SIM Card for Italy
4G/LTE high speed data
Choose the plan that best suits your needs
Add-on US Number - $19 for 6 hours of incoming calls (available upon checkout)
Includes an Italian number with free voice mail
Free incoming calls or texts from anywhere
Pay as you go service - no bills! - Vodafone Service and Coverage!
3 in 1 SIM card nano/micro/mini fits all phones
Listen to an Overview
Introduction
Our Italy SIM cards have been specifically created to fit the needs of Americans and Canadians traveling to Italy who need to have cellular and data service. Verizon, Sprint, AT&T and T-mobile's roaming rates are expensive and/or their data speeds are painfully slow. If you are looking for exceptional cellular coverage and service for your trip to Italy, simply choose your plan and we will send you an Italian SIM card that will give you 30 days of service on your unlocked device. Need more than 30 days? Add additional 28 day service bundles and enjoy exceptional cellular and data service for as long as you need.
We offer two different plans. The first is recommended for the average tourist. In fact, it is called the Tourist Plan.The Tourist Plan offers a fair amount of local and international calling plus 10GB of 4G/LTE data. The second plan is for travelers, often professionals (like travel writers and videographers) or students. who need an exceptional amount of data (50GB of 4G/LTE) as well as unlimited calling within Italy. While calls in Italy are unlimited, this plan, called the Professional Plan, does not have international calling but you can of course call internationally with Skype, WhatsApp or any other app that uses data. If you are a tourist planning to drive around Italy and use Google Maps, we recommend that you choose this plan. Please note that in order to text, for either plan, you will need to use an app such as WhatsApp or iMessage.
The carrier is Vodafone (the largest carrier in Italy and the second largest in the world) and provides excellent coverage and data speeds throughout Italy, including Sicily, Sardinia and virtually anywhere else in Italy. Italian law requires you to provide us a scanned picture of the photo page of your passport or valid driver's license for registration.
US Number Add-on
In addition to the Italian phone number provided with the SIM card, you can add-on a US phone number. This option allows you to forward your current phone number to the new one and therefore to keep your US number. Many travelers, specifically those on vacation, do not want anyone and everyone to be able to reach them on their usual number and will just give their important contacts the new US number. This option is just $19 for 6 hours of incoming calls for 30 days. Addition bundles are available at the same price. Please not this option does not forward text messages
The Plans
Both plans are an exceptional value. Most travelers will choose the Tourist Plan as it allows calling to the United States and it also has 10GB of data which is more than enough for most travelers. Plus it is less expensive than the Professional Plan. Still, if you are planning to use the SIM card with a Mobile Hotspot or will be taking a several week trip and will use Google Maps on a daily basis, the Professional Plan with its 50GB of data is probably your best option. Both plans last for 30 days from the day they are registered. Additional 28 day service bundles are available during check out. Here is a side by side comparison of the two plans:
The Tourist Plan
320 minutes of calling to the US/Canada
500 minutes of calling within Italy
10GB of 4g/LTE data
free incoming calls
Italian phone number
US number add-on option
$59.95
The Professional Plan
International calls only with an app
Unlimited calling within Italy
50GB of 4g/LTE data
free incoming calls
Italian phone number
US number add-on option
$79.95
4G/LTE
Blazing fast data speeds!
Up to 60Mbps
Local Number
Get an Italian number with the option of adding on a US number
Great Coverage
Vodafone 4G coverage is throughout Italy.
Click here for a coverage map
Save Money
Roaming with US providers is slow and expensive
Free Shipping
Free USPS shipping
US Based Support
We have literally been offering international cellular service longer than Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T or Sprint (since 2001)
Italy SIM card Frequently Asked Questions
Will the Italy SIM card work with my phone?
As long as your cell phone is unlocked and has the 900 and 1800 Mhz bands, it is compatible with your phone with voice and as long as it has the 2100 3G networks, it is compatible with data. Most smartphones are compatible with Italian SIM cards in terms of the bands. Verizon smartphones are always unlocked, phones purchased directly from Apple are always unlocked but most phones from other carriers are locked.
How do I know if my phone is unlocked?
You cannot tell physically if your cell phone is unlocked. If you are with AT&T and you put a different SIM card (such as T-Mobile) in and it picks up a network, it is unlocked. Conversely, if you put another SIM card in and it says, "enter subsidy code" or similar, it is locked. Call your carrier to check to see if your phone is unlocked or if it qualifies for being unlocked. Please note that all Verizon iPhone 5, 6, 7, 8 and X are unlocked and all phones purchased directly through Apple are unlocked.
Will the SIM card fit my phone?
The Italian SIM card is a 3-1 SIM card meaning, you can just snap it out to fit your phone.
How do I know if I need a micro SIM card, a nano SIM card or a standard Italian SIM card?
It is not easy to discern the size of the SIM card by looking at it as the sizes vary literally only by fractions of an inch. The best way to check to see what SIM card you need is to Google "SIM card size". Regardless, our SIM card will fit any phone or device.
How do I activate the SIM card?
We will send you instructions together with the SIM card but essentially you will need to send us via email a copy of a driver's license or a passport plus the day you would like the service activated.
Why don't I just purchase a SIM card when I get to Italy?
Purchasing a SIM card for your phone when you arrive in Italy is inconvenient. Most people do not want to cut into their vacation time in order to do so. Plus, they want to have the phone number before they leave and their phone available to use as soon as they arrive. In addition, the Uno Mobile SIM card has better rates and bundles than SIM cards available in Italy as well as features such as a US number add on, and, has English instructions and English speaking customer service.
Can I buy the Uno Mobile SIM card in Italy?
The particular version of the SIM card we sell has been specifically tailored for English speaking travelers and is not available in Italy. Cellular Abroad is the exclusive reseller in the United States and Canada and has been since 2008.
How good is the coverage?
In a word; excellent. The SIM card uses Vodafone which is the second largest carrier in the world. As a rule of thumb, as long as there are roads that are traveled on and houses where people live, there is coverage, including the islands of Sicily and Sardinia.
Will it work as soon as I land in Italy?
Yes but remember to follow instructions regarding activating your SIM and remember to set the APN. The SIM card comes with activation instructions.
What is an APN?
The APN is a setting in the phone that makes the data work. While easy to do, you may want to Google how to set the APN for your handset in order to view a visual guide or a video.
Does it work outside of Italy?
Yes but you will have to add credit and you incur roaming rates. Unless you are taking a short trip outside of Italy (ex. Switzerland for the day), we don't recommend roaming with your SIM card.
How much will it cost people in the USA/Canada to call me on my Italian number?
That depends on their plan. A great option is to add the "US Number" feature to your service. Each $19 will give you 360 minutes of incoming calls on a US number.
Can I keep my usual number?
Yes you can. Purchase the US Number add on and forward your current number to the new one (ask your carrier what the procedure is). This is ideal for business travelers who need to be reached at all times but is also a double edged sword for travelers going for a bit of rest and relaxation as anyone who calls your usual number will reach you. Another option is just to give a select few your new US number.
How do I forward my calls?
If you are forwarding a cell phone number, most smartphones have a call forwarding setting. Make sure you forward the calls to the US number so you don't pay international dialing calls!
Why don't I just use free Wi Fi?
Some people rarely need to use the internet. If you only need to check your emails once a day or less, then this might be a good alternative to you. Remember that free Wi Fi is not always fast, nor is it reliable, nor is it secure.
Can I use the SIM card next year when I go to Italy?
Yes. As long as you add call credit at least once every year, you can retain your number and service.
More questions? Call us at 800.287.5072 and we will be glad to be of assistance.
Italy SIM Card 
4.2
Yes you can recharge in Florence
LTO from Toronto
4 - recommended
I know that the post complaining about recharging in Florence was old post but I travel there regularly and you can certainly buy Uno Mobile recharge vouchers at Carrefour Markets which I have done many times. It is not a well-known carrier and the person at the cash register may say they have never heard of it, but have them look it up. I have also purchased at the general Tobacco stores which sell for all carriers.
Pros
- Good Value
Describe Yourself
- Business Professional
Worked very well in Italy
SoCalRobt from Los Angeles, CA
4 - recommended
Easy to install and get up and running. But wait until you are in your destination country before trying it out. The service worked pretty much as advertised. We used it exclusively in Italy, and it worked just fine. Only lack of service occurred in the rural mountain areas, and that was to be expected. The only real problem was that I could not monitor my data plan usage. We had purchased the basic 1 gigabyte data plan, but whenever I went to check how much I had used, or what was left, I would only get a black screen with the letters "tba" displayed. When I installed the SIM card, and checked the handset's (an iPhone 4S) Access Point name, it displayed "iphone.vodaphone.it" I reset it to what the instructions indicated, "web.unomobile.it" Everything seemed to work, we could access our USA email, and surf the web. We were in Italy for 3 weeks. When we made the initial order we paid for additional cellphone minutes. We were careful to minimize our calling out from our cellphone, and we utilized free Wi-Fi at hotels and restaurants as much as possible. All that being said, the service worked very well indeed and with little stress or effort on our part. We would definitely recommend it to others, and would use it again in the future.
Cons
- Hard To Monitor Usage
Pros
- Easy to use
- Great Coverage
Best Uses
- Cities
- Personal Phone
- Rural Areas
- Travel
- Work Phone
Describe Yourself
- Practical
Great Product
Frequent Flyer from Miami, Fl
5 - recommended
I was in Italy for 20 days, the SIM card worked perfectly all over the country. I used it the entire west coast of the country and also some rural areas. I never lost coverage. I installed the SIM card here in the U.S. And when I arrived in Italy the phone was working immediately.
Pros
- Great Coverage
Best Uses
- Travel
Describe Yourself
- Business Professional
Perfect !
John from San Francisco
5 - recommended
Simply fantastic !
Pros
- Good Value
- Great Coverage
- Lots Of Options
Best Uses
- Cities
- Personal Phone
- Rural Areas
- Travel
- Work Phone
Uno Mobile not well known in Italy
tombinitaly from Colorado
2 - not recommended
Instructions for configuring the data plan were complicated, if ultimately successful if you aren't afraid of the guts of your phone.
Realize that the data plan is 3G and is painfully slow.
1Mobile is not a popular service provider in Italy, as witnessed by my inability to purchase a recharge from any of the places listed in the documentation. I finally bought $25 of minutes through Cellular One (the least they offered--but far more than I'd use in a week). While it's not their fault my phone was stolen right after that, the inflexibility of the recharge options left a bad taste in my mouth.
After my phone was stolen, I was unable to access their customer service/support from an Italian land line. I called multiple times, and there was always a busy signal and never an answer. And yes, I know how to make phone calls from an Italian land line.
I finally sent a desparate e-mail about the theft and the need to brick my phone and promptly got an automated e-mail response that someone would respond within 48 hours!
Luckily they cancelled my service earlier than that, but the lack of access to their customer service was stressful and frustrating.
Years ago, I bought a TIM Sim card from Cellular One, and it worked perfectly in Italy. The experience this time--even before the theft--was fraught with frustration.
Cons
- Costly Recharge Thru Phon
- Couldn't Check Data Use
- Data Plan Was 3g Slow
- Hard To Find A Recharge C
- No Landline Phone Support
Pros
- Inexpensive
Describe Yourself
- Experienced Traveler
- Gearhead
- Practical
Service Carrier Poorly Known in Italy
Franco from Boston
3 - not recommended
I traveled to Florence, Italy last month; when I went to add more "talk time" to my phone, to my surprise, I discovered that there was not one place in Florence who could sell me a Uno Mobile/Carrefour recharge. Went to ten different places; they had every other carrier but this. 8 of the 10 had never even heard of Uno Mobile/Carrefour. Even worse, none of my Italian friends or relatives had heard of it. I was able to recharge in Rome. But the fact that I could not do so in Fllorence, a major city, was really troubling. I would NOT purchase this deal again.
Cellular Abroad Response
Uno Mobile is a sub brand of Vodafone. The way it works in Italy is that the recharge vouchers are generated on a machine. In sum, if the vendor sells one brand, they sell them all. The problem can be that if a foreigner comes in and asks for a voucher, and perhaps mispronouncing the name "Uno Mobile," the vendor will assume that the traveler needs a non-Italian top up. If you write the name of the brand (Uno Mobile) on a piece of paper and have them check, 100% they will find it in all places they sell top ups.
Cons
- Poor Coverage
Pros
- Good Value
Best Uses
- Travel
Describe Yourself
- Practical
21 days in Italy
Cap from Niagara Falls Ontario, Canada
4 - recommended
Sim card was great but unfortunately somehow the phone pocket dialled and we used most of our minutes. Thank goodness this was on the last few days as I did not have enough time left to order more minutes.
Pros
- Good Value
- Great Coverage
Best Uses
- Cities
- Rural Areas
- Travel
some cons
Kothar from Highland Park, NJ
3 - recommended
The locked keypad is a pain, especially because the long press unlock fails half the time. You have to hit exactly the right spot.
But there is a bigger problem. You dial a number and you get the error message: numero inesistente o momentaneamente inaccesibile (or something like that). I am absolutely certain that something is wrong. I had the chance to try one of these numbers sitting face to face with a friend whose phone was lying right there on the table. I dialed his number, showed it to him on the little screen of my phone for verification, then called him, and got the message just quoted.
Worked Well
J from Rochester, NY
4 - recommended
Product worked as advertised. I purchased extra minutes when I bought the SIM card and phone; however, I didn't realize the enclosed voucher was for these minutes until I ran out of minutes in a middle of a call to the US. As best I can tell there was no explanation indicating I had to use the voucher to load the pre-purchased minutes to the phone. I did that while in Italy before I learned by email from support that this was the case. So, if you purchase extra minutes before you leave be sure to use the voucher when you get to your destination. There are no directions to do so as best as I can tell.
Cons
- International from US
- Not much cheaper
Pros
- Good Coverage
Best Uses
- Local Calls
Describe Yourself
- Traveler
Mi-fi for Italian travelers
Chef from Bristol,VT
5 - recommended
Amazing product Internet every where in Tuscany! In the car, hotel,restaurants!
Pros
- Good Value
- Great Coverage
Best Uses
- Cities
- Rural Areas
- Travel
Good way to go.
Jim not a runner from Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
4 - recommended
It is much easier than trying to get a phone locally, but it costs more, too. It is a good way to go for someone who has never been here before. You pay for what you get, the ability to get a phone without a lot of hassle.
Cons
- Costs more than locally
Pros
- Easier than buying here
Best Uses
- Works anywhere
Describe Yourself
- Unsavvy traveler
Thank you
Limey from banner elk, NC
4 - recommended
made keeping in touch with family in US easy,thanks
Pros
- English speaking reps
- Good Value
- Great Coverage
- Recharge easy at tabacci
Best Uses
- Cities
- Rural Areas
- Travel
Describe Yourself
- Business Professional
..wouldn't use anyone else ..
Cali Girl from San Diego, CA
5 - recommended
..worked like a dream, great reception calling to U.S., easy to add minutes!
Pros
- Good Value
- Great Coverage
- Lots Of Options
Best Uses
- Travel
Describe Yourself
- Business Professional
Works fine
BJ from Portsmouth, NH
5 - recommended
I bought the least expensive phone with SIM card for Italy that I could find so that I would have access to a phone when needed during a two-month stay in Sicily. It has worked perfectly. I use it only for short calls to the landlord or to make dinner/hotel reservations, and it has served me very well.
Pros
- Good Value
- Great Coverage
Using the cellphone in Italy
Happy Wanderer from Rome, Italy
4 - recommended
Locals said to us either 00 or the plus before calling all numbers in Italy. This differed from the directions that came with the SIM card, but the advicefrom the locals was worked.
Cellular Abroad Response
This is correct, you can use the + or 00 to make local calls. Our instructions specifying to dial directly without the + or the 0 are also correct. In sum, either method works.
Pros
- Good Value
- Great Coverage
Very good coverage
Soccer Mom from San Francisco
5 - recommended
My daughter has been in Italy for a couple of months now. I am impressed by the quality of the signal, even when she was in a rural area of the Dolomites. It is reassuring to know she has a reliable product. Thanks!!
Pros
- Good Value
Best Uses
- Travel
Describe Yourself
- Parent
I would use this product again
Mu Mike from Italy
4 - recommended
We used our phone while we traveled around Italy. We had no problems with our coverage.
Cons
- No Gps
Pros
- Great Coverage
Best Uses
- Cities
Describe Yourself
- Business Professional
Peace of mind
New World Travelers from Novi MI
4 - recommended
We purchased the package just for the "peace of mind" of having some type of communication with "home" without having the roaming charges of our personal cell phones. Though we hardly used it, it again gave us "peace of mind" that we had good communication at a local level.
Pros
- Good Value
Describe Yourself
- Practical
A lifesaver traveling abroad
Li from Phx, AZ
4 - recommended
It was great for getting connected with "can't find the hotel", shuttle pickups, etc.
Cons
- Some Misleading Info
- Sometimes Poor Coverage
Pros
- Good Value
Best Uses
- Cities
- Personal Phone
Describe Yourself
- Practical
SIMPLE AND EASY!
E from Austin, Texas
4 - recommended
It couldn't have been simpler, when I travel I don't want to be bothered with my personal phone so this certainly was a great value and I only used it for the calls I needed to while in Italy.
Pros
- Good Value
- Great Coverage
- Lots Of Options
Best Uses
- Cities
- Personal Phone
- Rural Areas
- Travel
Describe Yourself
- Business Professional
- Practical
no thinking necessary
kathy from buffalo,ny
5 - recommended
my cell did not have service in Italy, and I was not going unless I could call my kids! This is a perfect uption, and was extremely easy to use.
Pros
- Good Value
- Great Coverage
Best Uses
- Travel
Describe Yourself
- Parent
Good deal
Chris from Milwaukee, WI
4 - recommended
Great product. Worked well in Italy and delivery and return made easy.
Pros
- Good Value
Best Uses
- Travel
Describe Yourself
- Practical
Needed to add phone numbers to use
Mary from Massachusetts
3 - recommended
Happy I was able to call home but had to enter all phone numbers in there phonebook in order to use it. The phone did NOT ring for whatever reason. It was good to be able to call home and family.
Pros
- Good Value
Best Uses
- Travel
Describe Yourself
- Practical
The Phone worked as advertised
World Traveler from Detroit, MI
5 - recommended
We used the phone to stay in touch with family and business associates at home in the USA and to locate our tour guide if we got separated.
Pros
- Good Value
- Great Coverage
Best Uses
- Cities
- Personal Phone
- Travel
- Work Phone
Describe Yourself
- Business Professional
- Parent
No hassles and easy to use!
Laura from Rhode island
5 - recommended
Great products and easy to,use. We rented two phones and had no problems. We started with a base amount of minutes but should have purchased more , as we ran out and had to order minutes. No problems with ordering however. Would recommend cellular abroad to my friends.
Pros
- Good Value
- Great Coverage
- No Hassles While In Europ
Best Uses
- Travel
Describe Yourself
- Parent
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