Pre-Paid TIM Card
 

Hi, does anyone know the expiration timeframe of TIM card? I'm of the impression that if you go for X months without using it, it expires and you lose your number and the credit remaining. Would simply using it be enough, or do you have to add money to keep it active?
Following this, would it be safe to mail a TIM card in the US mail without losing the data? I ask this because I've been advised not to mail Compact Flash cards thru the US Mail. Thanks!

Do you mean SIM card? They do expire at some point, but I can't tell you exactly the time frame allowed.

I'm referring specifically to a TIM SIM. Telefon Italia Mobile. Thanks

We bought a cell phone to use specifically in France (and here at home also), and my husband says the units will expire within a month or so.

Each company has its own policies regarding expiration of credits, re charging, etc.

You might wish to try www.prepaidgsm.net which might have the information or do a google search on TIM Italian Mobile Phones Company or something to that effect and it might come up in Italian or Google might be able to translate the web site.

Seems to me I heard from a friend it is valid for a year.....but I wouldn't stake whatever small my reputation is on it.

TIM has a rather generous recharge/expiry terms. If you recharge (not just use) the phone once every 13 months, you keep the credit and number. SIM itself costs 40 euro with 20 euro credit. You can recharge for as little as 6 euro (5 euro credit), with higher values at 30 and 55 euro (both with 5 euro fee). I don't think sending SIM card by mail adversely affects it. That's how operators send SIMs to customers. Just make sure it's adequately packaged ( by putting it back into the 'holder' you snapped it out of) and then wrap it with cardboard.

I just recharged about 10 days ago in Italy. The recharge is good for 12mos. If I don't recharge my SIM card by purchasing another TIM card I will lose the Italian phone # I have. Hope that helps.

Thanks : )

I just found the literature that came with my TIM card, so I thought I'd post it here.

"Il numero della tua TIM Card e' attivo per 12 mesi a partire dalla prima chiamata o dall' ultima ricarica, piu un ulteriore mese per la sola ricezione."

If I'm translating correctly, it says "Your TIM card number is active for 12 months from the first call or the last recharge, plus an additional month of only receiving calls."

Thanks again for the above replies : )

I have my SIM card, purchased in Italy, for about 2 years now. I re-charged last April while in Florence. We went to Paris just last month and we were still able to use-up some of the remaining minutes. Then I recalled, that after re-charging in April, that my expiration is until April 2005, or a full one year.