Let’s start with making sure you have the basics covered before we discuss mobile carriers available in Calabria, coverage, plans, prices etc.
Before you leave for Calabria there is only one thing you need to make sure you do: Get your phone unlocked by the carrier you bought it from. For example, here in Canada my iPhone came with a contract I signed with Telus mobility. My iPhone was locked so that it could only be used by Telus sim cards.
Once you get your phone unlocked (mostly applicable to US, Canada, Australia) you can use ANY sim card in ANY country around the world. I know in Canada and US the process of unlocking your phone costs around $30.
Now that your phone is unlocked you will be able to get an Italian sim card as soon as you land. All you will need is your passport.
Mobile Service Providers with 4G coverage in Calabria
TIM – https://www.tim.it
Vodafone – https://vodafone.it/
Wind – https://www.wind.it
3 (Tre) – https://www.tre.it/
I have used all 4 in the past as a tourist and also as a resident. I personally like Vodafone and TIM best. I have noticed that both of them have better 4G coverage in Calabria than Wind and 3. Both Vodafone and TIM had coverage everywhere I went, including some remote areas in the countryside.
4G Mobile Data/Voice Plans in Calabria
For Vodafone here is what I found for prepaid plans:
Vodafone 25 plan – 25 cents per minute talk – 29 cents per text message anywhere – 6GB of 4G data for 6 Euros. This plan is good for people like me that while in Calabria do very little talk, and texting but instead need lots of data for WhatsApp, Facebook, Netflix etc.
For TIM:
Tim Senza Limiti (without limits) plan – They start at 15 Euros a month and they have talk/text unlimited within Italy plus 20GB of 4G data included.
For Wind:
Wind Smart plan – unlimited minutes and 50GB of 4G data for 11.99EUR/month. Pretty amazing price, but I don’t think the coverage is at par with the other 2 above in Calabria.
and finally 3 (Tre):
Power 29 plan – 29 cents per minute calls, 29 cents text messaging, and 20 cents for every 20MB of 4G data used. Of course there are add-ons available for 4G data, making it more affordable/competitive. Though, as I said before, I cannot guarantee good coverage throughout Calabria
Where to buy SIM Cards & Mobile plans in Calabria
I know the Lamezia Terme airport has a TIM store in the terminal area, right outside of the luggage carousels. That’s the easiest way of getting a SIM Card as soon as you arrive, but if that’s not possible, finding a mobile service carrier should be pretty easy.
Every town in Calabria is always going to have 1 store (at least) that sells SIM cards for either TIM or Vodafone. Both options are viable in Calabria, and their prices are extremely similar.
Using a Mobile Wifi 4G Router
I travel around a lot for work and also for fun, so I need reliable internet everywhere I go, all the time. One little device I could not live without is my GlocalMe Mobile Wifi router. I insert a local sim card with a data plan in this little device and I get a full speed internet wifi network that I can use for my laptop and iPad.
Last summer in Calabria I bought 2 Sim Cards with 20GB of data in each for under 30 Euros. One of my cellphone and one for my wifi router. I was able to take my work skype calls while working on my laptop, on the beach in Soverato. Incredible!
