Basics[]
The Kingdom of Jordan has three network providers:
- Zain
- Umniah
- Orange
2G/GSM is on 900 MHz on Zain and Umniah and 1800 MHz on Orange, 3G/UMTS on 2100 MHz on all three operators. 4G/LTE has started on all providers in 2015 on 1800 MHz mainly in Amman, added by 2600 MHz. Many locals own more than only one SIM card.
One of the few MVNOs FRiENDi Jordan has announced it will suspend its operations in the Kingdom in March 2017, due to ‘continued financial losses’, which it blames on the high cost of operating in Jordan.
You can buy a prepaid SIM card in the shops of the operators or at resellers for a surcharge. You only need to show your passport for purchasing a starter pack. Have in mind, that a 16% tax is added in some areas like Amman, which is skipped in tax-free zones like Aqaba. There are shops at Queen Alia International Airport arrival halls (only Zain and Umniah, no Orange). Both Zain and Umniah shops open early around 6am.
Prices are in JOD. To most prices like top-ups a 16% mobile/internet tax must be added.
Zain[]
Zain from Kuwait is the market leader in Jordan with more than 4 million subscribers and the best coverage and speeds in the country. 4G/LTE is has started in 2015 on 1800 MHz, open to prepaid.
Availability[]
Their SIM card is available for 5 JOD (plus tax) at their stores (store locator) and outlets. They have a shop at Amman airport if you arrive by plane. You can get a basic plan without allowances included and no monthly fee like 'Al Kul' or 'My Line Basic' or combo plans with monthly inclusions. You can switch any line to Basic by *270#. If the line isn't used for more than 180 days, then the line will be terminated.
Top-ups with Zain scratch cards or e-vouchers from stores like Oryx, Esal, TicTic and Escocome come in denominations of 3, 5, 9, 12, 20 and 36 JDs plus 16% tax. They offer 5 to 360 days validity depending on size. To recharge, press *114*<voucher PIN>#. You can use the same scratch cards or e-vouchers for all prepaid cards or special broadband scratch cards for their broadband plans.
Combo plans[]
These major monthly combo plans are offered with data to new subscribers:
- Shahameh 60 Mix: 8 GB data, 7 GB extra for Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram, 6 GB extra for 4G, unlimited domestic voice calls and SMS for JOD 7.86 = 2x JOD 3 vouchers
- Shahameh 16 Mini: 4 GB data (4G included), 2 GB extra for Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram, 500 mins dom. voice, 500 dom. SMS for JOD 6.55 = 2x JOD 2.5 vouchers
You can renew plans ahead of time by *358# or add regular data packs for more data.
Data feature packages[]
Internet default prices are 0.21 JOD per MB on most plans. All plans can be added by these monthly 3G packs that Zain calls Mobile Internet Plans:
Type *240# to subscribe to one of the following special internet plans that they offer. To find out the remaining balance type *121*2#. All these packages are on 3G only, you can add 4G/LTE for JOD 5 per month. This option auto-renews and adds a further 1 GB in 4G only.
Data-only SIM[]
Furthermore, they sell a data-only starter pack including an 3G USB dongle for 15 JOD (+ 16% tax) including 3.5 GB for a month. This monthly offer in 3G is called "EzNet".
- 6 JOD: 10 GB daytime + 4 GB nighttime + 4 GB for Facebook
- 8 JOD: 16 GB daytime + 10 GB nighttime + 4 GB for Facebook
- 10 JOD: 18 GB daytime + 14 GB nighttime + 4 GB for Facebook
- 20 JOD: 50 GB daytime + 18 GB nighttime + 4 GB for Facebook
8% tax to be added to the above prices. Pay as you go rate outside of packs is 8.7 JOD per GB. Night capacity can be used 2am-10:00am. Activation is by http://zainjodataservices.com/.
4G/LTE plans[]
For data-only SIMs special Broadband 4G/LTE prepaid packages are offered:
- 10 JOD: 2 GB
- 25 JOD: 30 GB
- 35 JOD: 100 GB
- 50 JOD: 200 GB
Add 16% taxes. All packages are valid for 30 days and auto-renew. If data is used up before, you can add 1 GB for 5 JOD, 5 GB for 10 JOD or 10 GB for 15 JOD.
More info[]
- APN: internet /or/ zain
- Website in English: https://www.jo.zain.com/english
Umniah[]
Umniah is owned by Bahrain-based Batelco. It's the second provider in the country giving a good coverage: coverage checker.
Availability[]
Their SIM card is available for around 5 JOD (plus tax) at their stores, franchises and authorized dealers: store locator (bottom of page left ).
Top-ups are sold for 1, 3, 5 , 6, 10 and 15 JOD plus 16% tax valid for 5 to 360 days. To recharge type *127*<fourteen-digit recharge code>#.
If the line is not recharged within this period, it will be suspended for 5 days, allowing incoming calls only, after which time all activity on the line will be suspended for 60 days. After a period of 60 days with no recharges, the line will be terminally disconnected.
Combo plans[]
They have very different prepaid lines for voice and data. Their base plan is called Kul Bil Kul without any allowances. These monthly combo plans called Smart with included mins, SMS and data are sold:
- Umniah 5 Smart: 6 GB, 5000 on-net mins, 750 dom. mins, 500 SMS - 6.55 JOD
- Umniah 7 Smart: 12 GB, 20000 on-net mins, 1500 dom. mins, 1500 SMS - 9.17 JOD
- Umniah 9 Smart: 22 GB, unlimited on-net mins, 1750 dom. mins, 1000 internatl. mins, 2000 SMS, - 11.34 JOD
- Umniah 12 Smart: 28 GB, unlimited on-net mins, 20000 dom. mins, 1000 internatl. mins, 2000 SMS - 15.12 JOD
Migration to and from the new packages is available through *78#. Costs of migrating to the packages is 3 JOD change package fees + monthly subscription. Tethering and hotspot feature are not available on these packages. Tablets, routers and MiFis are not compatible with these packages
Data feature packs[]
All voice SIM cards can be added by these packs called "evo mobile prepaid". Pay as you go rate within the bundle validity is 1 Fils/100 KB, pay as you go rate outside of the bundle is 1 Fils/5 KB.
Data | Validity | Price |
---|---|---|
unlimited | per minute | 0.01 JOD |
unlimited | 10-11am, 3-4pm | 0.1 JOD per hour |
130 MB | 24 hours | 0.35 JOD |
500 MB | 24 hours | 0.50 JOD |
200 MB | 7 days | 1 JOD |
400 MB | 7 days | 1.5 JOD |
500 MB | 7 days | 2 JOD |
500 MB | 30 days | 3 JOD |
1 GB | 30 days | 5 JOD |
2 GB | 30 days | 7 JOD |
2.5 GB (*) | 30 days | 10 JOD |
(*) Package contains additional 2.5 GB for Skype calls.
To subscribe dial *888#. The deducted price of the bundle will be less than the price of the bundle because of the difference in the applied tax on mobile and internet. These social media add-ons can be activated by *888#:
- 1 GB for Twitter per month: 1 JOD
- 1 GB for YouTube per week: 1 JOD
- 1 GB for WhatsApp (no VoIP calls) per month: 1 JOD
- 1 GB for Facebook and Facebook Messenger (no VoIP) per month: 1 JOD
Data-only SIM[]
Furthermore, they sell a data-only starter packs they call evo 3G prepaid or evo 4G prepaid for around 5 JOD. These monthly bundles are available for the 3G data-only SIM:
- 6 JOD: 10 GB + 6 GB at night + 4 GB social media (+ after 1st purchase 4 GB + 4 GB night)
- 7 JOD: 14 GB + 12 GB at night + 4 GB social media (+ after 1st purchase 4 GB + 4 GB night)
- 10 JOD: 18 GB + 16 GB at night + 4 GB social media (+ after 1st purchase 4 GB + 4 GB night)
- 15 JOD: 35 GB + 11 GB at night + 4 GB social media (+ after 1st purchase 4 GB + 4 GB night)
Nighttime is valid from 2am-10:00am. Social media includes Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter. Pay as you go rate within the bundle validity is 1 Fils/200 KB after consuming the capacity. Pay as you go rate out of the bundle is 1 Fils/150 KB. Activation is by *888# or through their app.
4G/LTE plans[]
These monthly bundles are available for the 4G data-only SIM:
- 7 JOD: 18 GB + 12 GB at night + 4 GB social media (+ after 1st purchase 4 GB + 4 GB night)
- 10 JOD: 22 GB + 24 GB at night + 4 GB social media (+ after 1st purchase 4 GB + 4 GB night)
- 12 JOD: 35 GB + 26 GB at night + 4 GB social media (+ after 1st purchase 4 GB + 4 GB night)
- 15 JOD: 40 GB + 36 GB at night + 4 GB social media (+ after 1st purchase 4 GB + 4 GB night)
- 28 JOD: 100 GB + 20 GB at night for 90 days (+ after 1st purchase 4 GB + 4 GB night)
Nighttime is valid from 2am-10:00am. Social media includes Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter. Pay as you go rate within the bundle validity is JOD 3 per GB after consuming the capacity. Pay as you go rate out of the bundle is JOD 4 per GB. Activation is by *888# or through their app. You can add 2 GB for a day at 2 JOD or 5 GB for a week at 5 JOD.
More info[]
- APN for mobile phones: net
- APN for routers and dongles: Umniah
- Website in English
Orange[]
Orange, affiliated to French Télécom, has the smallest network in the Kingdom. 3G data can be quite slow and inconsistent, even in Amman downtown. Also due to the sparse population in most of the country, the signal coverage is very patchy. However, 4G/LTE has started too in 2015. Make a network check before purchase or use their coverage checker.
Availability[]
Their SIM card is available at their stores (see store locator) for 1.72 JOD (+ tax) and the subscription price for one month in different prepaid base plans.
For top-ups enter *150* followed by 14 digits number of the coucher and and #. Balance check is *155#.
Combo plans[]
Default data rate is at 20 piasters per MB. These monthly combo base plans are offered:
- Orange 2: 1 GB, 1 GB for Facebook, 60 local mins, unlimited SMS: JOD 2.63 (tax incl.)
- Orange 5: 1 GB, 2 GB for Facebook, 60 local mins, unlimited SMS: JOD 2.63 (tax incl.)
- Orange 6: 3 GB, 6 GB for Facebook, 200 local mins, unlimited SMS: JOD 7.87 (tax icl.)
- Orange 7: 4 GB, 6 GB for Facebook, unlimited domestic calls and SMS: JOD 9.18 (tax incl.)
- Orange 9: 6 GB, 6 GB for Facebook, unlimited domestic calls and SMS: JOD 11.80 (tax incl.)
- Orange 11: 8 GB, 6 GB for Facebook, unlimited domestic calls and SMS: JOD 14.42 (tax incl.)
- Orange 15: 25 GB, unlimited domestic calls and SMS: JOD 19.67 (tax incl.)
Unused data rolls over, if you renew your subscription 5 days befor expiry. "Unlimited" means up to 30,000 minutes to Orange mobile, 1,500 minutes to other local and international networks and 3,000 local SMS (100 SMS/day). Dial *200# to select your desired offer, *155# to check your balance and remaining bundles, *152# to renew your subscription at any time or *165# to check additional internet bundles.
For more data, these add-on bundles are offered by *777#:
- 2 GB valid for 30 days: 5 JOD
- 1 GB valid for 30 days: 3 JOD
- 1 GB valid for 7 days: 2 JOD
- 1 GB valid for 24 hours: 1 JOD
Data-only SIM[]
Their data-only SIM is called Prepaid Orange Net and comes as starter pack with a 3G USB dongle including 3.5 GB for 15 JOD in their stores. Their monthly 3G plans called Orange net come at the denominations for JOD plus taxes indicated in the name:
- Orange net 6: 5 GB data
- Orange net 7: 10 GB + 5 GB night
- Orange net 9: 15 GB + 5 GB night + 5 GB Facebook
- Orange net 11: 25 GB + 5 GB night + 5 GB Facebook
- Orange net 15: 30 GB + 5 GB night + 5 GB Facebook
- Orange net 27: 100 GB for 3 months
All Orange 3G net bundles are promoted with additional 7 GB data + 5 GB night + 5 GB Facebook. Night data is 2am-10am. When you recharge using scratch cards, E-recharge in values different from the above mentioned in the table or through credit transfer you can buy a bundle through *240# or the tariff will be 6 JOD per GB.
4G/LTE plans[]
For their new 4G/LTE, they Orange net come at the denominations for JOD plus taxes indicated in the name:
- Orange net 7: 10 GB + 5 GB night
- Orange net 9: 15 GB + 5 GB night + 5 GB Facebook
- Orange net 11: 25 GB + 5 GB night + 5 GB Facebook
- Orange net 15: 30 GB + 5 GB night + 5 GB Facebook
- Orange net 27: 100 GB for 3 months
All Orange 4G net bundles are promoted with additional 10 GB data + 5 GB night + 5 GB Facebook. Night data is 2am-10am. From 3G you can migrate to the new 4G offer through *501#. When you recharge using scratch cards, E-recharge in values different from the above mentioned in the table or through credit transfer you can buy a bundle through *240# or the tariff will be 6 JOD per GB.
Offers to visitors[]
For visitors they sell a package with a special line including an Orange 11 plan (see above), as well as a Huawei Y3II handset with a collection of accessories (power bank, selfie stick, Bluetooth speakers) for JOD 85 (tax incl).
For data users an unspecified 4G Mifi is offered with 100 GB valid for 3 months JOD 75 tax inclusive. The 4G internet offer is available without the MiFi device for JOD 35.5 too.
More info[]
- APN: net.orange.jo
- Username and password: net
- Website: http://www.orange.jo