Best cheap PAYG SIM for daughter on holidays

Patrickof

Hi,

We're going to Italy next week for two weeks to a large campsite.

We're giving our 7yr old an old phone for the two weeks, as its a big campsite, and she can keep in contact with us if she goes down to the playground (there's a few other going with us, so whe's not on her own)

Myself and the wife are both on pay monthly vodafone, whats the best PAYG SIM for our girl to use?

I saw 3 have 3 Like Home, if I stuck 20 euro on it I'd get unlimited txts and voice but it appears the 3 Like Home doesn't cover Italy for PAYG SIMS.

I don't really want to pay 80c every time she rings to say hello (as she's never had a phone before, and is only getting it for the holiday - she's tickled pink about it and will ring us like mad). Even a local SIM is no good, unless we get two, and use one of them ourselves.

drunkmonkey

3 like home does work in Italy, i've used it there, 3 is the way to go if yere going to Italy, it works straight out of the box, no need to fill in any forums or give a deposit, just make sure she's on the 3 network when making calls over there or using the internet and that she has enough credit leaving Ireland. inq min is a cheap little phone if you want to treat here it also syncs with itunes for music.
You should consider moving the whole family, you'd probably save a fortune over vodafone.

Patrickof

So if I stick a 20 euro top up on a 3 SIM (I have one thats over 3 months old so should qualify for 3 Like Home) that'll get me free voics and txts to other Irish numbers, which means she can call us or txt us for free in Italy. Might cost us to receive the call (I think vf passport is free for incoming txts when away) or to call her but I can live with that.

drunkmonkey

The sim needs to be in a 3G capable phone and the calls need to be made on 3's 3G network, there's no point giving her a 2g phone as it won't work on 3's 3G network, A 2G phone will work here on 3 but you'll be on Vodafone the whole time. What phone are you giving her?
That's why I suggested the inq mini, if your on 3 you should have a 3G phone properly set up for 3.

Patrickof

Yeah, I have a 3G handset she can use. Nokia e71, a bit of overkill but it'll do the job. Il. Manually set it to the 3 network over there and disable the apn.

drunkmonkey

Perfect phone just lock it down to 3G, you can use either the "3interent" apn or "tre.it" there's a coverage map here: http://areaclienti.tre.it/ac3_pages/18003_ITA_HTML.htm , There's also no roaming charges on the broadband so you can use that pay as you go sim in a modem while your over there to access the internet.

Davy

drunkmonkey wrote: »

3 like home does work in Italy

Patrick, see if you can get this from 3 before you go, just in case you end up paying 35 cent a minute for calls and then not a leg to stand on

drunkmonkey

3 like home is for everybody automatically Davy, nothing to do just go and use it.

Davy

drunkmonkey wrote: »

3 like home is for everybody automatically Davy, nothing to do just go and use it.

But their is difference between payg and bill, think Australia is one that takes one, but not the other. Im not doubting you used it, just if anything changed with agreements since you were there, patrick wouldn't have anything to say to H3GI as they would just say its not on the pricing on the site.

drunkmonkey

Yip im on bill, Oops, made a bit of a boo boo there:o sorry folks, Bill only for Italy like home.:o

12cent a text on pre pay and 35cent a minute for calls!

try

Any sim and turn off passport if it's a Vodafone sim because for shortish calls the maximum EU roaming rates are better value