Italy, with its various regions, provides a fascinating combination of experiences. Every part of the country- from the smooth vineyards in Tuscany to pizza-filled roads in Naples and snowy mountain tops found in Northern Italy, displays its distinctive attraction.
This variety is not only seen in the natural environment but also relates to connectivity requirements. When you are enjoying the food of Italy or looking at its beautiful scenes, it is very important to stay connected all the time.
In my journey to find the ideal travel partner, I explored eSIMs by examining eight providers. The Mamma Mia eSIM for Italy from Airalo stood out as one of them. When SIM cards from Wind Tre, TIM Italy, Vodafone Italy, and Iliad Italy lost their affordable prices in 2024, options like Mamma Mia were seen as a sign of convenience.
No longer will you have to deal with long lines and passport details when arriving. An eSIM makes sure that connectivity is easy, keeping you connected to Italy's amazements without any trouble. Thus, let's start on an adventure to see how Airalo's Mamma Mia eSIM did in the center of Italy.
Airalo's List of Compatible eSIM-Supported Phones
Before diving into the specifics of the Airalo eSIM review, it is crucial to ensure compatibility with your device. Fortunately, if you own an eSIM-compatible smartphone, the odds are heavily in favor of Airalo eSIMs working seamlessly.
In the past, Airalo had to go through the certification process for various phone models. However, with advancements in technology, the vast majority of eSIM-compatible smartphones now effortlessly support Airalo eSIMs. This means you are likely to enjoy a hassle-free experience, connecting to Airalo's network with ease.
I will provide you with a detailed list below:
Airalo Mamma Mia (Italy) eSIM Prices
The Airalo Mamma Mia (Italy) eSIM is available at prices ranging from 4.50 USD (1 GB for 7 days) to 16.50 USD (20 GB for 30 days). However, the preferred choice among users is the Italy/Mamma Mia 5 GB eSIM for 30 days, priced at 14.50 USD.
Airalo consistently charges in USD, irrespective of your local currency.
If you are burdened with foreign exchange fees on your credit/debit card, consider acquiring a Wise Borderless Account and Debit Card.
Wise imposes significantly lower fees than traditional banks and credit card providers, with full transparency regarding their fee structure – a departure from typical banking practices.
Personally, I have saved significant amounts in Australian Dollars and Euros, my primary currencies, by opting for Wise during my travels, as opposed to relying on conventional debit and credit cards.
eSIM Top-up and Recharging
You are not quite sure how much mobile data you will need for your trip, so you simply get the most popular Airalo option. But, what happens if you run out of mobile data mid-vacation?
If you have purchased the 5 GB Mamma Mia eSIM and find yourself needing an additional 3 GB of mobile data nearing your limit, there is no need to acquire a new eSIM.
You can simply top up your Airalo Mamma Mia eSIM with the same data amount and prices as previously listed. The 3 GB top-up remains priced at 10 USD, mirroring the cost if you had initially purchased the 3 GB eSIM.
This ensures you never face data usage depletion while staying connected seamlessly.
You have the flexibility to top up your Airalo Mamma Mia eSIM conveniently through the Airalo app or website available for both Android and iOS.
Additionally, if you purchase a top-up before fully depleting your data allowance, Airalo won't activate the top-up immediately. This means the validity period of the top-up will commence only when you start using the additional data. This feature sets Airalo apart, as not all travel eSIMs offer this benefit.
My Airalo Mamma Mia eSIM in Italy Experience
During my recent trip, I exclusively used my Airalo Mamma Mia (Italy) eSIM while in Milan. It is essential to understand that travel eSIMs, like the Italy eSIM, operate by roaming on local phone networks.
Airalo itself isn't a mobile network operator (MNO); instead, it partners with various MNOs that roam on the networks of local MNOs. This setup ensures seamless connectivity for users across different regions.
For instance, Airalo's Italy eSIM utilizes the networks of Wind Tre, TIM Italy, and Vodafone Italy, powered by Webbing/Orange France. While your phone or some apps may indicate Webbing instead of Airalo, rest assured that this is part of the roaming process.
By default, my eSIM is connected to Wind Tre, although you have the option to switch to TIM Italy or Vodafone Italy within your phone's settings. But what about the performance and coverage of these Italian mobile carriers?
According to Opensignal, all major Italian mobile operators, including Iliad and Fastweb Italy, boast extensive coverage across the country, with a 4G/LTE availability exceeding 94.5% (TIM Italy).
In terms of 5G NR availability, there is some room for improvement, particularly for TIM Italy, which scores 5.5%. Wind Tre and Fastweb Italy lead in 5G NR Coverage experience, scoring 5.11 on a ten-point scale.
When it comes to speeds, the average download speeds vary between operators, ranging from 26.9 Mbps with Iliad Italy to 37.9 Mbps with Vodafone Italy. Similarly, upload speeds range from 7.3 Mbps (Iliad Italy) to 10.4 Mbps (Vodafone Italy).
For 5G NR download speeds, operators like Vodafone Italy and TIM Italy offer significantly faster speeds, reaching up to 202.2 Mbps and 239.3 Mbps, respectively. However, TIM Italy's 5G NR network coverage is limited compared to its counterparts.
If speed is your priority and 5G NR coverage is available in your intended areas, choosing TIM Italy would likely provide the fastest experience.
I conducted speed tests using the Speedtest app throughout Milan to gauge the performance of various SIM cards and travel eSIMs. To provide context, I consider an average download speed of 25 Mbps and an average upload speed of 10 Mbps as sufficiently fast.
Why these benchmarks? A download speed exceeding 25 Mbps enables smooth video streaming at 4k resolution. Additionally, social media platforms like Facebook recommend an upload speed of at least 10 Mbps for live streaming.
While I have higher speed standards, not everyone requires a blazing-fast 500 Mbps download speed! 🤪
In the upcoming section, you will encounter various colors and formatting in the speed test results. Dark green signifies the fastest download or upload speed among all tested SIM cards and travel eSIMs at a specific location. Light green indicates the fastest speed within its category (SIM cards or travel eSIMs) but not the fastest overall. Conversely, dark red and light orange denote the slowest download or upload speed among all or within a category, respectively.
Any results underlined denote 5G NR performance, while italicized results represent 3G speeds. Unformatted results are on 4G/LTE networks.
This clarification should help decipher the colorful speed test results in the following section. Let's now dive into how the Airalo Mamma Mia eSIM performed in Milan.
Airalo Mamma Mia eSIM in Milan Speed Test Results
In the next section, we will primarily compare the performance of the Airalo Mamma Mia and Airalo Eurolink eSIMs.
The Airalo Mamma Mia eSIM showcased impressive speeds throughout my journey.
During this trip, I didn't retest any Italian SIM cards since I had already tested them the year prior. Consequently, the screenshot above didn't include Wind Tre's results, a standard feature in my reviews.
Interestingly, despite Airalo's claim that the Mamma Mia eSIM lacks 5G NR access with its supported networks, I consistently connected to Wind Tre's 5G NR network 🤨.
The standout performance came at Arco della Pace, where the Airalo Italy eSIM delivered an impressive download speed of 394.71 Mbps on 5G. This speed surpassed all other eSIMs, with the next fastest being the old Airalo Discover Global eSIM at Milano Centrale Railway Station, achieving 346.03 Mbps on 4G.
The Mamma Mia eSIM also excelled at Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II (104.73 Mbps on 5G) and Autogrill Villoresi Est (45.40 Mbps on 5G), although the latter result was surprisingly low 🗿.
Apart from these exceptional results, the Mamma Mia eSIM didn't consistently lead in speed comparisons with other eSIMs.
Now, shifting focus to the Airalo Eurolink eSIM, it outperformed the Mamma Mia eSIM in several locations. Notably, it was the fastest at Carrefour Market – Milano Famagosta, Terminal 1 and 2 departure halls at Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP), and Raviolando (dumpling restaurant), achieving download speeds of 154.44 Mbps, 172.88 Mbps, 167.15 Mbps, and 59.23 Mbps, respectively.
Interestingly, the Eurolink eSIM demonstrated better performance on Wind Tre's 4G/LTE network compared to 5G NR, resulting in an average download speed of 78.69 Mbps, surpassing the Mamma Mia eSIM's average of 66.05 Mbps.
Let's shift our focus to upload speeds, where the Airalo Italy eSIM demonstrated strong performance at six locations, boasting the fastest upload speeds. These exceptional results were observed at Carrefour Market – Milano Famagosta, Departures 4 and luggage claim areas at Milan Linate Airport (LIN), and the departures hall at Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP), Risoelatte (near Cairoli metro station), and UCI Cinemas Certosa, reaching speeds of 35.23 Mbps, 43.73 Mbps, 16.40 Mbps, 43.44 Mbps, 14.14 Mbps, and 70.76 Mbps, respectively—all on 5G.
In comparison, the Airalo Mamma Mia eSIM secured the second-fastest average upload speed at 18.61 Mbps, just behind Airalo Eurolink (20.84 Mbps) and Holafly Europe (18.26 Mbps with 5G NR access on Vodafone Italy).
Overall, the Mamma Mia eSIM performed admirably in Milan. However, users may consider disabling 5G NR for potentially better speeds, as indicated by the Eurolink eSIM results.
Now, let's explore the performance if you were to select TIM Italy instead. The former Airalo Discover Global eSIM, now rebranded and improved as Discover(+), exclusively accessed the TIM Italy network, achieving an average download speed of 94.97 Mbps.
Impressive download speeds were recorded at Milano Centrale Railway Station (346.03 Mbps) and Sforzesco Castle (208.97 Mbps), both on 4G/LTE as the eSIM lacked 5G NR access.
While this particular eSIM is no longer available for sale, the speeds achieved with Airalo's Italy eSIM were satisfactory, especially considering the affordability of the service.
My Overall Experience with the Airalo Mamma Mia eSIM in Italy– Is It Worth Your Money?
I highly recommend the Airalo Mamma Mia (Italy) eSIM and consider it one of my top recommendations for anyone seeking an eSIM for Italy, mainly because Airalo works with almost every phone out there.
Acquiring the Airalo Mamma Mia eSIM or any other Airalo eSIM is incredibly straightforward. Airalo stands out among eSIM providers as it allows you to install the eSIM directly onto your phone without the need to scan a QR code, making the installation process effortless. Additionally, you don't need to adjust APN settings with the Mamma Mia eSIM, further simplifying the setup.
During my testing, I found that Airalo's Mamma Mia eSIMs offered one of the most affordable options with a wide range of data plans to choose from, including 1 GB, 2 GB, 3 GB, 5 GB, 10 GB, and 20 GB. These eSIMs grant access to Wind Tre, TIM Italy, and Vodafone Italy networks.
While the product page mentions no 5G NR access on supported networks, I did experience 5G NR on the Wind Tre network. However, 5G NR speeds were generally slower than 4G/LTE speeds for some reason.
Comparatively, the Airalo Eurolink (Europe) eSIM defaulted to the Wind Tre network like the Mamma Mia eSIM but offered 5G NR access on the TIM Italy network instead. Both eSIMs were powered by the same operator (Webbing/Orange France), allowing for a fair comparison.
The Eurolink eSIM outperformed the Mamma Mia eSIM at 18 out of 24 test locations, although the latter had 5G NR access in most places (except for two). The average download speed with the Mamma Mia eSIM was 66.05 Mbps, while it was 78.69 Mbps with the Eurolink eSIM.
If Wind Tre is your preferred network or if your phone defaults to it, I recommend disabling 5G NR for potentially better speeds. However, in terms of coverage and reception, I encountered no issues with either Airalo eSIM on the Wind Tre network.
For users needing more than 20 GB of data, Holafly's Italy or Europe eSIM may be worth considering due to their unlimited data plans, albeit at a higher cost than Airalo's offerings. These eSIMs provide a near-perfect 4G/LTE network, cost-effective eSIM data plan, and fast download speeds, ensuring a smooth browsing experience with the Airalo Mamma Mia eSIM.
Italy eSIM & SIM Card Reviews- Wrap-Up
My goal in life is to circle around the world, and I would like to do so connected the best way possible. During my trips to Italy, I had the opportunity to use a local SIM card in the beginning and eSIM cards as soon as I had a phone that supported them (back then not all phones supported eSIM like nowadays 🗿).
I did a review on all of them, so feel free to check them out on my website. I have talked about my experience using a physical SIM card here, and eSIMs here.
While some people choose to go for physical SIM cards for their phones, once I discovered eSIMs, I don’t think I will be going back. Running around airports, finding the needle pin to open the SIM slot, putting the SIM cards correctly- it is just too much of a hassle. The setup process of eSIM cards is much simpler and I choose that any day.