Telestial & TIM data plan question
 

Telestial told me their TIM card does not support any data plans. I was planning on getting the Telestial TIM card so I can have a phone number before I arrive in Italy. I need to sync with family and I need them to have my phone number before I arrive. Can I select one of the TIM data plans when I get to Italy?

You should be able to do anything with their TIM SIM that you can do with a TIM SIM purchased in Italy. It's a very large premium you are paying for something you can get within the first 30 minutes of arrival.

I understand the premium. Not sure how else for us to sync. My sister is leaving one week before us and I need to pick them up and bring them to our relatives (they haven't met yet). Thus I need a phone number before we leave. I'm open to any other options. Unfortunately, email sync won't work because of the timing. The day I arrive, I have to pick-uup my sister.

One real possibility is to use my US T-Mobile number for the sync-up ($1.50/minute), then insert the local TIM card and continue on. :rolleyes:

I've heard various reports on whether I can purchase and register a TIM card at the Rome airport. Yes or No?

Last time I was there (some time ago) there were shops for TIM & Vodafone at the Rome airport. They were in the domestic terminal. So you had to walk a couple hundred meters from international arrivals (all inside). Here's a place to find the information :Shopping Gallery - Aeroporti di Roma - Rome Airports Shopping Gallery

Pick: Categoria -> Telefonia

"3", TIM & Vodafone all seem to have shops in terminal #1.

You could get the SIM at the airport and send a text message. Also, there are something like 500 WiFi hotspots at the Rome airport.

I am sure that there are many good reasons why someone needs to pay the premium to have a number before departure, rather than within 45 minutes of arrival. One I can think of is if you are arriving by ship and would like to be able to call while you are still offshore. It's sort of like feeling that you have to exchange dollars for Euros at the high priced kiosks at US airports. You can certainly get Euros from the ATMs on arrival but for some people that's not soon enough. I'm just trying to give you options.

Well five minutes to sync up (7.5 USD) and then buying a TIM card for 5 Euro still saves a lot of money, doesnt it? ;-)

I confirm that ALL TIM prepaid cards are the same and you can add any option you prefer.
And I confirm that it's nonsense to buy them in advance paying A LOT more, for nothing.