Help a Newb out!
 

I'm planning a trip next weekend to Italy for 3weeks. I'm taking my iPhone 4 (factory unlocked) I've ready many posts suggesting TIM for its excellent coverage as I'll be going From Venice-Sorrento-Florence-Rome.
My concern is the amount of data I plan to use. I see on the Sticky that TIM offers 250MB/week for phones, but:
1.) Is it possible to get the 5GB plan (for an iPhone) for one month, as I anticipate I will need it. (250/week wont be enough)
2.) Can I walk into any store that sells TIM get the sim, (cut it). What do I do to activate it for the 5GB Plan?
3.) Would I be better off with Vodaphone? Price does not matter, speed and reliability does.
4.) Where's a place in Venice that I can walk into the second I land to get the SIM that you recommend?

Thanks in advance for your help and experience!!

Go with TIM, it has better coverage and speed compared to Vodafone and it's cheaper too. COOP Voce is cheaper than TIM and uses the same network.

You can use the Internet Senza Limiti on your phone. Just go to a TIM shop and ask for a new "sim prepagata" with the Internet Senza Limiti option. You will have to refill it as well. They have mini-sim cards, no need to cut, but ask for it.

Thank you!
So I simply get the sim and send "PRO INTERNETSENZALIMITI" to 40916?
It will cost 29 Euro, but why will I have to refill it? Isnt it for a whole month?

When you get the SIM at the TIM store, you can fill it with 29+ Euro then. Remember that voice calls will use that pool of credit so I would do something like 35 Euro so you can TXT or call.

Also, when I bought my SIM, I ended up with an International Calling plan. You DON'T want that. You need a generic SIM for local use only. May be Effendi can give the exact terminology to get a generic SIM.

Thanks for that, but I plan to only use the sim for Data. No calls or SMS.
Yes, please let me know the name of the generic sim, as I only need it in Italy.
Also, does anyone know where is an official TIM in Venice, or can I walk into just any store that sells sims?

Smartpack gold from three

Pro:

Prepay
Really Really Cheap

Cons:

only 93% of Italy is covered by three. Sometimes you will have to go roaming on TIM network, promotions are not valid (higher prices) while roaming

----

Requirements:

UMTS phone. Three does not support GSM.

Plan

10 cent per sms
10 cent per call minute

All stuff below is free till 31/12/2011

Data: 50MB per day
Calls: 60 minutes monthly to all italian carriers (and home phones)
Calls/VCalls to three: 60 minutes per day free
Sms/mms to three: 60 sms per day


You pay only the simcard, nothing else.
If you need one, PM me. I could post it to you if you need.


p.s. If you need more data -> Internet con cellulare

First month of Super Internet is free. It gives 3gb/month
After cost is 5€/month

Really cheaper than tim.

I would add that 3's network is really slow in most places.

Never experienced. My number is on three network.

I've had my number on 3 until last week. I live near Milan: 0,37Mbps in download/upload in 2011 on HSUPA network. I think that an average national speed of 1,21Mbit is REALLY slow.
Also in Rome, I've notice a download of just 1.18Mbit. It was the 4th of January, in the morning.

Isn't it?

sure but you cannot use it for tethering, on usb dongles and you always have the risk to be roaming on TIM. IMHO 3 is not a good solution for tourists. If they want something cheap they can go with Wind or Poste Mobile, otherwise TIM.

In my personal experience tethering works without any kind of problems.
Whatever you're right: it's a bit difficult for tourists and maybe they would have a more "relaxed" plan.

Hello. So I'm in Venice now. I bought a TIM sim for my iPhone. Everything is fine except i was told I cannot get the 1gb,5gb or unlimited I can only get the 250meg/week. That's not going to work. So I also ended up going back the the tim store and bought another sim, told them it was going to be used in a pc.
I waited about 20mins popped it into my iPhone and it works perfect!!!!
My question now, how do I check my data usage. Is there an SMS I can send? Also, does anyone know if I'll have any problems doing what I've done?

Internet Mobile TIM <--- here you can see your data usage. Remember that you have to access this website from your sim. Otherwise, you can register your sim online at 119.it and get all the details about your sim from any PC.

EDIT: Double post.

Perfect! Exactly what I needed. 119.it worked.

Another question: if I need to, can I upgrade to the 5gb plan? If so, how?

You have to deactivate your current offer from 119.it and subscribe online Internet 5GB (here: Internet 5GB per Tablet - TIM - you don't need a tablet, despite the name. Just click on "Acquista" and go ahead)

Wow! Thank you! I actually called 119. The very nice lady spoke great English! She was able to convert my 2 "smartphone" plans to tablet plans. Now I have plenty of data and so does my wife.
I'm able to make excellent VoIP calls using my sip server back home. No delay.
Tim has very fast Internet compared to the us!

Thank you everyone for all the help!
Now we are off to explore Florence!!

Hi!

I'm spending July around the city of Brescia area.
My necessities are:
- approx. 2-3 gb of data/month
- cheap/"unlimited" calls and/or SMS to one number on the same network (not obligatory because usage of WhatsApp or similar messenger in daily communication is an option)

First I thought about TIM to avoid hassle of possible roaming using 3
But how about 3 if they offer free first month of 3 GB of internet as well as "Insieme" and "Gente di 3" plans for communicating with another 3 number.

How about 3 coverage in Brescia? (homepage states that its fine) Maybe somebody has same personal experience? Most time will be spent in city with limited traveling around so my guess is that there is small chance for the need of roaming.

Or should I still stick with TIM?

3 is surely good, but consider that the 3GB option can be used on the phone only and not for tethering or on your computer.