I have a TIM SIM that will expire sometime in June and it would be great if someone wants to bring it to Italy, recharge it, and return it when they get back.
I just lent it to someone else via Slowtrav, and she used it in Italy, but didn't realize she had to recharge it! So I know its still good, but it didn't help me. There's probably only a couple of Euros left on it, but its free to you if you just recharge it (and I don't care if you return it with no Euros left, I just would like to keep it active.)
PM me if you're interested or email via my website link below if you don't have PM privileges.
I'm leaving for parts of Europe on April 20, and my trip includes four weeks in Italy. I have an Italian SIM of my own but would be happy to take your SIM with me and recharge it for you if you don't get any other offers.
Allison
Posts: 174 | Location: Portland, OR | Registered: 06 February 2005
Wing, I guess my question is--how does one mail to Canada? Is it the same postage, or does it need to go airmail? I have no idea, having never sent anything to Canada
s tenen--a SIM card is a prepaid chip that goes into your cell phone to enable calls. You need a special type of cell phone, a "GSM" phone which is used in Europe.
Allison, thanks for your offer, we'll see--maybe I can work something out with Wing!
SIM stands for Subscriber Identity Module and it's a memory / phone operation card that tells a GSM phone what it's number is and other data like that. It can store phone numbers and is the "brains" of the phone. It know, for example, how many minutes are availble on it (in a prepaid mode) and can be "recharged" by buying more minutes when you've used up the original minutes.
Italian SIM card are available from TIM (Telecom Italia), Vodafone, and Wind.
European GSM phones operate on 900 and 1800 Mhz.
American GSM phones (Cingular, T-Mobile,) also have SIM cards in them but are not of the prepaid variety. There are Prepaid GSM phones in the US (Cingular sells one called the GoPhone and the minutes are on the SIM card which can be recharged ) North American GSM phones operate on 850 and 1900 Mhz frequencies.
A Quad band phone can operate on all four frequencies.
I just purchase a SIM card (TIM)from www.telestial.com They are located in San Diego. Their price was much less than the others I found. They were easy to deal with and fast. After you receive the card, you have to send them a copy of your passport and they register you in accordance with Italian regs. It also includes about 5 Euros of air time.
I just checked a site selling Wind cards and the price was $55. The same sit was selling TIM cards for $60. The site I listed in my last memo charges $39 for the TIM card. There may be an advantage with TIM because they are the major player and there is no charge within network.
Yes, the point of this is so you don't have to pay the $50-$60 for a SIM card here. Once you have the SIM you can keep recharging it, but if it expires, you have to purchase a new one and its much more expensive that way. You also don't have to go through the registration process again. So I'd rather keep this one going then pay another $60 for a new one next time I go to Italy (Summer 07!)
Anyway, as Wing was the first to respond, she gets the card, assuming I can get it to her in time before her trip. Thanks all!
In case you didn't know it, you can recharge your SIM from the U.S. if you have an extra ricaricard. Last year I purchased a couple of €5 ricaricards before leaving Italy (wasn't sure how long it would be before my next trip!) and a couple of weeks ago I was able to successfully recharge my TIM SIM from my home in Seattle. I think this is possible because TIM is part of the freemove alliance with T-Mobile. So perhaps you should have wing get a ricaricard or two for you also?
BTW -- I looked at some of your photos on your website and they are stunning. Wow.
Posts: 174 | Location: Portland, OR | Registered: 06 February 2005
I can't get mine to pickup a network in the SF Bay Area at all. It worked fine in Italy per a coworker that borrowed my phone and bought the TIM SIM and it works great if I put my Cingular SIm in it.
In case you didn't know it, you can recharge your SIM from the U.S. if you have an extra ricaricard.
Apparently you can also do it online, but the site is all in Italian and I couldn't figure it out. Also, the minimum you can recharge online is for 30 Euros which is way more than I need! Besides, this way someone else gets a good deal too, if they were planning to spend $60 for a card, they are getting a free one! so everyone wins!
Yes, I have mine in a spare phone roaming right now. I am roaming on T-Mobile. I got a wrong number call from Italy a few days ago. I also recently requested Trenitalia to send me a free SMS with the details of my train reservations on it to my Italian number and I got that right away. I'm in Seattle, which, of course is right near the center of T-Mobile's US operations. I don't know about T-Mobile in SF. Try manually switching the network to T-Mobile and see if it works.
Posts: 174 | Location: Portland, OR | Registered: 06 February 2005
I've read the posts and still don't quite understand the SIM card. I have an american cell phone through verizon. Can I buy a SIM card for it and then use it in Italy?
Posts: 25 | Location: California | Registered: 17 September 2005
I am leaving this Friday, April 7 for Rome and Florence. I will be happy to recharge your SIM card for you. (I do have one of my own and may need to have it accompany you some time!) Anyway, let me know if you need me to take it with me. I can give you a NY address where I will be this week. - Kathy
I do not believe that Verizon uses the GSM network in the U.S. I think they use a network called CDMA, which is a different technology. So your telephone is probably not GSM capable. And even if it was, you would need to have a GSM phone that can work internationally, i.e., it would have to be either a tri- or quad-band phone (having at least frequencies 900, 1800, and 1900). Domestic tri-band phones may or may not work in Europe (they have frequencies 850, 1800 and 1900). Of course, the best bet for use in both the U.S. and internationally is the quad-band GSM phone, which has frequencies 850/900/1800/1900.
Both T-Mobile and Cingular have GSM networks in the U.S. and you can get tri- and quad-band GSM phones from them. T-Mobile is particularily helpful in that they will "unlock" your GSM phone for you after having service with them for only a short period of time. This means that you can take a small card, called a "SIM" (for Subscriber Identity Module) out of the phone and replace it with a different SIM from another company. The SIM contains information about your phone number and cellular service, as well as having memory for storage of phone numbers, etc. With this capability, you can have one phone and multiple SIMs, which is nice when traveling because you can get prepaid SIMs from local cellular providers which will give you a local number. So, when we talk about Italian SIMs, we are talking about a small card we put into the GSM phone which gives us an Italian phone number. Prepaid service is nice because no contract is involved. You purchase talktime in advance. The same thing exists in the U.S. but is not widely used.
I have two international GSM phones (actually three but one doesn't work so well anymore). Currently I have my T-Mobile SIM in one of the phones (this is my local phone in the U.S.) and my Italian SIM (from the company Telecom Italia Mobile, or TIM) in the other. Both phones are unlocked, so I can switch the SIMs between the phones if I want. I generally only use the Italian SIM when I am in Italy since it is prohibitively expensive to use it in the U.S.. Likewise with the U.S. SIM in Italy. I have my U.S. SIM through contract with T-Mobile and must pay a monthly fee for it. I have my Italian SIM through TIM and it will remain active as long as I recharge it (add more talk time) at least once every 13 months.
I hope this hasn't confused you more.
Posts: 174 | Location: Portland, OR | Registered: 06 February 2005
I should mention that I would not need to have two international GSM phones. One is adequate because, like I said, I generally don't use the TIM SIM in the U.S., nor do I use the T-Mobile SIM in Italy. I just have multiple phones because I tend to get a new one every 18 months or so. Always international GSM for me.
Posts: 174 | Location: Portland, OR | Registered: 06 February 2005
Allison I am a long time T Mobile cutomer with a GSM phone. What is the procedure to get it unlocked? Just go to any T Mobile store and they do it on the spot? Thanks in advance. Jim
You need to call the T-Mobile customer service number and they should be able to help you. It may take a couple of days for them to get back to you with the code. If you want to use your phone internationally, make sure it has the right frequencies.
Good luck, Allison
Posts: 174 | Location: Portland, OR | Registered: 06 February 2005
Originally posted by Fibonacci: I have read recently that Wind is selling a 5euro SIM card that comes with 5 euros of credit.
This is true. I bought my Wind SIM card while in Rome last week. for 10E that came with 5E of credit.
I purchased it because my TIM card, though used within the past 12 months, came up as unregistered when I arrived last week. I bought a 30E recharge for it, but realized if the card was unregistered, it would not work.
So, if anyone would like a 30E TIM recharge card, I'll be happy to give it to them for 30E. Or maybe $30 might be easier. It's still in its plastic unopened and I have the receipt.
my TIM card, though used within the past 12 months, came up as unregistered when I arrived last week
Hi Michael,
A TIM SIM is only active for 12 months as of your first phone call on it or as of your most recent recharge. It is not enough to have just used the phone in the past 12 months to keep it active. I don't know your situation, but I thought I'd bring this point up.
Allison
Posts: 174 | Location: Portland, OR | Registered: 06 February 2005
Slow Travel Talk 
There's probably only a couple of Euros left on it, but its free to you if you just recharge it (and I don't care if you return it with no Euros left, I just would like to keep it active.)