Takeaways
- WindTre now offers a single plan aimed both at under-30 and over-65 consumers
- TIM’s new addition is even more entry-level, with less data than its existing offering
- Vodafone no longer offers a senior-focused plan
What Operators Offer
The landscape for senior-focused plans has changed notably since the previous version of this report. TIM has added an even more basic tier to its offer, Vodafone no longer offers a senior-focused plan, and WindTre has greatly expanded its plan’s data allowance by combining it with its plan aimed at users under the age of 30.
WindTre’s move is notable because previously, Italian operators appeared to believe the stereotype that older consumers were less tech-savvy and wanted less data. By offering a special plan for both younger and older users, WindTre acknowledges that both groups may have less disposable income but may still want a larger data allowance, whether to keep in touch with loved ones or just to watch entertainment on their phones.
That said, older users looking for a good deal on a mobile plan may want to look at plans not aimed specifically at them. MVNO Poste Mobile offers a variety of plans at similar or lower price points, with commensurate data allowances (all are 4G, but users can add 5G access for an extra EUR3/month). Fourth operator Iliad doesn’t offer a senior-focused plan but the single, one-size-fits-all plan it does have comes with unlimited voice and texts plus 250GB of data, for the same price as WindTre’s EUR9.99/month.
TIM
| TIM 60+ Basic | TIM 60+ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price (EUR) | 7.99 | 12.99 |
| Voice | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Texts | 200 | 200 |
| Data (GB) | 1 | 6 |
Since the previous version of this report, TIM has added another senior-focused plan to its roster. Where its TIM 60+ offering was already effectively an entry-level plan, TIM 60+ Basic is even more so, offering just 1GB of data per month. Compared to the changes to WindTre’s offering below, it seems odd for TIM to offer older consumers a plan with even less data. Italy’s senior-focused plans have long appeared to operate on the assumption that older users didn’t want or need more data, but as people who are more reliant on mobile data age into the 60+ age group, they’ll likely find that TIM’s offerings don’t line up with what they need from a mobile plan.
Vodafone
Since the 2021 version of this report, Vodafone appears to have eliminated its Facile plan for older users. It’s no longer listed on the operator’s page for voice and data plans, although a non-functional version of the page is still reachable via browser search. Although Vodafone Facile offered the lowest monthly data allowance of any Italian operator, it made up for that lack by providing zero-rated access to a number of messaging and video-calling apps, such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and Apple FaceTime.
WindTre
| 200 Giga per Under 30 e Over 65 |
|---|
| Unlimited voice 200 texts per month 200GB EUR9.99/month |
WindTre already offered the largest data allowance of any senior-focused plan in Italy, but now its offering is in line with standard plans in Italy or in other countries. This is because WindTre has changed to providing a single offering for younger and older users, two groups that are more likely to have limited spending power. The one drawback of this plan is the limit of 200 texts per month, although the prevalence of messaging apps and the rise of RCS messaging means that most smartphone messaging now uses data anyway.
FRD Innovation Research 