Avoid Vodafone prepaid 3G for iPad in Italy

Question

Level 1

0 points

Avoid Vodafone prepaid 3G for iPad in Italy

For those interested, I wanted to share my experience with Vodafone's 3G prepaid offering in Italy...
I went to Media World in Surbo during my holidays to obtain a prepaid 3G card for use with the 3G ipad ("Offerte internet per iPad - http://lab.vodafone.it/wiki/OfferteInternet_periPad-VodafoneCertified"). AD 2010, it takes them 5 days to activate a card ("Waiting for activation"). Once activated, it worked for 30 seconds, after which all internet communication failed with "PDP authentication failed".
You cannot ask for help on the Vodafone forum since it requires a subscription phone number to register (there's no phone no. associated with a data plan only card). Calling Vodafone is no help either, and in any case do never expect do find any information in English. Also, vodafone.it has a link on the website to the "English version" - which should actually say "Totally different website but in English".

Amazing how Jobs managed to get ISPs around the world to create specific iPad offerings, just making the whole experience even more convoluted and difficult.

So if you are traveling to Italy - do not leave the store before you have seen your connection work (for more than 30 seconds 😉 )

Happy travels!

iPad, Other OS

Posted on Aug 11, 2010 5:37 AM

Reply

Answer 1

f12008

Level 1

0 points

Aug 12, 2010 2:18 AM in response to realtmf

Mate what planet are you on? I just got back two weeks ago from Naples - sorrento. I bought with me my iPad 32g 3G and got a pre-paid Vodafone 3G simcard and it worked about 35 mins later and worked all the way to the end of my three weeks holiday. I don't know what happened to you. Maybe you were rude at the person in the store?

Reply

Answer 2

realtmf Author

Level 1

0 points

Aug 13, 2010 4:51 AM in response to f12008

Well, i surely am glad that it all worked for you, and that you did not need any help to get on-line. It never worked for me, and I never managed to find a way to contact Vodafone support personnel.

The lesson remains - don't leave before it works. You would have left in 35 mins, I would still be in the store 🙂

(The staff at Media World was actually friendly - not that it should matter of course).

Reply

Answer 3

HR

Level 2

448 points

Aug 16, 2010 6:14 AM in response to realtmf

Are you sure you had a signal? Vodaphone has no EDGE to drop back to if there's no 3G. Depending on where you went, there's a lot of 3G empty space in Italy.

I just spent 2 weeks in Italy and skipped putting a 3G card in the iPad. Checking other people's phones, there was no 3G in the places I wanted it.

Reply

Answer 4

Mastrox

Level 1

26 points

Aug 16, 2010 6:43 AM in response to realtmf

Probably MediaWord staff forget to launch the activation for your microSIM. And when the SIM start to work, you need to change to APN configuration, or to switch off your iPad, insert the active SIM and then switch it on again. You've done this?

3G in Italy is not cover very well, but if you don't have 3G signal, i've got surely a 2G signal. A very very small part of Italy is not covered, I mean the 0,01%.

Reply

Answer 5

AlfCorr

Level 1

0 points

Aug 17, 2010 6:54 AM in response to realtmf

The same could apply to Vodafone Spain (Vodafone ES). Avoid _like plague_ it if you plan to bring your iPad for a short period of time (vacations, travel or biz).

Much better to go with some other carriers. Other carriers offer you prepaid and activated just in few minutes 3G data plans for your iPad for a mere 20Euro with 20Euro in credit.

A friend of mine came from Uk (it wears Vodafone UK so it seemed to be logical to use the Spanish carrier). Bad move. Was a completely nightmare just like realmtf posted.

Until I drove it to an orange shop and got a 20Euro prepaid 3G data plan with 20Euro credit for their iPad and was flawless.

Live to learn....

Message was edited by: AlfCorr

Reply