Prepaid SIM Italy

jlbaer1 · **Prepaid SIM Italy -** 18-08-2007, 15:59

My daughter is going to study abroad this fall in Italy. Her cell provider is going to provide her with an unlock code for her quad band cell phone. What is a good prepaid sim for her to use. Thanks in advance.

herkdrvr · 18-08-2007, 17:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by jlbaer1

My daughter is going to study abroad this fall in Italy. Her cell provider is going to provide her with an unlock code for her quad band cell phone. What is a good prepaid sim for her to use. Thanks in advance.

Probably the best rates and use is to buy one there, especially if she's not leaving Italy or at least not for any length of time. Good luck

prion · 18-08-2007, 21:40

I would advise you to have a look at this page in this site:
http://www.prepaidgsm.net/en/italy.html

Przemolog · **Just moved the thread to the Europe section -** 18-08-2007, 21:58

Continue the discussion, guys

Motel75 · 19-08-2007, 10:40

I've got Vodafone. Good coverage, and you can recharge it over the internet using a foreign credit card for €3, which will keep it going for 11 months, shortly before the end of which you repeat the process. Good if you plan to return. However, if you don't speak Italian, there is no English language option for the voice prompts (something that is true for most of the providers). However, learning Italian is presumably the point of studying abroad, so this probably isn't an issue!

maccoy · 19-08-2007, 16:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by Motel75

I've got Vodafone. Good coverage, and you can recharge it over the internet using a foreign credit card for €3, which will keep it going for 11 months, shortly before the end of which you repeat the process. Good if you plan to return. However, if you don't speak Italian, there is no English language option for the voice prompts (something that is true for most of the providers). However, learning Italian is presumably the point of studying abroad, so this probably isn't an issue!

The minimum amount is 5€ since June 10.

KPO'M · 19-08-2007, 16:47

I had a TIM card for my trip. It got decent 3G and 2G reception in lots of places (although note that buildings in Rome have very thick walls and sometimes I'd go from 5 bars outside to 0 inside). TIM had a program (detailed on the linked site above) that enabled 500MB of data access per month for €20. What kind of phone does she have? If it will run on 3G networks over there, note that 3G gives faster data and better voice connections, but drains the battery faster.

KPO'M · 19-08-2007, 17:27

One more tip. You can purchase a card through a U.S. service such as Telestial, or you can get them directly in Italy. Either way, you'll need to give them a passport and an Italian address so they can register the card. It might take a day or so for all the features to work after arriving in Italy.

jlbaer1 · **Followup prepaid sim italy -** 19-08-2007, 18:07

She has a samsung t809 which is a quad band phone and service thru tmobile here in the US. They said they would provide her with an unlock code for her trip abroad.

I am thinking she will go the Vodafone prepaid route. Any suggestions as to which card will best suit her. She loves to text message versus phone her friends. She will have AIM on her computer thou so that will help with communication as well.

Also, her study abroad wants all the kids to have a cell phone on arrival so I am wondering if I should buy it from telestial before hand. Is it that much more expensive?

Thanks for all your help.

MATHA531 · 19-08-2007, 22:47

Do remember that with vodafone IT if you make any trip to Europe you can top up with a vodafone voucher from that country while in that country namely an SFR voucher while in France, a vodafone UK voucher while in the UK.....you get the full value doing it this way i believe.

Also I am surprised vodafone IT does not allow voice prompts in English...are you sure about this or is it that the person you bought the sim from didn't know how or want to do it...

I had a TIM card and I was able to set the voice prompts to English but that card was bought in the pre registration period and eventually I was unable to access it as it was not registered and expired before I got back to Italy to deal with it.

	(#1)
jlbaer1 (Offline) Junior Member Amateur Member Posts: 26 Join Date: 18 Aug 2007 Country:	Prepaid SIM Italy - 18-08-2007, 15:59 My daughter is going to study abroad this fall in Italy. Her cell provider is going to provide her with an unlock code for her quad band cell phone. What is a good prepaid sim for her to use. Thanks in advance.

	(#3)
prion (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Pioneer Posts: 589 Join Date: 01 May 2006 Location: Greece Country:	18-08-2007, 21:40 I would advise you to have a look at this page in this site: http://www.prepaidgsm.net/en/italy.html

	(#4)
Przemolog (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Guru Posts: 1,211 Join Date: 06 Feb 2005 Location: Swidnik-home, Lublin-work Country:	Just moved the thread to the Europe section - 18-08-2007, 21:58 Continue the discussion, guys

	(#5)
Motel75 (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Pioneer Posts: 573 Join Date: 15 Jun 2006 Location: Berlin Country:	19-08-2007, 10:40 I've got Vodafone. Good coverage, and you can recharge it over the internet using a foreign credit card for €3, which will keep it going for 11 months, shortly before the end of which you repeat the process. Good if you plan to return. However, if you don't speak Italian, there is no English language option for the voice prompts (something that is true for most of the providers). However, learning Italian is presumably the point of studying abroad, so this probably isn't an issue! Current DE: Vodafone, Netzklub; PL: Klucz, Virgin; UK: Giffgaff, Vodafone; US: T-Mobile; CA: 7-Eleven; IT: Vodafone; UA: Kyivstar; FR: Bouygues; GR: Vodafone Former DE: Vodafone, T-Mobile, O2, Blauworld, 01051mobile, Solomo, Lycamobile, Simyo, Congstar, Fonic, Edeka Mobile, Lidl Mobile; PL: Heyah, Era, Virgin, Sami Swoi, Orange, POP, iPlus, Carrefour Mova, Telepin Mobi, Play, Lycamobile, T-Mobile; UK: Vodafone, T-Mobile, Virgin; US: T-Mobile, AT&T, Lycamobile; CZ: Vodafone, Oskar; ES: Lebara; GR: Vodafone, Wind; UA: Vodafone; IL: Orange; TR: Turkcell

	(#7)
KPO'M (Offline) Junior Member Amateur Member Posts: 22 Join Date: 26 Jun 2007 Country:	19-08-2007, 16:47 I had a TIM card for my trip. It got decent 3G and 2G reception in lots of places (although note that buildings in Rome have very thick walls and sometimes I'd go from 5 bars outside to 0 inside). TIM had a program (detailed on the linked site above) that enabled 500MB of data access per month for €20. What kind of phone does she have? If it will run on 3G networks over there, note that 3G gives faster data and better voice connections, but drains the battery faster.

	(#8)
KPO'M (Offline) Junior Member Amateur Member Posts: 22 Join Date: 26 Jun 2007 Country:	19-08-2007, 17:27 One more tip. You can purchase a card through a U.S. service such as Telestial, or you can get them directly in Italy. Either way, you'll need to give them a passport and an Italian address so they can register the card. It might take a day or so for all the features to work after arriving in Italy.

	(#9)
jlbaer1 (Offline) Junior Member Amateur Member Posts: 26 Join Date: 18 Aug 2007 Country:	Followup prepaid sim italy - 19-08-2007, 18:07 She has a samsung t809 which is a quad band phone and service thru tmobile here in the US. They said they would provide her with an unlock code for her trip abroad. I am thinking she will go the Vodafone prepaid route. Any suggestions as to which card will best suit her. She loves to text message versus phone her friends. She will have AIM on her computer thou so that will help with communication as well. Also, her study abroad wants all the kids to have a cell phone on arrival so I am wondering if I should buy it from telestial before hand. Is it that much more expensive? Thanks for all your help.

	(#10)
MATHA531 (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Specialist Posts: 869 Join Date: 15 Oct 2004 Country:	19-08-2007, 22:47 Do remember that with vodafone IT if you make any trip to Europe you can top up with a vodafone voucher from that country while in that country namely an SFR voucher while in France, a vodafone UK voucher while in the UK.....you get the full value doing it this way i believe. Also I am surprised vodafone IT does not allow voice prompts in English...are you sure about this or is it that the person you bought the sim from didn't know how or want to do it... I had a TIM card and I was able to set the voice prompts to English but that card was bought in the pre registration period and eventually I was unable to access it as it was not registered and expired before I got back to Italy to deal with it.