Prepaid Data SIM Card Wiki
Register
Advertisement

General Notes

It is easy to get a prepaid SIM card in India as a foreigner, you just have to make sure you have all the proper documents and they'll probably want photocopies of them too. Documents you'll probably need:

  • Copies of your passport & your passport
  • Passport size photo (probably in color)
  • Copies of your visa & your visa
  • Local government-issued proof of address

The local address proof may or may not be required. Some stores will ask for it, some won't. If you find yourself with a store that insists on it, your only option is to get a local to buy a SIM card for you.

IMPORTANT NOTE: You should make sure you specify to whomever you buy the Sim from that you want "international roaming" activated on your device if you intend to leave the state that you purchase the Sim card in. Otherwise as soon as you leave the Indian state you won't have phone service anymore. Also make sure your device is properly configured for the roaming...my Samsung Galaxy S2 had some problems even though I had roaming activated...my Indian friend had to change a few mobile network settings. (24-March-2012)

As a tourist, registering with your foreign (not Indian) passport, you can only use the sim-card for (up to) 3 months. After 3 months your sim-card will deactivated for sure. Using the registration of a friend who is an Indian, you can get the sim with an infinite validity. Only use your sim at least once in the three months, by sending a sms or making a call. I have experience of the lost of 3 months registration, with a foreign passport. Now I have 2 sim-cards (airtel and vodafone) registered on a Indian passport. In two months I will have evidence/experience whether the tactic of sending a sms every three months will be sufficient.

Using a prepaid card registered everywhere in India, can be used trough the whole of India, except Jammu and Kasjmir (State of North India) this is because of the fear of terrorism. Only postpaid and en new sim, bought in Jammu and Kasjmir will work within this state.


The following operators are listed by rank/size as of october 2013.

Airtel

Networks


Coverage

According to locals Airtel has the best coverage. E.g. out in the Kuri Desert near Jaisalmer Airtel was the only option to get connection. 

Startup cost

Airtel Sim Card Cost : Rs. 50-100 Rupees, about 1-2 USD, vendors may charge more

Lifetime validity requires a recharge of Rs. 49 which is 1 USD

Data feature packs

3G Prepaid Packs ( as of 02/2014 )
Size Price ( in INR ) Validity
150MB 45 7days
300MB 102 30days
1GB 249 30days
2.5GB 449 30days
4GB 749 30days
10GB 1499 30days

source http://www.airtel.in/Airtel3G/tariff.html

Activation takes 2 hours up to 2 days. 3G activation takes up to 4 hours after intial sim card activation.

Technical details

Airtel APN: airtelgprs.com

Vodafone

Networks

Startup cost

Sim Card Cost : Rs. 50-100 Rupees, about 1-2 USD, various vendors may charge whatever they feel like Data feature packs 3G is fastest and most reliable in India based on conversations with locals and personal speedtesting.Plans of 2 GB are for 450 Rs, but they had larger and smaller plans up to 10 GB, I've just forgotten how much they are. You can easily choose when you buy the SIM, and have the vendor buy the data pack for you. 12/2012

Reliance Com

No info at this time.

Idea Cellular

No info at this time.

BSNL (Dolphin 3G)

Networks


Startup Cost

49 INR, with 12 INR Talk value

Coverage

Big cities only, full 3G speed

Availability

Passport copy and photo required


Prepaid 3G Data Coupons :

Coupon

3G 50

3G 99

3G 250

3G 450

3G 650 (Revised)

3G 850 (New)

3 G 1099 (New)

3G 1500

3G 1800

MRP (inclusive of Tax) Rs.

50

99

250

450

650

850

1099

1500

1800

Free Data Usage

60MB

130MB

0.5 GB

1 GB

2GB

5 GB

10 GB

15 GB

Unlimited

Talk value Rs.

14/-

4/-

5/-

6/-

7/-

53/- (own net)

62/- (own net)

13/-

11/-

Validity for free data and free video calls

30 days

30 days

30 days

30 days

30 days

30 days

30 days

30 days

30 days

Free Local Video Call (Own N/W) in Minutes.

NIL

Nil

25 min.

50 Min.

75 min.

20 min

50 min.

100 min.

50 min.

http://mtnldelhi.in/dolphin/index.php/3g-prepaid-plans

TaTa DoCoMo / Virgin mobile India / Talk24 (T24)

Networks

Startup cost

Paid rs1000 (probably way above the official rate) for a TATA DoCoMo SIM-card and got it activated immedately here in Kovalam, Kerala. This included some rs24 worth of calling time and 100MB of 'rocket' data (whatever that is).

Data package

rs255 (official rate) for 1GB of data valid for 30 days. There are also packages with 2 and 3GB of data as far as I can tell.

Activation

Requires some texting back and forth. The seller helped me out with this. Check the status of your SIM-card with USSD-code *111*1#

Speed

Speedtest.net app on Galaxy S4 says ping: 128ms, Download: 3,56Mbps and Upload: 0,30Mbps to server in Bangalore.

Link

http://www.tatadocomo.com/

Aircel

Networks

Uninor

No info at this time.

MTS India

No info at this time.

Videocon

No info at this time.

MTNL

No info at this time.

Loop mobile

No info at this time.

Advertisement