Confused about Italian sim card

stalian999 · **Confused about Italian sim card -** 11-05-2007, 04:09

Going to italy next week and currently have a samsung i830 from sprint. It is a quad band gsm phone. I am confused about how the wind card works. How do I decide which data plan to purchase, I plan on checking my email about 3 times a day?? I will use my phone about 15 minutes outgoing a day. I will be in italy for 2 months and spend a short 5 day period in france. Incoming calls will be numerous. The wind website is hard to see rates because sprint is not a listed company. How do I go about seeing which plan and rates is best for me? What do you think will be the best plan for me? Thanks a bunch

MATHA531 · 11-05-2007, 05:42

I don't think Sprint is a gsm carrier...is this a special phone that works on gsm and whatever technology sprint uses?

Effendi · 11-05-2007, 07:42

Sprint is a CDMA carrier and that phone is a dual-mode one which works in the US on CDMA frequencies and in Europe on GSM 900/1800 so the phone should not be a problem, hoping it's not sim-locked (but CDMA doesn't use sim cards, so I suppose it isn't!

).

Anyway it's not important to know which provider you use in the US if in Italy you are using and Italian one with its sim-card.
As I already told him on PM, you can find all the information about Italian prepaid plans, in English, here:
http://www.prepaidgsm.net/en/italy.html

DRNewcomb · 11-05-2007, 13:01

Since Sprint bought Nextel they are also an iDEN carrier. Some iDEN phones have SIM cards and are dual mode iDEN & GSM. I am not familiar with the i830, however I will bet it's SIM-locked to Sprint/Nextel and you will not be able to use any other type of SIM.

DRNewcomb · 12-05-2007, 17:48

I've done a little looking around and the Samsung SCH-i830 is a combination CDMA 800/1900 & GSM 900/1800 phone. So, it really is a Sprint (not Sprint/Nextel) phone and I stand corrected. As to using a non-Sprint SIM card in this phone, I wouldn't have a clue. You'd need to try one and see if it asks for an unlock or subsidy code. If it does you probably need to get another phone to use in Europe. Ask anyone you know who uses T-Mobile or Cingular if you can borrow their SIM card for 5 minutes. You won't be able to connect but you can see if the phone wants and unlock code.

Stu · 14-05-2007, 04:20

I've heard that the Sprint version of the phone is not SIM locked, but the Verizon version is. Please test this before you go. I'm only 80% certain.

stalian999 · 15-05-2007, 21:45

will putting in my old nextel sim card let meknow if it is locked or not?

DRNewcomb · 16-05-2007, 00:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by stalian999

will putting in my old nextel sim card let meknow if it is locked or not?

Since Sprint bought Nextel that might not be diagnostic. I would suggest a SIM from an unrelated company.

stalian999 · 17-05-2007, 17:06

ive looked at the plans and there is too many, Im so damn confused. Im most likely going with wind. Which ones have you used and which do you suggest for me. I need a data plan which is very important. WIth the data plan, will my phone be receiving my american emails constantly and will I be available to use the internet explorer on my phone. I will need the internet everyday for incoming emails. Which data plan do yoiu suggest. I dont uderstand how paying by mb's works.

Calling the us will be 15 minutes like I said with alot of incoming calls.

Any suggestions on which plan? If wind is not the right company to choose, which shall I choose?

I highly appreciate your help!!!

Effendi · 17-05-2007, 18:32

In Italy there are NO data-plans, only voice-plans. And if you are not planning to call many Italian numbers any plan will fit you. Anyway on Wind it's very easy, there are just 2 plans with no monthly fee, one good for short calls (SenzaScatto) and one good for long calls (Wind12).

Wind has the best data options which you can activate "over" your voice plan. I have no idea if you receive many mails with attachments or if you are surfing the web a lot and which websites, it's something which changes from person to person and from day to day. You can start with the MegaNoLimit which offers you 1GB/month and see how much of it you will use, or with the Mega15000 which offers 2,5GB per 15 days if you want to be sure to have more data available.

Calling the US is the same with every plan (but activate the Call Your Country Option to get cheaper calls) and receiving is always free while in Italy.

	(#1)
stalian999 (Offline) Junior Member Amateur Member Posts: 12 Join Date: 10 May 2007 Country:	Confused about Italian sim card - 11-05-2007, 04:09 Going to italy next week and currently have a samsung i830 from sprint. It is a quad band gsm phone. I am confused about how the wind card works. How do I decide which data plan to purchase, I plan on checking my email about 3 times a day?? I will use my phone about 15 minutes outgoing a day. I will be in italy for 2 months and spend a short 5 day period in france. Incoming calls will be numerous. The wind website is hard to see rates because sprint is not a listed company. How do I go about seeing which plan and rates is best for me? What do you think will be the best plan for me? Thanks a bunch

	(#2)
MATHA531 (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Specialist Posts: 869 Join Date: 15 Oct 2004 Country:	11-05-2007, 05:42 I don't think Sprint is a gsm carrier...is this a special phone that works on gsm and whatever technology sprint uses?

	(#3)
Effendi (Offline) The great Dictator! Prepaid Prophet Posts: 2,487 Join Date: 13 Jan 2004 Location: Trieste/Trst Country:	11-05-2007, 07:42 Sprint is a CDMA carrier and that phone is a dual-mode one which works in the US on CDMA frequencies and in Europe on GSM 900/1800 so the phone should not be a problem, hoping it's not sim-locked (but CDMA doesn't use sim cards, so I suppose it isn't! ). Anyway it's not important to know which provider you use in the US if in Italy you are using and Italian one with its sim-card. As I already told him on PM, you can find all the information about Italian prepaid plans, in English, here: http://www.prepaidgsm.net/en/italy.html Working Prepaids: IT: Wind, Vodafone IT, UNO Mobile; SM: Prima; UK: 3, Virgin; INT: TravelSIM, Truphone. Deceased Prepaids: CZ: Oskar, Eurotel; SK: Orange; DE: E-Plus, Aldi, Simyo; GE: Geocell; AM: Armentel; PL: Heyah, Plus; LT: Tele2; LV: Amigo; EE: Elisa; UA: Kyivstar; NZ: Vodafone; INT: UM, UM+, ICQSim. GSM/3G Phones: Nokia Lumia 630 dual sim

	(#4)
DRNewcomb (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Professionist Posts: 1,465 Join Date: 27 Feb 2004 Location: Mississippi, USA Country:	11-05-2007, 13:01 Since Sprint bought Nextel they are also an iDEN carrier. Some iDEN phones have SIM cards and are dual mode iDEN & GSM. I am not familiar with the i830, however I will bet it's SIM-locked to Sprint/Nextel and you will not be able to use any other type of SIM.

	(#5)
DRNewcomb (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Professionist Posts: 1,465 Join Date: 27 Feb 2004 Location: Mississippi, USA Country:	12-05-2007, 17:48 I've done a little looking around and the Samsung SCH-i830 is a combination CDMA 800/1900 & GSM 900/1800 phone. So, it really is a Sprint (not Sprint/Nextel) phone and I stand corrected. As to using a non-Sprint SIM card in this phone, I wouldn't have a clue. You'd need to try one and see if it asks for an unlock or subsidy code. If it does you probably need to get another phone to use in Europe. Ask anyone you know who uses T-Mobile or Cingular if you can borrow their SIM card for 5 minutes. You won't be able to connect but you can see if the phone wants and unlock code.

	(#6)
Stu (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Guru Posts: 1,091 Join Date: 11 Feb 2004 Location: Detroit (formerly Dubai) Country:	14-05-2007, 04:20 I've heard that the Sprint version of the phone is not SIM locked, but the Verizon version is. Please test this before you go. I'm only 80% certain.

	(#7)
stalian999 (Offline) Junior Member Amateur Member Posts: 12 Join Date: 10 May 2007 Country:	15-05-2007, 21:45 will putting in my old nextel sim card let meknow if it is locked or not?

	(#9)
stalian999 (Offline) Junior Member Amateur Member Posts: 12 Join Date: 10 May 2007 Country:	17-05-2007, 17:06 ive looked at the plans and there is too many, Im so damn confused. Im most likely going with wind. Which ones have you used and which do you suggest for me. I need a data plan which is very important. WIth the data plan, will my phone be receiving my american emails constantly and will I be available to use the internet explorer on my phone. I will need the internet everyday for incoming emails. Which data plan do yoiu suggest. I dont uderstand how paying by mb's works. Calling the us will be 15 minutes like I said with alot of incoming calls. Any suggestions on which plan? If wind is not the right company to choose, which shall I choose? I highly appreciate your help!!!

	(#10)
Effendi (Offline) The great Dictator! Prepaid Prophet Posts: 2,487 Join Date: 13 Jan 2004 Location: Trieste/Trst Country:	17-05-2007, 18:32 In Italy there are NO data-plans, only voice-plans. And if you are not planning to call many Italian numbers any plan will fit you. Anyway on Wind it's very easy, there are just 2 plans with no monthly fee, one good for short calls (SenzaScatto) and one good for long calls (Wind12). Wind has the best data options which you can activate "over" your voice plan. I have no idea if you receive many mails with attachments or if you are surfing the web a lot and which websites, it's something which changes from person to person and from day to day. You can start with the MegaNoLimit which offers you 1GB/month and see how much of it you will use, or with the Mega15000 which offers 2,5GB per 15 days if you want to be sure to have more data available. Calling the US is the same with every plan (but activate the Call Your Country Option to get cheaper calls) and receiving is always free while in Italy. Working Prepaids: IT: Wind, Vodafone IT, UNO Mobile; SM: Prima; UK: 3, Virgin; INT: TravelSIM, Truphone. Deceased Prepaids: CZ: Oskar, Eurotel; SK: Orange; DE: E-Plus, Aldi, Simyo; GE: Geocell; AM: Armentel; PL: Heyah, Plus; LT: Tele2; LV: Amigo; EE: Elisa; UA: Kyivstar; NZ: Vodafone; INT: UM, UM+, ICQSim. GSM/3G Phones: Nokia Lumia 630 dual sim