Need some help about costs

[ziporpor]

Hi all,
I am looking through this incredibly informative forum and there are still some little things I fail to understand...

1. The plan table (Prepaid data overview (Italy)) mentions the plan cost and the activation fee, is there also a cost for purchasing the SIM card itself? (let's say TIM or WIND cards)

2. How do I pay for the plans? in cash when I buy the card on the store or I need to give my credit card number for it so they can charge me in the future?

3. When I finish my trip to italy, how I make sure that I have no debt left and make sure that no extra costs will "pop" after I return?


Thank you very very much for all the info!

[Mom]

Hi, All! Like ziporpor I also have some questions which seem foolish but I still do not understand some basic concepts.

I have two daughters about to go off to Italy for four months. I plan to send them with unlocked cells and then activate SIMS --- probably TIM or Vodafone. They will be using texting and some calls (to other non TIM/Vodafone cells). We have not yet decided on adding internet for their phones --- that will depend on costs.

I have studied this site and the TIM/Vodafone websites, (---I do not understand Italian) but am still not sure on the plans. My questions are related to whether or not you build your own packages/bundles to meet your needs.
I really don’t understand what you get when you activate a SIM and then how you add features that you need. I also don’t understand if you can combine packages.
I can use some specific examples here but I would appreciate any general help.

I will use Vodafone as an example:
1. Do you start with activating your SIM and choosing a rechargeable plan like Vodaphone12? Do you then add options to meet your needs?

2. If you pick a package like Square Smart it includes almost everything but does not consider phone calls to national numbers. So, if you want to call another national number, what do you do. Do you have to have another plan or do you get charged by another rate? or do you get charged the rate of the Vodafone12 if that's what you start with?


Using TIM as my example:
1. Again, do you start with activating your SIM and choosing a rechargeable plan like Vodaphone12?

2. Do you need to pick a basic plan like TIM12 and then can you add a texting option like TUTTO COMPRESO RICARICABILE SMS (text)?

3. Can you combine a voice plan and a text plan?
--- like TUTTO COMPRESO RICARICABILE (voice) + TUTTO COMPRESO RICARICABILE SMS (text) ?

4. If we wanted to add a data package for internet, like TIMxSMARTPHONE, could you add it to either of the above as with the example in #1 or #2?

5. There is also a new option on the TIM website called TIM YOUNG for text and internet. Is this for prepaid users? How do I get charged for calls? Do I pick an option for calls?

Thanks so much for anything you can do to point us in the right direction!

[Effendi]

Originally Posted by ziporpor

1. The plan table (Prepaid data overview (Italy)) mentions the plan cost and the activation fee, is there also a cost for purchasing the SIM card itself? (let's say TIM or WIND cards)

if you buy a standalone sim-card you pay 10€, including 5€ of credit (it's written on the main page for every country on this website). If you buy a phone or usb dongle, it's usually included a free sim-card with 5€ of credit.

Originally Posted by ziporpor

2. How do I pay for the plans? in cash when I buy the card on the store or I need to give my credit card number for it so they can charge me in the future?

it's prepaid. You buy a refill (by cash or credit card) and use it. No credit card is needed. When your credit goes to zero you can use it only for receiving calls.

Originally Posted by ziporpor

3. When I finish my trip to italy, how I make sure that I have no debt left and make sure that no extra costs will "pop" after I return?

If you plan to use that card again (remember they last for 11/12 months), if you added any option (data, text, voice...) be sure to deactivate it before leaving Italy.
If you do not plan to use that card anymore just throw it in the trashcan, no problem at all.

[Effendi]

Originally Posted by Mom

I will use Vodafone as an example:
1. Do you start with activating your SIM and choosing a rechargeable plan like Vodaphone12? Do you then add options to meet your needs?

yes, correct.

Originally Posted by Mom

2. If you pick a package like Square Smart it includes almost everything but does not consider phone calls to national numbers. So, if you want to call another national number, what do you do. Do you have to have another plan or do you get charged by another rate? or do you get charged the rate of the Vodafone12 if that's what you start with?

you get charged the rate of the Vodafone12 if that's the plan you chose.

Originally Posted by Mom

Using TIM as my example:
1. Again, do you start with activating your SIM and choosing a rechargeable plan like Vodaphone12?

yes, same as above. And same is with Wind and any other operator in Italy. You always have to choose one basic plan, then you can add the options.

Originally Posted by Mom

3. Can you combine a voice plan and a text plan?
--- like TUTTO COMPRESO RICARICABILE (voice) + TUTTO COMPRESO RICARICABILE SMS (text) ?

some options can be combined, some no. That's a bit more complicated to explain. Basically "different target" options can be combinated without problems: i.e. you can combine an option for SMS with one for VOICE with one for DATA. But sometimes you cannot combine an option with VOICE+SMS with one with SMS only (it that makes sense).

Originally Posted by Mom

4. If we wanted to add a data package for internet, like TIMxSMARTPHONE, could you add it to either of the above as with the example in #1 or #2?

yes, no problem.

Originally Posted by Mom

5. There is also a new option on the TIM website called TIM YOUNG for text and internet. Is this for prepaid users? How do I get charged for calls? Do I pick an option for calls?

Yes TIM Young is a special offer for people under 30 years old and it's quite interesting. AFAIK it's an option like all the others so you have to choose your basic plan and then add the Young option.
Unfortunately TIM Young is incompatible with many other options:

L’Opzione TIM YOUNG è incompatibile con TIM Young Summer Edition, TIMx2(a 2€ settimana non più in commercializzazione), TIMx4, TIMxTutti Messaggi, Tutto compreso Ricaricabile SMS, con la gamma Tutto Compreso 250, 500, 1000 , 1500 e FULL e con le Opzioni della gamma Tutto Compreso che includono gli SMS e con tutte le offerte dati a tempo e con TIMxSmartphone , e con la gamma TUTTO Smartphone.

And remember you cannot use data for tethering and VoIP with TIM Young.

[ziporpor]

Really, you keep this forum almost all by yourself and it is quite amazing, I enjoyed contacting with you via the forum page very much!

one last question,
I see that the networks have data plans for smartphones and for tablets and usually the tablets plans include more GB than the phones do.
Is it possible for me to recharge my sim card with a tablet plan but use it in my smartphone?

Again, Thanks for your amazing work here!

[Effendi]

AFAIK the "per tablet" options do not exist anymore, only TIM had a couple.
Basically you can get 2 different kind of data options:
- mobile surfing only (no tethering, usually no voip), using a "mobile" (wap) APN
- mobile surfing + tethering, using any APN
The first ones include usually 1GB/month (or 250MB/week) and are cheaper. The latter ones have more GB and cost a bit more, but they are much better since you cannot go wrong with APNs and other settings.

[ziporpor]

So if I understand correctly, there should be no problem asking for the "Internet Large" option for 19€ and receive 10GB of data (there is a promotion that doubles the basic 5GB) to use in my smartphone...

Again, thanks for everything!

[Effendi]

Yes, no problem. Only the "per smartphone" options have limitations (i.e. you cannot use them for tethering, usually), but not the opposite.

[ziporpor]

You succeeded to calm me down before my trip, and that it not an easy task!

Thank you very much!