How much data do I use ?

[Speed 3]

We're going to be living in Italy for 3 months next winter and the apartment we are renting doesn't have a broadband connection. I want to get a dongle/wifi router that takes a data SIM like we have at my wife's business where again she doesn't have a fixed line. We normally buy Three data only SIMs in 3GB capacity but I've no idea how much we'll use for TV streaming in particular. We have Virgin home broadband on Unlimited and they won't tell you how much you're consuming.

Our phones are on EU roaming unlimited contracts so not bothered about phone or nav etc. although I think roaming data is capped (at 12GB per month IIRC) and tethering usually is. So a couple of questions:

1. What would be the typical data consumption say watching TV on a Mac for 3 hours ?
2. What's the difference between a "Data Only" SIM and a phone SIM with data package when they both have a phone number associated with them ?
3. Anything weird about Italy vs UK for this kind of thing ?

[eeLee]

1. Depends on the source and how they compress. I'd forecast 1Gb/hour for decent quality
2. Data-only SIMs likely cannot make nor receive calls
3. Take whatever is most economical for you without renewal obligations

I have 40Gb fast roaming per month and rarely use it up (I am in Austria plenty during ski season and plenty out of it).
We also have a SIM there with a €10 renewal PAYG 60Gb/month from Lidl Connect.

Tip: Look around the Eurozone for options where you get a good amount of roaming for little cost. Lebara, Lyca and so on might also be cross-Europe as they run as MVNOs.

[WyrleyD]

Lebara have a limit of 20gb per month as I found out to my cost when my nephew used my 4g router with the Lebara sim in France for gaming, went to log on and nada, nothing, called up the Lebara help on another phone only to be told that all the data was used up and would have to wait until next month to get another 20gb. You will soon eat through 20 gb watching TV on the mac. We now have a local Bouygatel sim for watching TV that has no limit but is a rolling contract and also very slow so not that cheap, have a separate 4g router with a UK O2 sim for internet surfing and radio that I activate when we go over.

[Speed 3]

Thanks both. Seems a bit of a minefield. I have found a few 30 day 3GB SIMs which can be topped up at around €44 for 50GB which while not cheap is less than I'm paying Virgin for home broadband. There are some fixed ones at 50GB but that would require buying 3 in advance for the period we will be there and therefore a bit more risky. Also need to be careful with network coverage in the Alps, will need to establish which local provider they partner with.