Tanzania

Basics
Currently, 5 networks are operating in Tanzania: In summer 2015 Zantel was aquired from Etisalat by the parent company of Tigo. So it can be expected that their networks will be merged soon. A 5th license was given out to Vietnam-backed Viettel which started in October 2015 under the brand name of '''Halotel. '''
 * Vodacom
 * Airtel
 * Tigo
 * Zantel (on Zanzibar only)
 * Halotel (by Viettel)

Coverage is less than in neighboring Kenya or Uganda. 2G/GSM is on 900 and 1800 MHz and 3G in some bigger villages and towns on 2100 MHz on all providers. 4G/LTE has been started so far only with Tigo in Dar es Salaam in 2015 on 800 MHz.

SIM cards can be purchased pretty much everywhere. Like in most of Eastern Africa, a prepaid SIM card is used as a payment system too. So you find a lot of places to top-up your SIM card for other purposes as well.

Vodacom


Vodacom, jointly owned by Vodafone and South African Telekom, is the market leader in Tanzania with a 38% share. It has the widest coverage in the country (coverage map) for the highest rates.

Availability
Their prepaid SIM card is available at many places like their stores (locator) for 500-1000 TSH.

Data feature packages
Default rate outside of packages is 0.2 TSH per KB.

These bundles called Cheka Internet are offered: To purchase a bundle, type *149*01#. Customers will not be able to purchase multiple bundles. Customers will be allowed to purchase a second bundle after volume allocated in the first bundle has been consumed. Once customer consumes volume within bundle, he will be billed at out-of-volume tariff till bundle validity end-date.

To check your internet balance for FREE at any time, prepaid customers may text the word 'BALANCEDATA' or 'SALIODATA' to 15300.

More information

 * APN: internet
 * Website: http://www.vodacom.co.tz

airtel


Airtel by Indian Bharti Airtel is the 2nd provider in the country. It has a market share of 33%. It has a bit lower coverage than Vodacom, but always at the lower rates in the country (coverage list). If you are going to the game parks in Northern Tanzania, particularly Ngorongoro and Serengeti, as of December 2015 Airtel's coverage is superior to that of the other carriers.

Availability
SIM card is available for TSH 1000-2000. Buy it under an umbrella on the street or in their stores (list).

Data feature packs
For data, you need to add packages called OMG Bundles: Activation is by *148*88#. The time-based bundles have been discontinued.

More information

 * APN: internet
 * Website: http://africa.airtel.com/wps/wcm/connect/africarevamp/Tanzania/

Tigo
Tigo is the 3rd provider in Tanzania. It is run by the Millcom Group who acquired the 4th provider Zantel (see below) in 2015. So it's expected that both networks will be merged. Tigo has a market share of 23%. It was the first to start 4G/LTE on 800 MHz in Dar es Salaam and is available for prepaid (LTE coverage map) in Dar es Salaam, Morogoro, Dodoma, Tanga, Arusha with plans to extend connectivity to Mwanza, Zanzibar (Stone Town) and Kilimanjaro (Moshi), but generally a low coverage (3G list)

Availability
Their SIM cards are available for around 1000 TSH on the streets or in their custormer care centers (list). You can top up at a lot of places.

Data feature packs
Internet outside of package is 30.72 TSH per MB. These bundles called Internet Packages are offered: To purchase type *148*00# and choose Internet Packs.

More information

 * APN: tigoweb
 * Website: http://www.tigo.co.tz/

Zantel
Zantel used to be the local provider on the island of Zanzibar. That's why it has a good coverage there, but almost no coverage on the mainland. It started in 2014 in Dar es Salaam only. It used to belong mostly to UAE-owned Etisalad, but was sold in 2015 to Millicom who runs Tigo. So it can be expected that both networks will be merged soon. Zantel can be only an option if you go to Zanzibar mostly, because it has the best coverage there. It still runs a dual CDMA and GSM network. Be sure to get a GSM SIM card

Availability
Their GSM SIM card is available at the Zanzibar airport and many outlets (list) on the island and in the capital for TSH 1000 including TSH 500 credit.

Data feature packages
They offer these packages for data: To purchase type *149*07# or go online at Ezynet Selfcare

More information

 * APN: znet
 * Website: http://www.zantel.co.tz/

Halotel (by Viettel)
On 15th of October 2015 a 5th operator started backed by Vietnamese Viettel. It's their 4th venture in Africa after Mozambique, Cameroon and Burundi under different brand names. In Tanzania its brand is called Halotel and covers 81% of the population in 26 provinces by 2G/3G for a start.

The SIM card is sold at their stores and sales outlets mentioned here for 1000 TSH. In the meantime they finally published their data packages for 2G/3G: FUP packages are "unlimited", but throttled having reached the data amount. Please leave us your feedback of the new provider.
 * APN: internet


 * Website: http://halotel.co.tz/ (not yet usable)
 * Facebook (in Swahili only): haloteltanzania