Prepaid SIM in Italy?

[Effendi]

It can take some hours, also on old sim-cards.

[wco81]

Hmm, I can't recharge on wind.it.

When I try with Visa, the transaction terminates with "invalid session" the only message.

When I try with American Express, trying two different Amex cards, it says it can't be paid with those cards.

When I try with Paypal, I log in and it says it can't be completed at this time and only offers to return me to the merchant.

Frustrating as using an American credit card to book on trenitalia.com.

[ktula]

@effendi: Thanks for your very detailed information on acquiring prepaid SIM and data plans in Italy. I will be going on a one-week cycling tour of Tuscany later this week. I would like to get a prepaid SIM with data for one week. From the information you provided, it appears 3 would have the best plan: The Super Internet plan at 3GB (100MB limit per day) for 5 euro per month. Is there any reason you recommended WIND and TIM over 3?

Super Internet

Thanks!

[Effendi]

Coverage, of course. If you go out of main towns you most probably get no or weak 3 signal and you could find yourself roaming on TIM network, paying expensive extra costs.

[wco81]

OK, unable to recharge my Wind SIM so I have to buy a new one.

Lot of Wind resellers listed for Sicily.

But I also have an almost 4-hour layover at FCO. My flight arrives at T3. Not sure where my connecting flight to PMO flies from.

I found a shop called Smartphone at T3 which apparently sells at least TIM SIMs.

Anyone know if this shop also sells WIND? Or any other shops at FCO? I see listings for TIM, Vodaphone and 3 shops in T1 and T2 (assuming I'm able to go to these shops).

The Wind Rivenditori search lists only shops that appear to be outside the airport, but relatively nearby.

I'm thinking of getting a Wind SIM and probably Mega Ore 100, probably more than I need for 2 weeks but if some hotels have poor Internet speeds, may be nice to have an option to use mobile access.

How does the time-based plan compare to the data-based plan?

Alternatively, the fallback is to get the TIM Internet 100, which sounds comparable but costs more.

This time, I'll buy an extra charge card so that I can recharge using a code online, assuming that works for Wind and TIM.

[Effendi]

Time-based plans = shit
Go with the data-based plans such as Internet No Stop or Mega Unlimited by Wind.
AFAIK there's no Wind shop at FCO and I fear the Smartphone shop also has closed. There's a Wind shop at a shopping mall close to FCO, but I don't know if it's a good idea to go out and in again (I fear you cannot go there on foot, and it's no sense to take a taxi at the crazy prices they have in Italy). I'd wait to buy it once you are in Sicily.

[wco81]

Hmm, okay, I may consider TIM then, since there is suppose to be a TIM shop in T1, which I understand would be where my connecting flight is.

I've mapped the location of the Wind store in the first city I'll be staying in but I'm thinking the chances of finding an English-speaking store employee might be better at the airport?

Can you renew the Internet No Stop or Mega Unlimited options after you hit the quota or are they just once a month options?

TIM is more expensive but maybe I'll have better luck recharging it over the Internet than I did with Wind.

[Effendi]

Uhm, I wouldn't be so optimistic about recharging with foreign credit cards, but you can give it a try!
At the airport it's more likely to find an English speaking dealer, that's sure, BTW that shouldn't be a big problem in any case: Sicilian people are so friendly and will do their best to help you also if they don't speak much English!

With Wind you can renew the option before the 30 days, just send an SMS to 4033 writing RINNOVA SI.
Wind would be better since it's cheaper and gives you more data than TIM.

[wco81]

Do the top up cards expire? I can try buying an extra one and then enter the code from the card over the Internet?

Otherwise, not sure why the Paypal option didn't work on Wind either.

It seems the 1 GB limit of the Internet No Stop would be easy to reach if I use 3G for the laptop. The 10 GB is safer but the Mega Ore 100 is 5 Euro cheaper and would allow for 7-8 hours of use per day over 2 weeks with presumably no cap?

[BLC]

Originally Posted by wco81

Do the top up cards expire? I can try buying an extra one and then enter the code from the card over the Internet?

Otherwise, not sure why the Paypal option didn't work on Wind either.

It seems the 1 GB limit of the Internet No Stop would be easy to reach if I use 3G for the laptop. The 10 GB is safer but the Mega Ore 100 is 5 Euro cheaper and would allow for 7-8 hours of use per day over 2 weeks with presumably no cap?

I use to be able to top up my Wind card over the internet with my Canadian visa card. About a year ago it stopped working. My wife's Tim card has never worked topping up with our credit cards. The scratch cards are becoming harder to find as well.