Prepaid SIM for Italy...

Effendi · 26-06-2007, 10:25

All Italian sim-cards support data except UnoMobile (a new MVNO). Simply at Telestial they are American and have no idea how prepaid service works here in Italy (and in most of Europe). There's no data-plan, there's just the prepaid sim-card and you can choose any voice plan you prefer and add any data option which you want. Of course you pay to do almost all operation.

Personally I don't suggest to buy a Wind card on eBay while you can get one here for 10€ and activate "Call your country" for free...

petkow · 26-06-2007, 10:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Effendi

All Italian sim-cards support data except UnoMobile (a new MVNO). Simply at Telestial they are American and have no idea how prepaid service works here in Italy (and in most of Europe)..

Yes... I suspected that. In that case it is good news. If your boss really needs one before he goes (and obviously doesn't seem to care too much about the cost), just buy that one from Telestial for peace of mind!

KPO'M · 26-06-2007, 14:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by Effendi

All Italian sim-cards support data except UnoMobile (a new MVNO). Simply at Telestial they are American and have no idea how prepaid service works here in Italy (and in most of Europe). There's no data-plan, there's just the prepaid sim-card and you can choose any voice plan you prefer and add any data option which you want. Of course you pay to do almost all operation.

Thanks for the information. So I can just get any TIM or WIND card there and add data later? How do you do that? It's been a while since the FAQs were updated.

I read through the various offers, and I'm interested in the following prepaid data option from TIM:

- Maxxi TIM Web Facile: 500 MB/month of data (apn ibox.tim.it) for € 20.00/month.

Do I purchase this at any TIM store or kiosk and then add it to my existing prepaid SIM? Since I'm assuming the instructions are in Italian, how do I go about activating it?

Thanks.

theletterj · 26-06-2007, 17:04

This is great information. Thanks so much guys. It seems that Telestial is my best option right now, ruling out Italian eBay (Unless there is another way to get a WIND SIM that I have neglected). But I would also like to know if and how it is possible to add Data Service to the TIM card. I'm hoping that I can do it on the website, but again, I'm having a little trouble with it not being in English plus I do not have a SIM to try it with. If at all possible, he'd need it to work and roam

here in the States so that he can be sure that it's synced to our server here. Please let me know. Thanks.

SpaceBass · 10-08-2007, 17:29

This is a great thread...really learning a lot from lurking here!

Few questions:
If I get a SIM from ebay or Telstial, can I do a top-up before I get to Italy?
It looks like the carrier sites want you to create an account which requires receiving an SMS message - will I be able to get that in the US prior to being in Italy?

Personally, I'm quite comfortable with buying the SIM and setting everything up in the Airport or someplace once I get there (despite not speaking Italian) ... but this is for my in laws who are willing to be totally ripped off and pay what ever it takes to have it fully charged and setup prior to leaving US soil....so I volunteered to help... I can just order a sim and 100 mins of credit from Telstial but thats over $200.00 and it just feels so wrong. I'd rather find a SIM, even if its from Telstial, and top it up from here.

Thanks!
-N

Richard10002 · 10-08-2007, 20:31

I had a lot of trouble finding a SIM card, (WIND or TIM), in Italy. It seems you have to be in fairly big places to get one.

I couldnt get one in Villasimius in Sardinia.... all the recharge shops said I had to go to Cagliari. Couldnt get one at Naples Airport. Eventually got a TIM SIM by buying a phone at AUCHAN superstore in/near Pompeii. Phone with SIM was 40 euros, and the store registered it for me using my driving licence.

Easy to get recharge vouchers once you have the SIM. I bought a 30 euro voucher on Stromboli, and another on Vulcano - both tiny islands off Sicily.

Recgarging is easy by sending the voucher code by SMS to the number on the voucher, and setting up data is simple by sending the codes mentioned above for either 500Mb per month at any time, or 9Gb per month between 5pm and 9am Mon-Friday plus all day Sat & Sun.

I would definitely have bought a WIND SIM if I could have found one as 5Gb per month for 25 euros anytime would suit me better than the 9Gb per month limited times.

It's easy once you have the SIM. Dont expect to be able to buy ine at an airport - definitely not Naples.

Good Luck

MATHA531 · 10-08-2007, 20:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard10002

I had a lot of trouble finding a SIM card, (WIND or TIM), in Italy. It seems you have to be in fairly big places to get one.

I couldnt get one in Villasimius in Sardinia.... all the recharge shops said I had to go to Cagliari. Couldnt get one at Naples Airport. Eventually got a TIM SIM by buying a phone at AUCHAN superstore in/near Pompeii. Phone with SIM was 40 euros, and the store registered it for me using my driving licence.

Easy to get recharge vouchers once you have the SIM. I bought a 30 euro voucher on Stromboli, and another on Vulcano - both tiny islands off Sicily.

Recgarging is easy by sending the voucher code by SMS to the number on the voucher, and setting up data is simple by sending the codes mentioned above for either 500Mb per month at any time, or 9Gb per month between 5pm and 9am Mon-Friday plus all day Sat & Sun.

I would definitely have bought a WIND SIM if I could have found one as 5Gb per month for 25 euros anytime would suit me better than the 9Gb per month limited times.

It's easy once you have the SIM. Dont expect to be able to buy ine at an airport - definitely not Naples.

Good Luck

Rome airport?

Which one did you get?

Were you able to have them set the voice menus to English?

Richard10002 · 10-08-2007, 22:38

No idea about Rome Airport, but was amazed that I couldnt get one at naples Airport. It seems the obvious place to have a shop or outlet for people entering the country. i am guessing, but may be wrong, that there may be some kind of rule which says they cant sell them at airports?

I\got a TIM, (would have preferred WIND).

Didnt need the menus in English... just used the text system for activating data and recharging, which has worked fine.

	(#1)
Effendi (Offline) The great Dictator! Prepaid Prophet Posts: 2,487 Join Date: 13 Jan 2004 Location: Trieste/Trst Country:	26-06-2007, 10:25 All Italian sim-cards support data except UnoMobile (a new MVNO). Simply at Telestial they are American and have no idea how prepaid service works here in Italy (and in most of Europe). There's no data-plan, there's just the prepaid sim-card and you can choose any voice plan you prefer and add any data option which you want. Of course you pay to do almost all operation. Personally I don't suggest to buy a Wind card on eBay while you can get one here for 10€ and activate "Call your country" for free... 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)
theletterj (Offline) Junior Member Newbie Posts: 4 Join Date: 25 Jun 2007 Country:	26-06-2007, 17:04 This is great information. Thanks so much guys. It seems that Telestial is my best option right now, ruling out Italian eBay (Unless there is another way to get a WIND SIM that I have neglected). But I would also like to know if and how it is possible to add Data Service to the TIM card. I'm hoping that I can do it on the website, but again, I'm having a little trouble with it not being in English plus I do not have a SIM to try it with. If at all possible, he'd need it to work and roam here in the States so that he can be sure that it's synced to our server here. Please let me know. Thanks.

	(#5)
SpaceBass (Offline) Junior Member Newbie Posts: 3 Join Date: 10 Aug 2007 Country:	10-08-2007, 17:29 This is a great thread...really learning a lot from lurking here! Few questions: If I get a SIM from ebay or Telstial, can I do a top-up before I get to Italy? It looks like the carrier sites want you to create an account which requires receiving an SMS message - will I be able to get that in the US prior to being in Italy? Personally, I'm quite comfortable with buying the SIM and setting everything up in the Airport or someplace once I get there (despite not speaking Italian) ... but this is for my in laws who are willing to be totally ripped off and pay what ever it takes to have it fully charged and setup prior to leaving US soil....so I volunteered to help... I can just order a sim and 100 mins of credit from Telstial but thats over $200.00 and it just feels so wrong. I'd rather find a SIM, even if its from Telstial, and top it up from here. Thanks! -N

	(#6)
Richard10002 (Offline) Member Advanced Member Posts: 60 Join Date: 03 Oct 2006 Country:	10-08-2007, 20:31 I had a lot of trouble finding a SIM card, (WIND or TIM), in Italy. It seems you have to be in fairly big places to get one. I couldnt get one in Villasimius in Sardinia.... all the recharge shops said I had to go to Cagliari. Couldnt get one at Naples Airport. Eventually got a TIM SIM by buying a phone at AUCHAN superstore in/near Pompeii. Phone with SIM was 40 euros, and the store registered it for me using my driving licence. Easy to get recharge vouchers once you have the SIM. I bought a 30 euro voucher on Stromboli, and another on Vulcano - both tiny islands off Sicily. Recgarging is easy by sending the voucher code by SMS to the number on the voucher, and setting up data is simple by sending the codes mentioned above for either 500Mb per month at any time, or 9Gb per month between 5pm and 9am Mon-Friday plus all day Sat & Sun. I would definitely have bought a WIND SIM if I could have found one as 5Gb per month for 25 euros anytime would suit me better than the 9Gb per month limited times. It's easy once you have the SIM. Dont expect to be able to buy ine at an airport - definitely not Naples. Good Luck

	(#8)
Richard10002 (Offline) Member Advanced Member Posts: 60 Join Date: 03 Oct 2006 Country:	10-08-2007, 22:38 No idea about Rome Airport, but was amazed that I couldnt get one at naples Airport. It seems the obvious place to have a shop or outlet for people entering the country. i am guessing, but may be wrong, that there may be some kind of rule which says they cant sell them at airports? I\got a TIM, (would have preferred WIND). Didnt need the menus in English... just used the text system for activating data and recharging, which has worked fine.