Bosnia and Herzegovina

Basics

In Bosnia and Herzegovina three network operators are active:

• BH Telecom
• m:tel (Telekom Srpske)
• HT Eronet (HT Mostar)

This offer is supplemented by MVNOs attached to the providers like haloo and Go! free.

Bosnia and Herzegovina’s telecom’s regulator Regulatorna agencija za komunikacije (RAK) has issued 4G licences to the nation’s trio of mobile network operators (MNOs) in April 2019. The concessions are valid for 15 years and oblige the licence holders to begin offering commercial 4G services within one month of the award. The cellcos are also required to ensure the networks covers 90% of the country’s territory within five years of the award.

The RAK did not stipulate which spectrum band the allocated frequencies were in. Previously, RAK had identified the 1800 MHz band (B3) for LTE use, alongside the 900 MHz (B8) and 2100 MHz (B1) ranges, which are currently used for 2G and 3G networks, respectively.

SIM cards don't require registration in Bosnia and Herzegovina and remain anonymous. You can buy them in many kiosks, newsstands or shopping malls for around 4-5 KM plus some loaded credit.

Bosnia and Herzegovina is neither part of the EU, nor of the EEA, where since 2017 new international roaming rules have been enforced. Roaming rates are not capped or regulated in the country and can be much higher than anywhere else in Europe. Better buy a local SIM card instead.

In April 2019 Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, (North) Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia agreed to reduce roaming charges between their Balkan countries. The agreement will come into effect from July 2019 when roaming costs will be lowered and mobile calls will cost 0.19 € per minute, an SMS will cost 6 cents and internet will be 2.5 cents per MB roaming between these countries. It's intended to end all roaming surcharges by summer 2021 which is a prerequisite to eventually join the EU/EEA common roaming zone.

BH Telecom

BH Telecom is the leading provider in the country with a 45% share in 2015. 2G is on 900 and 1800 MHz, 3G on 2100 and 900 MHz. First trials with 4G/LTE started in 2014 and the commercial launch was in April 2019. The operator is planning to expand 4G coverage to 60% of the territory by the end of 2019.

Ultra

Ultra is the name of their prepaid product. The Start Paket is available in their shops (locator) and other outlets like post offices, kiosk and book shops for 5 KM. New customers receive a 1 GB mobile internet traffic bonus (valid for 7 days) and 3 KM credit (valid for 30 days and only for SMS and calls). Different Ultra plans are offered and special tourist plans are sold

Top-ups are available as electronic voucher from 5 KM or as electronic top-up from 2 KM. Validity depends on top-up amount and is 7-180 days. Check credit with *110#, initial balance for new cards however shows this way: *106*0*1# to check bonus for KM and *106*1*1# to check bonus for MB.

Data feature packages

Dafault internet is billed with 0.50 KM per MB. These data packages called 'Instant Buy & Surf' for high speeds up to 3.6 MBit/s and can be activated on the usual Ultra cards in these varieties:

Data	Time	Price	Activation
5 GB	1 hour	1 KM	*108*0*0#
200 MB	24 hours	0.80 KM	*108*1*0#
1 GB	24 hours	1.50 KM	*108*2*0#
1 GB	7 days	3 KM	*108*3*0#
2 GB	Friday 4pm-0am	1 KM	*108*4*0#
2 GB	Sat 0am- Sun 12pm	2 KM	*108*5*0#
2 GB	30 days	10 KM	*110#
7 GB	30 days	15 KM	*110#

To get data balance, type *108*?*1# where ? stands for the size 1-5 according to activation code.

You can also activate a digressive rate by *105*0*6# and deactivate by *105*0*7#:

• < 25 MB: 0.50 KM per MB
• 25 MB - 100 MB: 0.40 KM per MB
• 100 MB - 250 MB: 0.30 KM per MB
• 250 MB - 500 MB: 0.20 KM per MB
• > 500 MB: 0.10 KM per MB

Data-only SIM

Their data-only SIM card is called Ultra Internet for 10 KM. It doesn't contain voice, only SMS. Ultra Internet has an initial credit of 3 KM for SMS services to mobile and fixed networks of BH Telecom and 5 GB of mobile internet valid for 7 days. To activate, you need to send an empty SMS to 06111080.

For more data, the same packages as shown under data feature packages can be added.

Roaming

Compared with the competitors their international roaming options are not so good. They only offer a Travel Europe package for 10 days valid in about 30 European countries for 15 KM. This reduces the price for internet to 0.12 KM per MB.

Ultra Tourist

This is a special SIM card for tourists which is sold in two varieties:

• Ultra Tourist 1: 15 GB and 5 KM for calls and SMS valid for 10 days: 20 KM
• Ultra Tourist 2: 30 GB and 10 KM for calls and SMS valid for 30 days: 40 KM

To check balance on the pack, dial *110#. These add-ons can be added to both packs:

• 5 GB for 10 days: 15 KM, activation: *105*6*1#
• 15 GB for 30 days: 35 KM, activation: *105*6*3#
• 25 GB for 30 days: 50 KM, activation: *105*6*5#

More info

• Website partly in English: https://www.bhtelecom.ba
• VoIP is allowed
• APN: minternet.bhmobile.ba or active.bhmobile.ba

m:tel

m:tel is BH Telecom's biggest rival in the country and the number 2 provider with a 41% share. 2G is on 900 and 1800 MHz, 3G on 2100 and 900 MHz. First trials with 4G/LTE started in 2013, and the commercial launch was in April 2019.

Frend

Frend spoken "friend" used to be the name of their voice & data prepaid product, now renamed to XY Net. Starter Packs cost 4 KM at their points of sale. including 4 KM credit or 10 KM with 10 GB data included. Data is default at 0.88 KM per MB. You can add these data packages:

• 20 GB for 24 hours: 2 KM
• 30 GB for 3 days: 3 KM
• 4 GB for 7 days: 4 KM
• 4 GB for 30 days: 12 KM

Max speed is 21 Mbps. For overuse, speed will be throttled to 128 kbps. Activation by *100*1#. Or these combo packs with data are offered for 30 days:

• Unlimited Facebook and Instagram for 10 days: 2 KM
• 200 MB, 100 on-net mins and 100 SMS : 12 KM
• 1 GB, 200 on-net mins, 200 SMs and unlimited Viber: 19 KM

Activation is by *100*1# or through their app.

Tourist SIM

m:tel offers two starter packs for tourists with data in Bosnia called Dopuna Start:

• 4 GB for 7 days: 4 KM
• 10 GB for 15 days: 10 KM

Data-only SIM

Mobilni internet na dopunu is the name of their prepaid internet SIM. It's sold for 4 KM with 4 KM credit and 200 MB data included. Default rate here is 0.15 KM per MB. These packages can be activated valid for 30 days:

• 250 MB: 5.85 KM
• 1 GB: 11.70 KM
• 2 GB: 17.55 KM

Activation is by code *100*5#

Roaming

These roaming packages are sold:

• 500 MB for 7 days in all T-Mobile/Telekom networks: 10 KM
• 1 GB for 10 days in all T-Mobile/Telekom networks: 20 KM
• 100 mins, 100 SMS and 1 GB for 24 hours in m:tel/mts networks of Serbia and Montenegro: 3 KM
• 300 mins, 300 SMS and 3 GB for 10 days in m:tel/mts networks of Serbia and Montenegro: 10 KM
• 1 GB for 10 days in the network of Telekom in Slovenia: 20 KM

Activation is through *100*2# or app.

More info

• APN: mtelfrend
• Website: http://www.mtel.ba

HT Eronet

HT Eronet by HT Mostar is the smallest provider with only 14% market share. In 2016 national roaming was ended, so HT Eronet clients need to rely on their own limited infrastructure; 2G is on 900 MHz, 3G on 2100 MHz, 4G/LTE is about to start.

Better make a network scan before purchase. Prepaid SIMs are sold in their shops (list). To start data, you may need to text 'GPRS' to 0633807.

!hej

!hej is the name of their prepaid voice & data SIM card. SIM card costs 9 KM and includes 5 KM of credit and another 4 KM after registration. Default rate is 0.15 KM per 100 kB. Different tariffs are offered. These data packages can be added to !hey Zovino, !hey SMSajmo and !hey Ludito:

• 500 MB for 24 hours: 1 KM, activation: *103*1#
• 1.5 GB for 24 hours: 1.5 KM, activation: *102*1#
• 2 GB for 7 days: 3 KM, activation: *104*1#
• 2 GB for 30 days: 10 KM, activation: *105*1#

For more data you can add:

• 500 MB for 5 days: 2 KM: activation: *106*1#
• 1 GB for 7 days: 3 KM, activation: *107*1#

There is also a monthly prepaid plan called hej! Slagalica in which all options are valid for 30 days. You can activate this tariff by sending "SLAGALICA" to 063 7798 or via the MMI menu by typing *111#. This data options can be added:

• 200 MB: 3 KM, for activation text 'PAKETI1' to 063 7790
• 600 MB: 5 KM, for activation text 'PAKETI2' to 063 7790
• 2 GB: 10 KM, for activation text 'PAKETI3' to 063 7790
• 5 GB: 15 KM, for activation text 'PAKETI4' to 063 7790

Unused data get transferred to the next month only if you purchase another 30 day package before the current one expires. You can do that by dialing *111*3#.

Within the first year from activating your hej! number, you will be rewarded with double the data for the first purchase of each month. This means that if you (for instance) purchase 5 GB on the 1st of June, you will get 10 GB of data valid until the 1st of July. But if you decide to purchase another 5 GB plan, let's say on 25th of June, you will be left over with 5GB plus what's left from the previous package you've bought, validity being extended to 25th of July.

Data-only SIM

They also sell a prepaid data-only SIM called "!hey internet 2GO". Starter packs are available for 10 KM. Default rate is 0.10 KM per MB. These packages can be added:

• Internet D: 1 GB for 24 hours - 3 KM, activation: *113*1#
• Internet M: 2 GB for 30 days - 10 KM, activation: *115*1#
• Internet L: 8 GB for 30 days - 20 KM, activation: *116*1#
• Internet XL: 25 GB for 30 days - 50 KM, activation: *117*1#

Check remaining data balance by code *11?*2# where ? stands for the same number in the activation code.

Roaming

They offer roaming packages for about 40 countries (listed here):

• 100 MB for 1 day: 3 KM, activation: *111*3*1#
• 250 MB for 5 days: 6 KM, activation: *111*3*2#
• 1 GB for 30 days: 18 KM, activation: 111*3*3#

Tourist SIM

In 2017 they started with their tourist SIM card, available in HT Eronet shops and these places for 20 KM. Note that rates are higher than on local plans. Default data is 0.20 KM per MB and you can add:

• 1 GB for 24 hours: 3 KM
• 10 GB for 7 days: 20 KM

Activation is by *111#.

More info

• APN: gprs.eronet.ba
• Website: http://www.hteronet.ba

haloo

Haloo is a MVNO on HT Eronet. Their starter packs are available for 4 KM (2x SIM cards). To check your main account balance, enter 101# and press the call button.

Default data rate is 0.50 KM per MB. To activate data, you need to text 'GPRS' to 064 450 0001 and check APN (below).

Data featured packages

They have three packs for data:

• 1 GB for 24 hours:1 KM, activation: *115*1#
• 1 GB for 7 days: 3 KM, activation: *116*1#
• 2 GB for 30 days: 8 KM, activation: *117*1#

Check data consumption by code *11?*2# where ? stands for the number in the activation code.

Roaming

They offer the same roaming options as HT Eronet above. Activation: *100*6#

Tourist SIM

For tourists they offer a haloo Tourist SIM for 20 KM. It includes 10 GB of internet usage, 100 minutes within haloo network, 100 SMS within haloo network and 1 KM on your main account valid for 15 days after activation.

If you have 20 KM on your main account at the moment of expiry, allowances will be reset automatically and a new fee for another 15 days will be charged. If you don’t have enough credit for the tariff charge at the moment of renewal, your Tourist plan will be deactivated and you will be switched to the basic haloo tariff. You can also activate other options for mobile internet (see above). To check balance, type 100*2#. 

More infornation

• APN: web.haloo.ba
• Website: http://www.haloo.ba

Go! free

Go! free is a new MVNO of Logosoft that started in 2015 on the network of m:tel. Their starter packs and top-ups are generally available now.

Availability

Go! starter pack is sold for 4 BAM with the same credit valid for 30 days at all branded sales points. There you can find top-ups for 1-50 KM valid for 4-150 days. The SIM stays valid for 120 days past top-up plus 30 days grace period. To activate your SIM, you need to place a call, send a SMS or dial *777#.

Data feature packages

Default data stays at 0.12 BAM per MB, billed in 100 kB increments.

These packages are offered:

• 1 GB for 24 hours: 1 KM; max speed: 7.2 Mbps
• 2 GB for 7 days: 3 KM; max. speed: 21 Mbps
• 3 GB for 30 days: 10 KM; max. speed: 21 Mbps

Choose package by *777#.

More info

• Website in English: http://www.gofree.ba/en. Note that English website version is not up to date. Better check Bosnian site too with a translator.
• APN is still unknown