Help! Need an Italian SIM, special conditions...

Hi...well, someone had passed along a link to the Vodafone online store where the SIMs can be purchased, so I only mentioned a credit card as this could be easier for my family, but a walk in shop may be better.

Vodafone was recommended on this forum, I believe, as it was the only carrier where you can recharge online from the states. But I imagine my family could email me recharge codes to top off from other carriers just as easily.

One other question I haven't heard a definitive answer to: With an initial SIM card, will it need to be activated within the countries network, or would I be able to drop it in my phone in the states and have it work via roaming? I think the safe thing is to have my family drop it in their phone, make a call, and then send me the SIM.

Yes?

Thanks.

[fedeprovenza]

With Vodafone, you don't need to make a call, the sim is already able to work when you buy it. The problem about the call is with Tim card