Distribution of prepaid SIM cards in Italy 2023, by operator

As of December 2023, the mobile network operator Wind Tre was the leading provider in the prepaid SIM card market in Italy, accounting for about 25.5 percent of the prepaid SIM cards in the country. Another 21 percent of the prepaid SIM cards were provided by TIM, while Vodafone accounted for roughly 20.5 percent of the SIM cards used in Italy. These three companies were the main players in the Italian mobile sector. Competing against the established providers, the mobile virtual network operators PostePay accounted for six percent of the active prepaid cards.

A new strong competitor

In 2018, the French MNO Iliad launched in the Italian market, disrupting the industry with its low-cost offers. Despite its newcomer status, Iliad competed against the three giants at Italy’s 5G network auction, winning licenses to operate on the 5G network. In 2023, it acquired over 18 percent of the incoming mobile customers.

Poste Italiane - leader in its segment

Poste Italiane was the market leader in the mobile network operator segment, leveraging Wind’s infrastructure. As the leading postal service company in Italy, its customers could access its postal and financial products via their mobile phones. As a category, MNVOs accounted for over eight percent of the mobile market in 2021.