Tourists' Guide to Buying a Prepaid SIM Card in Singapore

Tourists shouldn’t have to worry about buying a SIM card in Singapore as its widely available to everybody. However, you have to know the basics before you set out to buy your first new SIM card so that there will be less hassle, in fact none at all, once you’ve landed in the country. By doing this first, you’ll get to continue chatting with friends, family, colleagues, and potential employers—if you’re in the city to find a job. Wouldn’t that be nice? Here, we’ll provide you with everything you need to know about purchasing a SIM card in this global city.

●        Meet the big three.

There are three carriers in Singapore, namely Singtel, Starhub, and M1. They provide all kinds of mobile plans to locals, expats, and tourists alike. It really doesn’t matter if you’re a tourist or someone who’s been living in the city for quite some time. So long as you need a means of communication, they’ll be the one to give it to you.

Some people who stay a bit longer than a few months usually opt for an iPhone instalment plan in Singapore, whereas those who just happen to be staying for a few days or in a period of a month opt for prepaid plans. What’s more practical would depend on the duration of your stay, as well as your mobile needs and preferences.

●        Enquire about your current phone and SIM card.

For sure, your carrier could provide you with international roaming services although we’re also quite sure it’s expensive. Moreover, your phone wouldn’t also work if it’s not compatible with the GSM 900 to 1800 frequency bands in Singapore. Before travelling to this city, make sure to enquire about your phone’s specifications and whether or not it’ll work with the frequency bands we mentioned.

In case it’s agreeable to other frequency bands, it’s recommendable to just go straight to any of the three Singapore carriers and get the mobile plan that suits your needs. What’s more, your phone or SIM card wouldn’t also work if it uses CDMA technology and the carriers that do use this are Sprint, U.S. Cellular, and Verizon. There’s a difference between CDMA and GSM and only the latter’s consistent with Singapore mobile tech.

●        Purchasing a SIM card is extremely convenient.

You only have to choose amongst three Singapore carriers. So long as you keep your needs and preferences in mind, you wouldn’t have any troubles choosing right away. It’s highly advisable to do this the moment you come out of the airport because the carrier of your choice would register your passport with the mobile number you’ll be using.

The people who are most likely to stay for more than a month mostly avail of an iPhone instalment plan in Singapore or a prepaid would do for those who are only visiting for a few days. All carriers provide mobile data, as well as calls and texts services.

In case you’ll really be getting a prepaid SIM card whilst you’re in the city, it’s best to anticipate call durations so you can provide enough credit for it or else you’ll have to top-up to continue using mobile services. To prepare you even further, check out the different carriers online and see what they have to offer.