Sim Card?? Dubai

Old Jan 3rd 2018, 3:08 pm
  #1  
Just Joined
Thread Starter
 
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 17
yassar is an unknown quantity at this point
Default Sim Card?? Dubai

Hi Guys.

So i travel for work to Dubai at the end of this month. I am in search of a good service provider and not very expensive.

I have come across Etislat at 450AED which is 90GBP. ( And it doesn't come with an iPhone X)

Ideally I'm looking for minutes, and importantly Data as i would wish to use Waze, Googlemaps. Getting from A to B.

Any Suggestions?

Thanks in Advance.
yassar is offline  
Old Jan 3rd 2018, 9:23 pm
  #2  
Just Joined
 
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 12
Arfana is an unknown quantity at this point
Default Re: Sim Card?? Dubai

I'm in the same boat! I've heard Du is supposed to be cheaper than etisalat.
Arfana is offline  
Old Jan 3rd 2018, 10:16 pm
  #3  
Just Joined
Thread Starter
 
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 17
yassar is an unknown quantity at this point
Default Re: Sim Card?? Dubai

Ive done some research and notice there is a third provider which is virgin media.

I think my important question is what is an average monthly amount spent on your mobile phone.

Currently in the UK ive got everything unlimited and have never had to worry about it "/
yassar is offline  
Old Jan 4th 2018, 5:20 am
  #4  
BE Forum Addict
 
Joined: Jan 2011
Location: Dubai
Posts: 3,467
jam25mack has a reputation beyond reputejam25mack has a reputation beyond reputejam25mack has a reputation beyond reputejam25mack has a reputation beyond reputejam25mack has a reputation beyond reputejam25mack has a reputation beyond reputejam25mack has a reputation beyond reputejam25mack has a reputation beyond reputejam25mack has a reputation beyond reputejam25mack has a reputation beyond reputejam25mack has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Sim Card?? Dubai

I think your only option is a pre-paid sim as you need a residency visa to get a contract. You can get these at the airport. Not sure of the packages.

As for Etisalat or Du they are much of a muchness. I am on Etisalat and I think its generally better coverage. Similarly they are similar on costs. I think it is more which package suits you best. Mine costs on average 400 - 450 AED / month on a contract (20Gb data).

Virgin is the same as Du in terms of coverage etc as they use Du's network, although in true Virgin fashion I hear they are better to deal with and are more flexible.

At the end of the day, this is Dubai. Most things are expensive!
jam25mack is offline  
Old Jan 4th 2018, 1:27 pm
  #5  
Just Joined
Thread Starter
 
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 17
yassar is an unknown quantity at this point
Default Re: Sim Card?? Dubai

Originally Posted by jam25mack
I think your only option is a pre-paid sim as you need a residency visa to get a contract. You can get these at the airport. Not sure of the packages.

As for Etisalat or Du they are much of a muchness. I am on Etisalat and I think its generally better coverage. Similarly they are similar on costs. I think it is more which package suits you best. Mine costs on average 400 - 450 AED / month on a contract (20Gb data).

Virgin is the same as Du in terms of coverage etc as they use Du's network, although in true Virgin fashion I hear they are better to deal with and are more flexible.

At the end of the day, this is Dubai. Most things are expensive!

400-450AED per month for my sim card. Thats something I'm going to have to get my head around.
yassar is offline  
Old Jan 4th 2018, 9:34 pm
  #6  
BE Enthusiast
 
Joined: Jan 2017
Location: Dubai
Posts: 846
UKMS has a reputation beyond reputeUKMS has a reputation beyond reputeUKMS has a reputation beyond reputeUKMS has a reputation beyond reputeUKMS has a reputation beyond reputeUKMS has a reputation beyond reputeUKMS has a reputation beyond reputeUKMS has a reputation beyond reputeUKMS has a reputation beyond reputeUKMS has a reputation beyond reputeUKMS has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Sim Card?? Dubai

I started with a PAYG sim from Etisalat then moved the number on to a contract once I was settled ..... agree with jam25mack on the coverage ..... wife had a du sim and coverage wasn’t as good .... you also tend to see more Etisalat kiosks and shops around although that could simply be where I live/work/shop. My bill ranges between 450-600 depending on work use ..... my wife pays 150 But doesn’t get much for that. I find Etisalat good for being able to add on packs depending on what you need in any given month ..... generally with your minutes you can choose between local or flexible ..... you get less flexi minutes for your money but you can call many international numbers out of your allocation .... I use this for a lot of my calls to the UK.
UKMS is offline  
Old Jan 4th 2018, 10:16 pm
  #7  
Just Joined
Thread Starter
 
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 17
yassar is an unknown quantity at this point
Default Re: Sim Card?? Dubai

I have just seen on virgin mobile UAE.

500mins 6GB Data and 50 International minutes for 192AED?

Surely with the reception here and there spending 30GBP or double is still better than 600AED.


Let me know guys.
yassar is offline  
Old Jan 5th 2018, 5:36 am
  #8  
BE Enthusiast
 
Joined: Jan 2017
Location: Dubai
Posts: 846
UKMS has a reputation beyond reputeUKMS has a reputation beyond reputeUKMS has a reputation beyond reputeUKMS has a reputation beyond reputeUKMS has a reputation beyond reputeUKMS has a reputation beyond reputeUKMS has a reputation beyond reputeUKMS has a reputation beyond reputeUKMS has a reputation beyond reputeUKMS has a reputation beyond reputeUKMS has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Sim Card?? Dubai

Originally Posted by yassar
I have just seen on virgin mobile UAE.

500mins 6GB Data and 50 International minutes for 192AED?

Surely with the reception here and there spending 30GBP or double is still better than 600AED.


Let me know guys.
Really depends on your needs ....... for 450aed I think I get 600 flexi minutes (I can call UK with this) and 24gb data ..... and my plan allows me to add roaming packs on if I travel. Also worth looking at the charges if you exceed your data/minutes .... better to have too much than exceed and get stung.

As has been mentioned it’s expensive here so can be pointless converting things back to GBP and comparing plans to the UK if you are earning AED. ...... wait until you start looking at your utilities, TV/Internet
UKMS is offline  
Old Jan 5th 2018, 9:40 am
  #9  
Lost in BE Cyberspace
 
Millhouse's Avatar
 
Joined: Aug 2009
Location: Disneyland, Dubai
Posts: 15,887
Millhouse has a reputation beyond reputeMillhouse has a reputation beyond reputeMillhouse has a reputation beyond reputeMillhouse has a reputation beyond reputeMillhouse has a reputation beyond reputeMillhouse has a reputation beyond reputeMillhouse has a reputation beyond reputeMillhouse has a reputation beyond reputeMillhouse has a reputation beyond reputeMillhouse has a reputation beyond reputeMillhouse has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Sim Card?? Dubai

Originally Posted by UKMS
Really depends on your needs ....... for 450aed I think I get 600 flexi minutes (I can call UK with this) and 24gb data ..... and my plan allows me to add roaming packs on if I travel. Also worth looking at the charges if you exceed your data/minutes .... better to have too much than exceed and get stung.

As has been mentioned it’s expensive here so can be pointless converting things back to GBP and comparing plans to the UK if you are earning AED. ...... wait until you start looking at your utilities, TV/Internet
I paid 25dh for some celery yesterday. That’s more than five pounds in real money.

I have a post paid phone that work pays for. I think my minimum bill is 1200 and max around 3500. Madness, I don’t even use it that much.
Millhouse is offline  
Old Jan 7th 2018, 4:13 am
  #10  
Account Closed
 
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 0
scrubbedexpat141 scrubbedexpat141 scrubbedexpat141 scrubbedexpat141 scrubbedexpat141 scrubbedexpat141 scrubbedexpat141 scrubbedexpat141 scrubbedexpat141 scrubbedexpat141 scrubbedexpat141
Default Re: Sim Card?? Dubai

Originally Posted by Millhouse
I paid 25dh for some celery yesterday. That’s more than five pounds in real money.

I have a post paid phone that work pays for. I think my minimum bill is 1200 and max around 3500. Madness, I don’t even use it that much.
Careful, you'll get slaughtered on here for being so wasteful with money. Fiver on celery? Prepare for judgement.

Snap on the work phone, lowest is 400ish which is fine but when away it's 3,000. Thank goodness work pay, the lack of competition means it's silly expensive.
scrubbedexpat141 is offline  
Old Jan 7th 2018, 8:50 am
  #11  
...we killed the flame
 
Miss Ann Thrope's Avatar
 
Joined: Jan 2017
Location: Dubai
Posts: 1,086
Miss Ann Thrope has a reputation beyond reputeMiss Ann Thrope has a reputation beyond reputeMiss Ann Thrope has a reputation beyond reputeMiss Ann Thrope has a reputation beyond reputeMiss Ann Thrope has a reputation beyond reputeMiss Ann Thrope has a reputation beyond reputeMiss Ann Thrope has a reputation beyond reputeMiss Ann Thrope has a reputation beyond reputeMiss Ann Thrope has a reputation beyond reputeMiss Ann Thrope has a reputation beyond reputeMiss Ann Thrope has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Sim Card?? Dubai

Originally Posted by Millhouse
I paid 25dh for some celery yesterday. That’s more than five pounds in real money.

I have a post paid phone that work pays for. I think my minimum bill is 1200 and max around 3500. Madness, I don’t even use it that much.
We had crazy phone bills at work and have clamped down. My personal tariff has gone from AED4000/month with full on mega super platinum blah blah global roaming to a sensible AED250 odd per month with roaming pack switched on whenever I travel for about an extra 200 a week. My department spent over $40k on mobile bills in 2016, down to about $12k in 2017 (even though it took months of notice into 2017 to finally cancel my tariff). Ok we're using Skype a lot more but otherwise no compromise in ability to communicate.

We've also cut everybody's celery...
Miss Ann Thrope is offline  
Old Jan 7th 2018, 11:09 am
  #12  
Lost in BE Cyberspace
 
Millhouse's Avatar
 
Joined: Aug 2009
Location: Disneyland, Dubai
Posts: 15,887
Millhouse has a reputation beyond reputeMillhouse has a reputation beyond reputeMillhouse has a reputation beyond reputeMillhouse has a reputation beyond reputeMillhouse has a reputation beyond reputeMillhouse has a reputation beyond reputeMillhouse has a reputation beyond reputeMillhouse has a reputation beyond reputeMillhouse has a reputation beyond reputeMillhouse has a reputation beyond reputeMillhouse has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Sim Card?? Dubai

Originally Posted by Miss Ann Thrope
We had crazy phone bills at work and have clamped down. My personal tariff has gone from AED4000/month with full on mega super platinum blah blah global roaming to a sensible AED250 odd per month with roaming pack switched on whenever I travel for about an extra 200 a week. My department spent over $40k on mobile bills in 2016, down to about $12k in 2017 (even though it took months of notice into 2017 to finally cancel my tariff). Ok we're using Skype a lot more but otherwise no compromise in ability to communicate.

We've also cut everybody's celery...
Fine or rough chopped. My slow cooked beef shanks in red wine required rough chopped.
Millhouse is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.