SIM card for roaming around the world. Choosing a SIM card for traveling around Europe

Choice mobile operator traveling to Europe is a responsible matter. The final cost of communication services, which accrues during the trip, can become a stumbling block for an inexperienced tourist. Before you give preference to one or the other mobile network, it’s worth comparing their price lists and deciding which services are really needed during your trip. Some operators offer only the Internet, others calls and SMS at competitive prices, while others offer everything at once.

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When going on vacation abroad, people consider three options for SIM cards to keep in touch with family and friends. The first is a native SIM card, the second is purchased upon arrival at the destination (that is, local), the third is a tourist one, ordered in advance via the Internet. About the degree of convenience and the benefits of each option in detail below.

Should you give preference to your native mobile operators?

Using your native SIM card abroad is not profitable. The price of calls in Euroroaming can average 60 rubles per minute of conversation. Internet traffic and SMS messages are also golden. Operators Megafon, MTS and Beeline provide good quality of communication, but the costs for it in roaming are enormous.

Mobile operator Megafon, for example, offers subscribers Internet in Europe at a price of 600 rubles per day, and the cost of calls reaches 129 rubles per minute. There is, however, an opportunity to save on Euro roaming by connecting Additional services, such as the “Whole World” service, but it has a daily subscription fee.

Another nuance that is not in favor of native mobile operators - in some foreign countries, charging is carried out with a delay of up to 30 days (Megafon also has this). This makes the tourist think seriously: there is no time to keep track of the number of minutes and megabytes spent on a trip, and go into a decent minus I don't feel like it when I return home. If a person prefers to use the services of his native mobile operator everywhere, he should be prepared to significantly lighten his wallet.

Is it worth buying local SIM cards in Europe?

Buying local SIM cards in European countries while traveling is an excellent option, but only if a person stays in one country for a long period of time or vacations there regularly. Communication in this case it will be much better quality, prices for the Internet and calls within the country will be lower, and problems with activating and installing certain options will disappear altogether.

There are also disadvantages to this option. For example, prices for calls home for owners of such SIM cards, unfortunately, will remain high, and the remaining balance may simply burn out if the card is inactive for a long time.

The best travel SIM cards for travel

Travel SIM cards are ideal for use abroad. They are provided by mobile operators in Europe. There are options both for lovers of high-quality Internet and for those who value only calls and SMS messages. In the range of tourist SIM cards Especially notable are: Orange, Dreamsim, GlobalSim, Vodafone, Goodline and Simtravel. They are more reliable than other options and provide all the most necessary services at better prices.

"Dreamsim"

This is a universal international SIM card for travel. It is suitable for those who like to travel around the world. DreamSim has many advantages over other Travel SIMs:

• operates in 229 countries;
• the number remains the same when moving to another country;
• Internet and call prices are the same as those offered by local mobile operators;
• calls to Russia at reasonable prices.

Included in the package of services included free application to replenish your balance and control expenses. The subscriber pays only for what he actually used, so after the end of the trip there will be no extra megabytes of Internet traffic and units left.

The cost of 1 minute of conversation varies from 0.07 to 0.4 euros, and Internet traffic costs 0.01 euros per 1 megabyte. Also, subscribers do not pay for incoming calls.

Vodafone

For those tourists who prefer to communicate only via the Internet, the Internet Passport tariff plan from the Italian operator Vodafone is suitable. It provides the subscriber a large number of Internet traffic by affordable price. Benefits of the tariff plan:

For those who want to use not only the Internet, but also calls and SMS messages when traveling abroad, the European operator Vodafone offers the Smart Passport tariff plan. It differs from the previous one in that it costs tourists only 3 euros per day. For this price, subscribers receive 200 megabytes of 3G or 4G quality Internet traffic, 60 minutes of calls and 60 SMS. Using this tariff plan to distribute the Internet over Wi-fi networks Not recommended. By the way, Vodafone SIM cards are valid for 11 months after the last top-up and are valid not only in Europe, but also in the USA and Turkey.

Orange SIM card with Go Europe tariff plan

This is one of the most economical options for tourists, provided by the Spanish mobile operator Orange. Such a SIM card can be taken with them on a trip by those people who do not want to waste money. Funds are debited from the balance only for the actual use of the services provided. Advantages:

• an Internet package costs 1 euro per hundred megabytes of traffic;
• Go Europe tariff is active in 40 European countries;
• incoming calls are always free;
• outgoing calls cost 0.08 euros per minute.

In Spain, communication services for Orange SIM card users are even cheaper. This “candy” costs 40 euros, and upon purchase, 20 euros are credited to your balance. In order for the card to work continuously, it needs to be topped up once a year with 5 euros. You can order a card online.

GlobalSim

Another one of the most popular and profitable tourist SIM cards from the Estonian mobile operator Top Connect LLP. Currently, this operator has more than 5 million subscribers worldwide. This popularity is not without reason, all thanks to the following points:

You can buy a SIM card both in the CIS countries and via the Internet. The price for it will be 750 rubles. Top up balance possible through terminals, banks, the Internet, cash desks and other methods.

Goodline and Simtravel

Also great options for traveling around Europe. They are represented by the same Estonian provider as GlobalSim, just under different names. In this regard, the proposed communication services and tariffs are identical. Stop at detailed description These options make no sense, the only thing that needs to be noted is that for those tourists who prefer to communicate via the Internet, it is better to choose Orange or Vodafone operators.

When choosing a suitable tariff for traveling abroad, a tourist faces a number of difficulties, but they can be avoided if you answer all the important questions and clearly determine what you need. Before placing an order, you should decide:

• How many countries are you planning to visit in the near future?
• Are you going to explore European countries or do not rule out visiting the USA, Asian countries, Israel and other more distant destinations?
• What services do you plan to use (voice for making calls, Internet, or is it important for you to have both).
• What is the purpose of the trip: work visit, study or tourism.
• How long will be your stay in the country?
• Is it important for you to have Internet access while traveling?

Today, a number of interesting and advantageous offers from operators Orange, Vodafone, as well as GlobalSim, Ortel Mobile, THREE, which we will talk about in more detail in our review. After all, each of the offers has its own advantages, and most importantly, it will help you save on expensive roaming abroad.

Orange – updated Mundo tariff for European countries, instead of the Go Europe tariff

An Orange SIM card with the new Mundo tariff offer for Europe is a good option for those tourists who need stable, high-speed Internet during their trip. The quality of the traffic provided allows you to quickly find the necessary data on the Internet, communicate in social networks, use modern instant messengers for communication, send work letters by mail, etc. In addition, after changes in tariff plans, the Orange offer has become even more profitable. Now the subscriber can purchase more traffic at the best price:

• Mundo Esencial – 3 GB for 7 €
• Mundo Plus – 7 GB for 10 €
• Mundo Total – 10 GB for 15 €

Moreover, the period of use of any of the packages is 4 weeks. On this moment There is a profitable promotion - if you connect before March 30, 2019, the subscriber will receive an increased package. That is, by ordering Mundo Plus and paying 10 euros, the user will receive 7 GB for 28 days for the same money. All packets are reconnected. It is possible to distribute the Internet, therefore, by purchasing one SIM card, the subscriber will be able to open access to the Internet to an unlimited number of devices.

With the Mundo tariff you can travel to all European countries; the coverage area is 41 countries. By choosing Orange, a tourist will not have to worry about running out of Internet or that calls in the host country will be too expensive. The operator offers:

• Incoming calls in EU countries and Spain are free. Calls from Russian numbers are also accepted free of charge.
• Outgoing calls in Spain – 7 cents per minute per landline phone and 29 cents for mobile.
• Outgoing calls in Europe – 8 cents per minute.
• SMS messages to Russian numbers – 73 cents.

The connection cost for making outgoing calls is also waived - 30 cents.

If you often use the Internet when traveling abroad, the Mundo tariff is a good choice.

There is also an Everywhere option - Mobile Internet at a price of 7 euros for every 100 MB of traffic. Coverage area: Switzerland, USA, Canada, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Chile, Morocco, China and Japan.

Favorable tariffs from the mobile operator Vodafone

A SIM card from the Vodafone operator is one of the most popular among travelers, because with its help you can communicate freely and use inexpensive Internet. This is the best option for business trips in which you need to negotiate in the host country and often call home. By activating one of the tariffs, the subscriber will be able not only to use the Internet in Europe and other countries included in the coverage area, but also to call different countries, including Russia, without wasting much of their budget. Let's tell you a little more about all the operator's offers.

• The Vodafone 19 tariff is activated by default, the subscriber can switch to another plan if he wishes. Under Vodafone's terms, 19 people will be able to receive calls from within the EU for free. A minute of outgoing call is 20 cents and 20 cents is the cost of connection. This proposal will also help resolve all work issues, even if the tourist is abroad. You can use 1 GB of Internet per day, the cost is 6 euros. It is also worth noting that for using the tariff plan there is a weekly subscription fee of 49 cents.
• The Vodafone 25 tariff plan, just like Vodafone 19, works in EU countries. By activating this offer, the subscriber will be able to call Russia and other countries for 25 cents per minute or receive incoming calls for free. There is no monthly fee in this tariff; the cost of 1 GB is 6 euros.

Distribution of the Internet in both the first and second tariffs is permitted.

In addition, Vodafone recently updated and launched additional very profitable options:

• Vodafone Start– cost 10 euros, work period – 4 weeks, relevant in EU countries. The subscriber is provided with 100 megabytes of 4G Internet. You can also send 100 SMS per month and talk for 400 minutes (outgoing), you do not need to pay for incoming ones.
• Vodafone Digital– monthly package price – 15 euros. By paying this amount, the subscriber will receive 2 GB of high-speed 4G Internet, as well as 400 minutes of calls in EU countries and free incoming calls.
• By adding just three euros per month, you can get even more traffic with the option Vodafone Super. The cost of this package is 18 euros. After payment, the owner of the SIM card will receive 3 GB at maximum speed, as well as 400 minutes for making calls and unlimited incoming calls.
• The changes also affected another operator’s tariff. Now Smart Passport relevant for travelers who plan to visit San Marino, Switzerland, Monaco, Turkey, Albania. The package of services (including calls and mobile traffic) is provided for a day, the price is 3 euros. The Internet cannot be distributed. The daily package of services includes: 30 minutes of calls (both incoming and outgoing to EU numbers) and 200 MB of mobile Internet, as well as 60 messages for sending.

With a SIM card from Vodafone, you can easily make tourist and business trips to Europe, Albania, Switzerland, San Marino, Monaco or Turkey, without worrying about the cost of roaming services.

Ortel Mobile with new tariffs for Europe

New tariffs from the operator Ortel Mobile are beneficial for those who often travel abroad for work and need to not only make calls, but also access the Internet every day. The German company offers several inexpensive and, in our opinion, really profitable options for Europe:

• INTERNET FLAT 2 GB – for 9.90 €, as well as the opportunity to re-order the same amount of traffic for 6 euros.
• INTERNET FLAT 3.5 GB – for 14.90 € is one of the most popular packages among subscribers. Ordering additional traffic costs 9 euros.
• INTERNET FLAT 5.5 GB - for 19.90 €, but if 5 GB of high-speed Internet is not enough for a month, the client can buy the same volume for 15 euros.
• INTERNET FLAT 11 GB – for 29.99 €, when the Internet ends, additional traffic can be ordered for 25 euros.

All offered packages provide the opportunity to receive free incoming calls and call to Russia at a price of 99 cents per minute of outgoing conversation. Each offer is valid for 4 weeks.

To make profitable calls from Germany to 50 other countries, as well as to use inexpensive traffic abroad, we advise you to subscribe to the Ortel tariff - Internet + WORLD calls. This tariff is suitable for frequent tourist trips and business trips abroad. The On-Net Flat function is available on all WORLD tariffs, which provides unlimited calls on the Telephony network, but it is only relevant for Germany.

International operator THREE - affordable Internet in Australia, Israel, Hong Kong and other countries

The offer from the THREE operator will be very relevant for those who travel a lot around the world, not only for tourist visits, but also for work. Moreover, the geography of travel is not limited only to European countries. The SIM card is designed for an active Internet user, for whom the availability of voice services is not so important, but the amount of traffic worries him.

If you need an Internet package with virtually no restrictions (the volume is quite enough for correspondence at work, watching short videos, communicating on social networks and through popular instant messengers and for many other user purposes), then choose a THREE SIM card. The cost of 12 GB of high-speed Internet for a month is 48 euros. The SIM card is completely ready for use and functions not only in Europe, but also in Australia, Indonesia, the States, Hong Kong, and Israel.

How to choose the optimal fare for traveling abroad: recommendations

Many travelers who travel abroad several times a year have a logical question: which SIM card will be the most profitable and optimal for travel? In this case, you need to focus more on which services are more important, which ones will be used more often and how many of them are needed. For example, for very active Internet users who are not particularly interested in voice services, we would recommend a SIM card from the THREE mobile operator. Still, 12 GB of Internet per month is enough for daily Internet surfing.

For those tourists who need Internet in Europe, as well as calls to EU countries and Spain, we recommend the Mundo tariff from the Orange operator.

If you need calls to Russia, inexpensive Internet in different countries of the world and a large coverage area (including exotic countries, as well as the USA), then GlobalSim is the best option.

Ortel Mobile offers are also perfect for communicating with relatives from EU countries or Russia. The operator offers inexpensive Internet packages and affordable call rates.

Vodafone also pleases with affordable offers for Europe (1 GB of Internet with the ability to distribute to other devices for 6 euros). Also, prices for calls are loyal - from 20 to 25 cents per minute (only incoming ones are paid). The only exception is Smart tariff Passport (traffic distribution is prohibited). However, by activating this option, the tourist will be able to be in touch in Monaco, Turkey, Switzerland, San Marino and Albania.

But, of course, only you should make the choice, so study the tariffs in detail and buy a profitable SIM card, thanks to which you will always have the opportunity to find out useful information, call.

It is not surprising that many Russian tourists planning a trip abroad are primarily concerned with the issue of communication with their homeland. The increasingly frequent and hotly discussed cases in the media and blogs related to huge bills for roaming services force each of us to think carefully about this side of travel. Moreover, this applies not only to telephone conversations, but also to Internet traffic. The most famous evidence of this is the conflict between Megafon and a married couple from Vladimir, which ended in litigation.
All this gives me an excellent reason for an analytical article on search the best way mobile communications for tourists traveling abroad.
To make the result as objective as possible, we will determine a number of factors by which the assessment will be made in various ways communications.

1. Tariffs for outgoing and incoming calls (both local and throughout Russia).
2. Cost of SMS messages.
3. The need to change the number.

• calls to Russia: 5 minutes per day (35 minutes during travel);
• local calls: 10 minutes per day (70 minutes during travel);
• SMS: 20 SMS per day (140 SMS during the trip).

Option 1. Roaming from the Big Three

Cost of Italian roaming from the Big Three*

• Calls to home = 69 rubles * 35 minutes = 2415 rubles
• Local calls = 69 rubles * 70 minutes = 4830 rubles
• SMS = 19 rubles * 140 SMS = 2660

Fast and easy connection

The need to change the number

Our rating for this method: 1 out of 5.

Option 2. Buying a local SIM card

Cost of mobile communications in Italy (at Vodafone prices)

• Calls to home = 95 rubles * 35 minutes = 3325 rubles
• Local calls = 6 rubles * 70 minutes = 420 rubles
• SMS = 12 rubles * 140 SMS = 1680

Fast and easy connection

The need to change the number

Other disadvantages

Our rating for this method is 3 out of 5.

Option 3. Tourist SIM cards from E1tele.com

• Absence subscription fee.
• Cheap tariffs, including for calls to Russia.

E1 tariffs for mobile communications in Italy

• Unlimited SIM card validity period. This means that if your friends or you decide to travel to Italy again, you will no longer need to buy a new SIM card. All you need to do is purchase a package of minutes from E1tele.com.
• All SIM card services are available in Russian.

Products from E1tele.com

• E1tele.com for the amount of $10 (≈ 280 rubles);

• Calls to home = 7 rubles * 35 minutes = 245 rubles
• Local calls = 7 rubles * 70 minutes = 490 rubles
• SMS = 7 rubles * 140 SMS = 980 rubles

Premium travel package. Price 1690 rubles.

• SIM card of an Italian mobile operator with a starting balance of 5 € (≈ 200 rubles);
• additional funds on the balance from the company E1tele.com in the amount of $30 (≈ 840 rubles);
• forwarding from your Russian number.

Tourist set "Lux". Price 2490 rubles.

• SIM card of an Italian mobile operator with a starting balance of 5 € (≈ 200 rubles);
• additional funds on the balance from the company E1tele.com in the amount of $60 (≈ 1,700 rubles);
• forwarding from your Russian number.

Fast and easy connection

The need to change the number

Our rating for this method is 5 out of 5.

I hope this article will be useful to everyone who is planning a trip to Italy, especially since this country is one of the most beautiful and amazing ones that I have been able to visit.

* All data is taken from the official websites of operators

Tags:

• tourist sim cards
• mobile connection
• roaming

Tariffs for communications in roaming significantly exceed the usual costs for calls and mobile Internet, it can be inconvenient to monitor traffic and limit yourself. I want to easily update my Facebook feed, respond in instant messengers, upload photos to Instagram, respond to letters and SMS. SIM cards purchased in the destination country are not always suitable for this: it takes time to purchase and activate the card, and calls to Russia are still expensive. The Village talks about SIM cards and tariffs that are beneficial to travelers.

"Dreamsim"

The Dreamsim SIM card is valid in 197 countries. It is not tied to one operator and connects to the local network, while the number always remains the same. Tariffing by minutes and by megabytes: for example, in France, Italy, Germany, Spain, 1 megabyte will cost 1 euro cent (70 kopecks), 1 gigabyte - 10.24 euros (730 rubles), a minute of call to Russia - 25–30 euro cents ( 17–21 rubles). Tariffs in all countries can be found on the company’s website.

You can order a SIM card there, delivery will cost 10 euros (710 rubles). It will be delivered to Moscow within 24 hours (pickup is also available here), to St. Petersburg - in two or three days, in other cities you will have to wait for a registered letter delivered by Russian Post.

Originally on Dreamsim zero balance, you can top it up from mobile application, it also helps you keep track of your expenses. Dreamsim has a referral program: if new subscriber registers using the user's link and tops up the account with 10 euros (710 rubles), both will receive 5 euros. There is no subscription fee, but if you do not use the card for 365 days, 5 euro cents (3.5 rubles) will be charged monthly for the subsequent reservation of the number.

Anastasia Ilyashenko

veterinarian

I found the “Dreamsim” card on a traveler’s blog, the conditions suited me. I didn’t consider other options. I've been using the SIM card for a month, during which time I've been to two countries - Estonia and Cyprus. About 4 euros left the account: in Estonia I called and used the Internet, in Cyprus I only made calls. The SIM card is convenient because it does not need to be switched from country to country. It is possible to receive bonus points into your account.

Ekaterina Zastrogina

university administration employee

I saw positive reviews about Dreamsim several times on my friend’s travel blog and decided to try it too. We were impressed by the fast delivery and the nice interface of the application. On my first trip to the UK, there were some communication problems, but everything was resolved quite quickly using the technical support chat directly in the application. In terms of money - no more than 10 euros for two weeks of vacation. This is only the Internet (social networks, maps, Google search), somehow it didn’t come to SMS and calls.

GlobalSim

This SIM card is produced by the Estonian operator TOP Connect. It operates in more than 200 countries (in most of them, incoming calls will be free). Calls to Russian mobile numbers from most European countries cost 29 cents per minute, other calls - 29 cents, mobile Internet - 25 cents per megabyte. There are preferential packages for Internet and calls to Russia: for example, for 19 dollars (1,096 rubles) per month you can get 1 gigabyte of traffic. All tariff options can be found on the SIM card website. The balance is replenished from personal account. It is better to choose packages in advance to avoid confusion.

The cost of a card with a balance of 10 dollars (577 rubles) on the account starts from 750 rubles; the card can be ordered in the online store. Behind beautiful room They offer to pay extra from 300 to 1,500 rubles. GlobalSim does not have a subscription fee. The card does not expire if you make at least one call every two years. There is a 24-hour Russian-language support service, but only three minutes will be free, subsequent minutes will be charged as a call to Estonian mobile number. Among the shortcomings: some users complain about poor connection quality.

Vyacheslav Shevkunov

engineer service center

This is the most profitable option for Europe. Especially if you often cross borders within the EU. I use GlobalSim for the Internet, calls now, in my opinion, are not needed by anyone. There is also a service that the operator does not advertise: you pay $10 once a year and get a tariff of 1 cent per megabyte throughout the European Union. Considering that you don’t need to buy a new SIM card every time and connect Internet packages for an unnecessary number of gigabytes and minutes, it turns out to be very profitable. For example, with Spanish operators, 1 gigabyte costs 7–10 euros (500–700 rubles), and the operator will definitely impose additional services. Everything is clear here. You cannot go into minus, the balance is replenished from the card on the website. And using referral links you can get the SIM card itself almost free of charge.

Mikhail Shashin

traveler

When I was traveling to Spain, I needed an operator that would be beneficial specifically for this country. Of the SIM cards that can be bought in Russia, the leaders for me were two - Orange and GlobalSim. I chose the latter because of their cheap calls to Russian landlines and mobile numbers and a relatively inexpensive internet package (1 gigabyte for $20). In two weeks, I spend about $10 (577 rubles) on calls and 20 dollars (1,153 rubles) on the Internet, if I connect it.

Orange Mundo

Before the abolition of roaming in Europe, the Spanish operator Orange's travel plan was called Go Europe. In most countries, it has a single cost - 50 euro cents (36 rubles) per 100 megabytes. In Russia, they offer to buy a SIM card on various websites: it costs 745 rubles, and together with a balance of 10 euros (710 rubles) and a connected Internet package, the cost will increase to 2,160 rubles.

The SIM card is valid in 41 European countries (does not work in Switzerland, Monaco, northern Cyprus), most have a 4G connection. According to the promotion, which will end soon, an Internet package with traffic up to 2 gigabytes per month costs 7 euros (498 rubles), up to 4 gigabytes - 10 euros (710 rubles), up to 6 gigabytes - 15 euros (1,068 rubles). If the limit is exceeded, packages can be extended (sending a message with a request is also charged), they are also automatically renewed once a month, but you can switch to a tariff without a subscription fee. You can change tariffs free of charge only five times, each subsequent switch will cost 6 euros.

Incoming calls are free, but outgoing calls are only possible to European numbers. A message to a Russian number will cost 1.21 euros, or 86 rubles. For Spain the tariffs are different. To reuse a SIM card, you need to register on the operator’s website. If you do not top up your balance regularly, the card will be deactivated.

Sergey Yashin

entrepreneur

I bought a SIM card from the Spanish operator Orange on the Euroroaming website. There was a promotion “10 euros - 5 gigabytes”. Very comfortably. The card works in EU countries, but in Serbia and Croatia we were without the Internet. I didn’t use calls; in the end, 20 euros (1,424 rubles) was enough for two months.

Varvara Sergeeva

entrepreneur

I purchased this card a year ago before traveling to Spain. I bought it in St. Petersburg, from a travel company. I had a walking journey ahead of me in the north of the country, along the Camino de Santiago, from the south of France through the Pyrenees to the west of Spain. I deposited 100 euros (7,120 rubles) into my account back in Russia, this money was enough for almost a two-month trip, internet and telephone conversations inside Spain, there are still about 10–15 euros (712–1,068 rubles) left. To communicate with Russia, I had another SIM card, so I used Orange only for communication within the European Union. Included with it was detailed instructions with tariffs in Russian.

In terms of the cost of Internet and mobile communications, they are the cheapest, because they are local telecom operators. You will have the phone number of the country of your stay. Your new friends, partners and colleagues will be able to call you to a local number in your host country

Allowing you to always be connected to the Internet and mobile communications. We have selected only the best European cellular operators, offering the most versatile and cheap tariff plans for your trip.

The cost of mobile Internet and cellular communications on these SIM cards is slightly more expensive than on SIM cards from local telecom operators. but they give freedom of movement, allowing you to always have mobile Internet at the best prices. You do not need to purchase a new SIM card in each country. You will always be in touch. Save your time and money!!!

Your advantages when using SIM cards

Full control over expenses

No roaming

Full control over roaming costs

The lowest price

Possibility to use local rates

Large data / fixed options

Very affordable international calls

Suitable for all types of devices (all Cell phones, tablets, laptops, UMTS modems, mobile Wi-Fi...)

Always stay in touch

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