Prepaid SIM in Italy?

[Effendi]

Yes, and maybe you are lucky enough to find some other promotion, maybe simcards at 5 euros including 5...

[dr0ss]

Originally Posted by Effendi

Yes, and maybe you are lucky enough to find some other promotion, maybe simcards at 5 euros including 5...

I found this my last two trips to Italy, but I don't see it on Wind's promotion page, and there's no Auchan near where I will be. Now, if PAM starts offering cheap GSM service, I'm in great shape!

Thanks again for your help. - DR

[wco81]

Anyone familiar with setting up Internet with a prepaid SIM on a Nokia E61i? It's running Symbian S60.

So there are a bunch of access points -- Vodaphone Internet, Vodaphone Live, Vodaphone Live Streaming, Vodaphone MMS.

This phone/OS calls both Wifi and mobile packet data connections access points.

Under Vodaphone Internet, which is called the connection name, the access point name is listed as web.omnitel.it.

Under Vodaphone Live, the access point name is wap.omnitel.it. It has a homepage of live.vodaphone.com while the other one didn't have a homepage.

[Effendi]

I suppose you have a Vodafone Italy prepaid card, or did you buy a Vodafone branded E61i? BTW if you have a Vodafone prepaid card you have to use the "web.omnitel.it" APN to connect to internet. But beware that Vodafone has terrible data tariff, and you could have the "timed" data tariff activated, which is even worse.... I suggest you get a Wind or 3 card.

[wco81]

I have the poste mobile SIM.

I don't know what APN are and my Nokia was purchased in the US. The Nokia calls different connections "access points" whether they're cellular data or Wifi.

I wonder if maybe they don't have mobile data where I am (CittÃ* della Pieve in Umbria)? I do get a full signal though if I try to dial a voice call.

[jjg247]

Looking for a little help. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

I have an unlocked HTC Shadow which is quad-band so I should be covered on that end. I am flying into Venice tomorrow and need some help with getting a pre-paid SIM card. From what I gather Wind sounds like the cheapest provider and I only really need voice functionality. Do I really need to provide my passport information in order to purchase a card? Is there any way around this? How about my drivers license from the states?

Can anyone recommend a place in Venice to purchase a SIM card? I assume the little shops will have them, but are larger stores better?

Thanks in advance!

[wco81]

Look up codice fiscale.

When I bought mine, I had to provide a CF and also my passport. Most hotels in Italy ask for your passport. Or car rental offices.

Even if you go to a Internet cafe, they will ask for you passport (some have taken my drivers license with photo), because of anti-terrorism laws.

On the front page of the operators page for Italy, there is a link to a web site which will generate a codice fiscale for you. I did it and took down all the info.

[jjg247]

Thanks for the tip of the CF. I went to the site but got an error saying

"ATTENZIONE
Il numero generato corrisponde alle regole del D.M. del 12.3.1974
Non si può avere l'assoluta certezza dell'esattezza del codice perché nel raro caso in cui il sistema genera due codici identici (caso di due persone con nome e cognome molto simili, nati lo stesso giorno, nello stesso comune), il Ministero delle Finanze provvede alla sostituzione di uno dei numeri con una lettera progressiva. "

I think it's telling me that there is similar record in their system and I can't have a CF. Anybody know specifically what the problem is?

[jjg247]

I figured it out. I must have spelled the Italian translation of the US wrong. I corrected it and got my CF. Sweet!

[Effendi]

Poste Mobile: here is a list of configurations for most handsets:
http://www.postemobile.it/PosteCusto...iguration.aspx
Here are the "general" parameters for data:
http://www.postemobile.it/PosteCusto...osteMobile.pdf
Everywhere there's network there's also data coverage.
Rates are horrible, BTW:
- Poste Mobile Wap portal: € 0.28 per connection
- Wap outside the portal: € 0.28 per connection, plus € 1.00 every 15 minutes
- Internet: € 0.0055/KB (10KB increments)


How to buy: you NEED to show your passport AND your Codice Fiscale. Regitration in Italy is required.