Computer literacy, assistance and repair

Mobile Internet in Italy for tourists. Review of Italian mobile operators

How to choose the best operator providing mobile Internet roaming in Italy(and for travel in general) to always stay in touch, use social networks to the maximum, and not get too caught up in money. BlogoItaliano decided to take a closer look at the current offers so that you can choose the best SIM card for your travels.

In our review, we relied on proposals from Russian, European and native Italian operators. But even if you are not traveling to Italy, but to another country, we have made every effort to ensure that this review still remains relevant and helps easy to find the most favorable conditions. Please note that the article was written in the last days of February 2017, and therefore rates may change over time.

Roaming abroad. "Big Three"

First, let's see what our domestic operators can offer us regarding mobile Internet in roaming. Indeed, for some people it may be quite enough in volume and at an acceptable price, but looking for and buying a special SIM card is too lazy.

Offers from Russian operators for Internet roaming

MTS

For subscribers who need Internet while roaming when traveling abroad, MTS has a special plug-in option - “Bit Abroad”. It, in turn, has derivatives - “Super BIT abroad” and “Maxi BIT abroad”. They all differ due to many factors and conditions. Let's highlight the main ones - price, traffic, speed.

  • “BIT abroad” – 450 rubles per day, traffic is not limited, after exceeding the threshold of 100 megabytes, the speed drops to 128 kbit/s and “holds” until the next day.
  • “Maxi BIT abroad” – 700 rubles per day, traffic is not limited, traffic threshold is 200 megabytes, after which the speed drops to 128 kbit/s.
  • “Super BIT abroad” – 1600 rubles per day, there are no restrictions on speed and traffic.

On all three options, Internet roaming fees are charged every new day. You can “fight” speed restrictions due to exceeding the quota on the first two options using additional services"Turbo button" type.

The indicated prices apply only to the use of mobile Internet in roaming from MTS in Italy and a number of other countries. There are groups of countries where conditions will be completely different. You can read more about the tariffs and conditions of the option on the official MTS website

Megaphone

MegaFon has special tariffs for using mobile Internet in roaming, but Italy is included in this list as a completely separate plan - “Unlimited Italy”. Why there is such attention from Italy in particular is unclear, but pleasant.

Within this tariff, Internet will cost you 500 rubles per day. There are no traffic or speed restrictions. The only thing is that you will not be able to distribute the Internet via Wi-Fi using your mobile device as an access point.

Valid in Italy, Vatican City and San Marino. The fee is debited automatically once a day. If you want to disable the service, you will need to do it manually. Connect a tariff and find out additional conditions

Beeline

Finally, the “striped” Russian mobile operator. Beeline here, as always, is laconic. In Italy, Internet roaming will cost you 5 rubles per megabyte. The minimum paid volume is 40 MB per day. 200 rubles are debited one-time, and once the included volume of 40 MB is exhausted, the traffic is counted per megabyte until the end of the day. Unlimited is not available as a class.

Mobile Internet in roaming from European operators

Now let's look at the universal options offered by European operators, including the so-called “virtual” travel SIM cards.

Orange Mundo

The Spanish operator Orange has a special mobile Internet offer for travelers in Europe - “Mundo”.

For 7 euros, 1 GB of mobile traffic is provided, which can be spent within a month. If this is not enough for you, then for 10 Euros you can buy 2 GB, and for 15 – 3 GB.

The card and tariff are valid throughout almost all of Europe, with the exception of Monaco, Switzerland, Norway and Iceland. Full list countries can be viewed at the link below.

Orange has some of the most favorable tariffs in Europe

The minimum one-time balance replenishment is 5 euros. The travel SIM card is valid for 11 months from the last top-up. You can top up using a plastic bank card with 3D-Secure support on the Orange website.

As you can see, everything is quite simple, convenient and transparent, and most importantly, quite profitable. View tariffs and...

Important addition dated October 28, 2017 Representatives of Orange in Russia found this article on BlogoItaliano and offered a personal discount for our readers. On the SIM card order page using the link above, simply enter the promo code secretitaly, and you will receive a 10% discount on your purchase. By the way, on the website euroroaming.ru using the same promotional code you can get a discount on cards from other operators for the Internet abroad, but the discount size for other cards may be smaller.

MTX Connect

Another new, very original and largely progressive solution was proposed by MTX Connect. This is a travel SIM card strictly for mobile Internet. Voice communication via SIM card is not provided.

Here, only unlimited Internet is of interest, since the prices for per-megabyte tariffication are not interesting in any way.

So, MTX Connect offers the following:

  • 3.49 euros per day for 150 MB. After reaching the quota, the connection speed drops to 64 kbit/s. For those who don’t know or don’t remember, this is sooooo slow, at the level of the first Internet via dial-up, as it was in the 90s of the last century. So, if you need something more than checking your email a couple of times, it’s better to immediately take a closer look at the full unlimited option.
  • 9.99 euros/day full unlimited without restrictions. Here, like Orange, the day is counted from the moment of entry. The speed really doesn’t get cut, no matter how many mega- or gigabytes you pump out per day.

There are no restrictions on distribution via Wi-Fi. The only thing is that torrents are blocked.

A travel SIM card is easy to order and receive by regular mail. In Russia and other CIS countries, the SIM card arrives by mail without problems and for free. Once received, you need to activate it through the MTX Connect website.

DreamSim

A very young, but interesting and promising “office”, which from the very first days of its existence, by rhetoric alone on the official website, positions itself as nothing more than “stylish, fashionable, youthful”. Information on the network about her is the absolute minimum, but there are no sharp negative and revealing reviews either.

DreamSim sim card was created by travelers for travelers

So, the travel SIM card from DreamSim is universal, connects to any operator in Italy or any other country from a long list, after which you can use the mobile Internet at a price of 0.01 euros per 1 MB.

Money is withdrawn per kilobyte. That is, if you downloaded 50 kB of mail, that’s exactly what you’ll pay for, no more. The minimum balance replenishment is 10 euros.

One good and convenient thing is the presence of a special mobile application, with which you can “here and now” find out how much mobile Internet roaming will cost you in the place where you are, as well as take advantage of a number of other functions.

UK telephone number. That’s also quite a plus.

Internet in roaming from Italian operators

And finally, let’s see what local mobile operators in Italy offer. Oddly enough, nothing out of the ordinary that would be worth waiting patiently for arrival in the country in order to buy a local SIM card.

Wind

The national Italian mobile operator Wind offers several prepaid and contract mobile Internet packages. We are interested, of course, in prepaid ones. The following options are offered per month:

  • 3 GB for 3 euros;
  • 5 GB for 9 euros;
  • 12 GB for 19 euros;
  • 20 GB for 16.95 euros;

If you use up your quota ahead of time, you can send a special SMS request to “continue the banquet” under the following conditions:

  • 1 GB for 3 euros;
  • 3 GB for 6 euros;
  • 5 GB for 9 euros.

If you want more details, check out the official website. It's a pity that the site version is only in Italian

Vodafone

More recently, last year, Vodafone in Italy offered quite comfortable tariffs for mobile Internet. Recently, the situation has changed for the worse, and Vodafone has lost all its advantages. However, this is an old and very large provider, so it will make sense for many to use its services.

Vodafone is one of the largest Italian providers

As part of the Vodafone 19 offer, mobile Internet in Italy will cost 6 euros per day with a quota of 1 GB. After exceeding the quota, each subsequent 100 MB will be counted at a price of 2 euros.

Tariffing is carried out for every 100 kbytes.

TIM

Another “native” Italian mobile operator. This is perhaps the oldest provider in Italy with a large customer base and coverage. Its disadvantage from the point of view of a tourist is a mind-blowing, unrealistic, insane, indecently huge number of all kinds of offers, tariffs, promotions, packages, each of which is also wrapped in a thick layer of conditions, restrictions, benefits, additional services.

We will make your task easier by roughly orienting you at least in order of numbers. For example, on the TIM SPECIAL START tariff plan closest to understanding for mere mortals, mobile Internet will cost you 20 euros per month for 4 GB.

What's the result?

In general, any traveler can clearly define his needs for mobile Internet while roaming. They fit into four conditional categories: “not enough for a couple of days”, “a lot for a couple of days”, “not enough for a long time”, “a lot for a long time”. From the options described above, you can easily choose the most optimal one for yourself.

If this article was useful to you, be sure to save it to your bookmarks and share with friends on social networks. Surely, they will also want to save money while traveling. Take action :)

There are 4 large companies operating in the Apennines, vying for leadership in the local communications market: TIM, Wind, Vodafone and TRE Italia. Competition for the favor of consumers has led to cheaper communications over the past 3 years, so that today the average cost of a minute of conversation within the country costs about 19 euro cents per minute (that is, approximately 19 rubles).

Where is the best place to buy a SIM card?

There are no problems with the safety of purchases in this European country: you can even purchase a SIM card in regular stores. But to be sure (and best service) choose the official showrooms of operators. This is important for several reasons.

The first is that your phone may not be suitable for registering a SIM card purchased in Italy. In this case, the seller will independently activate it through his phone, and you will only have to wait for the corresponding SMS message when you insert it back.

The second is that each operator has its own package of additional services, which you, unknowingly, either do not disable or, on the contrary, do not connect. But they wouldn’t hurt you, considering that when you buy a new number you don’t have to pay for their connection.

Finally, the third is that when purchasing a card in a store, 3 or 5 euros may be charged for its activation.

Cellular tariffs for tourists

For the tourism segment, a particularly heated battle is observed between TIM and Wind - their tariffs are approximately the same for visitors in terms of benefits. When you sign up for a special package from TIM (called “International”), the cost of calls to Russia is only 8 euro cents. But don’t rush to rejoice: Italian tariffs always include the so-called “connection fee”. For tourist rates it is 19 euro cents.

For comparison: prices for roaming communications from Russian operators are approximately 1 euro per minute.

Calls to the Apennines are made via international communication. In order to enter the appropriate mode, on a landline telephone, first dial 8 (long-distance communication), then 10 (exit to an international node). Next is the country code (for Italy it is 36), city code and the usual landline number. If you are calling from a mobile phone, the task is simplified: just dial the country prefix +39 before the number.

To mobile phone

This is what the dialed number for a call to Italy on a cell phone will look like:

  • +39, then the phone number without the number eight.

To a landline phone

And like this - on a stationary (city) device:

  • 8 (beep) 10, then 39, then the area code where the person you want to contact is located and their landline number.

Codes of the most popular cities among tourists:

  • Rome - 06;
  • Venice - 041;
  • Milan - 02;
  • Florence - 055;
  • Rimini - 0541.

How to call Russia from Italy

The mechanism is similar to calling from our country, but different prefix numbers are used. Our country has an international code of 7, and the city code is easy to find out in any directory or on the Internet. Please note that for an international call from a country, you first need to dial 00. Of course, when calling from a cell phone, it is not necessary to call via +7 directly.

— To a mobile phone

Here is an example of dialing a mobile phone - the prefix is ​​already in the number by default:

  • +7, then the cell number, but without the number eight.

— To a landline phone

And here is an example of how a landline number will be dialed when calling from Italy to Russia:

  • 00, then 7, then the city code and the number in Russia.

Whether you're traveling to Italy for a week or a year, you'll undoubtedly think about purchasing a local phone number. Especially if you receive a roaming bill from your mobile operator in your home country.

Mobile communications in Italy are noticeably more expensive than in Russia, but there are options.

There are 4 “big” mobile operators in Italy:

“Regular” GSM in which any standard GSM mobile phone or smartphone will work for you
TIMwww.tim.it
Vodafone Italia
Wind//www.wind.it
Only for smartphone
www.tre.it
Also in Italy there are several “virtual” cellular operators, operating under their own brand and their own prices, but using the network of one of the “big” operators. As a rule, they are only attractive to customers permanently residing in Italy on credit plans.

Of interest to tourists may be the virtual operator Kena Mobile, a subsidiary of Telecom Italia, which provides communication and mobile Internet services on fairly favorable terms with speed limiting using 3G technology within the largest and most reliable network of the TIM operator

Prices

It makes no sense to describe the tariff plans of operators, since tariffs change constantly, special offers and promotions for new subscribers constantly appear.

Let us only note that the average price of calls in Italy is about 19 cents per minute (higher than in Russia).

You can view the current tariff plans on the provider’s website -.

A feature of most tariff plans from all telecom operators in Italy is the presence of a connection fee (scatto ala risposta, in some tariff plans its absence is specified separately).

When you activate tariff options (for example, for cheap calls home), you will be charged another 7 to 10 Euros.

Most operators have special rates or tariff options for calls abroad. For example, the TIM operator has a TIM International New tariff plan, in which the cost starts from 1 cent (for calls to China or India, if you are interested) to 8 cents per minute for calls to Russia with a connection fee of 19 cents (Calls to Zimbabwe and Mongolia are more expensive).

Some tariff plans provide for cheap calls between subscribers of the same telecom operator.

Contract purchase procedure

Salons mobile operators are available in almost every major shopping center, airport, and on the streets of the city.

You can find the coordinates of a cellular communication center convenient for you on the official websites of operators.

Foreign citizens can easily buy a SIM card from an Italian operator. To do this, you only need to present your passport.

How to call

In Italy, we do not have the familiar concept of “intercity access”.

All telephone numbers in Italy are given in full numbering. The number “0” in the phone number is part of the prefix and is NOT an intercity connection, but part of the number (for example, the telephone number in Milan is 02-1234567) and you must dial the number as you see it.

Mobile operator prefixes begin with "3" - the TIM subscriber number may look like 333-1234567.

For calls abroad, dial "00" - the country and city code, phone number. Or - from a mobile phone + (for example - 007-495-1234567 or +7-495-1234567 to call a Moscow number).

Similarly (in international format) you can call Italian numbers (+39-02-1234567 - the same number in Milan).

Mobile Internet in Italy

All major cities have 4G/LTE networks. In small towns the speed is lower, but quite sufficient for talking via the Internet via VOIP or Skype.

The cost of mobile Internet for 2018 is from 5 € with a limit of 1-2 Gigabytes per month.

Prices Mobile Internet in Italy, different operators have approximately the same rates - a cheap option can only be on a special offer and, as a rule, with a long contract.

If you only need Internet without dialing (for example, for a tablet computer), look for special sections in operator prices.

How to pay

You will most likely choose one of the ricaricable ("rechargeable") tariffs - with an advance payment system. You can pay for communications in most large supermarkets (buy a card at the checkout, you will be given a separate receipt with a code, which must be sent via SMS or dialed through the operator’s voice menu), in communication shops or tobacco shops. Mobile payments are often accepted at gas stations.

You can pay for communications at an ATM only with an ATM card (not a classic credit card, but a VISA Electron or Maestro) issued by one of the Italian banks.

You can pay for mobile communications via the Internet on the operator’s website only with a “classic” credit card; all operators accept payments via PayPal.

Pasta, pizza, wine, football, mind-blowing sports cars, the mafia - all this is just a small part of what Italy is known for on the world stage. This country combines the incongruous: here the sea is combined with mountains and snow, and people in the north of the country are not like the southerners. This is where communication comes into play. Telecom in Italy means a little more than in other countries. For example, Italians speak on the phone more than the average European. The situation is similar with the Internet and television. At the same time, the speed of broadband access here is 2.5 times lower than in neighboring Germany and Austria.

The Internet project “Be Mobile” continues, cellular communications and mobile Internet in various countries of the world. All our materials help you save money and get maximum freedom and mobility when traveling abroad.

Today we will tell you in detail about tariffs for mobile communications and mobile Internet in Italy. This is especially true since millions of our fellow citizens go to this country for vacation, work, and even permanent residence.

In terms of penetration of mobile communications, the Internet, pay television and fixed telephony, Italy is among the TOP 5 European countries. At the beginning of 2014, about 92 million subscribers (penetration 153%), 36 million Italians (penetration 60.5%) had the opportunity to use fixed Internet (12.93 million households), and 23.2 million households were connected to pay and terrestrial TV networks. The maximum penetration of Internet services among the population in Milan, Rome, Naples, Turin is 80%, and the minimum is 28% in rural areas and small towns in the south and southeast of the country.

Mobile communications in Italy

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The Italian mobile market is divided between four national operators: TIM, Vodafone, Wind and Tre (3). About 18 virtual operators, such as Postemobile, A-Mobile, CoopVoice, Tiscali, Noverca, also work on their infrastructure.

The country uses mobile communication standards similar to the rest of Europe and Russia. These are GSM-900, GSM-1800, UMTS-2100, CDMA2000, and LTE-800/1800/2600. 98% of the country's population is covered by 2G, 79% by 3G and 37% by 4G.

At the beginning of 2014, Italy had 90 million mobile subscribers out of a population of 59.5 million people. As in other European countries, two types of tariffs are available to customers: prepaid and contract. According to GSMA data, 79.5% of subscribers use cellular communications on a prepaid basis, 20.5% on a contract basis. In the latter case, the subscriber receives a phone, smartphone, modem or router at a significant discount, or for free.

Roaming with a Russian operator

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Currently, every federal operator in Russia provides the opportunity to connect to preferential roaming services. All these services and options apply to Italy.

Here is a comparison table of special tariffs and services in international roaming in Italy for 2014.

Operator

Rostelecom MTS Megaphone Beeline MOTIVE Tele2
Option name World roaming Zero without limits The whole world Multipass Roaming NON-STOP International roaming
Connection 0 0 30 0 12 rub. 0
Subscription fee 14 rub/day 25 rub/day 25 rub/day 15 rub/day 2 rub/day No
Incoming calls

14 rubles – 1st and starting from the 10th minute

0 rub – from 2nd to 10th minute

0 rub/min – from 1st to 10th minute (but not more than 200 free minutes per month)

5 rub/min – starting from 11 minutes

The first 30 minutes are free, and then 9 rubles/min 5 rub. 7.7 rub. 9.45 rub.
Outgoing to Russia 14 rub.

30 rub/min – 1st minute and from the 6th minute

15 rub/min – from 2nd to 5th minute

19 rub. 15 rub. 125 rub. 9.45 rub.
Outgoing within Italy 14 rub. 30 rub. 19 rub. 15 rub. 9.45 rub.
SMS 4 rub. 19 rub. 9 rub. 5 rub. 16 rub. 5 rub.
Internet per MB 808 rub. 768 rub. 14.9 rub. RUB 358.4 25 rub.

In order not to be left with a non-working phone while roaming, I recommend checking before your trip whether the service is activated on your number international roaming. You must also ensure that you have enough money in your account to take into account expenses.

To top up your roaming account, you can use by bank card, linked to a phone number, with express payment cards. In an emergency, you can somehow ask your relatives or loved ones to top up your phone balance.

The second way to stay connected in Italy is to buy a SIM card from a local operator.

Local SIM card

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The contract (Abbonamento) for mobile communication services is concluded for 12-24 months, depending on the operator and tariff. When concluding a contract, the client is required to provide bank account information, from which the monthly subscription fee will be automatically debited in accordance with the selected tariff. If the limit of call minutes or mobile Internet has been exhausted earlier, it is possible to top up the balance by depositing additional funds.

The main mobile operators in Italy offer a contract for mobile services in conjunction with a mobile phone. By concluding such a contract, the client can choose a mobile phone at a special price - from 0 euros. At the same time, according to the contract, funds for mobile communication services and telephone payments will be debited from the account every month. In fact, this is selling a phone on credit for 12-24 months. The amount of monthly fees depends on the phone and the selected tariff.

For example, a standard package of unlimited voice communications, unlimited SMS and 2 GB of traffic on a two-year contract will cost 45 euros (2,115 rubles) per month, while a subscriber can buy an iPhone 5S for 99 euros (4,653 rubles) and pay 5 additional monthly euro (235 rubles).

A special feature of contract tariffs is that a contract for cellular communication services in Italy can only be concluded if you have a bank account. Therefore, for a temporary stay in Italy on a work or tourist visa, prepaid rates (Ricaricabile) are chosen. The balance is replenished by depositing funds through payment points or electronic payment methods.

To purchase a SIM card and conclude a contract, a passport and a bank account are enough (in case of purchasing a contract tariff).

The average cost of a contract tariff with unlimited on-network voice, free SMS and 1 GB mobile Internet is about 38 euros per month (1,786 rubles). If this volume is exceeded, every 100 additional MB will cost another 2 euros.

People who are in Italy temporarily (work, study, vacation), for the most part, use prepaid tariffs. These offers have good consumer properties; you can connect to them without documents, at customer service centers or in regular supermarkets and grocery stores. Tariffs do not have a subscription fee. The standard price for such a kit is 10 euros (470 rubles). The account is replenished with payment cards, the minimum card value is 10 euros, or with a bank card. In the second case, there are no restrictions on replenishment.

The cost of calls abroad to landlines and Cell phones may vary by lower tariff when calling to landlines. The cheapest calls within the European Union. A call to Russia costs on average 12-16 euro cents per minute.

Regarding prices for mobile devices, then you can get them both at a discount and for free. In this case, they will only work with a SIM card of a specific operator. In Italy, there are also classic, in the Russian understanding, schemes for selling mobile phones - without contracts, without obligations and restrictions.

Examples of current tariffs for contract and prepaid payment systems for mobile communications in 2014 in Italy. Prices include VAT in rubles at the rate of 47 rubles per euro.

Operator TIM TIM Vodafone Vodafone Wind Wind Tre
Rate Unlimited (2 year contract) Special Voice Start RELAX Mini (2 year contract) Tutti 500 All Inclusive Smart (2 year contract) Noi Tutti ALL-IN Medium
Subscription fee 1363 RUR 376 RUR 1363 RUR RUB 465.3 893 RUR 282 rub. 376 RUR
Package of free services Unlimited calls and SMS, 2 GB 300 minutes + unlimited within the network Unlimited calls and SMS, 200 MB 500 minutes 900 minutes, 900 SMS, 2 GB 250 minutes 400 minutes, 400 SMS, 2 GB
Outgoing within the network 0 0 0

Above the package: 14.1 rub – 1st min.

5.64 rubles, starting from 2nd

0 RUB 13.63 over package RUB 4.78 over package
Outgoing to mobile 0 RUB 5.64 over package 0 0
Outgoing to fixed. oper. 0 RUB 5.64 over package 0 0
Outgoing to Russia 15 rubles – 1st minute; 7.5 rubles, starting from the 2nd 28.2 RUR 28.2 RUR 9.4 RUR 9.4 RUR RUR 23.89
SMS within Italy 0 7.05 RUR 0 RUB 5.64 0 RUB 4.23 RUB 4.78 over package
SMS to Russia RUB 7.52 9.4 RUR RUB 7.52 RUB 14.34
Internet 235 rubles for 1 GB above the package 141 rubles for 1 GB 9.56 rubles for 10 MB

Analyzing communication prices, you can discover several extremely interesting things. Firstly, in Italy there are very few prepaid tariffs without a subscription fee in the Russian sense. The exception to the rule is virtual operators. And they are not very actively promoting such proposals. Secondly, in almost every tariff, in addition to the package of voice minutes and SMS, the subscriber has a block of free mobile Internet. Thirdly, contract tariffs often offer complete unlimited voice and SMS. But the Internet is sold only in packages of traffic or time. There are no unlimited limits, albeit limited in speed.

As the table data shows, mobile communications in Italy are 10-15% more expensive than in, and. The price level here is the same as in. The difference with Russian prices is 30-40%, which is quite a lot.

Mobile Internet

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There are two ways to use mobile Internet services in Italy. The first is to connect a traffic package at maximum speed. After it is exhausted, the subscriber will be charged an additional amount equal to the cost of the package. The second option is to connect to a time package with unlimited Internet traffic (only for contract tariffs). In this case, the subscriber will be charged a subscription fee only once a month, and the Internet can be used, for example, 60 hours a month. The consumption of this time will be counted from the moment the Internet session opens until it closes. To be honest, this is the first time I have come across this type of pricing.

As for prices, a block of 1 GB of traffic costs on average 3-5 euros. Package for laptop and tablet users 15 GB – 20 euros.

A USB modem can be purchased at any operator office or large electronics stores. The average price of a device with 4G support is 20 euros (940 rubles). At the same time, for subscribers, the modem connecting to the mobile Internet package is provided free of charge.

As for LTE, it has been operating commercially in Italy for just over a year. In 2011, an auction was held for frequencies in 3 bands: 800 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2.6 GHz. The frequencies are distributed among three operators: Vodafone Italia, Telecom Italia, 3 Italia and Wind Telecomunicazioni.

The first LTE network was launched in October 2012 in Milan and Rome by Vodafone. In November of the same year, TIM handed over its 4G network (in Milan, Turin and Rome). The equipment supplier was Nokia Siemens Networks. At the same time, the first LTE networks used the 2.6 GHz band. 4G networks of the operator Tre (3) started working in December 2012. The first cities here were Milan and Rome. Unlike competitors, Tre actively explored the 1800 MHz range.

The Wind operator turned out to be an outsider in the race for LTE. The difficult financial situation and the protracted deal with VimpelCom did not allow the rapid launch of 4G networks. The first commercial network of this company started working only in July 2013.

As of January 1, 2014, the TIM operator's LTE network covered 518 settlements, Vodafone - 46, Tre (3) - 35, Wind - 2.

Examples of current tariffs for mobile Internet in 2013 in Italy. Prices include VAT in rubles at the rate of 47 rubles per euro.

Operator TIM TIM Vodafone Vodafone Wind Tre
Standard 3G/LTE 3G/LTE 3G/LTE 3G/LTE 3G 3G/LTE
Name Internet Start Internet 4G Fly 4G Mega Unlimited Tre.Dati Plus
Type batch batch batch batch batch batch
Subscription fee 470 rub. 1645 RUR 940 rub. 1645 RUR 705 RUR 893 RUR
Traffic block 2 GB/4 GB 15 GB/30 GB 7 GB 15 GB 10 GB 30 GB
Speed ​​over block - - - - - -
Peculiarities For Telecom Italia and TIM subscribers 2 times more traffic Speed ​​up to 43.2 Mbps Speed ​​up to 100 Mbit/s Poor 3G coverage -

Today there are about 24 thousand free Wi-Fi points in Italy, the largest number of which are concentrated in Lombardy, Lazio, Emilia-Romagna, Trentino-Alto Adige and Veneto. 60% of them are in the north of Italy, 28% in the center of the country and 12% in the south and islands.

Most often, free Wi-Fi zones can be found at railway stations, airports, and museums. Sometimes, to use a free network, you need to know the code that the owners of bars, restaurants and hotels provide to their customers who want to have free Wi-Fi. However, in Italy, only half of the hotels provide free Internet to their clients.

Free Wi-Fi is also provided on the high-speed Italian trains Frecciarossa and Italo.

A tourist who is going to Italy naturally thinks about the issue of communication and mobile Internet. There are several options here: buying a local SIM card, connecting to Wi-fi networks or purchasing a tourist starter pack. What is best to choose is up to you, but let's look at how things are in Italy with the first two points (purchasing a local SIM card and a wireless network).

Internet in Italy: features of purchasing a local starter package

Previously, buying a local starter package was a popular and, sometimes, the only way to communicate inexpensively with Russia while abroad, as well as use mobile traffic. Therefore, many travelers used it. But buying a SIM card in Italy is not so easy. To do this, you need to provide a passport, and sometimes they ask for a tax code, but the tourist does not have it. In this case, you can download special program to receive a code or contact the store for this service. After all, to receive a local package you will need to sign an official agreement. In addition, time will also be spent searching for a good deal.

There are 4 main telecom operators providing services in Italy:

  • Vodafone.
  • 3 (= 'Tre').
  • Wind.

Remember that the tariffs of these operators are designed for Italians and can have a hefty subscription fee

WI-FI in Italy

You can access the wireless network without any problems. Of course, if you managed to find it. Being tied to WI-FI access points in Italy is extremely inconvenient. In addition, the data transfer speed does not always allow you to use all the features. Therefore, it is much easier and more profitable to use your traffic without being tied to any free networks. We know where to find cheap mobile Internet in Italy https://euroroaming.ru/mobilnyj-internet-v-italii

Inexpensive mobile Internet and profitable calls to Russia

Today, the best option for tourists is to buy an international SIM card. So, you can not only use inexpensive communications: mobile Internet and voice services, but also enjoy other advantages - travel around several dozen countries without changing your starter package. Why waste time and sign contracts in Italy if you can buy a SIM card in advance.

  • Operator Orange Spain offers a favorable tourist tariff Go Europe - 1 euro - 100 MB. If this traffic is not enough, you can buy the same amount more (for the same cost). The number of daily packages is unlimited.
  • Vodafone operator has an excellent tariff of 19 for Italy. Under the terms of which the subscriber buys 1GB for 6 euros. In Europe, there is a more universal Smart Passport plan. For 3 euros you can use both voice communication and mobile Internet (200 MB).
  • We also recommend that you consider purchasing a Globalsim SIM card. In this case, you can buy 1 GB for $19 - valid for a month, and also make profitable calls to different countries of the world, including Russia (cost 3 rubles/minute).
  • For a more detailed description of all tariffs, see the Euroroaming website.

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