pricesquire

I don't know why I wrote (Apple) - I meant (ATT)

nmenaker

how did you get them to unlock it? From a timing standpoint it shouldn't have been eligible?

nmenaker

Does anyone have any experience getting a pre-paid card from either TIM or Wind in the MILAN airport?

As to the TIM cards, I see them commented on here, but cannot figure out what the prepaid plan options are? TIM site seems to show a great deal of 15GB internet and calls/texts plans, but is there some reasonable data centric paygo option?

wco81

Here:

http://www.tim.it/internet/offerte-internet-per-tablet

Look at the first box, that is data only. The one below is for people who want to get a tablet subsidized.

The columns you want on that first box are the first column, the amount of data you get at high speed, and the third column, which is the cost of that bundle.

So 2 GB costs 10 Euro, 5 GB costs 20 Euro and 10 GB costs 30 Euro. The second column is for people who have home service from Telecom Italia, which doubles the amount of data.

Remember, there is a 5 Euro activation for each plan and then the cost of the SIM itself isn't free either but I got mine like 3-4 years ago and kept it active (it expires 13 months after last use, so you need to find a way to add credit to the account to keep the SIM).

The SIM card costs 10 Euro and comes with 5 Euro credit.

Tethering works.

nmenaker

Thanks, great link. I thinkI was looking for a calling plan based SIM, but I really only need data.

wco81

You can use that SIM for calling, either by paying per minute or getting some voice bundle.

I think the per minute charges are pretty reasonable so there may not be much in the way of bundles.

There may not be a TIM shop at MXP but you will find them easily. If you get to the train station, Milan Centrale, there will likely be a TIM shop there as well as throughout Milan.

If you're going directly from MXP to some place like Lake Como, as many people do, your best chances are in the bigger towns, either Como, Bellagio or Menaggio.

bocastephen

My phone supports 850, 1500 and 2100 (LTE) - will it work on TIM for LTE services or would I at least get HSPA within Rome?

The previous link was in Italian and I can't find an English version of their site....if someone could help me select the following options, it would be appreciated:

1. need at least 2GB of data, 5 GB is better (visiting for 4 days, lots of Google maps, web surfing, photo uploads)
2. need to purchase the TIM SIM card
3. need to be able to use the hotspot capability of my Android phone to share the signal with my friend's iPhone
4. LTE is desired if possible, but at least HSPA
5. need the proper APN in advance as I've found most rental SIM salespeople don't even know what this is, let alone able to find it

Arriving FCO, I assume there will be a TIM sales counter somewhere after exiting customs - what should I expect my total cost to be along with the process to get the correct plan? If I can get LTE, I only need data not voice as I can use data calling.

wco81

You need LTE band 3 which is 1800:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...etworks#Europe

So no point in getting an LTE plan, which is 10 Euro more, unless you want 10 GB of data. You can get the 5 GB plan for 20 Euro, 5 Euro activation. The SIM is 10 Euro with 5 Euro of credit.

http://www.tim.it/internet/offerte-internet-per-tablet


So all-in, it's 35 Euro but you should have 5 Euro credit left after activating the 5 GB bundle, Internet Large 42.2.

Make sure you go to the store with your passport or some photo ID.

APN is ibox.tim.it. But most devices shoudl be able to auto-configure. I popped it in my iPad Mini Retina and it populated it by itself.

bocastephen

Thank you! Will we at least be able to get HSPA?

What are the incoming call rates (and outgoing local rates) in case there is a communication problem with the sales staff? I use localphone to either forward my US-origin calls to my foreign SIM, or their callback service so I can make LD calls at their rates.

wco81

I don't know anything about calling rates. If your phone has the HSPA bands, it should work.

Some stone buildings may not get the best signal though.

nmenaker

why not download the google maps you need in advance, so you don't have to rely on data for at least that part. Or get something like citymaps2go, and download maps prior.

wco81

I went on some 3-4 hour drives in Corsica using Google Maps. There were times when I lost the signal so I don't know how much it had cached, how many tiles ahead it downloaded but it did it on its own. I didn't try to download it.

However, if I changed my destination or way routes in the middle of the trip, then I probably would have been screwed without a connection.

nmenaker

yes, there are some limits to how much google maps will allow on to download. Not sure what the max amount is, but it will tell you if you're zoomed OUT too far. Citymaps2go works nicely for this type of thing though.

Feorlen

You were able to get a SIM as a non-resident? Last time I tried, they refused to sell me one without an Italian tax id (Codice Fiscale.) Same thing in Germany, too (where I thought my now-acquired Italian one would work.)

wco81

There's a web site that lets you generate a codice fiscale.

But I've heard people were able to just show their passport.

The carriers target tourists with some of their products.