Data Sim card for Italy
#31
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: NB, Canada
Programs: Fairmont, Amex MR, Marriott
Posts: 2,531
And I find leaving an out of office message with my email address works fine. I get the sim card for data mostly.
#32
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: NYC
Programs: DL PM MM SC; GE; Bonvoy Titanium; IHG Diamond
Posts: 2,310
My number back home is voip and is set on do not disturb while I'm traveling, so any messages get emailed to me - if it's anything important, I can return the call with the Skype or Vonage app.
It's much easier for me to use local SIMs and be able to use my phone whenever I want for email, data and tethering my iPad than to deal with international roaming charges. YMMV.
#33
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: SFO, VCE
Programs: AA EXP >4 MM, Lifetime Plat
Posts: 2,881
It really is YMMV. If you can be out of phone contact for several weeks while in Italy a foreign SIM would work. If you are certain that only a few people will need to contact you, and you can schedule the time when they will be available on FaceTime/Skype, a new SIM would work. If you need to be available to people who might have to call you even while you are on vacation, you will be unreachable. Getting a new SIM card is not the answer for everyone.
#34
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: SEA
Posts: 3,953
It really is YMMV. If you can be out of phone contact for several weeks while in Italy a foreign SIM would work. If you are certain that only a few people will need to contact you, and you can schedule the time when they will be available on FaceTime/Skype, a new SIM would work. If you need to be available to people who might have to call you even while you are on vacation, you will be unreachable. Getting a new SIM card is not the answer for everyone.
#36
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Under an ORD approach path
Programs: DL PM, MM. Coffee isn't a drug, it's a vitamin.
Posts: 12,935
I have a vodafone prepaid sim with data for my phone, but I've been using a tre.it stick for my laptop. Both of those companies, as well as Tim, have booths at FCO.
I'm really happy with tre.it- I'm finding better coverage than vodafone, better signal strength and speed. I used to have a vodafone usb stick for the laptop; tre.it connects faster and seems more trouble free; also it's cheaper.
I'm really happy with tre.it- I'm finding better coverage than vodafone, better signal strength and speed. I used to have a vodafone usb stick for the laptop; tre.it connects faster and seems more trouble free; also it's cheaper.
#37
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,860
In regards to the cost, think of this as all pre-paid wireless. TIM is the best pre-paid wireless carrier in Italy for service and speed. I paid roughly 20 euro every 3 days? I was tethering my phone with my friend, using it for GPS/Skype, and internet research.
You are charged per-minute for phone calls to the USA. So you might buy a like 20 euro 500mb prepaid plan. Where you get like 20 euro of pre-paid phone call time, and 500mb of data.
It is very reasonable all things considered really. The phone carriers are trying the least to rip you off.
#38
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: LAX
Programs: UA Plat MM, CM Plat, Amex Plat, Hertz CP, Hyatt Globalist, SPG Gold, Vons Club
Posts: 6,846
Older Thread New Question. With the new EU Regulations about roaming (July 2017) I have a question. I plan to be in Italy next week (for a week) I'm not seeing any inexpensive "data" only plans for what I was able to research. I will be traveling to Spain in November for 10 days and thought I could get 1 SIM for both trips (not sure if this is economical to do) Any thoughts on inexpensive Italy SIM providers (seems that the "tourist" only plans are about 20-30 Euros for short validation periods. I would only need 3GB while in Italy and if I expanded to Include Spain 10GB would be more than enough.. Thanks and Safe Travels
#39
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: PHL / NYC / PSA-BLQ
Programs: AA PPRO, Marriott/Hilton Gold, AMX-Plat, Global Entry
Posts: 3,109
Older Thread New Question. With the new EU Regulations about roaming (July 2017) I have a question. I plan to be in Italy next week (for a week) I'm not seeing any inexpensive "data" only plans for what I was able to research. I will be traveling to Spain in November for 10 days and thought I could get 1 SIM for both trips (not sure if this is economical to do) Any thoughts on inexpensive Italy SIM providers (seems that the "tourist" only plans are about 20-30 Euros for short validation periods. I would only need 3GB while in Italy and if I expanded to Include Spain 10GB would be more than enough.. Thanks and Safe Travels
If you want to buy an Italian SIM, I'd go with this plan with TIM if all you want is data:
https://www.tim.it/offerte/mobile/es...rnational-30gb
I will give you 30GB over a month and it roams to all Europe. It is for foreigners as well. It's 10E per month but you'll need to activate and buy a SIM.
#40
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: LAX
Programs: UA Plat MM, CM Plat, Amex Plat, Hertz CP, Hyatt Globalist, SPG Gold, Vons Club
Posts: 6,846
If you are with TMO in US, you'll get slow (128kbps or 256 if you have their, I think, One Plus plan) data.
If you want to buy an Italian SIM, I'd go with this plan with TIM if all you want is data:
https://www.tim.it/offerte/mobile/es...rnational-30gb
I will give you 30GB over a month and it roams to all Europe. It is for foreigners as well. It's 10E per month but you'll need to activate and buy a SIM.
If you want to buy an Italian SIM, I'd go with this plan with TIM if all you want is data:
https://www.tim.it/offerte/mobile/es...rnational-30gb
I will give you 30GB over a month and it roams to all Europe. It is for foreigners as well. It's 10E per month but you'll need to activate and buy a SIM.
#41
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: SEA
Posts: 3,953
The way most TIM plans work is prepaid, and they renew until you don't have enough credit on the account or you deactivate. When you go to the store, just tell them you need a second month of service and to load that amount on the account so that it renews. Or if you're not 100% on dates yet, just go to the store and load a credit to the account as needed.
Just make sure you're not signing a contract. Those plans are less common in Italy anyway and they're not going to try and sell one to a foreigner. But you want servizio ricaricabile - reloadable (or less often, prepagato - prepaid, but they indicate the same. You don't want un abbonamento (a contract).
#42
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: PHL / NYC / PSA-BLQ
Programs: AA PPRO, Marriott/Hilton Gold, AMX-Plat, Global Entry
Posts: 3,109
If you want to be lazy, put enough on the account that it can renew while you are away and would still be active when you return.
ADDED: If you're going to Spain and not Italy in November, the safest route is to put enough on the account so that it renews in October for another 30 days. If that doesn't cover you completely for November, add another 10E and you'll be covered for all of November and into December.
#44
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: HPN
Programs: not anymore! I'm FREE!
Posts: 3,459
Older Thread New Question. With the new EU Regulations about roaming (July 2017) I have a question. I plan to be in Italy next week (for a week) I'm not seeing any inexpensive "data" only plans for what I was able to research. I will be traveling to Spain in November for 10 days and thought I could get 1 SIM for both trips (not sure if this is economical to do) Any thoughts on inexpensive Italy SIM providers (seems that the "tourist" only plans are about 20-30 Euros for short validation periods. I would only need 3GB while in Italy and if I expanded to Include Spain 10GB would be more than enough.. Thanks and Safe Travels
#45
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: LAX
Programs: UA Plat MM, CM Plat, Amex Plat, Hertz CP, Hyatt Globalist, SPG Gold, Vons Club
Posts: 6,846
Older Thread New Question. With the new EU Regulations about roaming (July 2017) I have a question. I plan to be in Italy next week (for a week) I'm not seeing any inexpensive "data" only plans for what I was able to research. I will be traveling to Spain in November for 10 days and thought I could get 1 SIM for both trips (not sure if this is economical to do) Any thoughts on inexpensive Italy SIM providers (seems that the "tourist" only plans are about 20-30 Euros for short validation periods. I would only need 3GB while in Italy and if I expanded to Include Spain 10GB would be more than enough.. Thanks and Safe Travels