ITaly
 

Hi, first post. I am not very up to date on technology. We will be traveling to Italy for about 3 1/2 weeks. I would like to have cell phone and data service to call home and do some work using the internet. I currently don't have a cell phone that will work there. I looked at renting a Blackberry through Vodafone, with unlimited data service, which will cost me approximately $235 U.S. with shipping. However, phone calls seem to be expensive going through Vodafone. I also saw that there is a plan through TIM (I believe) with 100 hours of internet for 25 Euros, which seems very reasonable to me. What is my best option for celll phone and internet? SHould I buy a phone and SIM card here or wait until I get there and buy everything? I am really stressed out about this.

Thanks for the help.

Did you see "3" offers?
I think they are more interesting...

Buy everything there. You can, of course, also use hotspots for internet access.

And where are you heading to?

We're going to Rome in about a week. I worried about all this stuff too. I just need the sim card (I have an unlocked phone). I decided to get a WIND sim card after I get there. I'll try to post a summary of how it goes after I get back. (I just need voice, not data)...

Are the details on this website current?

Italy - TIM - Prepaid Wireless Internet Access
Italy - Wind - Prepaid Wireless Internet Access

Which is best for Sardinia?

Can the pre-paid SIMS be used in a dongle (internet key), or are they for mobile phones?

TIM: I think the Maxxi Alice 30 (30 Hours for 15 €) will be enough as I'm only in Sardinia for 7 days. So I read this as 30 hours of internet with unlimited MBs. Is that right?

If not that one, then Maxxi Alice Day: Max 90 minutes at one day, counting 15 minutes, 3€, which I understand to mean 90 mins a day for 3€ but it's not clear on the how-to of top-ups.

Also when, for example, it says you activate by texting PRO MAXXIALICE30 to 4916. Can the text be sent from any mobile phone or does it have to be a phone with the TIM sim in it? Sorry if that's a dumb question, but I'm just wondering how it works.