# Italian 3G PAYG for a tablet



## hmh (Jun 25, 2008)

I am posting on the Italian rather than the Communications Forum as I think more members watch this one . . .

. . . we are thinking of getting a tablet and buying PAYG 3G Sims in different countries, to get Internet access along the way. This for a trip starting from France b4 Xmas.

Any suggestions as to which to buy in Italy?

We are far from being techies! Any tips gratefully received!

Helen


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*TIM*

Hi

I use TIM network in Italy. I paid 9 euro for 40 hours worth of browsing on the laptop.

www.tim.it

I used to use a WIND sim card but I think TIM is better coverage.

Russell


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

What is a tablet please?

Aldra


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## hmh (Jun 25, 2008)

An i.pad is probably the most common one . . . I know, we are playing catch-up too!

Helen


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Tablet*

Hi

Are Tablets/Ipads "unlocked" - ie can they accept any SIM card? Is it only a Microsim or any sized SIM card?

Russell


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## OurTour (Nov 29, 2011)

*Tablet for travel*

Hi Helen

If you're making a choice between a tablet and a laptop/netbook, then I'd get a laptop or netbook every time. I love the iPad we have with us, and argued with lots of people when I was at home about how good it is, but it doesn't rival a laptop when you're on the road. Typing out emails, blog entries, watching videos, saving and modifying photos and video and so on on a tablet is painful compared to a laptop.

Great idea to go for cellular data access rather than WiFi! We've really struggled to find WiFi, and have found ourselves on a few occasions sat outside a tourist office or in a MacDonalds for hours waiting for a video to upload to YouTube. We've lots of time to spare at the moment, but we've found cellular Internet access through a 3G dongle or a smartphone on Vodafone Data Traveller to work very well.

We have an Asus low power laptop with us, and the battery lasts over 6 hours, even though it's getting old now. We have an unlocked Huawei E153 3G dongle (we got it cheap in Morocco) and that works really well. You need an unlocked one so you can swap between networks as you go from country to country (we unlocked ours using a free tool on the Internet). So far we've bought PAYG SIMS in France (Orange) and Italy (Vodafone). The costs for the SIM plus a month's data (Orange gave us 2GB, Vodafone 5GB) is about €20. We've found 2GB is enough for us for a month's use, although we don't upload much video.

If you really want to get a tablet, PC Pro do in-depth reviews:

http://www.pcpro.co.uk/reviews/tablets

Feel free to send over any questions directly to us, we'd be happy to answer them as best as we can.

Cheers, and good luck! Jay


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## SaddleTramp (Feb 15, 2007)

*Re: Tablet*



Rapide561 said:


> Hi
> 
> Are Tablets/Ipads "unlocked" - ie can they accept any SIM card? Is it only a Microsim or any sized SIM card?
> 
> Russell


Russell as no-one else has answered you I will.

An iPad is usually unlocked if you get it direct from Apple on the internet, Others do supply them unlocked but mostly they are locked.

It is also a "Micro Sim" card.


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## Jodi1 (Mar 25, 2010)

*Re: Tablet*



SaddleTramp said:


> Rapide561 said:
> 
> 
> > Hi
> ...


So, would the ipad I bought from Tesco's be locked or unlocked?

Anyone any thoughts on a suitable sim card to use when we are in Greece - specifically on the Island of Kefalonia?


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## SaddleTramp (Feb 15, 2007)

*Re: Tablet*



Jodi1 said:


> SaddleTramp said:
> 
> 
> > Rapide561 said:
> ...


I have been informed that Tesco are locked to their own, BUT if you buy an Ipad without a sim card they are usually unlocked, The only real way to tell is get a very cheap sim card and try it, you can get them free from "GiffGaff" and if they work they are also the cheapest provider there is available today.

For Greece you can get payG cards but you will need your passport with you when you buy one, I use wind in Greece.


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## Jodi1 (Mar 25, 2010)

Ooops sorry Saddletramp senior moment, just remembered that we ended up getting it from John Lewis (Tescos didn't have the one we wanted in the shop)
It came with a sim packaged for the rolling contract with 3

Thanks for your help[ though


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## hmh (Jun 25, 2008)

*Tablet for travel*

Thanks for all that information!

We posted that query before Xmas, and in the end settled, more by accident than design, for an Archos tablet, which when fitted with a dongle and 3G Sim became its own hotspot, it works especially well with wi-fi turned off.

We bought a Sim from Tim in Italy, did without in Greece, and had another from Turkcell in Turkey, it was really successful.

I know what you mean about typing - our log, posted on Magbaz website, starts off most incoherently, as it was like typing on a cellphone to start with, until we turned the predictive text off - but we got better at it, and it was such a relief to get Internet in the middle of nowhere, and not need to search for Internet points.

Also being a tablet, David could play around on Angry Birds etc, and even use it as a Kindle.

We got back early April, but the tablet is still useful, we can both check email at once!

Helen


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