Traveling to Italy and have an iPhone 6 with Verizon. My question is can i buy a Euro sim card before i leave to test it? Verizon says my phone is unlocked but when i called and let them know i was leaving, the rep emailed me a chart of their international fees and they aren't cheap. Just want to be sure i can use it in Italy without having to worry about the overage fees and such. Thanks in advance.
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Buy a Euro sim card before i go?
- Thread starter TxExCxH
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Yes. But, they're more expensive than just going to one of the local providers once you arrive. If you run a Google search for Italy SIM cards, you'll find the services that sell them.
I understand your concern. But, the phone will work internationally. I was in Italy a year ago. At the time I had a 4s on Verizon. When I arrived in Rome, I found a TIM mobile store (that seemed to be the best combo of service and coverage) bought a preloaded SIM card and I was on my way. It worked great. You can't use your home number. But, the phone functions perfectly.
I wouldn't buy before you go. It's a lot more economical to buy a card there. Check the travel websites like Fodors or TripAdvisor. There's a lot of information.
I understand your concern. But, the phone will work internationally. I was in Italy a year ago. At the time I had a 4s on Verizon. When I arrived in Rome, I found a TIM mobile store (that seemed to be the best combo of service and coverage) bought a preloaded SIM card and I was on my way. It worked great. You can't use your home number. But, the phone functions perfectly.
I wouldn't buy before you go. It's a lot more economical to buy a card there. Check the travel websites like Fodors or TripAdvisor. There's a lot of information.
I recommend TIM, is the mobile operator with the best coverage in my country.
If you only need a data plan there is this offer
http://www.tim.it/estero/dall-italia/tim-welcome-internet-uk
while if you want to make calls you can chose this
http://www.tim.it/estero/dall-italia/tim-welcome-uk
(with only 2GB)
The alternative is Vodafone: good coverage and maybe a better offer if you need to call your friends&relatives while you are here
http://www.vodafone.it/portal/Privati/Tariffe-e-Prodotti/Tariffe/Estero/Vodafone-Holiday-English
If you need "a lot" of data you can try this
http://www.tre.it/all-in-explorer/en
but H3G has a good coverage only in the major cities, so it really depends on where you are going during your vacation.
Is not always easy to find a free wi-fi hotspot so I really recommend to have a good data plan.
If you only need a data plan there is this offer
http://www.tim.it/estero/dall-italia/tim-welcome-internet-uk
while if you want to make calls you can chose this
http://www.tim.it/estero/dall-italia/tim-welcome-uk
(with only 2GB)
The alternative is Vodafone: good coverage and maybe a better offer if you need to call your friends&relatives while you are here
http://www.vodafone.it/portal/Privati/Tariffe-e-Prodotti/Tariffe/Estero/Vodafone-Holiday-English
If you need "a lot" of data you can try this
http://www.tre.it/all-in-explorer/en
but H3G has a good coverage only in the major cities, so it really depends on where you are going during your vacation.
Is not always easy to find a free wi-fi hotspot so I really recommend to have a good data plan.
May I pop into this tread with a couple of questions....
My son is traveling to San Marino, and his iPhone is unlocked (att).
What would be the best service provider, Vodaphone, or TIM?
He would like to:
Have some data access
have about 300 or so min to/from USA
have text/imessage back to USA
Can anyone advise on his best options/service.
Thanks in advance
My son is traveling to San Marino, and his iPhone is unlocked (att).
What would be the best service provider, Vodaphone, or TIM?
He would like to:
Have some data access
have about 300 or so min to/from USA
have text/imessage back to USA
Can anyone advise on his best options/service.
Thanks in advance
Your VeriPhone 6 will work fine. Walk into any cell phone store, buy a nano SIM, show them your passport, and pop it in.
I will warn you that, in Italy, activation can be a little slower than in most countries, so you may have to wait an hour and then re-start your phone for it to be able to find the network.
Does he need to be able to call/text anyone and everyone, or will he only be calling specific people?
If he can coordinate with at least some of them to use iMessage, FaceTime, or Skype as much as possible, that will reduce the number of international minutes and messages he'll use. Even better if he can get wi-fi and save his data allotment.
Obviously that won't work if and when he has to call people who don't or can't use those services.
I will warn you that, in Italy, activation can be a little slower than in most countries, so you may have to wait an hour and then re-start your phone for it to be able to find the network.
Does he need to be able to call/text anyone and everyone, or will he only be calling specific people?
If he can coordinate with at least some of them to use iMessage, FaceTime, or Skype as much as possible, that will reduce the number of international minutes and messages he'll use. Even better if he can get wi-fi and save his data allotment.
Obviously that won't work if and when he has to call people who don't or can't use those services.
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/the-carrier-thread-europe.1856478/
Maybe handy to know which carrier you should take.
Maybe handy to know which carrier you should take.
Thank you gents.
I have already advised to use as much wifi as possible, just did not know how prevalent it would be on his travels. As far as Data, I am not certain how much these plans allow etc. Will do some more reading.
thanks again
I just returned from a vacation in Spain/Italy. I have a ATT iPhone 6+ which I got unlocked. I purchased an orange sim card in Spain(2 Gig data + 5 Euro credit for talk). The service in Spain was spectacular., the service was solid in Madrid/Barcelona/Madrid. Although Orange has a LTE network, post paid service is limited to 3G, but I was getting fantastic download speeds(about 10 Mb/s). They also allow tethering.
Further when I travelled to Italy, my Spanish sim just started roaming with no data. I decided to purchase a sim in Italy and I ended spending another 20 Euros for a TIM sim. TIM service was ok, I got occasional LTE service in Rome, Florence & Naples, but primarily it was 3G. Orange's service in Spain was much more reliable. I got 2 gig's of data. TIM does not offer tethering.
I initially thought I would use wifi, but it is just painful to use. The free wifi offered by many restaurants were just too slow. The money I spent on these sim cards were well worth it.
Make sure you have your passport, the activation in Italy as pointed out by an earlier poster took a bit longer than Spain. Please pm me with any specific questions.
Further when I travelled to Italy, my Spanish sim just started roaming with no data. I decided to purchase a sim in Italy and I ended spending another 20 Euros for a TIM sim. TIM service was ok, I got occasional LTE service in Rome, Florence & Naples, but primarily it was 3G. Orange's service in Spain was much more reliable. I got 2 gig's of data. TIM does not offer tethering.
I initially thought I would use wifi, but it is just painful to use. The free wifi offered by many restaurants were just too slow. The money I spent on these sim cards were well worth it.
Make sure you have your passport, the activation in Italy as pointed out by an earlier poster took a bit longer than Spain. Please pm me with any specific questions.
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