Has anyone used their iPad in Italy yet? Very very curious how it works there.
We are considering getting one for an autumn trip, to use for misc things: upload photos to Flickr or Facebook, email, have Net access to museum and other travel sites, call "free" via Skype, blog our travel, etc.
Any experience or input about this would be super.
Thanks.
We leave the 6th, will let you know how it works. Btw-I have the regular version, no AT&T for me.
Thanks, Jason! Can't wait to hear your report :)
How would the 3G work over there (billing) since it is not linked to a phone? Can you purchase a prepaid data package like the iPhone? Probably just better to use the WiFi and be done with it.
I've heard all sorts of things about Wi-Fi access in Italy; some say it's in most major hotels and cafes, some say it's rather restricted now by the government.
Would love to know how the iPad with only Wi-Fi works there, how much accessibility there really is.
Skype will start charging for 3G to 3G calls starting in August.
Got back a month ago from Italy. We used an Iphone which is great at some places but can be very frustrating in small towns and at b&b's. Unless you can figure out how to get reasonably priced cell phone service in Italy on an Iphone or Ipad it would cost you a fortune to call and use the 3G network for internet usage. You have to go on airplane mode and shut down anything that will automatically search for a cell tower. As far as WiFi, I think Italy is internet purgatory. WiFi is rare there. You have to hand in your passport to use internet terminal or Wifi in all places except, of course, if the place you are staying has internet access and Wifi. And then they have your passport information.
The Iphone was not good for us. I never could figure out how to get my contact list from Yahoo down to the Iphone email app. I had to email one photo at a time to myself and then get on the internet and use my contact list to send them . . . one photo at a time. I also ran in to trouble trying to type text in a message. the apple software must have bugs because it would not let me type text in an email when i was on line. in some senses the iphone is a piece of crap.
anyway that was our experience for what it's worth.
jerry & stelly
@ Jerry I have used my iPhone extensively in Italy and have never had a problem, except, of course, with the bill when I returned.
Skype update. Skype has extended its free 3G to 3G calling until the end of the year, instead of August.
Not sure I understand the issues people are having.
Italy, like most of Europe, is mobile based. Wifi is limited because its not very mobile. I lived in Europe 10 years ago and wifi availability was good. I spend time there every year and have noticed its not at all plentiful anymore except the UK. Its progress.
Cellular plans are (relative to the US) cheap, flexible and coverage is superb. Outside of the major cities 3G can be an issue in Italy, but Edge is always available. That's always worked for me however, I vacation there and the last thing I want to do on a vacation is sit in front of a computer screen.
The issue with the iPhone is, unless you have jailbroken it, its locked to ATT. You knew that when you bought it. If its jailbroken, you will find prepaid plans that cost a fraction of what ATT is charging you with no contracts.
we are in Italy right now. My IPad works fine on WiFi.
I used my iPad for a week. Mine is a wi-fi only and I had no problem. Skype worked perfectly. If you plan to use 3 G through the ATT network, it could be prohibitively expensive even if you have the international plan. I would recommend wi-fi only, particularly since the iPad is a data based device.
saw them for sale in Italy in June, so I'm sure it's fine. Also, every hotel we were in had wireless internet, so I think you will have no problem with internet connection.
We just returned from a three week trip to Germany and Italy and my son took his new I-Pad. I was worried because of theft. He was very careful with it, and it was a lifesaver. It was used for games on the trains, looking up information that he had copied from Rick Steve's books and notes along the way.It was small, light and easy to use.
I'm going to Italy in Sept. and hoping my iphone will serve me for a internet
connection. Do I need to purchase the International service or just use it where
I find wifi, on my regular plan?
Thanks, Carol
I used my unlocked iPhone with TIM in Italy last fall for 10 weeks and it worked great. Better than my Blackberry and much better than incurring roaming charges with AT&T. I know that Vodaphone and Tre.it in Italy have pretty reasonable plans with the micro sims. Use google translate to view tre.it website.
To avoid paying ATT roaming charges you must switch your iPad cellular service to a local provider. I purchased an Italian SIM card from tre.it that had 3GB of data transfer for €20. You will need a driver's license or passport. You can probably use vodofone also.
Arriving in Italy - (let the guy in the shop do the setup for you):
1) Replace the AT&T SIM card with the tre.it SIM card.
2) Go to Settings -> Cellular Data -> APN Settings.
a) APN should be tre.it
b) Username and password are blank.
c) SIM PIN is on, enter the PIN assocaited with the SIM.
3) Reboot the iPad.
Returning from Italy:
1) Replace the AT&T SIM card in the iPad.
2) Go to Settings -> Cellular Data -> APN Settings
a) APN, Username & Password should all be blank.
b) SIM PIN is off.
3) Reboot the iPad.
4) Get on a wireless network.
5) Go to Settings -> Cellular Data -> View Account.
a) Sign into your AT&T account.
b) It should connect and start transferring data.
If you also look at your iPad cellular data account information (3G model), you have the option of adding an international data plan like the iPhone (a fixed amount of data for a fixed price). If you don't mind the expense, it might be an easier alternative.
We just returned from Italy. So happy we brought our Ipad, and we were able to find a Vodaphone in Florence, Rome & Venice. Vodaphone has plans for one month service, and it takes up to 24 hours to start, but it was very good service all over Italy. Even deep in wine country. Great for communication, maps, facebook, reservations and we had all the Rick Steves guides loaded on it for museum walking tours and information everywhere we went (all the web links were great!). Didn't try Skype but that is a great idea. Amazing and well worth doing. The Venice store was wonderful! They even guided us through inserting the micro sim to make sure it was done correctly. We stayed in very nice hotels, but internet was very difficult to get, often involved sitting in the hotel lobby or paying steep fees. The Ipad let us have internet on the go!
Hi! I've been in Italy for two weeks, with my iPad,and am very happy. Don't have 3G, but have been able to access wi-fi at my hotels and b andb's -- all but in Venice. I have been able to web surf, email, and Skype(only audio, since my iPad is version 1, without camera). My only advice is to be sure that your accommodates have wifi--free would obviously be best.
Enjoy.
Another satisfied wifi iPad user here. Sending this from my iPad in Italy. Works the same as home (wifi only).
I know this is an old thread but since some others have posted lately I will too. I spent 3 weeks in Italy in May and had my 3G AT&T iPad. I got a 3G micro SIM card from the TIM store (TIM, Vodafone and Wind are the big 3 mobile providers in Italy) in Venice for 35 euros for 5 GB over 1 month. It worked great! You can also get 2G of data for 25 euros I think).
I am planning to take my iPod touch just for wifi and an older GSM phone for a SIM card in Italy. Hope that works.
I am planning on going to Italy in July and want to buy an Ipad to use while there. I was told to activate a monthly international plan with AT&T to use while there. I am finding other information to purchase a Tre sim card in Italy and using that instead. Any suggestions would be helpful.
I've been looking into this as well and just ordered my 3g iPad for our trip. It appears that the most reliable, and by far the cheapest, way to do it is to get a prepaid sim card from the providers mentioned above. Also, I understand that you need to put in the correct APN in the iPad settings. It would probably pay to look these up for each provider before leaving so that you have them. I've read several times that the salesperson at the cellular store did not know that the APN needed to be changed. I also read that Vodafone had the best coverage, but who knows. I believe that I read for TRE the APN is tre.it. Also, it sounds as though you may need to show your passport in order to purchase the sim card. Oh, and the micro sim is called a u-sim in Italy. It is really the greek letter mu that looks like a u and stands for micro.
We returned recently from Italy where we used our 3G iPad 2 with a Vodaphone microsim card. It worked great. We did not have to change the apn in order to make it work. Just remember to put in the Vodaphone pin number of the microsim in your settings, wait 24 hours and you will either get a SMS on your phone that your service is now active, or if your are having trouble with your phone as we were, the service just started in about 24 hours. We had service even in the mountains. We paid 10 euro for 1 gb.
I didn't have to change the APN settings. I just turned the iPad2 off, ejected the SIM (I brought my SIM extraction tool in a small plastic bag). Turned the iPad back on and Voila!
