going to italy for 10 days, which sim will be cheapest to use?

random456

Hi, I'm on payg Virgin but have sims of all the networks, which will be the cheapest to use in italy for making /receiving texts and calls?

Also, I won't have internet access there and I know it costs a bomb for roaming, will it be possible that one of the networks has some sort of foreign roaming bolt on that wont cost too much if i use my phone to check emails/use live messenger?
Please help!

redux

Apart from the standard Eurotariff on some, other options are Vodafone Passport, O2's My Europe Extra, and 3's lower roaming tariffs.

Passport means 75 pence per call connect fee, then your normal tariff, though it's perhaps more popular with tneir contract users. My Europe Extra cost £10 a month, then incoming calls are free, outgoing 25 pence a minute. 3 has free roaming on 3 Italy, or is 10 p/min incoming, 25 p/min outgoing while on other networks. You might combine one of these with a separate callback service

So I'd check 3 Italy's coverage map for the area you'll be in, and if ok use one of their stretch add-ons e.g 300 minutes for £15.

Or if you decide to go for an Italian SIM, I think Wind would be favourite

Likewise for data, one of 3's add-ons will be interesting if you have 3 coverage. Otherwise the other Italian networks (TIM, Vodafone, Wind) have cheap data deals, though I haven't studied them in detail.

random456

no wind sims on ebay, just one tim and thats a tenner and its only got 3 euros credit on it...i'd rather buy it here and make sure it's activated 'cos it's gonna be confusing getting there, buying one then finding out the instructions are all in italian!!
Can't use 3, haven't got a 3g phone, although the call costs you mentioned look good.
Does anyone know how much it costs with any of the italian networks to check internet (ie, emails)? thanks