ITaly

jd0716 · **ITaly -** 09-07-2009, 19:27

Hi, first post. I am not very up to date on technology. We will be traveling to Italy for about 3 1/2 weeks. I would like to have cell phone and data service to call home and do some work using the internet. I currently don't have a cell phone that will work there. I looked at renting a Blackberry through Vodafone, with unlimited data service, which will cost me approximately $235 U.S. with shipping. However, phone calls seem to be expensive going through Vodafone. I also saw that there is a plan through TIM (I believe) with 100 hours of internet for 25 Euros, which seems very reasonable to me. What is my best option for celll phone and internet? SHould I buy a phone and SIM card here or wait until I get there and buy everything? I am really stressed out about this.

Thanks for the help.

maccoy · 15-07-2009, 10:07

Did you see "3" offers?
I think they are more interesting...

Motel75 · 15-07-2009, 10:17

Buy everything there. You can, of course, also use hotspots for internet access.

maccoy · 15-07-2009, 12:20

And where are you heading to?

italy-bound · 16-07-2009, 20:09

We're going to Rome in about a week. I worried about all this stuff too. I just need the sim card (I have an unlocked phone). I decided to get a WIND sim card after I get there. I'll try to post a summary of how it goes after I get back. (I just need voice, not data)...

a-mac · 20-07-2009, 00:01

Are the details on this website current?

Italy - TIM - Prepaid Wireless Internet Access
Italy - Wind - Prepaid Wireless Internet Access

Which is best for Sardinia?

Can the pre-paid SIMS be used in a dongle (internet key), or are they for mobile phones?

TIM: I think the Maxxi Alice 30 (30 Hours for 15 €) will be enough as I'm only in Sardinia for 7 days. So I read this as 30 hours of internet with unlimited MBs. Is that right?

If not that one, then Maxxi Alice Day: Max 90 minutes at one day, counting 15 minutes, 3€, which I understand to mean 90 mins a day for 3€ but it's not clear on the how-to of top-ups.

Also when, for example, it says you activate by texting PRO MAXXIALICE30 to 4916. Can the text be sent from any mobile phone or does it have to be a phone with the TIM sim in it? Sorry if that's a dumb question, but I'm just wondering how it works.

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	(#1 (permalink))
jd0716 (Offline) Junior Member Newbie Posts: 4 Join Date: 09 Jul 2009 Country:	ITaly - 09-07-2009, 19:27 Hi, first post. I am not very up to date on technology. We will be traveling to Italy for about 3 1/2 weeks. I would like to have cell phone and data service to call home and do some work using the internet. I currently don't have a cell phone that will work there. I looked at renting a Blackberry through Vodafone, with unlimited data service, which will cost me approximately $235 U.S. with shipping. However, phone calls seem to be expensive going through Vodafone. I also saw that there is a plan through TIM (I believe) with 100 hours of internet for 25 Euros, which seems very reasonable to me. What is my best option for celll phone and internet? SHould I buy a phone and SIM card here or wait until I get there and buy everything? I am really stressed out about this. Thanks for the help.

	(#2 (permalink))
maccoy (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Fan Posts: 194 Join Date: 23 May 2004 Location: Paris Country:	15-07-2009, 10:07 Did you see "3" offers? I think they are more interesting... Mobile Phones SonyEricsson V800, W660, K608 (all of them triband & WCDMA), Nokia E65 & N95 (both quadband & WCDMA). Postpaid F: Bouygues Telecom. Prepaid I: Vodafone, Wind, 3; F: Simyo, SFR; INT: Travelsim, Zeromobile.

	(#3 (permalink))
Motel75 (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Expert Posts: 475 Join Date: 16 Jun 2006 Location: Berlin Country:	15-07-2009, 10:17 Buy everything there. You can, of course, also use hotspots for internet access. Current DE: Solomo (0172), Lidl Mobile, Netzklub; PL: Heyah; UK: Giffgaff; US: T-Mobile (212, 931); IT: Vodafone Former DE: Vodafone, T-Mobile, O2, Blauworld, 01051mobile, Solomo, Vistream, Simyo, Congstar; PL: Era, Sami Swoi, Orange, POP, iPlus, Heyah, Carrefour Mova, Telepin Mobi, Play; UK: Vodafone, T-Mobile, Virgin; US: T-Mobile, AT&T CZ: Vodafone, Oskar; ES: Lebara; GR: Vodafone, Wind; TR: Turkcell

	(#4 (permalink))
maccoy (Offline) Senior Member Prepaid Fan Posts: 194 Join Date: 23 May 2004 Location: Paris Country:	15-07-2009, 12:20 And where are you heading to? Mobile Phones SonyEricsson V800, W660, K608 (all of them triband & WCDMA), Nokia E65 & N95 (both quadband & WCDMA). Postpaid F: Bouygues Telecom. Prepaid I: Vodafone, Wind, 3; F: Simyo, SFR; INT: Travelsim, Zeromobile.

	(#5 (permalink))
italy-bound (Offline) Junior Member Newbie Posts: 5 Join Date: 02 Jul 2009 Country:	16-07-2009, 20:09 We're going to Rome in about a week. I worried about all this stuff too. I just need the sim card (I have an unlocked phone). I decided to get a WIND sim card after I get there. I'll try to post a summary of how it goes after I get back. (I just need voice, not data)... Veni, vidi, vici... Italy, here I come.

	(#6 (permalink))
a-mac (Offline) Junior Member Amateur Member Posts: 14 Join Date: 03 Jun 2009 Country:	20-07-2009, 00:01 Are the details on this website current? Italy - TIM - Prepaid Wireless Internet Access Italy - Wind - Prepaid Wireless Internet Access Which is best for Sardinia? Can the pre-paid SIMS be used in a dongle (internet key), or are they for mobile phones? TIM: I think the Maxxi Alice 30 (30 Hours for 15 €) will be enough as I'm only in Sardinia for 7 days. So I read this as 30 hours of internet with unlimited MBs. Is that right? If not that one, then Maxxi Alice Day: Max 90 minutes at one day, counting 15 minutes, 3€, which I understand to mean 90 mins a day for 3€ but it's not clear on the how-to of top-ups. Also when, for example, it says you activate by texting PRO MAXXIALICE30 to 4916. Can the text be sent from any mobile phone or does it have to be a phone with the TIM sim in it? Sorry if that's a dumb question, but I'm just wondering how it works.