Cellular communication in india mts. Mobile communications and internet in goa

Description note mobile internet in Goa and purchases of a microsim card for the phone.

general information

In Goa, there are almost no problems with the Internet. Internet is available in many cafes and hotels. You can also get a local SIM card and use 3G internet. This is perhaps the most The best way always have a connection and not depend on wi-fi, which constantly “falls off” due to short blackouts.

If you use wi-fi in the area of ​​​​residence and after turning off the power you find that the Internet has stopped working, ask the hosts to restart wifi router. In 50% of cases, the router needs to be rebooted to resume the Internet. If you do not contact and do not welcome the lack of Internet, then you can find yourself without it for a couple of days.

There are three most common mobile operators in Goa

— Vodofon
— Airtel
— Idea

My Internet Experience in Goa

Initially, I wanted to buy a SIM card ideas, but at that moment the management of the company was changing and it was impossible to issue a tariff. I don't know how the management in the firms in GOA changes, but some users could not even replenish the account during this period.

I had to buy Vodofon. Which he did not regret at all. The only difficulty was that I was looking for a micro SIM card. And lo and behold, in one of the provincial places, I found one. So, if you wish, you can get a microsim card.

To apply for a SIM card, you need a copy of your passport and two color photographs. Stock up on them before you leave.

It makes no sense to quote the cost of the Internet and communications in GOA. It is much cheaper than in Russia. They will explain everything on the spot, including connecting you to the Internet in front of you. Sometimes it's done like this in a tricky way which you can't figure out on your own. For example, I observed how the seller sent a request to activate the Internet through his phone, and not through the SIM card I bought.

When going to India, you need to be prepared for the local flavor in everything. The mentality is reflected not only in the leisurely and very original service, but also in the level of communication. You should not count on affordable and good Internet in Goa. Frequent emergency situations with the inability to apply necessary settings to your technique.

Internet in Goa: mobile or WiFi

You should not count on Wi-Fi, even if the hotel claims it is available: no one guarantees you a normal connection. One router can have a couple of dozen users, which reduces the speed at times, and mobile communications in India are convenient due to relative independence from the place of residence.

Internet cafe

Given the low income of the Indian population, the Internet in Goa is available in special cafes equipped with rare equipment. The cars in them are old with a whole set related problems and risks. In some cases, you can connect from your laptop. Internet cafes are everywhere. Their services are in demand. It costs about $1 to spend an hour online.

WiFi

This is the most demanded service that increases the cost of renting housing, as well as the attractiveness of shacks and cafes for tourists. Therefore, Wi-Fi is gradually becoming an integral part of any public place. The speed is different everywhere. The connection quality leaves much to be desired. Conditions of use in institutions are different. For example: the first half hour can be used for free, then - an hour up to $ 1.

Roaming or local sim card?

India lives in a slightly different dimension. Arriving here, you should remember that not all operators support roaming. For the rest, it will be expensive. From 1.5 to 2$/min.

Even for a short trip, it is advisable to purchase several SIM cards. To do this, you will need a photocopy of your passport and a couple of photographs. Some ask to fill out a questionnaire and even call back to confirm the specified data. Activation requires knowledge of English. If you are weak with this, spend it at the place of purchase.

Multiple SIM cards will be required due to specifics cellular communication in India: coverage is not uniform everywhere. In the remote corners of Goa, the signal of local companies may not be available at all, not to mention roaming.

What are the mobile operators and the Internet

All mobile operators provide Internet traffic of varying quality.

India is gradually introducing 4G. Progress has also reached Goa. JIO is available for the local population. The cost is $2.5 per month for 120 GB. The project is private and is the privilege of the Indians.

For tourists, it is planned to provide free SIM cards at the state level, but so far the top three market leaders include commercial ones:

• Airtel;
• Vodafone;

There are about 14 of them in total. The echelon following the leaders:

• Reliance;
• BSNL;
• aircel.

Packages for tourists - only prepaid. They have a limited validity period corresponding to the visa expiration date. In order for the number to be valid permanently, an additional payment is required to ensure lifetime validity. About 15$.

Airtel

Beeline users, after arriving in Goa, will find that they are automatically connected to Airtel. For roaming, the minimum balance should be about 600 rubles. The rest are available on special request.

Airtel provides the usual coverage, somewhere better, somewhere worse, as well as in general cellular communications in Goa. The Internet is configured on a phone with 3G support. Points of sale will definitely offer a modem. Try experimenting with your smartphone first.

ideas

The Idea's cellular connection provides better coverage than Airtel, but the quality is only good for calls. Internet traffic depends on the purchased package, time of day and even wind direction. It is better to purchase with a modem that Idea provides, otherwise there may be difficulties with the settings.

Vodafone

One of the giants of cellular communications in India. You should not expect an attentive and reverent attitude towards customers. You can find any option in the packages. Be prepared that the load will receive several applications that regularly reset the balance on the account. To turn them off, you have to spend time and nerves.

BSNL

BSNL's position in mobile communications in India is mediocre. He is in the top five. Unlike competitors, it is not yet ready to provide customers with 4G. In Goa, it is interesting for the possibility of highlighting wired internet with fairly reasonable rates.

aircel

Cellular communication from Aircel covers mainly the northern and southeastern states of India, but gradually appears in Goa. 4G technologies are being actively developed.

Which mobile and Internet operator to choose?

Interruptions in the work of cellular communications require the tourist to take precautions: spend money and buy at least two SIM cards. Internet in Goa is best supplied by the leaders Airtel, Vodafon, Idea. When choosing, it is better to build on them. With patience, you can even file claims for the job.

If you do not plan to leave the hotel and travel far beyond your beach, buy a SIM card from the company whose coverage extends to the territory of your stay.

The signal is traditionally better in the center of a village or city and worsens a lot on the coast.

Connection quality

Airtel has good coverage in central Goa. In the north, Idea will do. Vodafon has approximately the same signal strength throughout the state.

All operators sin with spam. Get ready, the number will receive a dozen SMS with all sorts of commercial offers in a day.

Important nuances

Internet in Goa comes with the purchase of a SIM card for making calls.

In addition, the purchase of a phone or modem to yours is often imposed. There are frequent cases when the standard Indian settings cannot be applied to your technique.

Buying a SIM card as of the 2017-2018 season with standard options: GB of Internet and about 3 hours of local calls will cost up to $10. A call home costs no more than 20 cents. Calling Goa - about 1 cent. Activation comes up to 2-3 days. The standard cost of a modem is about $10. The router will cost up to $45.

The price of the packages is different, but there are no big differences between them.

There is no unlimited internet in Goa. Communication companies in package offers limit the speed or the amount of downloaded information.

For those who plan to stay for a long time in Goa

Expats from other countries and winterers face serious difficulties when moving to Goa for a long time. Despite the fact that the service is improving year after year, the quality of communication is growing slowly. good internet in Goa is still a dream for our compatriots. There are several steps you can take in terms of securing the necessary connectivity:

1. Rent a house with a stretched line and agree in advance on self-payment. As a rule, the owner buys the cheapest package. Paid GB is enough for just a few days. Then the supplier demands an additional payment, reducing the speed to a minimum, and this continues until the next month.
2. Browse the internet on your own. Depending on the distance, this is a costly but reliable option. The run is large - from $ 30 to $ 300. Useful if you work remotely. There will be a choice of which package to pay for.
3. Get to know the owner of the house better, and buy Jio on his behalf or with his help. It'll be cheap and cheerful. The main thing is to have coverage.

The situation with cellular communication or the quality of the Internet cannot change overnight. But if you have any questions, it is better to clarify them on the official websites of Indian operators working in Goa.

Frequently Asked Questions and Answers

Where to eat in Goa home wifi that works without interruption and at an acceptable speed?

If you decide not to buy a local SIM card, there is enough money on your account to activate roaming, and active travel around Goa is not expected, good wifi can only be calculated by booking hotel rooms high class or when renting housing from Europeans, long time living in India. Only they, for an appropriate fee, provide an acceptable speed and quality of the Internet. It is verified by experience.

If you plan to travel to other states of India, does the tariff plan? If so, which card would you recommend to buy so that it is not expensive?

The tariff plan for a SIM card purchased in Goa is valid within the state. When leaving it, interstate roaming is activated. The cost of calls abroad, as a rule, remains the same, but the price for a conversation with a subscriber in Goa increases by 2-3 times.

How can I top up my balance in another state?

Cash is actively used to replenish the account. In Goa, cards are sold on every corner. If you use a local number, you can buy them in advance. Otherwise, when traveling outside the state, you will have to use payment via the Internet.

Goa, waves, sun and shanti. Everything else does not matter. There is no need to set high requirements for communication. After all, you have arrived in a tropical paradise that has a completely different purpose: work and news can wait.

When you start using mobile communications in India, you begin to understand that all our operators are sad G. mobile connection in India it is remarkable for its amazing coverage - it works in the mountains, in the jungle, on islands and islets, far from civilization, in general, everywhere. In all my Indian travels, it seems that I have not been able to find a place where a mobile phone does not work, or a village where it would not be possible to top up a mobile account. Mobile communications in India are phenomenally cheap - cards are sold at a cost of 3 rupees. Operators do not charge for the connection, the conversation is charged per second from the first second. In India, there is roaming between states. Outside the state where you bought the card, you will have to pay for incoming calls, and outgoing calls will be about 3-4 times more expensive.

The main mobile operators in India are Airtel, Vodafone, Idea, Reliance and Ex-Cel. The prices of all operators are the same, but the first two compare favorably in the quality and availability of the service, in terms of coverage.

Buying a mobile SIM card is quite simple and definitely worth doing. Calls home will cost you almost less than calls from your mobile phone to your home in your home country, and calls to each other will cost nothing at all. Foreigners (that is, we) use only prepaid (prepaid) mobile service. Such packages are inexpensive - 100-300 rupees and, as a rule, almost all of this amount is in your account.

The cost of a minute of conversation within the state where the card is purchased is no more than 1 rupee, calls abroad are 5-15 rupees ($0.3-0.5), SMS is less than a rupee.

In order to buy a SIM card, you will need 2 3X4 photos, photocopies of 2 passport spreads (with photo and visa) and, in some cases, C-Form or Address Confirmation (a piece of paper from the hotel where you live, confirming your address). The main snag may be in it. As a rule, in tourist places, you will be sold a card without this document, but in some cases, you will not be able to buy a card without it. This piece of paper may not be given to you at the hotel, or the one that was given to you may not work. In this case, you should try to buy a card elsewhere. And this may not help either, in India the paranoia of the fight against terrorism is periodically exacerbated and the cards are not sold.

You should not buy a card at the airport upon arrival in India. It is not worth buying a card at the Main Bazaar unless you are planning to spend at least a week in Delhi. It is better to buy a card in a reputable office cellular company and not at the grocery store. In this case, the probability that your card will work for more than two weeks is much higher. Best of all Vodafone cards in our experience, the middle ground due to coverage is Idea. Airtel cards are the easiest to buy but drop like flies.

As a rule, the easiest way is to buy a card Airtel. According to Airtel rules, you do not need to confirm the address, it is enough to present an invoice from the hotel issued in your name. After filling out the documents, you insert the card into your phone and in 5-10 minutes your Indian mobile is ready for use. But there is an annoying catch here. The dealer from whom you bought the card is obliged to send your documents by post to main office Airtel. If the documents are not verified within 14 days, your number will be blocked. Due to natural sloppiness and laziness, Indians very rarely send tourists' documents to the main office. Therefore, when applying for an Airtel card, you must be mentally prepared for the fact that it will stop working in 2 weeks. In the context of this, it hardly makes sense to pay Life Time Validity (lifetime maintenance) upon purchase. If your card is blocked, you have 3 options: throw it away, go to the seller to swear, personally bring the documents to the Airtel office in the state capital. If you choose the first option, just buy a new card. If you are close to the seller, you can argue with him, he will call Airtel and your card will be valid for another 2 weeks (or a miracle will happen and he will still send the documents). In the third option, you will be convinced of the hospitality and cordiality of Indian clerks and your card will be fully activated. When you next visit India in a year, you will be surprised to find that your card still does not work. This is Airtel.

Somewhat more difficult with Vodafone. For Vodafone, most states require full proof of residential address. But in some towns, inexperienced dealers can sell you a Vodafone SIM card. If the card has been activated, it will work forever, regardless of the balance on the card and whether your documents have been received by the main office. If you manage to buy a Vodafone card, consider it a great success, it will work always and everywhere, it will not be turned off in a year or two. I was able to buy Vodafone cards in Tamil Nadu - in Mahabalipuram and Kerala - in Varkala.

The rules for selling cards, their price and activation conditions can vary greatly in different states. It makes sense to buy a card in a locality where you will spend at least a couple of days, so that in case of problems with activation, you can quarrel with the seller.

The easiest, in my experience, was to buy cards in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Goa, the most difficult in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Varanasi.

You can replenish your account at every step, in almost any store and shop, in telephone offices and in the offices of cellular companies. As a rule, when replenishing with a small amount (up to 50 rupees), you will have to pay a commission. When replenishing more than 250 rupees, there will be no commission. If you come across a completely greedy top-up, you can demand to sell you a top-up scratch card - this will be 100% the price of the operator.

There are, however, problems with Indian mobile phones. Quite unpredictably, there are some collisions between "our" operators and Indian ones. A lot of people complain that SMS messages to Indian numbers from our phones do not reach. And here it all depends on many factors - where the card was bought, what tariff, in which state they “do not reach”, from which country, which operator. All in all, it's completely unpredictable. But in any case, you should send only Latin letters.

Mobile communication and Internet in Goa is one of the fastest growing sectors of the state economy. There is a government program under which the development of such technologies is a state priority.

Mobile communication in Goa

There are 14 mobile and Internet operators in the state, the most famous of them are Vodafone, Airtel, Idea, BSNL, Aircel, Reliance and Tata DoCoMo, all have about the same tariffs. The connection quality is usually good, and your phone can catch the network not only in the city or in the countryside, but even in transport.

The best option for a tourist who comes to Goa is to use their own phone and prepaid services mobile operator especially if the trip is long. Calls to your country from the local cellular network are much cheaper than calling to international roaming, especially since some operators do not support this service well, the state.

A prepaid SIM card can be bought at the office of a cellular company or at a travel agency where they are sold. The best coverage here the operators Vodafone, Airtel and Idea differ. To connect to the operator's network, you need copies of the passport pages (the main page and the visa page), as well as 1-2 passport-sized photographs. All this can usually be done on the spot. After filling out the questionnaire, you will be given a SIM card, but it will not start working immediately, but only after you call the customer support center, where you will be asked a few simple questions (name, passport number, date of birth, residential address, etc.) . Communication with the operator takes place, of course, in English. After a successful answer to the questions, the SIM card will be activated within approximately one hour.

Please note that in India there are restrictions on the sale of SIM cards to foreigners, a tourist can get it for the duration of the visa, but not more than 3 months. After three months or at the moment the visa expires (whichever comes first), the SIM card is blocked. However, such a SIM card can be unlocked if you contact the mobile operator's office with a corresponding application. To do this, you will again have to go through the entire registration procedure, after which you will be issued a new SIM card, but with the same number and with the saved balance.

Thus, when applying for a SIM card in your name, some problems may arise. Firstly, after buying a SIM card, mobile communication does not become available immediately, but only after calling the call center, which is not very convenient, especially for those who do not own English language in sufficient quantity. Well, and secondly, the SIM card will be blocked in three months, which may not be a very pleasant surprise for those who plan to travel around India for a long time. Of course, enterprising Indians are ready to offer a way out of this situation. If you wish, you can purchase an already activated card from them. They are sold in almost all departments of mobile communications, but, of course, they are more expensive. To purchase such a SIM card, you will not need any documents, filling out questionnaires and calls to the support service. She will start working right away. The main thing at the same time is not to forget to check if there is money in the account, and you can call anywhere.

To replenish the balance of your account, you need a voucher, which is sold almost everywhere. You can pay in cash at the office mobile operator or agencies. It is better to replenish the account with certain amounts of money, called full talk time. This means that the balance will be exactly the amount that you paid, in otherwise You may be charged a commission for replenishing your account.

Internet in Goa

For work or other purposes, upon arrival in India, many need not only mobile phone but also Internet access. This connection in Goa is no different good quality and speed, but there are many connection options. One of them, and the simplest, is wi-fi, free Internet, which is available in cafes and sheks, hotels and hostels. To access such an Internet, you need a password, which can be obtained from the service personnel. However, this Internet does not have a good speed, it happens that there is no connection at all all day.

2G and 3G Internet services from Indian operators are connected and charged separately. It is better to find out in advance what tariffs and traffic packages are. The easiest way is to ask the seller of the SIM card about all this. If you are going to the northern part of the state, for example, to the villages of Anjuna, Vagator, Chapora, then you can rarely find 3G here, more often the phone catches the usual Edge, which is slow, which hardly masters loading even the simplest Internet pages. If your path lies in the villages of Candolim, Calangute or Baga, then you can breathe easy, there are practically no problems with 3G here, it works everywhere.

The best option would be to connect to the Internet via a USB modem with a SIM card from an Indian mobile operator. You can buy it at the office of the mobile operator. Be careful with video calls, they consume a lot of traffic.

There is also fiber optic Internet in Goa, however, this is a rarity here, because it is expensive and long, the procedure takes about two months. Only those who live here permanently use this connection. This type connection is tied to a specific place of residence, that is, having spent money on it and waiting until the connection is established, it will not be possible then to take the Internet anywhere with you.

/ Cellular in Goa

Roaming or local sim card?

It is advisable not to even think about using your “home” SIM cards in Goa for calls. Unless, of course, you have an excess amount of money :) Roaming rates for all operators are completely inhumane, both outgoing and incoming calls are paid. For example, the cost of outgoing / incoming calls: in MTS 149/149 rubles, in Megafon 125/100 rubles, in Beeline 99/99 rubles. SMS everywhere for 19 rubles. It will be much cheaper to buy a local SIM card in Goa and use it. From local cellular networks calls to Russia cost 10 rupees (= about 7 rubles), to Indian numbers - 1 rupee, sms to Russia as a rule, 5 rupees.

Russian operators began to have various Additional services and packages that make roaming much cheaper. If you wish, find out the offers of your operator. However, the cost of calls from Indian SIM cards is still significantly cheaper.

In particular, we can recommend MTS and their Zero Without Borders service. For a subscription fee of 25 rubles per day, all incoming calls in roaming are free, lasting up to 10 minutes (up to 200 minutes per month, then 5r / minute). Outgoing calls at the same time cost 149 rubles per minute, or 79 rubles, with the gogo roaming option.

Important! As of February 2013, only contract tariffs for the Megafon operator work automatically in roaming in Goa. For all "light" tariffs (all those without subscription fee), you need to connect roaming at the Megafon office.

Which operator's SIM card should I buy?

There are several cellular networks in Goa - Airtel, Idea, Vodafone, BSNL, Aircel. The coverage in Goa is rather uneven for everyone, in the same places some networks can work, others do not. According to reviews, Airtel and Idea (in the North) differ in the best coverage, they are most often bought. Also, now, they say, Vodafone works well. Coverage and communication quality in different places (even within the same village) for different operators may vary. The only way to know for sure is by experimentation. Simply put - buy either Idea, or Airtel, or Vodafone. Do not put a lot of money into the account at once. Test it. If you don't like how it works, try buying a SIM card from another operator.

Buying a SIM card

Tourists can connect to prepaid (prepaid) tariffs of all networks. You can connect both in official offices and in a huge number of shops - travel offices (concurrently engaged in currency exchange, selling air and railway tickets). It is better not to buy at Dabolim Airport - it is very expensive there (for 800 rupees a SIM card with only 450 rupees in the account).

To connect, as a rule, 1 (sometimes 2) color photograph 3x4 (or 3.5x4.5, whatever) is required. Also, a copy of your passport, main page, and a page with a visa and entry stamps on it. Copies are often made immediately on the spot, or in extreme cases they will tell you where you can photocopy.

About dialing an Indian phone number

international telephone code India: +91.

Rooms cell phones without international code ten-digit. xxx-xxx-xxx-xx (e.g. 9604870327).

Inside India, from phone to phone, you can dial either just this ten-digit number, or in the international format, i.e. +91-xxx-xxx-xxx-xx (example: +91-9604870327).
When calling from Russia, you need to dial the Indian number in the international format (starting from +91).

When calling from India to Russia, numbers are also dialed in the international format, and without "8" (+7 instead). For example, if the number is 8-926-123-45-67, in international format it is +7-926-123-45-67.

Account replenishment (Recharge)

To replenish the balance, cards (recharge vouchers) are sold, and cash replenishment is also widespread everywhere. All this is in those same travel offices located everywhere in large quantities.

For depositing, certain thresholds of amounts are usually provided, on which it depends whether there will be a commission from the payment or not. Different operators may differ. As far as I remember, to replenish Idea without a commission, the amount was 395 rupees.

Mobile Internet

Additional connection required. Via USSD or SMS requests. It is advisable to get acquainted in advance on the Internet, what tariffs and traffic packages are available, and, if possible, write down the methods of their connection. If anything, you can ask the seller, but they are not always in the know.

2G (GPRS/EDGE) and 3G (WCDMA/UMTS) services in currently those of Indian mobile operators are separate. Separately charged, and separately connected.