I will be in Italy (in Tuscany and Sicily) with my iBook.  How do I
connect a Mac running OS X to a GPRS phone, and what software and
configurations are needed?  What world phones will this work with? 
What upload / download speeds can I expect?  What carriers and
subscriptions do I need?  Will this work with prepaid SIM cards?  What
is the per / minute or per / KB charge?  I need the answer by July 2nd.

Thanks!

Hello.

Taking your questions in order...

Configuring your iBook's internal modem to work with a GPRS phone
involves installing the right script for the particular phone that
you're using (e.g., Motorola, Nokia, Ericsson, Siemens, etc.).
Instructions and scripts are available on Ross Barkman's page in the
U.K.:
http://www.taniwha.org.uk/

On the Usenet group it.comp.macintosh, this Italian user reports that
the following GPRS phones work with the Mac:
Motorola: T260 V66 V60 T280
Nokia 8310
Ericsson T39 T65 T66
Siemens s45 ME45
http://groups.google.com/groups?q=t39+8310+gprs+motorola+tim&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&client=googlet&scoring=d&selm=3c67ee5a%241%40news&rnum=2

Carrier Omnitel shows a list of phones compatible with its system:
Motorola V66 e T280
Siemens S45
Panasonic GD96
Motorola Accompli 008
Motorola T260
http://www.areaaziende.190.it/infoservizi/telefoni/configurazioni.asp

As for real world speeds, one Italian user reports connecting at
around 28kbps to 36kbps. Here is his message in the Usenet group
it.tlc.cellulari:
http://groups.google.com/groups?q=gprs+bps+omnitel&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&scoring=d&selm=aelmc8%24e63%242%40newsreader.mailgate.org&rnum=1

The two leading GPRS carriers in Italy are Omnitel and TIM.
Here is a comparison chart from the Telefonino.net:  
http://www.telefonino.net/cgi-bin/gestori.asp?n=grps_tariffe

Here is more information about TIM's GPRS service:
http://www.tim.it/aree/2/54/tim/0,,5822,00.html

For Omnitel's plans, visit:
http://www.190.it/servizi/index.asp

This user discusses the merits of Omnitel and TIM in the Usenet group
alt.cellular.gsm:
http://groups.google.com/groups?q=gprs+italy+tim+omnitel&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&scoring=d&selm=ab1ie0%248rv%241%40wanadoo.fr&rnum=1

Both Omnitel and TIM work with prepaid phone cards. Through August 15,
TIM offers free 30 days GPRS for an activation fee of 10 euro. Omnitel
had a similar plan but it may have expired on 6/30. Omnitel's regular
rate is 0.3 euro cents per kilobyte. From Omnitel's site
http://www.areaaziende.190.it/infoservizi/trasmissione_gprs.asp 

This Usenet discussion contains a lot of helpful information about
mobile internet access in Italy:
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&client=googlet&threadm=%239Gm9pV8BHA.2016%40tkmsftngp03&rnum=1&prev=/groups%3Fhl%3Den%26lr%3D%26ie%3DUTF-8%26client%3Dgooglet%26selm%3D%25239Gm9pV8BHA.2016%2540tkmsftngp03

I hope this helps. Buona fortuna.

---

Clarification of Answer by juggler-ga on 30 Jun 2002 13:39 PDT

various search terms used: italy, gprs, omnitel, tim, sim, script, ibook, modem

---

Clarification of Answer by juggler-ga on 30 Jun 2002 14:38 PDT

As to the issue raised by lot-ga below, consult James Sentman's page,
"Connect Cell Phones to the Mac":
http://www.sentman.com/mac_pcs.html

juggler-ga,
.

I don't think the ibook can connect to a mobile phone without a third
party USB interface.
.

As I have tried looking for suitable mobiles for my ibook.
.

regards
.

lot-ga