Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Getting a nano sim for Verizon iPhone 5 use in Italy

HNfan

HNfan

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 27, 2012
14
12
Atlanta
Hello,

I am traveling to Italy in about a week and need help figuring out the best way to be able to use my Verizon iPhone 5 there. Need to be able to check email once a day and make a rare phone call, and light internet surfing. Biggest need is to be able to text (mainly iMessage) many times a day. I'll be there 3 weeks.

Is it better to use Verizon's global services, or to buy (or rent) a sim card from a carrier over there?

How hard is it to get a sim card there that will fit an iPhone 5?

Any idea on costs for the various options?

Thanks!
 
M

mitico

macrumors member
Jul 28, 2008
45
0
Italy
Nano sim for iphone 5

No it's not that hard. Go to Tim or Wind stores (they're everywhere) and ask for the sim card for the iphone 5. It'll cost you 5 to 10 euros and should be activated in a few hours. You can buy data options that will allow to use one giga (1Gb) a month for about 10 euros,or ten giga (10 Gb) for about 20 euros.
 
Last edited:
Applejuiced

Applejuiced

macrumors Westmere
Apr 16, 2008
40,672
6,533
At the iPhone hacks section.
mitico said:
No it's not that hard. Go to Tim or Wind stores (they're everywhere) and ask for the sim card for the iphone 5. It'll cost you 5 to 10 euros and should be activated in a few hours. You can buy data options that will allow to use one giga (1Gb) a month for about 10 euros,or ten giga (10 Gb) for about 20 euros.
Click to expand...

That's a pretty good deal.
 
C

cutienoua

macrumors regular
Sep 30, 2012
128
17
you need to pay attention to the offers. otherwise you end up paying by the mb.
still beats roaming by far!!:D
 
C

Clevans

macrumors regular
Dec 22, 2012
150
87
I actually was in Italy and the Mediterranean earlier this year for about two weeks. I added on a 500 text msg plan a 1 gb international data plan and a $10 feature to get discounted roaming rates on any calls. It raised my bill by about $40-50 for that month but I never went over those limits. Leave the features on for the whole month so that when the phone companies in Italy send th charges back to your carrier here they see you have those features to cover it then cancel at the end of the billing cycle. Use wifi whenever possible. I used the cell networks daily for texting, email, light Internet use, and made only a handful of calls
 
Blorzoga

Blorzoga

macrumors 68030
May 21, 2010
2,560
66
Applejuiced said:
That's a pretty good deal.
Click to expand...

US carriers are thieves compared to their European counterparts. I'm not sure the phone will work with another carrier. It is probably locked to verizon. I have heard that verizon will temporarily unlock if requested.
 
Applejuiced

Applejuiced

macrumors Westmere
Apr 16, 2008
40,672
6,533
At the iPhone hacks section.
Blorzoga said:
US carriers are thieves compared to their European counterparts. I'm not sure the phone will work with another carrier. It is probably locked to verizon. I have heard that verizon will temporarily unlock if requested.
Click to expand...

I hear you on the high price US carriers charge.
About the Verizon i5 it is indeed officially unlocked out of the box for any GSM carrier. so it will work fine. There's no need for an unlock to be requested by them at all.
 
M

mscalora

macrumors newbie
Jul 19, 2013
2
0
iPhone 5 nano SIM with personal hotspot

My wife and I are going to Italy for 4 weeks soon. I have a unlocked iPhone 5, it is good to hear I can get a nano SIM for it but I'm wondering about Personal Hotspot support? Do the carriers support it? All? some? Can you give me any advice or what to ask for?

I've seen Wind, Tim & Tre mentioned. Is the coverage similar? We will be driving the length of Italy.

Thanks,
-Mike
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom