Sher

I purchased a TIM SIM from a poster here for Italy that she could not use. I received the SIm placed it in my phone and all is good.
Yesterday I decided to turn the phone on again and there is a text message on the phone. Well, I discovered it yesterday as I really do not know when it was sent.
Naturally the packet that she sent with the SIM is in Italian and I cannot read it. But I want to know if I am required to do anything per instructions on the text or if it is just an informational message.
Is anyone familiar with TIM SIM cards? If so I think I am out of luck as I am not going to Italy for 30 days.

Le abbiamo scalato 1.00Euro a fronte del 2Euro previsti per il rinovo settimanate dell opzione TIMXSmartphone. Ricarichi al plu presto per utilizzare l'opzione.

Thanks for any help.

Viajero2

Using Google Translator:

"We have increased 1.00 EUR in addition to the 2Euro against the expected weekly renewal of the TIMX Smartphone option. Recharge promptly to use the multi option."

Sher

Thanks
Are you saying that I have to renew this SIM weekly or only the Smartphone option?
The phone that I purchased to use with the SIM is not a Smartphone, just a basic quad band model.
I think the person I bought the SIM from did pay extra because she had hoped to use her Smartphone.

annhig

the text talks about the smartphone option being extra, not the basic phone.

so unless you needed/wanted that option, you should have no problems.

Sher

Thank you so much. I cannot use that option.
I did find information that the phone number for TIM SIM cards is valid for twelve months. But then the message sort of threw me.

franco

Oh well... Google translator is providing another example just how useless those machine translations are. I wonder why anybody would use this nonsense?

What the message really says is "We've charged you just 1 Euro instead of the standard tariff of 2 Euros for the weekly renewal of the TIMX Smartphone option. Reload your card as soon as possible in order to make use of the option."

I don't know anything about TIM (whose customer I'm not) or about smartphones (no idea what that could be), but what I understand is that your SIM card is obviously a prepaid card, and that you are actually paying for that "smartphone" option that you cannot and don't want to use. It would seem that they've already had to reduce the weekly deduction from your credit since there's nothing or almost nothing left on your card. So if you don't reload immediately, all the better for you since they cannot deduct anything as long as the card is empty. But as soon as you return to Italy, you should change that contract since seems hardly appropriate for your needs.

Sher

Hi franco. So, do you think there is almost nothing left of the original value of the card for calling?

I cannot change any plan until August when I am in Italy so maybe the prepaid SIM will not be worth anything by that time.

franco

Well, I gave you a 100 percent precise translation of the message, so please judge by yourself. I for one cannot imagine why they would reduce their weekly fee by 50 percent unless the remaining credit is insufficient for full payment. (By the way, of course you can see when the message has been sent. Scroll down, the sending date is at the bottom of every text message.)
Anyway, you can find out about the remaining credit very simply by calling the "traffico residuo" number that's certainly in your mobile's telephone directory (I'm sure that also TIM offers this service). And very probably, you could even change your plan by phone from abroad, calling their service number. When talking to them, you could even ask which mobile phone company is their business partner in the country where you live, so to purchase a reload abroad, if you want to arrive with sufficient credit in August.

Another btw, we can exclude what Ann hoped, that there might be two separate credits on that card, one for calls and one for smartphone. I've had a look at www.tim.it, and it says clearly that the weekly smartphone renewal is being deducted from your normal prepaid credit ("Se sei un cliente prepagato, il costo è scalato dal credito residuo").

Sher

Hi Franco. Well. I will have to wait and so as I am not going to attempt to call Italy. It is just too difficult to do so. I would have to determine exactly which number to call from the instructions, if there even is a number with it, and I would rather save that money and just redo a SIM when I arrive.
Thank you for your help.

franco

Honestly, I don't see what could be difficult or expensive about calling. The number of their service line is beyond any doubt in your mobile phone's telephone directory, so no paperwork to be studied; and if you just dial the pre-set number, it will work from every country; plus calling those service numbers is always free of any charge, so no cost involved.