I will be in Italy for 7 weeks, most of it as a student. I have an unlocked iPhone 7. I need inexpensive data for my phone and laptop while I'm there. I don't need a lot of calling minutes, as I plan to use Facetime and Skype to call back to the US. I've read some older posts on this subject as well as Rick's advice (get Lebara or Lycamobile) but saw lots of posts against Lebara. I've also seen ads for portable wifi, which seems like a good solution. I saw ads for some Sim cards that don't let you create a personal HotSpot with the iPhone, which I would really like to be able to do.
I would appreciate some up-to-date advice on whether I'm better with a Sim card or a pocket WiFi, and which are the best providers. I will be mostly in Verona, Florence, and Milan, but will be out in the Tuscan countryside for 5 days as well, where coverage may be spotty. Thanks in advance!
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
15438 posts
Every year I always get the Holiday plan with Vodafone (see details below). It's 30 euro for a month, you might need for 2 months. It's a plan designed for foreign visitors. You can go to any Vodafone store or authorized dealer to get it the SIM card. Your phone will work exactly like at home, however you will have an Italian telephone number.
http://www.vodafone.it/portal/Privati/Tariffe-e-Prodotti/Tariffe/Estero/Vodafone-Holiday-English
One of the large competitors (TIM) has a similar plan called Welcome. It works just as well, but Vodafone has the best 4G coverage in rural areas and my country home is in a secluded mountain area of Tuscany, so Vodafone works better for me. In urban areas they all work, including other providers, such as "3" and "Wind".
I wouldn't bother with a hot spot. Your phone can work as a hot spot too.
Posted by
Washington DC
27369 posts
Are you going to arrange your lodgings in advance? If so, you can usually find places with Wi-Fi pretty easily, though perhaps it won't be quite so simple in rural Tuscany. In my experience, it is rare these days to find hotels and B&B-style places that don't provide Wi-Fi, though you must read all the online reviews to be sure other visitors have been happy with its quality.
Posted by
OP
33 posts
Vodaphone sounds good, thanks! Have you used the iPhone wifi Hot Spot with the Vodaphone data plan? As noted, I found one provider that specifically said I could not. I will be living with a family, and even if they have wifi, I hesitate to use their's extensively in case their data plan is limited. As a student, I expect to be online frequently. I'm also a bit skeptical of public wifi hotspots, and I will have to be doing some online bill pay and visit other sites where privacy is important. When I'm vacationing, I almost always use the hotel wifi as well as offline maps. This trip is a bit different. As usual, the Rick Steves' Forum contributors are fabulous! Thank you!