mobilità | Italiacom (3 ITA) | € 9.00/month | free | 1 GB/month | € 0.25/MB | Web | Call 4111 | Call 4111 |
All these offers cannot be used for connecting to internet using a Usb dongle or tethering with your phone as a modem.
