Poland

General info
In Poland currently four network providers are operating:

GSM up to EDGE is on 900 and 1800 MHz like all over Europe and covers all of the country. 3G/UMTS is on 900 and 2100 MHz up to DC-HSPA+ speed available in most of the country. 4G/LTE has been rolled out on the 1800 MHz frequency only and is generally free of charge for prepaid.
 * T-Mobile (formerly ERA)
 * Orange (formerly IDEA)
 * Plus (aka Polkomtel)
 * Play

If you come to Poland a GSM/UMTS phone working on the GSM900, GSM1800, UMTS2100 and UMTS900 MHz frequencies is highly recommended. While Orange and Plus still have countrywide CDMA coverage, their CDMA networks operate on 450 MHz and 420 MHz respectively, so usual CDMA phone operating on standard 800/1900 MHz would not work on these CDMA networks. Also, more and more MVNOs, such as Mobile Vikings or Red Bull Mobile are arriving on the scene competing with four major operators and reselling their networks.

SIM cards can be bought at many places: shops, kiosk, newsagents, petrol stations, tobacconists or the stores of the network operators. Generally, a photo ID for purchase, but no registration of any kind is required.

Managing your account online may require Polish language skills, as no English homepage is available. You can try Google Translate for navigating their websites. Nevertheless, the bonus system you have on a Polish SIM can be quite confusing to foreigners.

Currently you can get mini, micro and nano SIMs. Although a nano SIM may be harder to get (but can be cut).

Tethering and VoIP are available without any additional cost.

Plus


The SIM card comes with a bilingual Polish/English leaflet. Managing your account online would require Polish language skills, as no English homepage is available. But since registration is not necessary, you can cope without.

Plus has a very good coverage throughout the country on 2G and 3G while their 4G/LTE network is the most advanced nationwide right now: Plus Coverage Map and already covers 2/3 of the population. Effective 27/3/14 4G/LTE is available on prepaid with speeds up to 150 Mbps.

Availability
Available starter packs "Startery Plus Nowy Internet na Kartę" Any other Plus SIM card can be switched by typing *147*13# to this tariff. 4G/LTE is activated automatically for free (which is an ongoing promotion from March 2013).
 * 9 PLN: 300 MB included, SIM is valid for 7 days, top up to prolong.
 * 15 PLN: 1 GB included, SIM is valid for 14 days, top up to prolong

Data feature packs
To top up your balance, log on at www.online.plus.pl with you 9-digit phone number and the last (!) four digits of your PUK or use USSD code *123# on your phone. Check balance on USSD code *121#. Overuse is charged by 0.01 PLN per 300 KB.

Night offer
By USSD code *121*11*02# the "night offer" can be activated. It gives you 50 GB high speed traffic in 30 days only in the night hours from 1:00 - 7:00 am local time for 10 PLN.

Technical Settings

 * APN: internet

Play
Play is the smallest of the 4 network operators with the most agressive pricing. By the end of 2013 it had covered 80% of the population with 3G/UMTS on 900 and 2100 Mhz which it misleadingly sometimes calls "4G". Real 4G on 1800 Mhz LTE is only available in a few towns so far: Play Coverage Map (go to Internet. Their it shows "4G/LTE" which is UMTS and LTE combined! The bright purple area is 3G/HSPA+, only the dark purple 4G/LTE.)

Play only has a few own 2G/GSM cells in the country covering only 20% of the area. For GSM calls it roams on the other networks for free. But this roaming is not available for data.

So Play is not so good in the countryside as there is no fall back to EDGE but can be quite fast and cheap in the centers. Their SIM card can be bought at kiosks, petrol stations and other points of sale: Play Store Locator

Starter Play Internet na Kartę:
The starter pack "Darmowy Starter" (free starter) includes 300 MB valid for one month.

Activation is by USSD code *111*471*1#. The line is active for 30 days. Check status by *111*470#3. To prolong or add data, you need to top up. You can buy unlimited Internet access for 30 days (working everywhere on Play network, not only LTE) for 45 PLN with USSD code *111*645*1#

Like Plus, play has a similar night offer: Unlimited data traffic from 1:00 - 8:00 a.m. local time for 10 PLN per month. Activation is by USSD code *111*474*1#

Starter Play na Kartę Lubię to!
This different product line can be bought for 5 PLN as a starter pack with the same credit on. Often when Play Internet is not available, this can be found anyway. The tariff must be activated by *163*7# and card is active for 10 days. To prolong, you have to top up which gives you bonus internet. Activate by using USSD code *111*49*1#

Additionally so-called "unlimited internet packages" can be booked (meaning when used up, speed is reduced) which are valid for 30 days: LTE is available but the night offer is not available on this product line.
 * 300 MB for 5 PLN. Activation: *111*531*1#
 * 1 GB for 9 PLN, Activation: *111*532*1#
 * 3 GB for 20 PLN, Activation: *111*533*1#

Technical settings

 * APN: internet
 * check balance: *101#

Orange



 * 2G and 3G, 4G/LTE (1800 MHz) -[Orange Coverage Map]

Availability
Their starter pack is sold for 20 PLN with 1 GB included. T he best way is to buy "Orange na karte +1GB" starter, but if it is not available you can buy any Orange prepaid starter and change the plan to "Orange Free na Karte" by sending SMS "FREE" to 3033 (costs 0.29 PLN) or by sending code 101*40# (for free). Note, that you won't have the 1 GB free internet, just the about 50 MB per each 5 PLN on the card. However, still you can buy extra packages and get the bonus: biggest discount is 25 PLN which includes 1GB bonus, lower boosters give much smaller bonus
 * There is a computer system at *500 which lets you recharge the card or check the balance. More easily, you can check your balance with *124*#
 * by sending "START" to free number 8002, package validity will expand to 1 year. (this costs 3 Zloty)

Data feature packs
For top up type: *125* #

Internet settings

 * APN: internet

More information

 * website for the visitor offer in english: Orange

T-Mobile
T-Mobile Poland has a fair coverage on 2G 3G and very limited LTE in the country, which has started in summer 2014: coverage map (for LTE scroll). LTE is open for prepaid where available.

Availability
They sell their prepaid starter pack "Internet na karte" for 4.99 PLN with 500 MB included valid for 1 week. Recently, they added a special promotion with a 4G/LTE starter pack of the same name for 5 PLN and 1 GB in 1 month included. Both packs can be extended in time and data volume by these packages.

Data feature packs
The following data packages are offered: When daily or monthly data is used up, line will be throttled to 16 Kbps. Pack will renew automatically if there is credit and not deactivated.
 * daily rate for 2 PLN with 250 MB high speed volume.The daily rate is only debited when going online on that day. A day is a 0:00-23:59 hrs calendar day. Activation: *100*863#, status: *100*863#1, deactivation: *100*863#2 This is the default rate for data.
 * 1 GB in 30 days for 10 PLN. Activation: *100*862#, status: *100*862#1, deactivation: *100*862#2
 * 3 GB in 30 days for 20 PLN. Activation: *100*861#, status: *100*861#1, deactivation: *100*861#2
 * 6 GB in 30 days for 30 PLN. Activation: *100*860#, status: *100*860#1, deactivation: *100*860#2

Internet settings
APN: internet

More information

 * balance check: *101#
 * top up: *111*#

Mobile Vikings
Mobile Vikings is a Belgian MVNO operating in Poland on the rather patchy Play network.

Availability
Their SIM card is available only online to be sent to a polish address with one of the packages loaded. According to their Facebook site, they send SIM cards abroad too, what others providers normally don't do. So this is an advantage, if you want your polish SIM before you travel to Poland, but it is a disadvantage, when you look for a SIM in Poland having no local address as there are no agencies selling them on location.

Data feature packs
They have only two packages including data, domestic SMS and domestic calls:

Credit stays valid for 1 year, but bundle is valid for 30 days and expires 31 days after your last top-up, unless you top up before the expiry date. Top-ups can be made online using an international credit card. If you top-up before the expiry date, your remaining data and texts will be rolled over to your next period (max. 4 GB and 4000 texts). If you don't top up before the expiry date or go beyond the included data volume, you can still surf on the Internet, but only at low speeds (of around 32 kbps).

To access the internet on your account must be at least 0.01 PLN. Used up all credit, the internet will stop even if you have still data credit in your package!

Internet settings

 * APN: Internet

More information

 * Check website (in english)

Lycamobile
The English operator Lycamobile opened its Polish branch in 2011. It is operating as MVNO on the good Plus network in 2G and 3G only offering data rates well below the network provider. For coverage see Plus above, though 4G/LTE is not yet available on Lycamobile in Poland.

Availability
Their SIM cards are available for free in micro-, mini- or nano size in their outlets. They have many agencies around the country in newsstands, kiosks, supermarkets and online sent to a Polish address. Top-ups can be purchased there as well in 5, 10, 20, 30, 50 and 100 PLN sizes. You are expected to make a top-up right away, as the SIM doesen't include credit. It's valid for 6 months without being recharged.

Data feature packs
The following heavily reduced monthly data rates are available to be booked on the SIM

For activation, send USSD code and press. To check status dial *137#. These packages will automatically renew if there is credit. To stop, call customer service on 322 or dial *190# at latest 20.00 h on the day of expirery of the old pack. Default data rate outside of these packages displayed above is 0.21 PLN per MB.

Internet settings

 * APN: data.lycamobile.pl


 * Username: lmpl (that's lowecase L, not capital i).
 * Password: plus

Lebara Mobile
'''Attention: Lebara mobile is going to shut down its operations in Poland after 2 years only effective 31st of March 2015. All SIM cards will become useless afterwards and the credit lost.'''

The English operator Lebara Mobile opened its Polish branch in 2013 operating as MVNO on the good Plus network in 2G and 3G only competing with Lyca. For coverage see Plus above, though 4G/LTE is not yet available on Lebara Mobile in Poland.

Availability
Their SIM cards are available for free in micro- or mini-size in their outlets but no nano SIMs available. They have many agencies around the country in newsstands, kiosks, supermarkets and online sent to a Polish address. Top-ups can be purchased there as well in 5, 10, 20 and 30 PLN sizes. You are expected to make a top-up right away, as the SIM doesen't include credit. It's valid for 6 months without being recharged.

Data feature packs
The following monthly data rates are available to be booked on the SIM

For activation, text activation code to 1111. These packages will automatically renew if there is credit. To stop, text INTERNET#*STOP to 1111 (while # stands for the size of package: S, M, L or XL). Default data rate outside of these packages displayed above is 0.19 PLN per MB.

Internet settings

 * APN: internet.lebara.pl

Klucz Mobile
Klucz Mobile is another new MVNO on the good Plus network in 2G and 3G (see above). It started in 2013 and has very cheap international call rates and internet too.

Availablilty
Their SIM card may be hard to find. That's why they publish this list of outlets: Klucz Mobile Sales Points. All Teletorium stores have it too. The SIM is for free and credit stays alive for 360 days.

Data feature packs
Default rate is 0.20 PLN per MB. So add one of these monthly packs: For activation, type code and press. Check balance by *100# and status of active packages by *121#

Internet settings

 * APN: www.klucz.net

Heyah
Heyah is a long established MVNO on the acceptable T-Mobile network (coverage and stores see above) in 2G and 3G.

Availability
Heyah prepaid SIM cards are available for 5 PLN including the same credit valid for 7 days at T-Mobile stores, the leading retailer Carrefour, Globi and a lot of other stores. Top ups can be made there or online and are valid for 100 days.

Default data rate
Standard rate is 3 PLN up to 10 MB and 6 PLN up to 100 MB. This can be changed to a daily rate of 0.29 PLN for 50 MB in one calender day (until 23:59 hrs), beyond throttled to 16 kbps. Activation code is *100*815# and free for the 1st time, then 3 PLN per activation. Deactivation by *100*815*2#

Data feature packs
For more data, you can add these packages: For activation type code and. All packages renew automatically. For deactivation and credit check, see T-Mobile section.

Internet settings

 * APN: internet
 * Username and password: heyah

Virgin Mobile
Virgin Mobile started as MVNO in Poland in 2012. It uses the rather patchy Play network, but even as MVNO on 4G/LTE where available.

Availability
Their starter packs are available online or in a lot of stores: Virgin mobile Store Locator for PLN 5. Top ups can be made online after registration by international credit card or PayPal too. Credit stays alive for one year.

Data feature packs
The following monthly data packs can be loaded on the SIM:

Internet settings

 * APN: internet