Italy

Operators
There are four network providers currently operating in Italy: The parent companies Vimpelcom and CK Hutchison of Wind and 3 agreed to a merger in summer 2015. Pending approval of the regulators, Wind and Tre will become one network in the coming years.
 * TIM
 * Vodafone
 * Wind 
 * 3 (= ' Tre ')

In recent years MVNOs have started up competing with the network providers on their networks. The four biggest MVNOs 2014 by customer numbers CoopVoce, PosteMobile, FastWeb, Lycamobile, the start-up Ringo Mobile and triple player Tiscali are listed.

Frequencies
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 customers mainly in the cites, but not for their MVNOs.

A network test in 2016 gave a clear ranking what coverage and speed is concerned: Vodafone is in the lead, followed by TIM, Tre is in 3rd position and Wind is last. The article here is listed like most countries according to market share with TIM leading, followed by Vodafone, Wind and 3, ending with MVNOs.

Legal requirements
To purchase a prepaid (= ricaricabile) SIM card a photo ID (e.g. a passport) is mandatory in Italy. You can get them in the shops of the providers where they will be registered as well.

Sometimes, when the contract modules enforce it, you might be asked for a "codice fiscale" (tax code), a sequence of letters and digits for Italian citiziens and expats for tax and identification matters (more info in Italian.). As a non-Italian traveller of course you don't have yours, but given that it's made by an algorithm considering your name, gender, birth date and birth place, it may be easliy created by specific software or online: How to create a codice fiscale. Some shop sellers may propose you to calculate yours to fill in the purchase contract: for an administrative point of view it might not be the best practice but, due to bureaucratic minutiae, in the end it's the faster way to get a SIM card.

Top-ups can be bought at many more places like tobacconists (blue-'n-white / black-'n-white "T" signs), supermarkets, newsagents and even bars or coffeeshops.

TIM
TIM owned by Telecom Italia is still the biggest operator in the country. But they lost the best coverage and speeds to Vodafone. All of the country is covered by 2G, most of it by 3G and 4G/LTE is available in 3,500 municipalities covering 80% of the population: TIM 4G coverage

Availability
A TIM SIM card costs 10 € with 5 € credit in their stores Store Locator. Sometimes they charge an activation fee for new customers of 3 € for booking a package.

Topping up online on their website seems not to be working with many non-Italian credit cards (Visa or MasterCard), as users have reported. You might try AmEx or PayPal there instead. This makes it harder to keep a SIM card alive from abroad. In Italy you can still top-up by going to certain tobacconists, supermarkets, newsagents or bars, where the clerk behind the counter either does the recharge on his terminal for cash, or sells you a card with a 16-digit code you can SMS to 40916 in order to realize the top-up. Interestingly, TIM stores may refuse to do top-ups and will redirect you there.

Standard SIM
Their prepaid lines are called TIM Zero Scatti New, TIM a secondi, TIM 9, TIM 12 or ''Tutto Compresso Base. ''SIM cards are sold for 10 € with 5 € credit on. They only differ for voice and text. Default rate for data is their daily rate of 4 € for 500 MB. Beyond the included data volume, speed will be reduced to 32 Kbps. No data packages are offered with these tariffs. Data packages for 1 GB and 2 GB however can be added to these cards and/or you can purchase the first 28 days of data in a combined package as described below (the 3 GB and 4 GB options appear to only be available as part of the combined package SIM).

Combined package SIM
They have introduced prepaid SIMs with combined packages, all valid for 28 days. New SIM card is again 10 € with 5 € on: Package will auto-renew after 28 days if there is enough credit. All internet options with TIM can only be activated and deactivated online or by calling 40916 or 119. For more data, you can add another 1 GB for 5 € or 2 GB for 10 €. Online, this is done on the TIM website; you can click "Offerte", "Mobile", "Voce e Internet", "TIM Special", then look under "Opzioni TIM Special". When checking out, you may run into similar issues as mentioned above using non-Italian credit cards, however, there are options as well for PayPal and using the credit balance on your SIM.
 * TIM Special Voci & dati: 500 domestic minutes, 1 GB data - 15 €
 * TIM Special Start: 1000 domestic minutes, 2 GB data - 20 €
 * TIM Special Large: 3000 domestic minutes, 3 GB data - 30 €
 * TIM Special Unlimited: unlimited domestic voice and SMS, 250 mins call time to Europe and the US, 4 GB data - 40 €

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 it online, but better to do it in a TIM store. The promotional tariffs are only available to foreigners with valid ID, but data is for Italy only. No activation fee is charged for Internet Extra, 3 € for International plus 10 € for the SIM card.

Tourist SIM
For the tourists 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 € (+ 10 € for the SIM card incl. 5 € credit), 100 minutes for calls and 4 GB of data in 30 days (link to offer)
 * TIM Welcome Internet: for 20 € (+ 10 € SIM card incl. 5 € credit), no calls but 5 GB of data in 30 days (link to offer)

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 to all of their SIM cards. This is one of the cheapest roaming options in Europe right now.

Technical settings

 * some VoIP clients like Skype and Viber are blocked on some tariffs


 * APN: ibox.tim.it

Vodafone


Vodafone is Italy's 2nd network and according to network reviews the best in 2016. 4G/LTE covers more than 7,700 municipalities or 93 % of the population at the end of 2015 and is available for prepaid: Vodafone 4G map.

Their SIM is free in their stores (Store Locator), but you have to top-up right away and book a base plan. Take care, that a monthly billing cycle with Vodafone in Italy is only 28 days.

Voice and data SIM
Vodafone's prepaid line is called ''Flexi. ''There are two base packages, valid for 28 days: Data can be added like this: Activation can be made online or by calling 42070. Base rate and data package will auto-renew after 28 days. When data is used up, you will be on the default rate of 2 € per day for 200 MB or you can buy another data package ahead of time.
 * Flexi Start: with 400 domestic minutes, 100 dom. SMS, 100 MB data for 10 €
 * Flexi Maxi: with 1000 domestic minutes, 200 dom. SMS, 100 MB data for 15 €
 * 1 GB: plus 5 €
 * 2 GB: plus 10 €
 * 3 GB: plus 14 €
 * 5 GB: plus 19 €

Data-only SIM
They offer these classical prepaid data packages for modems and tablets in 4G/LTE:

As alternative Vodafone offers their Solo Online offer, 5 GB (currently promoted at 7 GB) for 10 € and their Giga Extra and Maxi offers with double data 20 € for 10 GB and 30 € for 20 GB. But take care that this offers involves a contract with a monthly fee which is directly charged to your credit card, and is not on prepaid! This contract can be suspended anytime online and does not involve a long-term engagement.

Speed is up to 100 MB/s in 4G. Tethering costs 6 € per day extra. Take care to buy either a prepaid (= ricaricabile) or a contract (= abbonamento) SIM.

EU roaming offers
As an add-on Vodafone offers two of the cheapest roaming options in Europe:
 * Internet Passport: For 6 € per calender day (based on Italian time), you get up to 1 GB data in all of the EU/EEA plus Switzerland and Turkey on data SIM cards . You only pay on these days, when you access the internet. You need to activate the option online on your personal account. Beyond 1 GB per day, speed will be throttled to 32 Kbps. Make sure you set APN to: web.omnitel.it while roaming. If you set it to e.g. iphone.vodafone.it or mobile.vodafone.it they will charge you the standard rates! To check balance and data allowances open up in a browser: http://contatori.vodafone.it/.


 * Smart Passport: For their voice SIM cards Vodafone sells a similar add-on for roaming in the EU/EEA called Smart Passport. Here 500 MB, 25 mins incoming and 25 mins outgoing voice roaming and 50 internatl. SMS per calender day (based on Italian time) are included for 3 €. Like the internet passport, they charge you only on days of usage. Beyond 500 MB per day, speed will be throttled to 32 kbps. VoIP is allowed, but no tethering. To activate, go to your personal account. Use this APN while roaming: web.vodafone.it

Tourist SIM
Like the other providers in Italy, Vodafone released at SIM card aimed at visitors. It is called Vodafone Holiday and sold for 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, all valid for 28 days.

Data is on 4G/LTE too and will be cut off when quota is exceeded. The package renews automatically after 28 days if you have loaded another 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 € extra on data SIMs)
 * APN: mobile.vodafone.it /or/ web.vodafone.it - special APNs for the roaming bundles (see above)

Wind
Wind is Italy's 3rd network in market share, but has the lowest coverage of all 4. They plan to merge with 3 (Tre) in some years.

Wind is giving out 4G/LTE up to 150 Mbps without surcharge to all of its plans and packages. However, their LTE network is rather limited to about 100 cities so far, which are mentioned here: Wind Coverage Checker

They offer a big variety of volume based packages. It sells a lot of rates including domestic calls, texts and internet at very good rates.

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 €/MB. "Wind al secondo" has higher voice rates but the daily rate for data (see data SIM below).

These data packages can be added online on your account or by code: Overuse will be throttled to 32 Kbps. All packages auto-renew after 28 days, if there is enough credit. To stop, deactivate them on your account.
 * + Internet No Stop: 1 GB, 28 days - 5 €
 * + Internet No Stop Large: 2 GB, 28 days - 7.50 €

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 (for a 5 € activation fee): The packages can be booked by texting '4GIGA SI' or '8GIGA 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 after 28 days and can be stopped by texting '4 GIGA NO' or '8 GIGA NO' to 4033.
 * Open Internet: 28 days, 4 GB - 10 €
 * Open Internet: 28 days, 8 GB - 18 €

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

Tourist SIM
Finally Wind also released SIM cards 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 28 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 28 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.

3 (Tre)
3 (spoken: Tre) is Italy's smallest network, but it has already covered 5,000 (of more than 8,100) municipalties by high-speed 3G (up to 42 Mbps) reaching 96% of population. In 2014 they were given frequencies on the 900 Mhz band to reach another 3,200 municipalities at a reduced bandwith (21 Mbps instead of 42 Mbps). So coverage is still limited in the countryside, but can be quite fast in the cities: Tre 3G/4G coverage map.

As 3 has now own 2G network to fall back, it has national free roaming on 2G TIM network for calls and texts, but not for data (for costly 60ct per MB - see Technical Settings).

3's own 4G/LTE network reaches already about 65% of population in 1300 municipalities in 2016 growing fast. They plan to merge with the Wind network in the upcoming years.

Voice and data SIM
Their prepaid base tariff without addons is called "Power15".

Default data rate for new activations is 20 ct per 20 MB (15 ct per minute, 15 ct per SMS). Furthermore, they offer these combined packages:
 * 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 100 Mbps on 4G for 5 EUR. If you link your SIM to a credit card with a 30 months contract, they will give you 4 GB for 5 EUR.

ALL-IN packages doesn't require a minimum initial top-up although many 3Stores tell you so. Even if given per month, all allowances of ALL-IN packs are actually limited per week (divided by 4). This means a limit of 500 MB data per week on a 2 GB package for instance.

Data-only SIM
Their data-only SIM is aimed at tablets and modems. It comes in a time- and a volume-based rate: Activation of a new SIM card is free. If you want to activate the packages on an existing SIM card, Tre charges 9 €. Although tethering is not contractually allowed, it works without surcharge.
 * Time-based: '  SuperWeb Time': Default rate: 0.90 € per hour on Tre network, 0.60 € per MB in national roaming on TIM. You can add the SuperWeb.100 package (see below).
 * Volume-based: '  SuperWeb New': Default rate: 0.50 € per 100 MB on Tre network, 0.60 € per MB in national roaming on TIM. You can add one of the SuperInternet packages (see below).

* According to users, connection will be throttled in both download and upload speeds unconditionally of time expiration, if used with high data streams

** Data volume is actually limited to 2 GB per week

*** Data volume is actually limited to 1 GB per day

Tre has a strange billing cycle for the renewal of the SuperInternet 3GB package. The renewal is charged automatically every 30 days but data is considered for calendar month

Tourist SIM
Like the other providers Tre offers these tourists SIM cards called ALL-IN Explorer in a promotion at least until the end of 2016. These SIM cards are sold in Tre stores (designated 3 stores for tourist offer). Max. speed on 4G/LTE where available is 100 Mbps. Overuse is charged at 50.41c per MB on Tre and at 60.5c per MB on national roaming on TIM.

Roaming Packages
Tre also offers cheap roaming to some other countries:
 * 3 EasyPass: Use your Italian data package on the Three networks of Austria, Denmark, UK, Hong Kong, Ireland and Sweden for 0.30 € per data session (defined as one continuous connection up to 6 hours). Be careful: dropping coverage and reconnecting counts as a seperate session. So with a spotty 3 network (which is not unlikely), this can add up considerably.

If only 3 EasyPass is activated, dropping off the local Three network will cost the standard data roaming rate and not just the 2 € EasyPass charge for 500 MB. Within the EU, this means being charged 0.24 €/MB, in Hong Kong 1 €/MB. When using 3 EasyPass, it's recommended to manually select Three to avoid this. Both passes need to be activated by calling 4040 from Tre in Italy, +39 393 393 4077 from out of Italy or better in your online account (Area Clienti) or by app.
 * EasyPass: 2 €: 200 minutes and 500 MB data per week all over the EU incl. Switzerland, as well as Israel, Australia, the US, Canada, China, Hong Kong (when not on 3), and Sri Lanka. The same 0.30 € per session connection fee applies on top, so if you'll be somewhere with spotty signal, consider other options.

Availability

 * online to be sent to an Italian postal address
 * in 3stores (store locator)
 * Voice SIM card costs 20 € 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.


 * 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).

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

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

Data feature packages
For activation, simply text code to 4243688. Check data credit by texting 'INTERNET' to 4243688. When you have used up 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. To stop call 4243688 before the renewal date. The SIM stays valid for 25 months.
 * Web 1 GB senza limiti: 8 €, 1 GB, 1 month, activation: 'SI 1 GIGA'
 * Web 2 GB senza limiti: 10 €, 2 GB, 1 month, activation: 'SI 2 GIGA'
 * Web 5 GB senza limiti: 14 €, 5 GB, 1 month, activation: 'SI 5 GIGA'
 * Web No limiti: 18 €, 10 GB, 1 month, activation: 'SI NO LIMITI'
 * Web 30 ore: 12 €, 30 hours, activation: 'SI 30 ORE'

More info

 * APN: web.coopvoce.it
 * Website in Italian: http://portale.coopvoce.it/web/portale

Poste mobile
Poste mobile is the MVNO of Italian Mail (Posteitaliane) which used to operate on Vodafone. In 2014 they switched over to the rather limited Wind network on 2G and 3G. In November 2015 4G/LTE was opened to most tariffs. It's the biggest MVNO by customer numbers in the country.

Availability
This SIM can be bought (theoretically) in every postal office in Italy and postal agencies called "ki point" for 10 €, 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 [https://www.postemobile.it/areaprotetta/pagine/login.aspx? online] after registration using a credit card. In 2016 Italy's competiton watchdog ordered Posteitalia not to sell their own product Poste Mobile only, but those of its competitors too.

Combo packages: Creami Giga Turbo
In 2015 a new tariff line was introduced with Creami (= create me) that has been opened to 4G/LTE. It contains a number of credits, that can be used for domestic calls, texts or data and an additional data allowance per month. 1 unit is 1 minute or 1 SMS or 1 MB. All packages auto-renew after one month, if there is enough credit. You can change between the packages every month for a 8 € fee by calling 160 customer service.
 * 10 €: 1000 credits and 1 GB data
 * 15 €: 2000 credits and 2 GB data
 * 20 €: 3000 credits and 3 GB data

Data-only SIM
For tablets and routers, Poste mobile gives out data-only SIM cards. One of the three choices need to be activated after purchase or by command: Speed is up to 150 Mbit/s on 4G. All packages auto-renew. To activate or deactivate, text code to 4071160. For overuse, a high fee of 0.50 € per MB is applied, but you will receive a message before.
 * Mobile 1Giga: 1 GB per month: 7.50 € - activation: text 'SI GIGA', to stop 'NO GIGA'.
 * Mobile 3Giga: 3 GB per month: 9.90 € - activation: text 'SI 3GB', to stop 'NO 3GB'
 * Mobile 10Giga: 10 GB per month: 14.90 € - activation and deactivation: online

Alternatively, they sell 2 time-based packages on 2G and 3G only: Speed is only up to 14.4 Mbit/s on 3G. Activation is sent to 4071160. All packages auto-renew. To stop text 'NO ??ORE' with ?? your package to the same number. For overuse a high rate of 2.02 € per hour is applied, but you will receive a message before.
 * Internet 30 ore: 30 hours per month: 9.90 € - activation online or text 'SI 30ORE'
 * Internet 100 ore: 100 hours per month: 19 € - activation online or text 'SI 100ORE'

More info

 * APN: internet.postemobile.it /or/ wap.postemobile.it
 * Website in Italian: https://www.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 networks of 3 (Tre) in 3G and TIM in 2G. In 2016 they asked for permission to move to TIM alltogether.

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

Data feature packs
They have these product lines with data:
 * Simpati: default data rate is 0.20 € on 3G (Tre) and 0.30 € on 2G (TIM) and no packages

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 their default tariff applies. So disable automatic network selection (see Tre above).
 * Mobile100: 100 dom. minutes, 300 dom. texts, 100 MB 3G data in 1 month: 3 € with an activation fee of 14 €.
 * Mobile Fuel 2GB: 300 dom. minutes, 300 dom. texts, 2 GB 3G data in 1 month: 10 €
 * Sprintweb: 1 GB 3G data, 1 month, 5 €
 * GigaWeb: 5 GB 3G data per month, for 3 months, total 30 € (for all three months)

More info

 * APN: apn.fastweb.it
 * Website in Italian: http://www.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).

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

Data feature packs
Default data rate is 0.18 € per MB. They offer these two monthly packages: This package will auto-renew every month, if there is credit. To stop, call customer service at 40322. You can add extra data, valid for the rest of the running time of the base package:
 * 1 GB: 7 €, activation: *139*1001#
 * 2 GB: 13.50 €, activation: *139*1002#
 * 1 GB: 4 €, activation: *139*10011#
 * 2 GB: 7 €, activation: *139*10022#

EU roaming offer
Lycamobile offers cheap roaming bundles to be used in certain EU countries only. All packages are valid for 30 days and can't be renewed ahead of time. For more info see Euro5.

More info

 * In many countries Lycamobile actively prevents tethering.


 * APN: data.lycamobile.it
 * Username: lmit (that's lowercase L, not capital i)
 * Password: plus
 * Website in English: http://www.lycamobile.it/en/

Ringo Mobile
Ringo Mobile by Noverca and ICS is a MVNO on the good TIM network in 2G and 3G only, no 4G/LTE so far. It has started in September 2015 and claims to be the first "multi-ethnic" MVNO of Italy. At least it has an English website.

Availability
Their starter pack is available at very few own Ringo stores and some more points of sale (locator, for points of sale check box) for 8 € with 5 € preloaded credit.

Top-ups can be made online by internatl. credit card or PayPal 5-100 € or by vouchers sold at their outlets. To top up type *135*9911*# and to check credit *123#. SIM card and credit stays valid for 12 months after the last recharge.

Data packages
All allowances (domestic voice, texts and data) can be customized on your account. You can change or reset any package month by month. If you don't change, the same package will be charged again when you have enough credit on your balance.

Data outside of packages by default is a very low 1c per MB. They offer these monthly packages for domestic data: Their APN is not verified but likely: web.noverca.it but configuration can be sent from here.
 * 1 GB: 5 €
 * 3 GB: 10 €
 * 8 GB: 20 €
 * 15 GB: 30 €
 * Website in English: http://www.ringomobile.it/en