Living here · Phone
An Italian number, on day two
Every form here asks for an Italian mobile number, and your bank, SPID and the Questura will send messages to it. It is the first errand after you land.
In one minute
- Get your codice fiscale first: operators ask for it together with your passport.
- The cheaper brands run on the big networks, so coverage in Padova is not the reason to pay more.
- An Italian SIM costs nothing extra in the rest of the EU. The SIM you arrived with does.
What your number is for
Within a month it will be carrying your SPID codes, your bank's confirmations, the message that your permit is ready, and every delivery. So choose once, and keep the number for as long as you are here: changing operator later keeps the same number.
What to bring to the shop
Your passport, or your residence permit
Any valid identity document is accepted.Your codice fiscale
No codice fiscale, no SIM in your name. Getting it is usually the errand before. What an operator asks for:ID and codice fiscaleA phone that is not locked to your home operator
A phone bought on a contract may be. Check before you leave home: it is a phone call there and a problem here.
Which operator?
Any of them works in Padova. We do not list prices: they change every few weeks, so compare on each operator's own page on the day you buy.
Cheaper brand
Iliad
Its own network
Today's offersCheaper brand
ho. Mobile
Vodafone's network
Today's offersCheaper brand
Very Mobile
WindTre's network
Today's offersCheaper brand
Kena Mobile
TIM's network
Today's offers
The big three, TIM, Vodafone and WindTre, cost more and have shops everywhere, which helps when something goes wrong and you would rather explain it to a person.
Three things nobody tells you
Keep your home number too
Your bank at home still sends codes to it. Most phones take two SIMs, or one SIM and an eSIM: keep both alive.
Travel in the EU at home prices
For trips, at home prices. A SIM from outside the EU gets no such rule here, which is the main reason to switch. An Italian SIM in other EU countries:No extra charge
Your number is yours
Switching to a cheaper operator later keeps the same number, so nothing that sends you codes needs updating.
In the shop, say it
Vorrei una SIM ricaricabile.
vor-RAY OO-nah sim ree-kah-ree-KAH-bee-leh
I would like a prepaid SIM.
Quanti giga sono inclusi al mese?
KWAHN-tee JEE-gah SOH-noh een-KLOO-zee al MEH-zeh
How many gigabytes a month are included?
C'è un costo di attivazione?
cheh oon KOS-toh dee at-tee-vah-TSYOH-neh
Is there an activation fee?
Posso tenere il mio numero?
POS-soh teh-NEH-reh eel MEE-oh NOO-meh-roh
Can I keep my number?
Funziona con l'eSIM?
foon-TSYOH-nah kon lee-sim
Does it work as an eSIM?
Checked against ho. Mobile and European Union, Your Europe on Wed, 30 September 2026.
Networks and shop practice are as students report them.