When you arrive in Egypt, you will definitely be able to stay in touch with home, update content on social networks and be aware of the latest news. And all because there is a connection in Egypt, and its quality has improved significantly in recent years. Good communication is noted in tourist cities, populated regions of the country, the coasts of the Red and Mediterranean Seas. In the desert, which occupies 95% of the country’s territory, there is no mobile coverage.
Cellular operators in Egypt provide a network with full 4G/LTE. If you want to be in touch and no matter how much it will cost, then you can always connect the roaming of your native operator. If you want affordable prices and acceptable communication, there are cards of local operators.
We will tell you about the different options, and which one to stop, choose for yourself.
Egyptian numbers eight digits
International country code – 20
To call within the country, dial
0 – area code – called party number
For calls abroad
00 (or +) – country code – area code (if any) – called party number
SIM card of a local operator in Egypt
Currently, Egypt’s mobile operators are represented by three companies. The quality of their services is about the same as the cost. A local SIM card in Egypt is the best option to stay in touch, and there are plenty to choose from.
Vodafone in Egypt
Vodafone Egypt is the largest mobile phone provider in the country, 50% owned by state-owned Telecom Egypt. It is advantageous for tourists to consider purchasing a tourist card “Holiday SIM”. It costs 20 Egyptian pounds ($ 1.28), 5 of which remain in the account. Valid for 40 days. The default rate is 1 MB per 1 Egyptian pound ($0.06). You can activate one of the listed tariffs for this card – 50 MB for 7 days for 2 Egyptian pounds (0.13 $), 350 MB for 7 days for 5 Egyptian pounds (0.32 $). Each plan is subject to government tax of LE 0.51 per month.
Orange Egypt
The local mobile prepaid operator, known as Mobinil until 2016, is the second in the country’s mobile communications market. A SIM card costs 30 Egyptian pounds ($2). The default tariff on it is basic, which involves debiting money as you use it. 12 MB is provided for one and a half Egyptian pounds per day ($0.06).
The operator has several tariff plans that may be of interest to travelers. The validity period is 30 days. Here is some of them. Online 10 with a volume of 400 MB for 10 Egyptian pounds (0.64 $). Online 75 5 GB for 75 Egyptian pounds ($4.78). Online 250 20 GB for 250 Egyptian pounds ($15.95). Each plan is subject to government tax of LE 0.51 per month.
Etisalat in Egypt
The smallest of all providers in the country and unfortunately has poor coverage in some regions of the country. A SIM card costs 20 Egyptian pounds ($1.28), of which 10 remains in the account. The default rate on it is basic, which involves writing off money as you use it – 0.50 Egyptian pounds per 1 MB. The list of tariff plans is small, but there are plenty to choose from. Connect 7 350 MB plan for 7 days for £7 ($0.45). Connect 10 400 MB plan for 30 days for £10 ($0.64). Connect 50 3 GB plan for 30 days for £50 ($3.19). Each plan is subject to government tax of LE 0.51 per month. With active use of social networks, the operator has a Super Social Unlimited package – 1 GB for Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram and others for 15 pounds (0.96 $).
Where to buy a SIM card in Egypt?
It is very easy to get a SIM card in Egypt. To do this, you need to visit any of the shops of mobile communication providers. Searching for these shops in Egypt will give you many results, but you may find that some do not cater to individuals, others do not sell packages. In order not to waste time, it is best to consider providers’ stores, for example, at Sharm airport, or in shopping centers in tourist cities such as Sharm el-Sheikh, Hurghada, Alexandria or Cairo. Above, we have oriented you how much a SIM card costs in Egypt. Information will not be superfluous, since when buying at unofficial points of sale there is a risk of overpaying.
How to buy, activate and top up a SIM card in Egypt?
When buying a local SIM card, it must be activated and registered. Registration takes place in the name of the buyer. To do this, you must have a passport or driver’s license, and indicate a local address. The hotel address is fine. To minimize the nuances, you can ask the seller to activate the package.
How to save traffic in Egypt?
So that the mobile Internet in Egypt does not “eat” more than the budget, a few tips on how to save traffic. Turn off automatic app updates and location history. Download a map of the required area in advance. The same applies to books, audio and video materials that you will need on your trip.
How much does a SIM card with internet cost in Egypt?
Sim card with internet in Egypt costs 25 Egyptian pounds