Which sim to buy?
India – derived from the River Indus, is the second-most populated country in the world. By landmass, it is the 7th-largest country in the world.
India does not need an introduction – everyone knows something about this country.
Known for being the largest democracy in the world, having the most tigers in a country worldwide, a big fan of cricket, and home to plenty of official languages.
And let's not forget about the attractions this country has to offer. Of course, the Taj Mahal. The famous Ranthambore, and the Amber Palace.
You could visit the busy cities (sometimes a bit too busy) or the stunning nature in the countryside.
One thing an Indian friend of mine said, which I found funny, is that no matter where you are, even in the middle of the desert, there will always be people around. There is no reason to feel lonely in India ;)
Normally, I made a quick remark about international roaming being expensive in general.
However, India is home to one of the lowest, if not the lowest, mobile data rates in the world. And the Indian operators have another gift for you.
You can get a free Indian SIM card from Jio, Airtel & VI (Vodafone Idea) in their stores. However, you will be required to top-up or buy a plan when obtaining your complimentary SIM card (could be up to 300 INR – 3.65 USD). 1 GB of data will cost you at least 11 INR (0.15 USD).
Free SIM cards AND spending less than a quarter on 1 GB of data – quite unheard of!
But before you go out and try to get your free Indian SIM card, there are many things to be aware of when trying to get SIM cards in India – it can be time-consuming, especially for tourists and travelers.
In this guide, I will go over everything you need to know about buying a SIM card in India. Let's go.
Original publication: 31st of December 2019. Last updated: 1st of June 2023.
Anyone living in or visiting India can buy/get an Indian SIM card from Jio, Airtel, or VI (Vodafone Idea) in their stores without any restrictions.
You do have to comply with the SIM card registration regulations.
Moreover, you need a phone that supports the frequencies used in the country (preferably all of them to have the most optimal experience while in India).
Furthermore, you need to have a SIM-lock-free device.
Be aware that SIM cards of foreigners without a residence permit are valid until your Visa ceases or for 90 days, depending on the policy of the branch you visit.
You can get your free Indian SIM card in the official stores of Jio, Airtel & VI (Vodafone Idea). BSNL sells them for up to 50 INR, depending on the type of SIM card you need. It is also possible to get SIM cards at select international airports, including Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport & Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport.
You can buy a SIM card in the following international airports:
You can expect to pay the following for Indian SIM cards:
For up-to-date IND:your currency (let's say USD) exchange rates, use the Wise Currency Converter tool.
India uses GSM technology for mobile communications. CDMA is used by a handful of regional operators with poor nationwide coverage. Even then, CDMA phones do not have SIM card slots, so you would be able to use CDMA networks without roaming on them. If your phone has a SIM card slot, then it supports GSMA (99% of the phones do support GSM nowadays).
Traditional European frequencies are used in India, which are mostly used in ITU Regions 1 & 3 (Africa, Asia (including the Middle East), Europe & Oceania).
The Americas (North-, Central– & South America + the Caribbean – ITU Region 2) use American Frequencies, which differ from the European ones.
If you bought your phone in Africa, Asia, Europe, or Oceania (ITU Regions 1 & 3), you should not experience any issues with using your phone in India.
If you purchased your phone in the Americas (ITU Region 2) and have a low/medium-end device (without Tri-Band or Quad-Band) support, then you should go with Jio. One of its frequencies, 850 MHz (Band 5) is a traditional American Frequency. However, speeds on this low frequency are slow(er than usual) due to the nature of the frequency. Do note that Jio has no 2G nor 3G networks to fall back on when there is no 4G/LTE coverage on 850 MHz.
If you have a medium/high-end device with Tri-Band or Quad-Band support, you can use your phone in India (to some extent) – also on 4G/LTE.
India has four mobile network operators offering prepaid services easily accessible to travelers:
The following frequencies are used in India:
You can learn more about frequencies in the video below.
To check whether your phone will work in India, check out this page by Kimovil or this one by Will My Phone Work (outdated, unfortunately, but extremely user-friendly – useful for phones launched in or before 2019. It does not check for 5G NR compatibility).
Again, make sure your phone is unlocked. Otherwise, you will not be able to use any SIM card except the one from your home operator (meaning you have to roam internationally or buy another unlocked phone that does support the frequencies listed above).
If you want to learn how international roaming works, this guide explains it in-depth. If you wonder why it is often so expensive to roam, this article explains the hidden reason they do not want you to know.
BSNL (Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited) is a government-owned mobile network operator. It is active in all regions in India, except for Mumbai and Dehli.
MTNL (Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited – also government-owned), however, is only active in Mumbai and Dehli. Although being the smallest operator in the country, they still have more than 100 million subscribers.
BSNL has been rolling out 4G/LTE for a while. However, it is inferior compared to the private players in the country. MTNL only offers 2G and 3G packages.
Suppose you are not interested in data use, or do not mind even slower mobile internet speeds in India. In that case, both BSNL and MTNL could be interesting, as they are the cheapest operators in the country.
For the majority of travelers, the price difference between the government-owned operators and the privately-owned ones will be minimal. With the lack of proper nationwide 4G/LTE coverage, speeds with BSNL and MTNL will be even slower than the already slow speeds in India. As a result, they will not be covered in this guide.
However, you can learn more about BSNL and MTNL on their websites (BSNL/MTNL New Dehli & MTNL Mumbai).
Commercial 5G NR is not available in India yet in 2022. However, it is supposed to launch later this year.
Unfortunately, none of the mobile operators offer eSIM (to prepaid customers) in India yet.
However, you can also get a travel eSIM from various eSIM providers.
The list below is not exhaustive – many more providers have eSIMs for India.
But these are the ones I have tried and had pleasant experiences with.
Moreover, they are reasonably priced, which I find very important (you will not see me recommending an eSIM I would not buy myself).
So here are the 13 best eSIMs for India:
Because this is the SIM card buying guide for India, I will not spend too much time about travel eSIMs here and throughout this guide (but I will still do here and there).
If you want to learn more about the best eSIMs for India, you better check out my India eSIM buying guide.
It is as helpful and comprehensive as this guide but about eSIMs instead 😜.
SIM card registration with your passport information is mandatory in India. It will be done at the point of purchase.
Moreover, you also have to bring a passport-sized photo with you when getting your SIM card. Many stores will have the equipment to take a picture of you, especially at airports. Still, it is good practice to bring a photograph yourself.
Furthermore, proof of stay is also part of the SIM card registration process. If you are staying in a hotel, a visiting card may be enough. However, some branches may ask for a letter from the front desk staff for verification.
If you are staying at a private residence (friend, family, or Airbnb), then you need their contact details. The salesperson may call your contact as part of the Know Your Customer (KYC) process.
Finally, proof of address (in your home country/the country you live in) is mandatory as well. If your passport lists your address, this will suffice. However, not all passports will have addresses listed. In that case, the employee will guide you through what proof will suffice to satisfy this requirement.
In the past, it could take a few days before your new SIM card would be activated after processing all the paperwork. Nowadays, SIM cards are active after few minutes up to an hour. But be prepared not to be able to use your SIM card for 24 hours.
SIM card registration at airports is less tedious and time-consuming. However, SIM cards (+ a plan because SIM cards are free in India) are sold at a hefty premium at airports. Where you can get a SIM card with (select starter) plans for up to 200 INR (2.45 USD), the same offer may cost you 1000 INR at airports (12.20 USD).
Although inflated, it may be more convenient to purchase your SIM card at an airport. The staff at airports always speak English fluently enough to get your SIM card paperwork sorted, while it can be a hit or miss in town. Moreover, SIM cards registered at airports are registered faster than most other branches.
Plus, when comparing the inflated airport prices to SIM cards sold globally, the costs are not too outrageous, especially for SIM cards sold at airports.
Do never, under any circumstance, accept a SIM card without going to a registration process or pay a fee to skip the process. Not only is this illegal, but your SIM card could be shut down at any time, making it a waste of money.
India uses the Indian Rupee with the symbol INR (which will be used throughout this guide).
However, prices are often listed in ₹. In the past, Rs was also used. For example, 25 INR = ₹25.
For reference, below are some exchange rates between INR and USD (US Dollars):
For up-to-date INR:your currency (let's say GBP – (British) Pound (Sterling)) exchange rates, use the Wise Currency Converter tool.
Below, I will guide you through Jio, Airtel India & VI (Vodafone Idea), and go through:
With that being said, let’s see what India has to offer to us.
Reliance Jio Infocomm, just Jio, is the largest mobile operator in India. When it entered the market in late 2015 as a 4G/LTE-only mobile operator, its goal was to disrupt the Indian telecom market.
With an aggressive pricing strategy, which led to a price war, significant investments in infrastructure, leading it to be the operator with the most towers, and getting rid of Indian national roaming, it quickly became the most prominent player. So much so that Vodafone India and Idea had to merge into one company to stay competitive.
You could say that Jio's goal to disrupt the Indian telecom market succeeded. It is now the third-largest mobile operator in the world (420+ million subscribers).
Jio uses the following frequencies:
Jio has the best coverage in India.
Its 4G availability and 4G coverage experience are the highest of all the Indian mobile operators.
Below is Jio's coverage map produced by Speedtest:
You can get a Jio SIM card for free in Jio stores. However, you will be required to purchase a plan or recharge to get your free SIM card.
Therefore, if you wish to get an eSIM for India (without personal detail capturing), you can get India Indicomm eSIMs from Airalo (four options):
Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in May based on data up to the 17th of May (2023 data only).
No idea what or who Airalo is? Check out my Airalo review, where I share my hands-on experience after using its eSIMs in more than 25 countries over four years.
If you plan on visiting other countries in Asia and others in other regions or continents, consider the Airalo Discover Global eSIM to be used in 85+ countries worldwide with five variants:
Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in May based on data up to the 17th of May (2023 data only).
Do you think the map above is nice, but you want a country list instead (because you do not recognize the countries on a map🗿)? You can find it in my Airalo review!
Many more travel eSIMs will perform well in India.
You can read about them in my Best India eSIMs Compared guide for an in-depth comparison.
Jio has nine data-featured prepaid plans:
All Jio plans can be activated on the MyJio app or online.
Moreover, all plans allow you to continue using data after exhausting your data allowance. However, your speeds will be throttled to 64 Kbps.
I will list all the prices in INR (Indian Rupee).
To convert INR to your currency (let's say GBP – (British) Pound (Sterling)) with up-to-date exchange rates, use the Wise Currency Converter tool.
Click on the links above to jump to the plan you are interested in.
The Jio Freedom Plans are, as the name implies, combo bundles with data (without 5G NR access), minutes & SMS (max. 100 SMS/day).
The following Jio Freedom Plans are available:
The 1 GB/day Pack plans are, as the name implies, combo bundles with data (without 5G NR access), minutes & SMS (max. 100 SMS/day).
The following 1 GB/day Packs are available:
The 1.5 GB/day Packs plans are, as the name implies, combo bundles with data (without 5G NR access), minutes & SMS (max. 100 SMS/day).
The following 1.5 GB/day Packs are available:
The 2 GB/day Packs plans are, as the name implies, combo bundles with data (without 5G NR access), minutes & SMS (max. 100 SMS/day).
The following 2 GB/day Packs are available:
The 3 GB/day Packs plans are, as the name implies, combo bundles with data (without 5G NR access), minutes & SMS (max. 100 SMS/day).
The following 3 GB/day Packs are available:
The Prepaid Recharge Plans are, as the name implies, combo bundles with data (without 5G NR access), minutes & SMS.
The following Prepaid Recharge Plans are available:
The No Daily Limit plans are, as the name implies, combo bundles with data (without 5G NR access) minutes & SMS.
The following No Daily Limit are available:
The Value Pack plans are, as the name implies, data-only bundles (without 5G NR access).
The following Value Pack are available:
The JioPhone Data Add-ONs are, as the name implies, data add-ons. They cannot be purchased as standalone plans.
The following JioPhone Data Add-ONs are available:
Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched.
Jump back to the Table of Contents.
Bharti Airtel, just Airtel, is India's second-largest mobile operator. It has been a player in the Indian telecom market for more than 25 years.
Its first international venture was in Sri Lanka (Airtel Lanka).
Now, Airtel is active in 19 countries in South Asia, Africa, Jersey & Guernsey in Europe.
With all its subsidiaries, Bharti Airtel is the second-largest mobile operator in the world (440+ million subscribers).
Airtel uses the following frequencies:
Airtel has extensive coverage throughout India.
Its 4G availability is high, so is its 4G coverage experience. Airtel is the best mobile operator for video calls, voice calls through apps (VoIP), and online gaming.
Below is Airtel's coverage map produced by Speedtest:
You can get an Airtel SIM card for free in Airtel stores. However, you will be required to purchase a plan or recharge to get your free SIM card.
Therefore, if you wish to get an eSIM for India (without personal detail capturing), you can get eSIMs from Holafly (one option):
The best part is that you can get 5% off using code PHONETRAVELWIZ on each Holafly eSIM purchase!
No idea what or who Holafly is? Check out my Holafly review, where I share my hands-on experience after using its eSIMs in more than ten countries over two years.
If you plan on visiting other countries in Asia and others in other regions or continents, consider the Airalo Discover Global eSIM to be used in 85+ countries worldwide with five variants:
Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in May based on data up to the 17th of May (2023 data only).
Do you think the map above is nice, but you want a country list instead (because you do not recognize the countries on a map🗿)? You can find it in my Airalo review!
Many more travel eSIMs will perform well in India.
You can read about them in my Best India eSIMs Compared guide for an in-depth comparison.
Airtel has two data-featured prepaid plans: Truly Unlimited (combo) & Data (data-only).
All Airtel plans can be activated on the Airtel Thanks app or online.
I will list all the prices in INR (Indian Rupee).
To convert INR to your currency (let's say GBP – (British) Pound (Sterling)) with up-to-date exchange rates, use the Wise Currency Converter tool.
The Truly Unlimited plans are, as the name implies, combo bundles with data (without 5G NR access) minutes & SMS.
The majority of plans also give you access to Amazon Prime Video (30-day trial), Apollo 24|7 Circle (for 3 months), Airtel Xstream Premium, Hellotunes, Wynk Music, Shaw Academy (1 year).
The following Truly Unlimited are available:
The Data plans are, as the name implies, data-only bundles (without 5G NR access).
The following Data are available:
1 access to xtreme premium for 30 days
Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched.
Jump back to the Table of Contents.
Vodafone Idea, known as VI, is the third-largest mobile operator in India.
It formed as a merger between Vodafone India and Idea Cellular.
The agreement of the merger was agreed back in 2018.
However, it took until Q3 2020 before the two companies became one and offered their services under one brand.
VI is the 7th largest mobile operator in the world (280+ million subscribers).
VI has the fastest mobile download and upload speed in the country.
According to Opensignal, the average mobile download speed is 11.9 Mbps, and the average mobile upload speed is 4.5 Mbps.
Speedtest reports an even higher mobile download speed of 15 Mbps.
VI uses the following frequencies:
VI has extensive coverage throughout India.
Vi does have the worst 4G availability and 4G coverage experience of the big three players.
Below is VI's coverage map produced by Speedtest:
You can get a VI SIM card for free in VI stores. However, you will be required to purchase a plan or recharge to get your free SIM card.
Therefore, if you wish to get an eSIM for Nomad without personal detail capturing, you can get eSIMs from Nomad (five options):
The best part is that you can get 3 USD/2.70 EUR/2.40 GBP/4.05 CAD off using code ADU123 on your first Nomad eSIM purchase!
Promo: until the 30th of June, you can get 10% off plans with 10 GB of data or more by using code NOMADSUMMER23. If you do not need that much data, you can still use code ADU123 for the struck through discounted rates mentioned above – you are welcome 😜.
No idea what or who Nomad is? Check out my Nomad review, where I share my hands-on experience after using its eSIMs in more than 25 countries over two years.
If you plan on visiting other countries in Asia and others in other regions or continents, consider the Airalo Discover Global eSIM to be used in 85+ countries worldwide with five variants:
Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in May based on data up to the 17th of May (2023 data only).
Do you think the map above is nice, but you want a country list instead (because you do not recognize the countries on a map🗿)? You can find it in my Airalo review!
Many more travel eSIMs will perform well in India.
You can read about them in my Best India eSIMs Compared guide for an in-depth comparison.
VI top-up vouchers are sold in VI stores and other stores, including kiosks, phone stores, and grocery stores.
To top up your VI SIM card, dial *199*5# or *199# and follow the instructions.
You can tell the salesperson how much credit you want, your phone number, pay, and they will top up your SIM card with the POS system.
You can also recharge online with (international) debit and credit cards.
Dial *111# or *199*2# to check your VI balance.
You can also use the VI to refill and check your balance (Android/iOS).
VI has four data-featured prepaid plans:
All VI plans can be activated on the VI app or online.
I will list all the prices in INR (Indian Rupee).
To convert INR to your currency (let's say GBP – (British) Pound (Sterling)) with up-to-date exchange rates, use the Wise Currency Converter tool.
Click on the links above to jump to the plans you are interested in.
The Unlimited plans are, as the name implies, combo bundles with data (without 5G NR access) minutes & SMS.
The majority of plans also give you access to VI mobies and TV. Many also allow you to roll over unused workday data (Monday-Friday) to the weekend (Saturday & Sunday).
The following Unlimited are available:
The Disney+ Hotstar VIP plans are, as the name implies, combo bundles with data (without 5G NR access) minutes & SMS. You also get 1-year access to Disney+ Hotstar.
Do note that if you are a tourist and get one of these plans, you will also get access to Disney+ Hotstar. However, you will not be able to use your subscription back home (perhaps you can if using a VPN and setting the location to India may work, but that is not something I can confirm yet).
The following Disney+ Hotstar VIP are available:
The Combo/Validity plans are, as the name implies, combo bundles with credit, data (without 5G NR access) & minutes.
The following Combo/Validity are available:
The Data plans are, as the name implies, data-only bundles (without 5G NR access).
The following Data are available:
1 1 year of Disney+ & Hotstar VIP2 1 year of Zee5 Premium
Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched.
Jump back to the Table of Contents.
Getting a SIM card from Jio would do you well when considering an Indian SIM card.
- BSNL: Affordable plans, wide coverage.
- Airtel: Fast data speeds, excellent customer service.
- Jio: Cheap data plans, bundled services like JioTV and JioSaavn.
- Vi (Vodafone Idea): Strong network coverage, competitive pricing.
A mobile phone is now one of the essential gadgets for almost everyone. Keeping aside the technical evolutions in smartphones, one thing remains constant in them, i.e. SIM cards. Today, you can buy SIM online and get it delivered and activated at home. But are you aware of deciding on which SIM card would be best for your needs?
Choosing the best SIM card plan for your needs can be daunting, especially with many available options. From data plans to call rates, each plan has unique features catering to different needs. This blog post will discuss choosing the best SIM card plan for your needs, whether you're looking to buy a Jio SIM, Vi SIM, Airtel SIM, or BSNL SIM.
In this article, you will get an insight into the essential factors for choosing the best SIM card for your needs.
Here are a few factors you should consider while seeking a new online SIM card purchase. These factors will help you find the best SIM card according to your specific needs:
The first thing you should do before buying a new SIM is to check the network coverage in your area. You can quickly check network coverage on the provider's website or using third-party tools like OpenSignal.
It's essential to choose the best mobile network that has good coverage in the places where you spend most of your time. Else you will experience call drops and internet buffering due to weak signals. You will just be investing in recharge plans but won't be able to use all of its facilities.
Next, you should determine the internet speed when you use mobile data. As you have availed of a data plan, you must get the promised speed upon using the internet on your device. If you are mostly travelling and are disconnected from your Wi-Fi, then mobile data is what you depend on.
You can search "fastest network in my area" and rely on google results or simply use tools like OpenSignal. Alternatively, call the network operator to confirm whether or not the speed they offer applies to your area. Try and validate the same by taking reviews of some of their customers. If you have someone who uses the respective carrier's SIM card, you can also test the speed. If the internet speed matters to you, go for the SIM card with good download and upload speed.
The third and one of the most important things is to consider the pricing of the plans concerning the speed and coverage they offer. Suppose you find a good SIM card carrier with optimal network coverage and internet speed, but the pricing of the plans is relatively high. In that case, you must compare its service efficiency and the cost of the plans with other SIM carriers.
If you have to buy a BSNL SIM or go for a Jio prepaid SIM card, you must compare the pricing of the data and voice plans while ordering SIM online. While comparing the price, look at the additional benefits like free OTT subscriptions they offer for that price point. Check the amount of data, free SMS, calling, and other facilities they offer at a specific price. Hence, the comparison will be easier between the reputed SIM carriers.
Go for the plans within your budget and provide you with the necessary features!
Here is a list of the best mobile network providers, along with their USPs:
Each provider allows you to buy a SIM card online, making it easy to get started with their services. However, it's important to remember that the best option for you will depend on factors like your location, data usage, and budget, as mentioned above. Be sure to compare plans and prices carefully before making a decision.
Conclusion
