Italy

Basics
There are four network providers operating in Italy: In recent years MVNO's have started up competing with the network providers on their networks. The four biggest MVNOs 2014 by customer numbers CoopVoce, PosteMobile, FastWeb and Lycamobile are listed.
 * TIM
 * Vodafone
 * Wind 
 * 3 (Tre)

2G up to EDGE is on 900 and 1800 MHz, 3G UMTS on 900 and 2100 MHz. LTE/4G is on 800, 1800 and 2600 Mhz, has started on all providers and is available to all prepaid costumers mainly in the cites, but not for their MVNOs. TIM followed by Vodafone has the best coverage at higher prices, while 3 and Wind are still patchy but giving better rates.

To purchase a prepaid (= ricaricabile) SIM card a photo ID (e.g. a passport) is necessary in Italy. You can get them in the shops of the providers where they will be registered as well. Often (but not always) you are asked for a "codice fiscale" (fiscal code), a number which is required in Italy for many online purchases and identification. As a non-Italian you probably don't know yours, but even foreigners have one of this 16-digit code in Italy. It can be created easliy online: [How to create a codice fiscale]. Just fill in your name, birth date, sex and the italian name for your home country.

Top-ups can be bought at many more places like tobacconists, supermarkets, newsagents or even bars and coffeeshops.

TIM
TIM owned by Telecom Italia is still the biggest operator in the country. They have the best coverage competing with Vodafone: all of the country is covered by 2G, most of it by 3G but 4G/LTE is available in 3,500 municipalities covering 80% of the population. TIM 4G coverage The prepaid SIM card costs 10 EUR with 5 EUR credit in their stores Store Locator. Sometimes they charge an activation fee for new custormers of 3 EUR for booking a package.

Voice and data SIM
TIM only sells packages with included domestic voice and text vaild for a week or month:
 * weekly tariff: Tutto Compreso Unlimited Settimanale: 19 € for 7 days including unlimited domestic voice, text and 500 MB of data at a max. of 42.2 Mbps.
 * monthly tariff: TIM Smart: 20 € for 30 days including 600 minutes of domestic voice and 600 domestic SMS and 600 MB od data at LTE speed. You can upsize data:
 * 1 GB add-on on LTE for 5 € extra
 * 2 GB add-on on LTE for 10 € extra

Beyond the included data volume, speed will be reduced to 32 Kbps, Since end of 2013 all the internet options with TIM can only be activated and deactivated online or by calling 40916 or 119.

Data-only SIM
Activation of a new data SIM is 3 €, to activate the options below on a existing data SIM, they charge 5 €. You can activate only, but better do it in a TIM store.

Tourist SIM
For the tourist season 2015 TIM released two SIM cards that they call TIM Welcome: Calls are domestic and international to 57 countries (for list click on Paesi TIM Welcome), data is on 3G and will be throttled to 32 kbps after exceeding quota. No upsize or extensions possible.
 * TIM Welcome: for 20 €, 200 minutes for calls and 2 GB of data in 30 days
 * TIM Welcome Internet: for 30 €, no calls but 5 GB of data in 30 days

EU Roaming offer
TIM Inviaggio Pass: 300 minutes voice, 300 SMS and 500 MB data in one week in all countries of Europe and USA on all voice & data SIMs for 15 EUR. This option can be activated by texting "TIMPASS ON" to 40916. This is one of the cheapest roaming options in Europe right now.

Internet settings
APN: ibox.tim.it

3 (Tre)
3 (spoken: Tre) is Italy's smallest network, but it has already covered 4,800 (of more than 8,100) municipalties by high-speed 3G (up to 42 Mbps) reaching 96% of population. In 2014 they were given frequencies in the 900 Mhz band to reach another 2.000 municipalities at a reduced bandwith (21 Mbps instead of 42 Mbps). So 3G coverage is still limited in the countryside but can be quite fast in the cities. They have national free roaming on TIM network for calls and texts, but not for data (for costly 60 cent per MB - see Technical Settings). Tre 3G/4G coverage map.

4G/LTE reaches already about 42% of population in 462 municipalities growing fast and available for prepaid and a surcharge. Make a network scan, if you want to use it at a particular place.

Voice and data SIM
Their prepaid base tariff without addons is called "Power10". Default data rate is 20 ct per 10 MB (10 ct per minute, 10 ct per SMS).
 * Online or by phone you can buy the only data add on called "Super Internet" giving you 3 GB high speed data per month up to 42.2 Mbps on 3G for 5 EUR.

Furthermore, they offer these packages with included voice and text:
 * This can be added by the 4G add on for speeds up to 100 Mbps for another 1 EUR per month (promotion until the mid of 2015 at least). For coverage see above.

* = the 2 GB data volume per month in ALL-IN packs is actually limited to 500 MB per week.

Data-only SIM
Their data-only SIM is aimed at tablets and USB dongles and comes in 2 base rates: Because of the high roaming costs, disable automatic network selection (see Technical Settings).Although tethering is not contractually allowed, it works without surcharge. These packages can be booked on the data-only SIM :
 * Super Web Time: 0.91 € per hour on 3 network, 0.60 € per MB in national roaming on TIM
 * Super Web New: 0.50 € per 100 MB on 3 network, 0.60 € per MB in national roaming on TIM

All packages are on 3G up to 42.2 Mbps. To add 4G/LTE, you need to book the 4G option for 1€ extra by calling 4040 or online on your account. Time based superweb packages will be throttled unconditionally of the time expiration if used with high data streams both in download and in upload.

Availability

 * online to be sent to an Italian postal address
 * in 3stores (store locator)
 * SIM card costs 20 EUR start-up price. When ordered online, it will be sent with the same credit on. In 3stores, they may charge you around 5 € for activation.

SIM sizes

 * combined mini-/micro-SIMs are available
 * nano SIMs are available too

Technical settings

 * APN: tre.it
 * Take care: Due to the roaming agreement with TIM ensure you have data roaming disabled or select 3G-only mode (for iOS users: make a manual network selection for "3 ITA" and lock on it). By automatic selection you risk roaming on TIM. This gives you a better coverage, but can lead to high surcharges for data unless you can disable data roaming (see rates).

Vodafone


Vodafone is Italy's second network. 4G/LTE covers already more than 2,600 municipalities or 80 % of the population and is available for a surchage: Vodafone 4G map.

Their SIM is free, but you have to top up right away and book a package. Store Locator

Voice and data SIM
Vodafone sells different prepaid SIM lines on which you can book data. First you need to choose a base rate: On the "Vodafone al secondo" and "15" you can only use their default rate for data (see below). On "Scegli Voce" and "Scegli International" you can add the following data packs: Activation and deactivation can be made online or by calling 42071, Base rate and package will autonew.
 * "Scegli Voce": with 500 domestic minutes and 100 MB data for 10 EUR per month
 * "Scegli international": with 300 international minutes to the EU for 10 EUR per month
 * "Vodafone 19" without monthly fee (20ct per minute, 20ct per SMS)
 * 300 MB per month, 2G/3G only, for 2 EUR
 * 1 GB per month, 4G, for 5 EUR
 * 2 GB per moth, 4G, for 10 EUR
 * 5 GB per month, 4G, for 19 EUR

Default data rate
This rate is charged when no add-on is booked and it's the only rate for the "19" line: 6 EUR per day for a maximum of 1000 MB, beyond that: for each 100 MB extra, 2 EUR are charged additionally.

Data-only SIM
They offer these new prepaid plans for modems and tablets in 4G/LTE:

Speed is up to 100 MB/s in 4G. Tethering costs 6€ per day extra. Take care to buy a prepaid (= ricaricabile) not contract (= abbonamento) SIM.

As an add-on Vodafone offers one of the cheapest roaming options in Europe: Internet Passport. For 6 € per day (based on Italian time), you get up to 1 GB data in all of the EU/EEA plus Switzerland and Turkey. You only pay on these days, when you access the internet. This option is preconfigured and activates automatically in a roaming country. Beyond 1 GB per day, speed will be throttled to 32 Kbps.

Tourist SIM
Like the other providers, Vodafone released at SIM card aimed at visitors. It is called Vodafone Holiday and costs 30 € or 19 € if you already have a Vodafone Italia SIM card activated. Included are 300 minutes voice domestic and to 43 countries (for list click Scopri i Paesi inclusi nell'offerta), 300 SMS domestic and to these countries and 2 GB of data valid for 30 days.

Data is on 4G/LTE too and will be cut off when quota is exceeded. The package renews automatically after 30 days if you have loaded 29 €.

Availability

 * at Vodafone stores: store locator
 * online to be sent to an Italian postal address

Technical info

 * mini-, micro-, nano-SIM available
 * VoIP allowed
 * tethering not allowed (and for 5 EUR extra on data SIMs)
 * APN: mobile.vodafone.it

Wind
Wind has a big variety of volume based packages. It sells a lot of rates including domestic calls, texts and internet at very good rates, but their network is limited compared to TIM and Vodafone

Wind is the only provider in Italy giving out 4G/LTE up to 150 Mbps without a surcharge. However their LTE network is limited to about 100 cities so far, which are mentioned here: Wind Coverage Checker

Voice and data SIM
They sell a lot of different tariff lines for voice. Only two don't have a monthly base rate: "Wind 1" has lower voice rates, but default data rate is 0.24 EUR/MB. "Wind al secondo" has higher voice rates but the daily rate for data (see below).

To all voice SIMs, these data packages can be added online on your Wind account: To voice SIMs with a monthly base rate only, these data packages can be added online on your Wind account: Overuse will be charged with the respective default rate.
 * Internet No Stop: 1 GB, 1 month, 5 EUR plus 9 EUR activation fee
 * Internet No Stop Large: 2 GB, 1 month, 7.50 EUR plus 9 EUR activation fee
 * + 500 Mega: 500 MB, 1 month, 3 EUR, up to LTE speed
 * + 1 Giga: 1 GB, 1 month, 4 EUR, up to LTE speed
 * + 2 Giga: 2 GB, 1 month, 6 EUR, up to LTE speed

Data-only SIM
The default rate for all data-only prepaid cards of Wind is the daily rate of 4 €. You get max. 500 MB at high speed, then throttled to 32 kbps on one calendar day (0.00-23:59 hrs). These packs can be added:
 * Open Internet: 28 days, 3 GB, 9 €
 * Open Internet: 28 days, 6 GB, 14 €

The packages can be booked by texting 3GB SI, 6GB SI or 12GB SI to 4033. They can be renewed ahead of time by texting RESTART SI to 4033. Otherwise speed will be throttled to 32 Kbps. Packages renew automatically and can be stopped by texting NO to 4033.
 * Open Internet: 28 days, 12 GB, 19 €

The SIM card activation costs 5 € in WIND shops Wind Store Locator. Top-up cards can be purchased in tabacchi stores to the values of 5€, 10€, 15€, etc. Text "Saldo" to 4155 to get balance and "Dati" to get data credit.

Tourist SIM
Finally Wind also released a SIM card aimed at tourists in two different tariff lines:
 * Italy Tourist Pass: 20 € - including 100 minutes voice domestic and to 40 countries (list in the middle ) and 2 GB of data valid for 30 days. You can restart this package for more or longer volume by texting TOURIST ITZ RESTART to 4033 for 10 €.
 * Tourist Pass Data: 30 € - including 4 GB of data and 5 € credit valid for 30 days. This pack can be extended by a restart for 25 € by texting TOURIST DATA RESTART to 4033.

Technical info

 * APN: internet.wind
 * Tethering is allowed
 * VoIP is officially not allowed, but not blocked.

coop voce
coop voce is a MVNO using the good TIM network. It is sold by Italy's biggest supermarket chain "coop" in all their stores nationwide: coop store locator

The SIM card is sold for 5 EUR with 250 national minutes. Choose one tariif without base rate like "superfacile" or "veloce". Topups can be made at coop shops or online after registration even with foreign credit cards in increments of 5 EUR.

Data packages
For activation, simply text code to 4243688. Check data credit by texting INTERNET to 4243688. When you have used all data, you can buy another package ahead of time by calling 188. Each package will automatically renew after one month, if there is credit. If not, the pack will be terminated. The SIM stays valid for 25 months.
 * Web 1 GB senza limiti: 8 EUR, 1 GB, 1 month, activation: SI 1 GB
 * Web 2 GB senza limiti: 10 EUR, 2 GB, 1 month, activation: SI 2 GB
 * Web 5 GB senza limiti: 14 EUR, 5 GB, 1 month, activation: SI 5 GB
 * Web No limiti: 18 EUR, 10 GB, 1 month, activation: SI NO LIMITI
 * Web 30 ore: 12 EUR, 30 hours, activation: SI 30 ORE
 * APN: web.coopvoce.it

poste mobile
poste mobile is the MVNO of Italian Mail (Posteitaliane) which used to operate on Vodafone. In January of 2014 they switched over to the Wind network. It is on 2G and 3G only but will open for 4G/LTE in the first trimester of 2015 with speeds up to 150 Mbps on the rather limited Wind network.

This SIM can be bought theoretically in every postal office in Italy and the postal agencies called "ki point" for no activation fee (price = credit) but they are probably easier to find in the central post offices where they have a phone corner. List

Anyway, all post offices and agencies accept top-ups or you can do that online after registration using a credit card.

Data packages
Overuse is charged by 0.55 cent per KB. All packages will renew autonatically after 1 month, unless stopped by texting NO to 4071160.
 * Tarifa base gionaliera = daily base rate: this is the default rate when no other package is booked. 250 MB for 2.52 EUR per calender day (0.00-23.59 hrs).
 * Mobile 1Giga: 1 GB, 1 month, 7.50 EUR, activation: text SI GIGA to 4071160
 * Mobile 3Giga: 3 GB, 1 month, 16 EUR, activation: text SI 3GB to 4071160
 * Internet 100 ore, 100 hours in 1 month, 19 EUR, text SI 100ORE to 4071160
 * Internet 30 ore, 30 hours in 1 month, 9.90 EUR, text SI 30 ORE to 4071160
 * APN: internet.postemobile.it

Fastweb
Fastweb is an Italian MVNO specialising in Triple Play and Broadband Services. It has been bought by Swisscom. In Italy it operates on the network of 3 (Tre) in 3G and TIM in 2G.

Their SIM card is sold at their sales outlets: Fastweb Store Locator. There you can reload too.

Default data rate is 0.20 € on 3G (Tre) and 0.30 € on 2G (TIM) and these packs can be added: Note: Speed will be throttled to 64 kbps beyond data limit. The packages are only on the 3G network of Tre, not on 2G of TIM, where default tariff applies. So disable automatic network selection (see 3).
 * Mobile Fuel: 300 domestic minutes, 300 dom. texts, 5 GB data in 1 month: 10 EUR
 * Mobile Freedom: unlimitited domestic calls and texts, 5 GB data in 1 month: 25 EUR
 * Sprintweb: 1 GB, 1 month, 5 EUR
 * GigaWeb: 5 GB per month, for 3 months, total 30 EUR (for all three months)
 * APN: apn.fastweb.it

Lycamobile
Lycamobile is an UK-based MVNO which started its operations in Italy in summer of 2014 and is already the 2nd most popular MVNO in the country by customer numbers. It operates on the network of Vodafone in 2G and 3G only (for coverage see above).

Their SIM cards are sold for free in their outlets like Carrefour hypermarkets Lycamobile store locator. Top-ups must be done right away there, at Coop and Pam supermarkets. To find more shops for reloads click "Ricarica" on the store locator link.

Default data rate is 0.18 EUR per MB. Aside from promotions, they now offer only one regular package for data solely, which is 7 EUR for 1 GB in 30 days. To activate type *139*1001# and. This package will autorenew every month if there is credit. To stop, call customer service at 40322.

Note that you can't top up the 1 GB within the running month of the package and for overuse you will the charged the default data rate. In many countries Lycamobile actively prevents tethering.
 * APN: data.lycamobile.it
 * Username: lmit (that's lowercase L, not capital i)
 * Password: plus