Our prepaid SIM cards for Italy have been specifically designed to fit the cellular needs of American and Canadian tourists traveling to Italy. The Uno Mobile SIM card for Italy is a joint collaboration between Cellular Abroad and Uno Mobile (a subsidiary of Vodafone, the largest carrier in the world) and utilizes the Vodafone network. The rates are affordable, the instructions and voice prompts and customer service are in English and the service is throughout Italy. The Uno Mobile SIM card is ready to be used and does not require you to send a copy of your passport or submit any other registration as you need to do with TIM or the regular Vodafone SIM card. The service is pay as you go so you are in complete control of your budget. You can buy more talk time in over 60,000 locations in Italy or through our 7 days/week hotline. The Vodafone/Uno Mobile SIM card is available to rent or to purchase.
As a note, Cellular Abroad was the US distributor for TIM SIM cards for over 6 years. Although we sold tens of thousands, we were never completely satisfied with TIM. We dropped them when we made the arrangements to collaborate on the Uno Mobile SIM card. We have been offering this far superior solution since 2007 and are thrilled to report that tens of thousands of customers have been happily using this solution.
If your cell phone is not compatible for use in Italy, we also offer affordable cell phone rentals and cell phone purchases for Italy. Most of our customers prefer to purchase our entry level handset as it costs about as little to purchase as to rent. Please feel free to compare!
New for 2011! Italy Data SIM Cards are now available to rent and buy from Cellular Abroad, with 30 days of unlimited data for your next trip, save on expensive hotel and airport WiFi Hotspots with a more secure alternative that travels with you - you can rent a portable unlimited data hotspot or purchase a data SIM card and get the most out of your trip with constant connectivity throughout the entire country.
*You can find more detailed information on rates including roaming charges here.
Detailed Features
Italy cell phone number with service through UnoMobile
Easily-added additional talk time by pre-purchasing recharges before or during your trip from Cellular Abroad (7 days/week recharge service) or locally at many points of sale in Italy, including gas stations, newspaper stands or cafes.
Great rates and service!
Unlimited FREE incoming calls and SMS messages
€10.00 of initial credit comes on the SIM card.
Calls in Italy as low as €0.09 per minute (€0.16 setup fee per call)
Calls back to the US and Canada only €0.35 per minute.
Toll-free (from a landine) English customer support.
Voicemail - Free unlimited calls to check your messages
Unlike other telecom providers, your Uno Mobile SIM card has been pre registered and is active and ready to go. We do not require a scan of your passport.
Information and Talk Rates Chart
Key Features
Local phone number for Italy
Free incoming calls
Free Voicemail Calls
Text Messaging
Italian toll-free calls (800-803)
Initial Credit
€10.00
112 min. Domestic
28 min. to U.S. & Canada
Local calls within Italy
Incoming Free
€0.09/min outgoing
€0.16 setup fee per outgoing call
International Calls
Incoming Free
€0.35/min to U.S. & Canada outgoing
€0.55/min other European outgoing
Text / SMS Rates
Incoming Free /
€0.09 ea. to an Italian #
€0.50 ea. to an International #
Dialing Information
Your Italy Cell Number to USA: 001 – area code – phone number
US to Italy Cell: 011 – Your Italian phone number (starting with 39)
Your Italy Cell Number to Italy: Direct Dial Italian number
Italy to Your Italy Cell Number: Your Italian number (minus the 39 country code)
Important: Most US toll free numbers are not accessible from overseas. Be sure to get valid international numbers prior to your departure.
Please Note: Cellular Abroad does not provide support for service when roaming outside of Italy. Checking voicemail or calling UNO support numbers while roaming outside of Italy will incur additional international charges.
Activation
Rentals
The SIM card has been installed
Make sure the phone is charged and the menu settings are in English
The initial credit has been preloaded
Your service is active
Once you arrive in Italy you may make or receive calls
Phone Purchases
The SIM card has been installed
Make sure the phone is charged and the menu settings are in English
The initial credit has been preloaded
Once you arrive in Italy your first outgoing call activates the service
SIM card only purchases
Snap out the SIM chip from the SIM card and insert the chip into your GSM Phone with the metal portion facing down as to make contact with the contact prongs.
If the menu settings do not appear in English consult your phone manual to change the language setting
The initial credit has been preloaded
Once you arrive in Italy your first outgoing call activates the service
PIN and PUK Information
If at any time you are prompted for a PIN code by the phone or a voice menu service the default PIN code is 1111. The PIN (Personal Identification Number) code prevents unauthorized access to the SIM card in your phone. If you enter the PIN code incorrectly 3 times in a row, the SIM card will be blocked. To un-block the SIM card, you will need to enter the PUK (Personal Unlock Key) code. Please consult your manual for how to disable the PIN-check feature.
Voice Mail
Activating your voicemail
Dial 401002 SEND (Choose option 4 for the language options then option 2 for English)
Pressing option 7 will activate this service.
Checking your voicemail
Checking your voicemail is a free call from within Italy
Dial 401003
Select 5 for the language options
Select 2 for English
Follow prompts to check your messages.
The default PIN is 1111
Checking Your Credit
Dial *5002# SEND and your balance will be displayed.
Purchasing More Talk Time The most convenient way to buy credit is direct from Cellular Abroad. To use the same credit card you used to order from us, text the number "1" to our Recharge Hotline +447872281074 and we will instantly text you back a recharge code. A recharge code costs $26 for 10 Euros, which is worth approximately 32 minutes of calls to the US or Canada, or up to 112 minutes within Italy.
You must have sufficient credit for at least 1 outgoing international SMS text message (USD $0.44)
Text the number "1" to phone number +447872281074. You can obtain the '+' symbol by holding down the '0' key (or '*' key depending on your handset model). The '+' symbol is required.
If successful, you will be sent a confirmation text message with your recharge code. See Adding more talk time below to load your call credit.
If not successful, or you don't receive a code, call Cellular Abroad at 001 310-862-7100 (M-F, 8am-4pm PST)
Dial *5002#rechargecode# then send. Example *5002#1234567890# send.
Alternatively, you can try this:
Dial 401002.
Following prompts enter your 10 – digit recharge code.
Troubleshooting
If you are unable to make or receive calls switch networks on your phone. Consult your phone’s manual. The steps will be like these:
Menu > Settings/Setup > Network > Available Network/Change Network > Search
Select a different network carrier than the one currently shown.
If you are receiving no reception bars, emergency calls only, SOS, or no service check your phones band setting: Consult your phone’s manual. The steps will be like these:
Menu > Settings/Setup > Network > Network Setup >Band
Make sure you select 900/1800
Customer Service
Cellular Network or Service issues:
From your handset – Dial 401001.
From a landline – Dial 00-80036233333. This will direct your call to Cellular Abroad (open 7 days/week).
To reach Cellular Abroad for recharges, billing or hardware support:
From a landline, (NOT from payphones, mobile phones, and majority of hotels) Cellular Abroad can be reached 8am to 4pm PST, Monday - Friday with English customer support and recharge services by dialing this number: 00-800-3623-3333. Please note that some hotels may charge for toll free calls. You may reach us from your cell phone at +1-310-862-7100 (not a toll free call) or via email at support@cellularabroad.com.
Calling Rates
These rates are expressed in US dollars and are based on per-minute charges. Remember, all incoming calls are free regardless of origin.
Calls are billed every second after the first minute.
Text Message Rates Incoming – Free
Outgoing Domestic
Outgoing International
€0.12 (approx. $0.16 US) message
€0.35 (approx. $0.44 US) /message
Roaming Rates:
Calls in Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Czech Republic, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Malta, Norway, Holland, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland are 0.23 Euros to receive from anywhere, including the USA and Canada and 0.49 to call within these countries or back to Italy per minute. Calls to Canada and the USA are 1.50 Euros per minute. For free incoming calls, please consider the National Geographic Travel SIM.
Service Life
Your Italian SIM card is good for one year. Each recharge extends the life of your SIM card for one year from the date of the recharge. If one year lapses then your SIM card and phone number will expire.
To inquire about the possibility of extending your SIM card’s service life while outside the SIM card’s country of origin, contact the telecom provider's customer service, Cellular Abroad does not provide support for this feature.
"It was great to have use of a cellular phone in Italy. We were able to "call ahead" to hotels, restaurants & other places that we needed to contact. I will certainly use your service again when I travel in Europe." AR
Cellular Coverage in Italy:
UnoMobile is on one of the largest telecom networks in Italy. You can view a coverage map of the network here: TIM Network Coverage Map
Cellular service in Italy is exceptional. Here's a list of only a few of the major cities and regions that our service covers: Rome, Bologna, Catania, Florence, Genova, Milan, Naples, Palermo, Pisa, Trieste, Turin, Venice, Verona and Sicily.
Customer Service
Cellular Network or Service issues:
From your handset – Dial 401001.
From a landline – Dial 00-80036233333. This will direct your call to Cellular Abroad (open 7 days/week).
Cellular hardware issues:
From an international number – 001 310 862 7100(8am to 4pm PST, Monday through Saturday, English speaking reps) or email us at support@cellularabroad.com. You may also dial toll-free 00-800 36 233 333 from most Italian lines.
We have an office in Italy and I am personally there for about 2 months out of the year, so of course I use this solution. I can assure you that this is the least expensive and most convenient way possible to communicate with home! Having 7 days/week customer service and top-up assistance directly through Cellular Abroad is an important added value!
Sebastian Harrison, President, Cellular Abroad
Multi-Country Travel
You can also purchase other SIM cards as well for other countries to where you may be traveling. (This option is good for those planning on doing a lot of local calling.) We also offer an international roaming Talk Abroad™ SIM Card that is convenient for travel to multiple countries. (This option is useful for those wanting a single number for use in multiple countries and who will be making more calls back home than locally.)
Multi-Country Travel You can also purchase other SIM cards as well for other countries to where you may be traveling. (This option is good for those planning on doing a lot of local calling.) We also offer an international roaming National Geographic Talk Abroad™ rental that is convenient for travel to multiple countries. (This option is useful for those wanting a single number for use in multiple countries and who will be making more calls back home than locally.)
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