Italian SIM prepay detailed comparison

[saren]

Italian SIM prepay detailed comparison

After comparing information on this site, I have concluded the following about Italian SIM prepaids.

1) Wind Senza Scatto, 0.17/min, 0.34 for 2min, 0.51 after 3min (charged by the second) , with 0.12/SMS, or more likely 0.15/SMS (if SMS is to a non-Wind #)

2) TIM, Easy Time new, 0.18, 0. 26, 0.48, 0.15/SMS
3) TIM, MTV Mobile Go, 0.30, 0. 45, 0.60 0.08/SMS

4) Vodaphone, 0.15, 0.30, 0. 45, 0.15/SMS

Number 3 looks the best for someone interested in local SMS only, but where do I buy a MTV Mobile Go startpack? Where do I recharge it? Can I do that online with a foriegn credit card? Or which shop? I have a codice ficale (generated by a Italian website recommened to me by this site), will that suffice?

I am looking for the cheapest local SMS, which pack do you recommend? I am visiting Italy for six months, and need to a few messages/day.

Also, there is a list of virtual prepay? What does virtual mean?

[saren]

Sorry Number 2, should read 0.18, 0.36, 0.48, 0.15/SMS

[Effendi]

First of all, HERE are all the tariffs.

Second: SMS with Wind Senza Scatto are 0.12 to any number in Italy or the World. Wind has also other offers with set-up fee which are better than the other operators, plus the "Wind6SMS" option with SMS at 0.06€.

Third: MTV Mobile packages are sold at TIM shops and they use TIM top-ups. There's no sim-only package, i.e. you have to buy a phone, making it surely more expensive than the competitors if you already have a phone.

Fourth: except Wind, all other operators have surcharges for SMS sent to non-Italian numbers, remember it.

[Culinary Traveler]

Does Wind charge for incoming text messages as well as outgoing? Or like TIM does it just charge for outgoing text messages?

[inquisitor]

European operators never charge incoming messages and incoming calls only if you are abroad (i.e. outside the SIM's home country).