Romania

Networks and frequencies
Romania has 4 network operators: 2G is on 900 and 1800 MHz, 3G on 900 and 2100 MHz, 4G/LTE on 800, 1800 and 2600 MHz (bands 3, 7, 20) on Orange, Vodafone and Telekom. Digi Mobil started 4G/LTE on 2600 MHz (band 38) as TD-LTE and in 2016 on 2100 MHz (band 1) as FD-LTE.
 * Orange
 * Vodafone
 * Telekom Romania (formerly Cosmote)
 * Digi Mobil (by RCS-RDS)

Purchase, recharges and taxation
Romania is one of the few EU countries remaining where a SIM card can still be purchased without any necessary registration. This may change in the future as the government is considering a mandatory personal registration scheme, but nothing has been implemented so far.

For now you can also find free SIM card starter packs in shops close to (or inside) metro stations (before entering the station). They come without credit and are for free. Just ask for a prepaid card with number (if the seller does not understand English ask around any young to translate).

Then you can refill how much you need at recharging points or shops all over the country. Beware that these top-up machines don't give any change and all money once put into the machine is loaded into your account. International credit or debit cards are confirmed to work on the sites of the major operators for top-ups.

Romania has a adopted a creative way to hide the sales tax or VAT. All prices are advertised in Euro (EUR) and given like in the article below, but local currency is still Romanian Leu (RON). When topping up refill rates given in EUR are net rates before a 19% VAT (sales tax) locally called TVA that is deducted in the conversion to local RON. That's why you get about 1/4 less in effect on a very bad exchange rate.

Therefore to all prices given below you need to add 19% taxes, which is quite unusual in Europe.

Romania is part of the EU, where from June 2017 new international roaming rules are enforced. In most European countries you can now 'roam like at home' at domestic rates rather than excessive roaming rates. Note that Romanian providers are partly exempt from the rules. They give out only a small share of some of their larger packages without surcharges or don't allow roaming on their plans at all. For specifics about the new regulation check the European Union chapter and every provider below.

Orange
Orange is market leader in Romania. It has the best coverage and speed in the country. In 2014 Orange started 4G/LTE and in 2016 they signed a deal to share 4G/LTE with Telekom through national network sharing. They cover 97% of the population by 4G/LTE in 2017. It's open for prepaid without a surcharge (coverage map ).

Availability
Orange PrePay SIM cards are available at many newsstands or Orange shops (locator) for a small fee. Online a free SIM can be ordered to be sent to a Romanian postal address. Currently, the SIM comes preloaded with the 6 Euro package. (300 minutes of voice, unlimited domestic text and 4GB of data preloaded)

You can buy top-up vouchers at their outlets, electronic top-ups online on your account require a Romanian credit card. Users from some countries (list) can use the [https://topup.orange.com/ internatl. Orange top-up site] to recharge by credit card without additional fees (if you stick to EUR). Account information by code *100#.

Activation
The sim card is unlocked using the pin "0000".

Data feature packs
Data out of packages is 0.04 EUR per MB. These following monthly combo packs are offered with data for Romania and roaming in the EU for 30 days:

For activation simply call this number. Unlmited on-net calls included. All packages auto-renew after one month. Speed is up to 4G+ and 300 Mbps where available.

For data-only these packages are given out: Domestic overuse is charged with 0.02 EUR per MB during the running time of the package or the default data rate (above) outside. Check remaining credit by *133#. Then you'll receive an SMS about remaining quota and validity period. You can buy a new package ahead of time, when the old one is exhausted.

In another promotion you can rollover up to 20 GB of unused data to the next month if you continue to activate a data bundle for at least 5 EUR.

More info

 * To find out your own number, call 222 then follow prompt (English available) (oct 2016: I have received a sms with the phone number the instant I have inserted the sim in my iphone without having to call 222)
 * APN: net
 * Website in Romanian: http://www.orange.ro/

Vodafone
Vodafone is the 2nd operator in the country almost on par with Orange. It has a good coverage on 3G with 90% of population covered. It started with 4G/LTE in some towns available on most tariffs; Vodafone coverage map.

Vodafone has the lowest rates of the three major providers, has a better 3G network than Telekom or Digi, but a worse 4G/LTE network than Orange and Telekom. Nevertheless, it scored the fastest network in Romania in the Ookla speed test in 2016.

Availability
Their prepaid SIM card called Cartela Vodafone can be bought sometimes for free without credit or normally for 6.20 EUR with 5 EUR credit at newsstands or in Vodafone stores (locator).

Top-ups can be made with vouchers. Online Vodafone is the only operator in Romania that acceps international credit cards for top-ups.

The SIM is valid for 30-90 days after you have recharged it + 300 days passive. They also have a special option to extend the validity of your credit for €1 (you can use this when your account validity has expired and you have entered the passive phase of credit validity).

Cartela Vodafone
Vodafone offers its Cartela in different starters: If data is all you need, you will have to request the credit to be re-credited by texting 'CREDIT' to 579 within 24 hours of activation and your credit will be moved to general balance.
 * for free: without credit mostly online and in promotions
 * for 1 €: with 100 on-net mins/SMS or 10 all-net mins/SMS
 * for 5 €: with unlimited on-net mins/SMS, 200 all-net mins/SMS and 100 MB data included

Data feature packs
Vodafone has changed its voice & data plans to combo packs. These monthly promotions are available, while some stores may offer you some additional discounts:

Activate by texting code to 321 or by *100# and choose "Promoţie". All combo packs are valid for 28 days, the 7 € pack for 35 days and will auto-renew. To stop enter *100# "Contul meu" - "Opțiuni active" and deactivate. You can start a new bundle ahead of time, if you have used it up because overuse fee is a high 0.20 € per MB.

All bundles include unlimited calls to Vodafone Romania. Free units can be MB data, minutes of calls or SMS. A bonus of 30 GB domestic data and 500 internatl. mins is given out once for subscription. It can be used for 90 days as long as you have a minimum of 6 € in your account. As Extras free access to the digital music service Zonga is given, to the two largest packs additionally free HBO Go and unlimited calls to Vodafone Spain and Italy.

EU roaming
EU roaming from domestic allowances is capped at the volumes shown in the column for roaming data. On all consumptions beyond a surcharge of 0.752c per MB + 19% tax is applied.

Data-only SIM
For laptops and modems, Vodafone sells their data only SIM called Cartela cu Net excluding EU roaming. It comes in two different forms: Following top-ups can be made: This data-only card can be managed only online. For that you have to register an account on Vodafone (available in English) too. No internatl. roaming on this data SIM.
 * sold only online: for 5 EUR: with 500 MB preloaded and 1 GB night traffic (0-7am) valid for 10 days.
 * sold in shops: for 1 EUR: with 150 MB preloaded valid for 3 days.

More info

 * for Cartela Vodafone: APN: live.vodafone.com
 * for Cartela Cu Net: APN and Username: internet.vodafone.ro - Password: vodafone
 * Tethering is allowed and possible
 * Skype and other VoIP providers are blocked
 * Website in Romanian: http://www.vodafone.ro

Telekom Romania (formerly Cosmote)
From 2014 Cosmote in Romania has been rebranded into Telekom. They only get rid of the green and bring in magenta, some new tariffs and have opened 4G/LTE for prepaid.

It's 3G network currently covers about only 60% of the population. So it has less 3G coverage than Orange, Vodafone or even Digi Mobil. For 3G better make a network check before buying. 4G/LTE has been started in the major towns and is now available on some prepaid rates: Telekom coverage map.

Availability
Their starter pack is available at Telekom stores, that they call Magazin (store locator) for free without credit or for 5 € with the same credit. There and in lots of more stores you can buy top up codes as well. Note, that electronic top-up by credit card requires a Romanian credit card. Use vouchers instead that are sold from 5 €. Check credit by *100# or *134#.

Note that not all Telekom stores carry prepaid SIMs. In those cases the staff are usually able to direct you to a store that does sell them.

Telekom sells two different prepaid lines:
 * Cartela Telekom with voice, text and data to be added by combo packages
 * Cartela Internet Connect Free with text and data only to be added by data packages

Data feature packs
On their voice, text and data SIM Cartela Telecom data is at 0.20 € per MB by default in Romania and 0.05 € per MB in the EU. These monthly packages can be booked on the card:

Opțiunea with unlimited Telekom mins and SMS, some domestic mins and SMS that can also be used for internatl. landlines, international mobile mins and a domestic or roaming data allowance for 30 days Unlimited WhatsApp use (no VoIP calls) is included for free in the 5 EUR+ plans.

Activation is online in your account or by *100#, choose: Extraoptiuni. All packages auto-renew after one month, if there is enough credit or by SMS code. To deactivate you need to go to your online account or call customer service at 1234 for free.

In addition, there is the "GigaDay" promotion is going on: Send a blank SMS to 888 after activating a monthly package and you will receive an extra domestic 1 GB to use every day free of charge.

For more data, they sell these add-ons: After the scrapping of roaming charges in the EU Telekom in Romania has changed their portfolio. They now sell plans with roaming included and others without, where 0.05 € per MB applies. So be sure to get the right plan for your purposes.
 * 100 MB for one month, 3G: 1 € - activation: text 'A DS' to 638
 * 500 MB for one month, 4G/LTE: 3 € - activation: text: 'A DM' to 638
 * 1 GB for one month, 4G/LTE: 5 € - activation: text 'A DL' to 638

Data-only SIM
Their data- and text-only SIM for tablets and modems is called Internet Connect Free. The SIM card is sold for 7 € and contains 1 GB valid for 30 days. SMS are possible, but no voice. Card remains valid for 6 months after the last top-up.

If you top up at least 10 €, they will give you 200 MB valid for 48 hours as bonus. These bundles are offered: These packs can be added online or by texting an empty SMS to the given number. When volume is used up, speed will be reduced to 128 kbps. Packs renew automatically, if there is credit with a 10% data bonus. Deactivation is made by an empty SMS to the given number. There is no EU roaming with the data packages. EU roaming by default is at 0.05 € per MB on 3G and they have released this one EU pack:
 * 1 GB EU 4G/LTE roaming data: 5 € - activation: text R5 to 123.

More info

 * APN: broadband (only for this plan on old Cosmote or new Telekom cards)
 * Website in Romanian: http://www.telekom.ro/

Digi Mobil
Digi Mobil run by RCS-RDS of an local entrepreneur has the smallest network in Romania with the best rates. It has good coverage in major cities and on national roads using 3G 900 & 2100, but it may lack coverage in the countryside. It has no 2G/GSM to fall back and no roaming outside the country.

The outdoor coverage of Digi Mobil's 3G rose to over 94% of the country's population in 2016. Still for travelling in the countryside, Orange or Vodafone may be the better choice.

Digi Mobil has started 4G/LTE in 2015 on the rare 2600 MHz TDD (band 38) frequency band and in 2016 on 2100 MHz (band 1) FD-LTE, and covers 50% of the population with LTE in 2017, but is available only for pospaid customers, prepaid customers will be stuck on 3G network.

Availability
Their starter pack is sold in their stores and outlets (locator) and comes with a credit of 3 €. Their packs are only sold in their stores as well as their top-ups or online.

Data feature packages
They offer these combo plans with unlimited Digi Mobil calls and texts included: All data allowances are on Digi Mobil's 3G network only. Voice allowances to all domestic networks. For national roaming on Vodafone they add 100 MB for free to every plan above. When this 100 MB is used up, data roaming will be shut off. For more data on Digi Mobil network only, you can add an Extranet 1 GB package with 1 GB for 1 €. Note, that all allowances are domestic only and Digi Mobil doesn't offer international data roaming.

Topup

You can topup your SIM card in their stores, online at https://digicare.rcs-rds.ro/#/prepaid using a credit/debit card or at a PayPoint, Payzone, Mobile Distribution or Westaco terminals.

Roaming
Digi Mobil doesn't offer roaming services on prepaid. Roaming is available only for postpaid customers.

More info

 * Digi Mobil only works in Romania, not abroad
 * APN (for prepaid only): prepaid
 * Website in Romanian: http://www.rcs-rds.ro

Lycamobile
In 2014 UK-based Lycamobile started one of the first MVNOs with its Romanian operation. It operates on the network of Telekom in 2G and 3G only, no 4G/LTE. For coverage see Telekom above. But unlike in other countries, their rates for data don't seem to be so competitive compared with the network operator.

Availability
As usual their SIM card is available for free online here but to be sent to an Romanian address only. To get it in stores, you have to look for their logo, which may be hard to find, as Lycamobile doesn't publish a list. You have to top-up right away or online by international credit card.

Data feature packs
Default data rate outside of packs and for overuse is 0.09 € per MB. So use these data packages valid in Romania only: To activate enter code. All packages auto-renew, if there is enough credit. To stop, dial *190# at least one day before auto-renewal. Using more data, you will be charged at the default rate. All use domestic only. You can add bold-ons for extra data, valid for the remaining time of the base package:
 * 5 EUR: 500 MB, activation: *139*601#
 * 9 EUR: 1 GB, activation: *139*602#

EU roaming
Lycamobile seems to disobey EU roaming regulations so far. The give out roaming in the EU at their domestic standard rate of 9c per MB, but doesn't open their domestic packages for roaming.

More info

 * APN: data.lycamobile.ro
 * Username: lmro (that's lowercase L, not capital i).
 * Password: plus
 * Lycamobile actively prevents tethering (hotspot use) in many countries
 * Website in English: http://www.lycamobile.ro/en/