Prepaid DATA in Italy
 

COVERAGE
Wind - Privati - Copertura Rete Mobile

Some little help to non Italian speakers:
- Seleziona Regione: Select Region
- Seleziona Provincia: Select Province
- Seleziona Comune: Select Municipality

Here is a MAP which can help you with Regions and Provinces

WHERE TO BUY
Wind - Privati - - Rivenditori
here it the official list of Wind dealers.

PREPAID DATA OPTIONS
(they are not specific data plans; all options can be added to any Wind prepaid plan)

MOBILE SURFING ONLY

- Internet No Stop: 1 GB/month(*) of data for € 9.00/month
- Blackberry No Stop: unlimited surfing and e-mail on BB (max 150MB of video streaming) for € 9.00/month

MOBILE SURFING + TETHERING + TABLET/PC SURFING

- Mega Ore: 50 hours of Web-only navigation € 9.00 (15 mins billing)
- Mega Unlimited: 10 GB/month(*) of data for € 20.00/month

All options automatically recur after the end of their validity period (30 days).

All options, except Blackberry No Stop, have an activation fee of € 5.00.
You don't pay the activation fee if you activate the option on a new sim-card within 24 hours from the sim-card activation.

(*) If you use more MB/GB than the limit of your option you won't pay anything more, but speed will be reduced to 32Kbps.

Bandwidth cap at 32kbps makes navigation almost impossible.
The cap will be active up to 48 hours also after the renew (automatic or with Wind Restart) of the option.

All options are available only while in Italy using Wind network. Outside of Italy the normal roaming rates apply.

DATA OPTIONS FOR INTERNATIONAL ROAMING

WEB TRAVEL WEEKLY
With this option you get a 100MB bundle to be used within Europe and the USA. The option has a cost of € 15.00 and is valid 7 days. It doesn't recur automatically when it expires.
If you use more than the 100MB, all exceeding data will be billed at € 0.90/MB (1KB increments)

EASY TRAVEL INTERNET
With this offer you get cheaper rates for data: € 0.50/MB (1KB billing). It has a monthly fee of € 3.00 and it's available in the EU and the USA. To activate the option send a free SMS to 4033 writing OPZIONE INTERNET SI.

HOW TO ACTIVATE THE OPTIONS?
Just send an SMS to the short number 4033 (free while in Italy, roaming rate when abroad) writing (text in orange):
- Internet No Stop: NO STOP SI
- Blackberry Internet Bundle: BLACK SI
- Mega Ore: MEGA ORE SI
- Mega Unlimited: UNLIMITED SI
- Web Travel Weekly: TRAVEL WEEKLY SI
- Easy Travel Internet: OPZIONE INTERNET SI

When your credit goes down to 0€ you won't be able to use the option anymore until you refill. Consider also that Wind will go on debiting the options also with no credit, so it's important to deactivate the option if you are not using them for a while.

You can activate 1 option at a time.

If you finish your bundle (or get lower speed with the "unlimited" options), you can use the "WIND RESTART" option to reset your counter and start again with the full bundle, paying another monthly fee of course. Just send and SMS to 4033 writing RINNOVA SI.

In case you want to deactivate the option just send another SMS to 4033 writing "NO" instead of "YES" in the above mentioned activation strings. Your option will cease to work at the end of the bundle days.

DATA SETTINGS

- APN to use: internet.wind, no username and password required;
- Credit check: dial *123# (free of charge)
- Bundle check: dial 4242 then press 5 (free of charge) or send a free SMS to 4155 writing "SALDO" (free of charge).
From abroad dial *124*4242# free of charge.
For English prompts dial 4242 and wait till you hear a message in English, then follow the instructions.

First of all check the COVERAGE.

Here is a MAP which can help you with Regions and Provinces

3 PREPAID DATA OPTIONS
(they are not data plans; all options can be added to any 3 prepaid plan)[/CENTER]

- Naviga3 Week: 100 MB/day worth of data for € 3.00/week
- Naviga3 Month: 50MB/day worth of data for € 9.00/month
- SuperInternet: 3 GB/month worth of data for € 5.00/month

LIMITATIONS

From July 2010 SuperInternet can be used only for mobile surfing: no tethering, no USB keys.
All options are available only while in Italy using 3 network or abroad on other 3 networks ("3 like home" option applies).
Out of 3 network (national roaming on TIM), surchages per KB apply.
Outside of Italy (out of 3 networks), normal roaming rates apply.

HOW TO ACTIVATE THE OPTIONS?

Just call the tool free number 4321 and select 1. All prompts will probably be in Italian only.

All options will renovate automatically every month (or week for Naviga3 Week). When your credit goes down to 0€ you won't be able to use the option anymore until you refill. Consider also that 3 will go on debiting the options also with no credit, so it's important to deactivate the option if you are not using them for a while.

You can activate 1 option only every month/week.

In case you want to deactivate the option just call again 4321.

3 PREPAID DATA PLANS
(they are real data plans, no voice calls allowed)[/CENTER]

- SuperWebTime: € 0.90/hour
- SuperWeb: € 0.10/MB

On the SuperWebTime you can activate one of the following options:
- Super Web.day: 4 hours/day worth of data for € 1.00/day (valid from 0.00 to 24.00)
- Super Web.week: 15 hours/week worth of data for € 3.00/week (valid from Sunday to Saturday)
- Super Web.100: 100 hours/month worth of data for € 15.00/month (valid from the 1st of the month)

To activate the options to to BENVENUTO IN 3 INTERNET

DATA SETTINGS

- APN: tre.it, username 'guest', password 'guest';
- Known limitations: none, but it's always better to avoid the national roaming on TIM, since it's always out of bundle.

First of all check the COVERAGE.

Here is a MAP which can help you with Regions and Provinces


PREPAID DATA OPTIONS
(they are not data plans; all options can be added to any Vodafone prepaid plan)[/CENTER]

Internet on your phone:
- Mobile Internet: 250 MB/week of wap-only navigation for € 3.00/week
- Mobile Internet Plus: 2 GB/week of wap-only navigation for € 8.00/week

All extra-bundle cost for data connections is € 1.50/day, including 100MB.

Internet on tablet, PC:
- Sempre Smart: 1 GB/month at max 1.8 Mbps for € 9.00/month
- Sempre Super: 3 GB/month at max 7.2 Mbps for € 19.00/month
- Sempre Top: 5 GB/month at max 28.8 Mbps for € 29.00/month
- Sempre Tutto: 5 GB/month at max 28.8 Mbps for € 35.00/month with 2 sim-cards.

If you use more than your bundle you won't pay anything more, but speed will be reduced to 64 Kbps.

All options are available only while in Italy using Vodafone network.
Outside of Italy the normal roaming rates apply.

HOW TO ACTIVATE THE OPTIONS?

Just call the tool free number 42070. All prompts should be in Italian and English (if you set it before).

Monthly options are recurring automatically every 30 days, weekly options every 7 days. When your credit goes down to 0€ you won't be able to use the option anymore until you refill. Consider also that Vodafone will go on debiting the options also with no credit, so it's important to deactivate the option if you are not using them for a while.

DATA SETTINGS

- APN: web.omnitel.it, username and password blank.

First of all check the COVERAGE.

Here is a MAP which can help you with Regions and Provinces

PREPAID DATA OPTIONS
(they are not data plans; all options can be added to any TIM prepaid plan)

Internet on your PC:
- Internet Senza Limiti: 10 GB/month worth of data for € 24.00/month (plus € 5.00 activation cost)
- Internet 40: 40 hours/month worth of data for € 9.00/month (plus € 5.00 activation cost)
- Internet 100: 100 hours/month worth of data for € 19.00/month (plus € 5.00 activation cost)

Internet on your tablet:
- INTERNET 1GB per Tablet: 1 GB/month worth of data for € 9.00/month
- INTERNET 5GB per Tablet: 5 GB/month worth of data for € 19.00/month

You can activate these options only if you have a special sim (or micro sim) for your tablet PC.
If you use more than your bundle you will pay € 0.50/MB.

Internet on your phone:
- TIMxSMARTPHONE: 250MB wap/iPhone navigation for € 2.00/week
- TIMxBLACKBERRY: 250MB Blackberry navigation for € 2.00/week

You can use the Wap APN also for normal navigation with your computer, but with some limitations (no pop3/imap and other things).

All options are available only while in Italy using TIM network.
Outside of Italy the normal roaming rates apply.

HOW TO ACTIVATE THE OPTIONS?

Just send an SMS to the short number 40916 (free while in Italy, roaming rate when abroad) writing (text in orange):
- Internet Senza Limiti: PRO INTERNETSENZALIMITI
- Internet 40: PRO INTERNET40
- Internet 100: PRO INTERNET100
- TIMxSMARTPHONE: TIMSMART ON
- TIMxSMARTPHONE BLACKBERRY: TIMSMARTBB ON
- INTERNET 1GB per Tablet: PRO INTERNET1GB
- INTERNET 5GB per Tablet: PRO INTERNET5GB

In case you want to deactivate the option just send another SMS to 40916 writing "OFF" instead of "ON" in the above mentioned activation strings.

All options will renovate automatically every month. When your credit goes down to 0€ you won't be able to use the option anymore until you refill. Consider also that TIM will go on debiting the options also with no credit, so it's important to deactivate the option if you are not using them for a while.

You can activate 1 option only every month.


DATA SETTINGS

- APN web: ibox.tim.it, username and password blank
- APN wap: wap.tim.it, username and password blank

First of all check the COVERAGE.

Here is a MAP which can help you with Regions and Provinces


- MTV Mobile Connect Mese: 100 hours/month worth of data for € 20.00/month
- MTV Mobile Connect Week: 20 hours/week worth of data for € 5.00/week

All options are available only while in Italy using TIM network.
Outside of Italy the normal roaming rates apply.


WAP ONLY OPTIONS

- MTV Mobile Fun Mese: 1 GB/month, 50 MB of e-mail/month, 1000 IM/day for € 5.00/month
- MTV Mobile Fun Week: 200 MB/week, 30 MB of e-mail/week, 1000 IM/day for € 2.00/week

You can use the Wap APN also for normal navigation with your computer, but with some limitations (no pop3/imap, Facebook and other things).


HOW TO ACTIVATE THE OPTIONS?

Just send an SMS to the short number 49688 (free while in Italy, roaming rate when abroad) writing (text in orange):

- MTV Mobile Connect Mese: PRO CONNECTMESE
- MTV Mobile Connect Week: PRO CONNECTWEEK
- MTV Mobile Fun Mese: PRO FUN
- MTV Mobile Fun Week: PRO FUNWEEK

In case you want to deactivate the option just send another SMS to 49688 writing "CONNECTMESE OFF", "CONNECTWEEK OFF", "FUN OFF" or "FUNWEEK OFF".

Connect Week, Fun Mese and Fun Week will renovate automatically every week, while Connect Mese must be renovated manually. When your credit goes down to 0€ you won't be able to use the option anymore until you refill.

You can activate 1 option only every month/week.


DATA SETTINGS

- APN web: ibox.tim.it, username and password blank
- APN wap: wap.tim.it, username and password blank

First of all check the COVERAGE.

Here is a MAP which can help you with Regions and Provinces


- NòvercaGiga: 1GB of data at € 11.00/month + € 1.50 activation fee (write NG ON to 40543711 to activate);
- NòvercaMega: 500MB of data at € 7.00/month + € 1.50 activation fee (write MEGA ON to 40543711 to activate);
- Nòverca 200: 200MB of data at € 2.00/week + € 1.50 activation fee (write 200MB ON to 40543711 to activate);
- Nòverca 100: 100MB of data at € 2.00/day + € 1.50 activation fee (write 100MB ON to 40543711 to activate);

This options are available only while in Italy using Noverca/TIM network.
Outside of Italy the normal roaming rates apply.

Noverca Giga, Mega and 200 will renovate automatically every month or week. When your credit goes down to 0€ you won't be able to use the option anymore until you refill.

You can activate the option only once every month.

To check the bundle send a free SMS to 40543711 writing "XX SALDO" where XX can be NG, MEGA, 200MB or 100MB depending on the option. To deactivate the options send a free SMS to 40543711 writing "OFF" instead of "ON".

DATA SETTINGS

- APN: web.noverca.it, username and password blank

First of all check the COVERAGE.

Here is a MAP which can help you with Regions and Provinces

Click here to see where to buy a COOP Voce card (i.e. COOP supermarkets).


PREPAID DATA OPTIONS
(they are not data plans; all options can be added to any COOP Voce prepaid plan)

• WEB 30 ORE: 30 hours/month at € 8.00 (per second billing); to activate send an SMS to 4243688 writing SI 30 ORE;
• WEB 100 ORE: 100 hours/month at € 15.00 (per second billing); to activate send an SMS to 4243688 writing SI 100 ORE;
• WEB 1 GIGA: 1 GB/month at € 8.00 (per KB billing); to activate send an SMS to 4243688 writing SI 1 GIGA;
• WEB 5 GIGA: 5 GB/month at € 18.00 (per KB billing); to activate send an SMS to 4243688 writing SI 5 GIGA;

To check the data credit available send a free SMS to 4243688 writing INTERNET.

All options are available only while in Italy using TIM network.
Outside of Italy the normal roaming rates apply.

In case you want to deactivate the option you have to call 188.

All options will renovate automatically every month. When your credit goes down to 0€ you won't be able to use the option anymore until you refill.

You can activate 1 option only every month.


DATA SETTINGS
APN: web.coopvoce.it

Small Update
 

Thanks Effendi,
great job this list! Saved me at least a week in the price labyrinths of all these companies.
Here a few updates I found:
-Wind: All Internet No Stop options are limited to mobile surfing, for USB keys only Mega Unlimited or the time-billed Mega Ore option
-MTV Mobile: All Prepaid options have an activation fee of € 5.00
-COOP.voce: All Data volume options are restricted to mobile surfing, for USB keys only time billed options

Since my restriction was data volume rate for USB keys and no activation fee, I ended up with Vodafone, which strange enough is the only company offering that.
Cheers
Albo

If you use the plans with a Mifi device feeding mobile as well as laptops, how would they know?

I was able to use TIM that way.

AFAIK both COOP and Wind "suggest" to use those options on your phone, but you can use them for tethering as well, no problems at all, I have the Internet No Stop on my phone and use it regularly to connect to internet with my laptop too.

It's really great for finding your post about SIM card in Italy. :)

I have some questions about the setting, mainly Mifi (portable wifi rounter). Would you mind teaching me how to set?

I got a HUAWEI portable wifi rounter, and I'm planning to visit Italy. Will bring along with my portable wifi rounter. I may purchase either TIM or WIND sim card for data roaming, internet. As I know, I need to change/input the APN for it. But from your post, it mentioned that we need to send an SMS by phone to activate the SIM card, then it's different from Mifi setting?! So, would you mind teaching what is the method for Mifi? Many thanks :)

Kim

Depends on the model. My Huawei E585 has a "3" web admin UI -- has their branding featured.

One tricky thing was that there was an auto mode which I guess is suppose to discover the APN. But I went manual and set it to the value listed in this forum for TIM.

One place to start is to Google the Huawei model. Someone is bound to have a video or a guide of some kind out there.

Going to Florence at the end of this month.

Still have 5 Euro credit on my TIM that I used last June.

So the plan is to top up and activate one of the data plan options. Do I need to go to a TIM shop to top up? Or are there other outlets, especially any that might be open on a late Sunday afternoon or evening, which is when I expect to arrive?

Any Tabacchi shop will reload your card. You surely find at leat one at every ariport/station in Italy.

I have purchased the Internet Senza Limiti:*10 GB/month in Roma Termini. It is really great.

May I know that can I use this SIM outside Italy? If it supported, do I need to change the APN?

Besides, I am using this SIM in Huawei Mifi. Do I also need to set the data roaming function?

Many thanks

It looks like they've re-arranged/re-named a lot of the prepaid data options:

Da PC Ricaricabile | TIM

They no longer have time-based options but the Senza Limiti plans have clear caps, 2, 5 and 10 GB levels. Do they throttle after those thresholds or cut you off?

Looks like they have some initial 4G (real LTE) plans but those plans are off the charts price-wise. Doesn't make sense for a visit but if you live there, you should be able to get by with 20 GB per month for both home and mobile use. Of course the coverage must be very limited.

Has anyone tried using one of the TIM smart phone plans on a Mifi to tether several devices?

Could save money if you don't have big data needs but wonder if they can detect you're connecting several devices:

TIMxSMARTPHONE Maxi | TIM

My 119.it account shows the SIM being tied to my Mifi device (Huawei E585). Not sure if that was registered by the shops where I bought the SIM or recharged it or they detected it from the IMEI.

There should be no problem using a Mifi device

Eh, it's only online that it's 2.5 Euro instead of the normal 5 Euro a week for 500 MB.

The main advantage is no 5 Euro activation fee.

However, I often find the little hotels and B&Bs in Italy (and other parts of Europe) have poor Wifi. So I've used mobile data there instead of using the Wifi.

So the Internet Start may be a better option.

It'll be interesting when they expand LTE coverage and you can get 4G devices relatively cheaply.

Nexus Galaxy has LTE for $350 but you probably can't count on support for LTE outside the US.

Has Vodaphone, Wind or 3 announced any LTE plans?

DATA Sim Card for Italy
 

I'm from Malaysia and will be in Italy from May 8-14. Im looking for a data sim card for my WIFI doggle. Does it support Skype ? I will using Skype to make calls. I need the data sim card to browse internet, check email as well. I saw TIM Sim card in your website.
1) How to purchase the sim card? Can I purchase online and send the sim card to my hotel in Italy?
2) How much ?

TIM prepaid data options seem to have all changed.

The new products, such as Internet Start and Internet Large, provide less data for the same price or even a slightly higher price.

These old ones presumably can no longer be activated?

OK, I used one of the data bundles for TIM and then sent a text to deactivate it.

Two weeks later, back in the US, I log on and it's showing as still active.

So it would try to activate again for the next 30 days tomorrow. But my account has only 10 Euro and this is a 25 Euro option.

So will it take the 10 Euro or not? Should I try to send the text again? On 119.it, there is no option to deactivate it. It shows up (Internet42.2) as an active option but no link to deactivate.

Updated Wind Data Info
 

Just wanted to provide some updated info on the current Wind Plans. I bought a mobile Wifi Hotspot from the Wind store for about 48 Euros. I went to the Tre store first, and they didn't have Internet Keys or Hotspot Data only plans available for Prepaid. Overall I'm very happy with Wind and the data speeds they provide with UTMS+. About 5 Mbps down and 2 Mbps. Plenty to skype with video, internet phone calls, and video streaming!

So the current Internet plans are here:
http://www.wind.it/it/privati/tariff...ioni/internet/
6 GB of Data for 14 Euro
12 GB for 19 Euro.

*Note*
One important thing to note, if you use all the data and want to renew your data before the 30 days, I could not use the RENNOVA SI sent to 4033. I tried this many times, and it looks like it's going to work because you get a confirmation email saying to wait up to 48 hours for re-activation. Nothing happens though. I ended up registering on their website renewing online and it worked right away. Also the plan's details on the website says you can send "RESTART 12GB" to 4033. I tried this and it didn't work for me.

Hope that info helps to other travelers!
Ciao!