Italy Traveler Article:Italy: SIM card purchase in Italy
If you have an unlocked GSM cell phone that supports the GSM 900 and GSM 1800 frequencies, you should consider purchasing an Italian SIM card for your cell phone for your trip to Italy. Purchasing a SIM card from an Italian cell phone provider can offer signifcant cost savings as opposed to using your home cell phone to roam abroad. Furthermore, you will have an Italian phone number which is advantageous if you plan on receiving phone calls from friends, families, hotels, restaurants, etc. from within Italy as they will then be calling locally. Each cell phone provider has numerous rate packages for voice, messaging, and data, and the offers vary considerably and frequently.
You may purchase a SIM card for Italy prior to your departure or once you have arrived in Italy. Purchasing prior to your trip will cost a bit more but it is an added convenience. However, if you have a problem, customer service may be a problem. Search the forums for experiences and reviews.
Purchasing a SIM in Italy requires presentation of proper identification, such as a valid passport or European ID card. There are no real differences between purchasing a PAYG (pay as you go) SIM and purchasing a contract, except for the rates applied. PAYG top-ups can be purchased in many more places than the SIMs, such as most tabacconists, many supermarkets, some news agents, and some bars and coffeeshops. Many ATMs also provide an option for adding credit from an ATM card directly by inserting the phone number in a guided on-screen procedure.
Please note: SIM registration is required by the Italian government prior to service activation. This can be done using your passport when purchasing a SIM card. More information on the regulatory requirements can be found here at www.italycellphone.com
There are four major GSM network operators in Italy, as well as several network resellers such as Italian Postal Service and the CoopAdriatica supermarket chains that sell SIM cards:
www.tre.it (you will need a 3G phone to use this carrier)
Helpful Tips:
Many cell phone stores represent multiple service providers, and can offer a wide choice of voice,messaging, and data packages, as well as often having relatively inexpensive, basic unlocked cell phones (from €29 on up) to which you can add a SIM from any of the cell companies.
Vodafone has a store inside Milan Malpensa airport's Terminal 1 (Phone Number: 0274867058) and also inside Milan's central train station.
The Vodafone SIM card costs 5 Euro, which includes 5 Euro time (May 2009). Additional time costs 10 Euro and up. A warning SMS message is received when your balance falls below 2 Euro and again at 1 Euro.
A Vodafone store locator is available here: Vodafone Store Locator
TIM or Telecom Italia Mobile has cell phone stores all over Italy as well.
One issue with Italian cell providers is that unless you speak Italian, it may be difficult to navigate through the options such as adding talk time, checking your call credit or accessing voicemail. You can ask the dealer where you buy time to add it for you.
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