Mobile communication in Greece is very good. Here you will not have any problems to call from any operator, including from your SIM card. The signal will be everywhere, with the possible exception of some very remote, small islands. In order to call within the country and use the Internet, it is more convenient and more profitable to buy a SIM card from one of the local operators.
Leading mobile operators in Greece:
Vodafone ;
Each of these operators has its pros and cons. Let’s talk about them briefly:
Cosmote – with its SIM card, you will have a signal everywhere. It has the largest coverage, but the same cannot be said about the data transfer rate. With Cosmote, you “have everything, but not everything at once.” Fares here are also not the cheapest in Greece.
Vodafone – if you do not try to “embrace the immensity” (both calls, and the Internet, and SMS), then it is quite possible to pick up a cheap tariff and always be in touch. With this operator, you need to clearly decide what is more important for you: calls, messages or fast Internet. And select a rate based on this.
Wind means affordable rates. Option “for a student on vacation.” But the coverage is not the best, there will be no signal in remote areas of the country. If you are planning a vacation in big cities, then feel free to buy a Wind SIM card and save. The cost of mobile Internet in Greece, unfortunately, is not the lowest in Europe. One of the “budget” tariffs in Cosmote costs €3 and gives only 120 Mb of traffic. You can connect a little cheaper in one of the subsidiaries of the “business sharks”. So Frog is the “daughter” of Cosmote, Tazamobile is from Vodafone, and Q is from Wind. The quality of communication will be worse than that of large operators.
Which tariff to choose in Greece
For tourists, all operators have packages of €5, 10, 15 and more. It is best to choose seasonal offers, they are usually beneficial for visitors.
At Wind , connecting a SIM card costs € 10, which are transferred to your account.
- For calls abroad, the “Q no borders” package is suitable. For 8 euros you get 200 minutes of calls within Greece and abroad.
- For calls within the country, the “4€ TO ALL” package is suitable. 120 minutes to all networks for only 4 euros.
- For the Internet, you can connect the tariff “4€ SURF”. For 4 euros you get 450 MB. It can be activated 4 times per month.
Cosmote has a “Sim Only Pack” plan. You buy a SIM card for €15, while you already have €10 on your balance. With these €10 you can activate the desired package.
- A good “What’s Up” package: calls within the country €0.372/minute, and SMS – €0.09 within the country and €0.2 abroad. Within the network, this tariff provides many different bonuses and gifts. But for calls to landlines, it is better not to use them – it is very expensive.
- For €20 you can buy a package that includes 2 GB of traffic, for € 25 – 5 GB, but according to the same scheme – for exceeding the Internet at an expensive price.
Vodafone has one of the most popular tariffs – International.
- Call to Greek number € 0.22/minute
- To EU countries – €0.87/min.
- SMS – €0.04.
- Mobile Internet with Vodafone costs about €20 for 2 GB of traffic.
Where to buy in Greece and how to activate a SIM card
This can be done in communication salons, kiosks, airports. If possible, use one of the points of the Germanos network, there are very professional sellers. When buying a SIM card, be sure to say that you need a “pre-paid” – that is, a prepaid card. Otherwise, in addition to the passport, the seller will ask for an id, which only local residents have. In order to register a SIM card, even a tourist one, in Greece, you need to be of legal age. Therefore, if the card is needed for a child, you will have to take it in your own name.
Packages with a 3G modem are not worth taking, it’s a waste of money. If 3G is not available on the phone, then it will not be on the modem either.
Activate the card in any of the communication salons. The account is replenished from a voucher card, denominations vary from €7 to €36, depending on the operator. Cards can be purchased in the salon, kiosks and supermarkets at the operator’s counters and replenish the account from them anywhere and at any time following the instructions.
WiFi in Greece
Despite the fact that Wi-Fi in Greece expands its coverage very quickly, the quality often leaves much to be desired. In hotels, it is often overloaded and the signal disappears. Most often you can use Wi-Fi in the lobby. As for the room – you need to call the hotel and check. But there are access points, and not only in megacities, but even in small resort towns. Free Wi-Fi is available in any cafe of the Flocafe chain, the icon will tell you about it right on the door. You can get paid Wi-Fi access at any Forthnet store, Starbucks cafe, McDonald’s, Minoan Lines ferries and some other cafes and restaurants, but you need to check with the staff if this is possible.
To pay for access, you need a NetKey Wi-Fi card, which for €6 will provide you with two hours of Internet or a day for €14.
If you need the Internet “Right now!”, But there is no payment card, send an SMS “WiFi” to 54350 (€1.19 will be charged) and you will have access for 20 minutes.
Before you buy 20 minutes of paid Internet, check if you suddenly come across an open connection. If you see the letters “CONN-X”, then try the password 1234567890123, it can connect. Many are too lazy to change the factory code, and they continue to use it.