2991 Questions about Phone and Internet

I thought you might be interested in reading this web page:
[url]http://italymag.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=2801&referrerid=113[/url]

But it does involve buying an Italian SIM card - which I managed to do with just my passport - but others say you need a Codice Fiscale

OK - ALiena - how do you do it - - how do you delete your posts - I dont appear to have the option!

There is links in that thread to a website that gives all the different rates

[url]http://www.prepaidgsm.net/en/operators.html[/url]

I just wonder what is said in all those deleted posts!!!

Plus - goto thread tools - and email this page

then cut and paste the address it gives into a post

Nope - I dont have delete!

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Thanks Trulli - but I aint got a blue screen - with the word delete - on the advanced settings

I dont want to delete my post anyway -

Glen this should be at the top of your Advanced edit page.

Never mind, at least I have solved the problem of not being able to upload pics, so I'm happy! :D

Thanks - trulli!!!!

pascalli2 - I hope you find the other thread interesting!!!

[QUOTE=GlenB]
Thanks Trulli - but I aint got a blue screen - with the word delete - on the advanced settings

I dont want to delete my post anyway -[/QUOTE]

Glen.. if you dont have the option to delete your posts.. who did? .. and for what reason did they then edit.. repost and delete again? Me thinks you are playing a game.. :D

Tick.. your it!

:) :)

[QUOTE] Originally Posted by [B]GlenB[/B]
[I]Thanks Trulli - but I aint got a blue screen - with the word delete - on the advanced settings

I dont want to delete my post anyway -[/I]
[/QUOTE]

Yeah funny that tis green but copied as blue? :confused:
Guess you found it though. ;)

Well, I think I found a couple of companies offering wireless interent access via PC card (thanks for the links above!), but unfortunately, haven't been able to find coverage maps or understand the details, as I'm not proficient in Italian. Does anybody know if there are links to coverage maps from any of the following sites:

[url]https://mondowind.wind.it/e-shop/elenco_prodotti.asp?sc=MODEM&mnu=elFive[/url]

[URL="http://tin.virgilio.it/index.aspx"]http://tin.virgilio.it/index.aspx[/URL]

[URL="https://www.shoptre.com/elencoArticoli.asp?sc=DATI"]https://www.shoptre.com/elencoArticoli.asp?sc=DATI[/URL]

I think y'all lost me on the deleted posts thing...was there a post that was deleted?

Anyway, thanks for your help!

[QUOTE=pascalli2]Hello,

I will be travelling around Italy for about 10 months next year, not staying in any one location for more than 3 months. Can anyone give me advice on telephone and internet access
Thanks![/QUOTE]

If you are staying at various locations with landline telephone service, check out Infinito.com ([url]http://www.infinito.it/homepage[/url]) which is free net access, just pay for phone call. Where in the US are you??

The trouble is, I use the net quite a bit, and even if the ISP is free, I'm not sure how much the phone calls will add up to. (not to mention the horrible speed of dial-up) I'm coming from Washington State, in the NW corner of the country (best part of the country as well, incidentally). It looks like there are actually quite a few carriers that provide access via UTMA and EDGE networks, but it looks like all of them have either a time or data quantity limitation. Does anyone know of an unlimited plan? I know here we can just go sign up with Verizon and pay about $80 per month and have unlimited usage. I don't think I really mind signing up for a year, since I will be there for 10 months, anyway. Is the best way to go over there and then just go to a store and buy the PC Card and sign up for the service, or is that going to be complicated and take a long time to actually get up and running?

[QUOTE=pascalli2]The trouble is, I use the net quite a bit, and even if the ISP is free, I'm not sure how much the phone calls will add up to. (not to mention the horrible speed of dial-up) I'm coming from Washington State, in the NW corner of the country (best part of the country as well, incidentally). [/QUOTE]

I maintain a large website with about 45k dial-up as broadband is not available in our village. Couple of hours daily mostly uploading and lots of images. Am there only a few months a year so phone charges not an issue. Live mostly in Palm Springs area and the Big Island where the weather is not too shabby. Am sure some of the techies on the Forum will be able to get you steered in the right direction. Welcome to Italy.

Pascalli, if you are going to be here for 10 months it might be worthwhile going the GPRS route to use with your laptop. We actually live here but for various reasons use this system with both laptop and desktop. We purchased a phone especically for computer use, charges up when connected as well which is a bonus. The man at the shop set it all up for us configuring the computers etc. We use a vodafone system which costs us E30 a month for unlimited(we think) usage and has proved excellent. Cheaper option of E20 has a limit not sure of how much. Worth a visit to a pro when you arrive?

Salve D&L,
Further to our posts on the GPRS - EDGE thread re; 'getting too technical', can you please explain/describe, for those who may not know, what sort of phone you purchased 'specifically for computer use'. Is it the same type of phone as one you put to your ear?
And can you explain what you mean by 'it charges up whilst connected'. Does that mean the battery never runs out?
I know these MAY sound silly questions to some out there, but, believe me, there are some of us still learning. (me included).
Grazie L'anticipo

With pleasure Rob. The phone we purchased specifically for use with our computers is a Motorola C975. Yes it is a normal mobile phone (even has a camera) and you can use as a phone as well if you wish to. We don't though.
The phone recharges itself while connected to the computer via the USB port so in theory it should never run out. We have certainly had the computer online all day without it doing so! Of course we do not think these are silly questions. Just hope our answers are of some help.

D&L,
Thanks for that guys.
So the phone you use, therefore, will have a cable from it to the computer, to a USB port perhaps. The phone does not charge the monthly access package financially, but just the battery.

These questions are so obvious to the experts, but to us technophobes, they're crucial. We need to know what phrases mean what.

Rob. yes that is correct, cable from phone to the computer charges the battery. The E30 is taken from your pay as you go credit every month but you always get a text message informing you when that will be and again after it has been taken. So you just have to make sure there is enough credit available. Very straight forward.

I have a similar get-u-in problem! Can anyone help? Just about to move to Puglia (finishing stages of villa being built, will spend about half the year there), and am searching for the best answer to phone and internet connection. Unsure whether landline is necessary. D&L have given much to think about! But when I went into VodafoneUK to ask about this, they advised a package which included a 3G data card, at an (unlimited) cost of £111.63 per month!!!! It would mean that a separate phone would also be needed. Our needs are not likely to be massive (say up to 10-20 e-mails a day, internet browsing plus managing a small website, plus average phone usage).

Should we go for telecomitalia and landline, or find the best mobile technology package? Guess that satellite dish is likely to be prohibitively expensive ...
Telecom illiterate and very confused!

Tony

I use the Internet for work, so I need a fast(ish) flatrate connection. I have trialled GPRS (using a Vodafone connect card) which was ok short-term; however, as i send and receive large amounts of data and furthermore spend 60 or so hours per week online, this was never going to be the best solution. Since January, I've been using Telecom Italia's ISDN connection. Faster and better than 56K dial-up, and the best thing is they have an unlimited (flatrate) deal called Teleconomy Internet (paste into Google or try and find it on 187.com though it's a bit hidden away..). Regarding the cost: Line rental is €33 bimonthly, and the ISDN Internet flatrate is €24 each month. It's ok for me - definitely worthwhile, as without it I couldn't earn my living out here! The whole Satellite DSL thing isn't so good to be honest. I looked into it and when I did, the speed was only 512 anyway (ISDN is 128) and, more importantly, the UPLOAD speed would be the same as the dial-up connection anyway [you need to dial-up to access the Satellite DSL. I.e. even if you go for Satellite you'll still need to get a landline!!]. Bottom line: Satellite DSL is really not worth it in my opinion, for these reasons: (1) more expensive (2) not a lot faster (3) you'll need to get a landline anyway in order to dial into your fast connection (4) upload speed won't be 512 but whatever your dial-up speed is (i.e. 56K or 128, depending on whether you go for analogue or digital).

I hope you're not too confused by it all!! any jmore questions, reply here and i'll try and answer.

montefino

edit: while I have a landline installed, I don't use a landline phone for calls. I use Skype and msn audio conversations, all over the Internet. For calls to mobiles within Italy, I use my Italian pay-as-you-go mobile.

also forgot to say: GPRS is MUCH cheaper over here than in the UK, so if you did go for this option - it is a good alternative for low-to-average use. There's a sticky thread somewhere in this forum, I think it's called 'GPRS and Edge' or some such. Should be loads more info there for you :)

Thanks, montefino. Great stuff. Most of it understood! I'm on the case - will get back if I get stuck!

Tony

[QUOTE=pascalli2]The trouble is, I use the net quite a bit, and even if the ISP is free, I'm not sure how much the phone calls will add up to. (not to mention the horrible speed of dial-up) I'm coming from Washington State, in the NW corner of the country (best part of the country as well, incidentally). It looks like there are actually quite a few carriers that provide access via UTMA and EDGE networks, but it looks like all of them have either a time or data quantity limitation. Does anyone know of an unlimited plan? I know here we can just go sign up with Verizon and pay about $80 per month and have unlimited usage. I don't think I really mind signing up for a year, since I will be there for 10 months, anyway. Is the best way to go over there and then just go to a store and buy the PC Card and sign up for the service, or is that going to be complicated and take a long time to actually get up and running?[/QUOTE]

Maybe I'm too late, anyway I'll try. So, the situation is not that complicated, you just need to go to a Vodafone Store or TIM Store (widespread all over Italy). There you can buy a prepaid-SIM card and use a UMTS, EDGE or GPRS connection (it depends on the area and service available in the area you’ll be). You can also recharge your SIM online. Internet Provider TIN (and others) offers Wi-Fi connections in many public places all over Italy (railway stations, airports, ports museums…). Wi-FI services could be bought online by Credit Card (VISA, Master Card and so on). To buy a SIM (or USIM in case of UMTS phone) you just need you passport, tourists are not requested to have CF (Codice Fiscale = Fiscal Code), anyway as US citizen you can easily get a CF online (there are several sites that can work out your Italian CF. See: [url]http://www.codicefiscale.com/inglese/index.htm[/url] - English version - or [url]http://www.italysoft.com/utility/codice-fiscale.html[/url] ). As Italian I can give you just a small advice: as much as you head south, services (internet services included) tend to lower. Do not expect to find in Palermo the same services you get in Milan.

[QUOTE=pascalli2]Well, I think I found a couple of companies offering wireless interent access via PC card (thanks for the links above!), but unfortunately, haven't been able to find coverage maps or understand the details, as I'm not proficient in Italian. Does anybody know if there are links to coverage maps from any of the following sites:

[url]https://mondowind.wind.it/e-shop/elenco_prodotti.asp?sc=MODEM&mnu=elFive[/url]

[URL="http://tin.virgilio.it/index.aspx"]http://tin.virgilio.it/index.aspx[/URL]

[URL="https://www.shoptre.com/elencoArticoli.asp?sc=DATI"]https://www.shoptre.com/elencoArticoli.asp?sc=DATI[/URL]

I think y'all lost me on the deleted posts thing...was there a post that was deleted?

Anyway, thanks for your help![/QUOTE]
apart from wireless internet lap top etc which works fine you'll find in most areas internet caffe's, coverage is generally not a problem as people in this country have more cell phones than children it's 1.8 pro capita now ,so as far as infrastructure goes it's probably the only thing you won't have to worry about