San Marino[]
San Marino is a tiny country of only 61 km2 totally surrounded by Italy. There is no need to buy a local SIM card, as it's covered by Italian networks.
The only operator San Marino Telecom (SMT) used to sell prepaid SIM cards under the brand of Prima, but discontinued all mobile services in 2016 when it was sold to TIM Italia. It now exists as separate unit of TIM called TIM San Marino. It's the only landline operator in the country and only mobile provider that is allowed to deploy antennas in the area of the country.
All other Italian operators (Vodafone, WindTre and Iliad) "cover" San Marino by antennas from outside of San Marino broadcasting into the area. Only TIM gives native coverage in San Marino and should be your preferred choice for the best coverage.
EU roaming[]
San Marino is unusual with respect to EU roaming regulations. Although EU roaming regulations do not apply de jure to San Marino because it is outside the EEA, they do apply de facto to San Marino because the country's networks are indistinguishable from those of Italy. After the closure of SMT in 2016 San Marino discontinued its own network using the MCC (Mobile Country Code) 292. TIM San Marino has integrated its local San Marino network fully within TIM Italia using Italy's MCC 222 for its antennas in San Marino. Through the Italian MCC, EEA operators recognise San Marino networks as EEA and therefore charge for roaming as if in Italy, i.e. at the domestic rate without any surcharges.
That's why San Marino informally applies Roam like home rules in the EU without surcharges like any other EU country. Like the Vatican in Rome, San Marino is not mentioned any more in its own article and has become part of the Italy chapter now. Locally you only have the choice to buy an Italian SIM card. TIM or any other reseller working on the TIM Italia network like Coop Voce or Kena Mobile should be your first choice when you need good coverage within San Marino.
Prima[]
The only operator in this tiny country was called "Prima" provided by the state-owned San Marino Telecom (SMT). In May 2016 Prima was sold to TIM and taken off the air with its own mobile service suspended. This brought an end to a special mobile coverage in San Marino.
Consult our Italy article and choose an Italian provider instead.