DriftEuropa Reference

Italy
mobile operators

Which operators power our eSIM plans for Italy, the local network to lean on, and what a tourist SIM costs on the ground.

The DriftEuropa eSIM plans for Italy shown on this page use WindTre, Vodafone Italia, Iliad Italia, TIM (Telecom Italia) and offer 5G depending on the plan. Check each plan for its exact network, data allowance, validity and price before choosing. Available plans are fully refundable within 30 days as long as the eSIM has not been used on a network at the destination.

Main operatorWindTre
Local SIM$15-25
Operators in our plans4

TIM offers the widest network with the best reach into rural and mountain areas.

65 MSI96 NQI

Plan share by operator

Share of the eSIM plans we sell for Italy, by underlying operator.

WindTre: 41% (89 plans) Vodafone Italia: 28% (60 plans) Iliad Italia: 18% (40 plans) TIM (Telecom Italia): 13% (29 plans) 4 OPERATORS
  • WindTre41%
  • Vodafone Italia28%
  • Iliad Italia18%
  • TIM (Telecom Italia)13%

Network at a glance

WindTre is the network most travellers lean on in Italy. 5G is live on at least one operator we carry, so newer phones can reach top speeds in covered areas. On our Mobile Speed Index it scores 65, placing it mid-tier for regional speed. Median data price has held steady from $0.94 per GB in June 2026 to $0.94 in September 2026.

The operators behind our plans

Each network we carry in Italy, with who runs it and what generation it reaches.

WindTre#3
Owner
CK Hutchison
Network
5G
5G
5G since December 2020
Plans we carry
89
Vodafone Italia#2
Owner
Swisscom (depuis acquisition 2024-2025)
Network
5G
5G
5G since June 2019
Plans we carry
60
Iliad Italia#4
Owner
Iliad SA (Xavier Niel)
Network
5G
5G
5G since December 2020
Plans we carry
40
TIM (Telecom Italia)#1
Owner
TIM S.p.A.
Network
5G
5G
5G since June 2019
Plans we carry
29

Common questions

Which operator is best in Italy?

WindTre offers the widest reach for most travellers. TIM offers the widest network with the best reach into rural and mountain areas. Our eSIM plans run on the strongest available network, so you do not have to choose a SIM at the counter.

Does Italy have 5G?

Yes. At least one operator we carry runs 5G, available mainly in larger cities and along major corridors. Older devices fall back to 4G automatically.

How much is a local SIM in Italy?

A tourist SIM bought on arrival typically runs $15-25. An eSIM skips the queue and the passport scan, and activates by QR code before you land.

How many operators power Italy eSIM plans?

We carry plans across 4 operators in Italy. The donut above shows how our catalogue splits between them.

How we read this

Plan share counts how many of the eSIM plans we sell for Italy run on each operator. It reflects catalogue depth, not subscriber market share. The top operator is the network we would hand a traveller who can pick only one.