Prepaid SIM with data

 Here's what this Wiki is about: This Wiki collects information about prepaid (or PAYG) mobile phone plans from all over the world. Not just any plans though, they must include good data rates, perfect for smartphone travellers, as well as tablet or mobile modem users.

Can I buy a local prepaid SIM card in every country?
As an international tourist or visitor you are free to buy a local prepaid SIM card, showing your ID, all over the world with only a very few exceptions. These few countries are mentioned in the blacklist (to be compiled) where for legal or technical reasons you will not be able to do it. In our greylist some critical countries are mentioned where for some reason, it’s allowed to do but you should think twice before buying a local SIM. In all other countries, which are mentioned below, you are free to go:

Prepaid providers with data by region and country (A-Z):
International SIM cards America Europe Africa Middle East Asia Oceania
 * All countries
 * Argentina
 * Brazil
 * Canada
 * Cayman Islands
 * Chile
 * Colombia
 * Costa Rica
 * Curaçao
 * Dominican Republic
 * Ecuador
 * El Salvador
 * Mexico
 * Nicaragua
 * Panama
 * Peru
 * United States
 * Uruguay
 * European Union
 * Albania
 * Andorra
 * Armenia
 * Austria
 * Belarus
 * Belgium
 * Bosnia and Herzegovina
 * Bulgaria
 * Croatia
 * Cyprus
 * Czech Republic
 * Denmark
 * El Salvador
 * Estonia
 * Faroe Islands
 * Finland
 * France
 * Georgia
 * Germany
 * Gibraltar
 * Greece
 * Greenland
 * Hungary
 * Iceland
 * Ireland
 * Isle of Man
 * Italy
 * Kosovo
 * Latvia
 * Lithuania
 * Luxembourg
 * Macedonia
 * Malta
 * Moldova
 * Montenegro
 * Netherlands
 * Norway
 * Poland
 * Portugal
 * Romania
 * Russia
 * San Marino
 * Serbia
 * Slovakia
 * Slovenia
 * Spain
 * Sweden
 * Switzerland
 * Turkey
 * Ukraine
 * United Kingdom
 * Botswana
 * Cape Verde
 * Egypt
 * Kenya
 * Malawi
 * Morocco
 * Namibia
 * Rwanda
 * Senegal
 * Seychelles
 * South Africa
 * Tanzania
 * Tunisia
 * Uganda
 * Bahrain
 * Israel
 * Jordan
 * Kuwait
 * Oman
 * Qatar
 * Saudi Arabia
 * Syria
 * United Arab Emirates
 * Cambodia
 * China
 * Hong Kong
 * India
 * Indonesia
 * Japan
 * Korea (South)
 * Kyrgyzstan
 * Laos
 * Macau
 * Malaysia
 * Maldives
 * Mauritius
 * Nepal
 * Pakistan
 * Philippines
 * Singapore
 * Sri Lanka
 * Taiwan
 * Thailand
 * Vietnam
 * Australia
 * Fiji
 * French Polynesia
 * New Zealand
 * Papua New Guinea

Glossary
In this glossary frequently used terms in the national chapters which need more explanation are featured in detail. This is made for users who are not so familiar with the subjects to get a basic knowledge. Just click on one of these pictures to learn more (to be added soon)

Which requirements must my device(s) meet?
Your device needs to meet only 3 basic requirements to operate in a different country: For more info click on the pic.
 * it needs to be a GSM device
 * it needs to be an unlocked device
 * it needs to work on the frequencies offered in your destination country

Data on SIM cards
When you have purchased a plan and SIM card, topped it up with value, you may or may not have data right away. If you have, you will be on the standard or default data rate of the operator. This can also be quite expensive. In most cases it's much more economical to purchase data packages for your data needs. Click on the pic to learn more about the default data rates and how to buy data packages.   

International Roaming
International roaming is when you are using your SIM card from your home country abroad. It has proven to be usually VERY expensive especially for data. Many cases have been reported where users come home facing a bill that eats up a month's salary or more. The cure is to use a local prepaid SIM card instead. That’s why we make this WIKI.

How to find a good data rate?
First, you should check your home mobile provider, if you are offered international roaming at your destination and at what price. This is for orientation, how much you'll end up paying when you use international roaming. Then, you can look around further in your country, if your provider or others offer you a discounted rate for your destination.

International SIM cards as shown in the all countries section can be an option if you want to travel to a lot of countries in a short time. But you won’t save much using them. Here the general recommendation to cut your roaming data cost is to buy a local SIM card in every country you visit especially if you want stay for a while or use a lot of data. This may sound a bit of a hassle but is straightforward in many cases and not so hard to do if you are aware of a few catches. Pick your destination country in the list above and compare it with the international roaming rates you are offered.

Troubleshooting
Here a Q&A troubleshooting will soon appear giving answers of the most common questions and issues when starting up.

Contributing to the wiki
How to contribute. A couple of simple guidelines to edit the wiki and which products are not included. 