Greece is famed for its impressive history and rich culture. While in the country you’ll be able to experience great adventures. Don’t forget it’s also the home of democracy, the Olympic Games & the start of Philosophy. Or maybe you are just looking to enjoy a holiday with alcohol and fun. Well, whatever your reason for being in Greece and reading this, your main concern is mobile phone services. You want to stay connected to your friends and family.
The good news for you is that there are a number of mobile service operators in Greece. You’ll have many choices when it comes to the packages they have to offer. Thus, take your sweet time and research mobile service providers carefully before settling on one. Make good use of the many free WiFI spots near you to find a provider. Let’s take a look at some of the options that are available to you and make your stay as interesting as possible.
Greece’s Telecommunication Sector
Greece is one of the countries in the world with many mobile service subscribers. In 2006 alone, they had more than 14 million active mobile phone subscriptions. So don’t be surprised to find teenagers as young as 12 years owning a mobile phone. Besides, according to statistics, 83% of Greeks between the ages of 15 and 65 years have a mobile, and 99% of those between 12 and 18 years have at least one mobile phone.
You will have access to a wide range of mobile phone services. The telecom sector has benefited greatly from 2017 from the financial crisis. The large number of subscribers has forced providers to focus on better services at better prices. Your task will just be identifying the provider that best suits your budget and needs. You should choose one provider for your mobile, internet, TV and landline services. Most providers have package deals for such providers.
Choosing your Mobile Phone Service Provider in Greece
Like I mentioned before, package deals are your best bet to save costs in Greece when it comes to telecom services. It shouldn’t be a problem because all providers have services for landline, mobile, internet and some even offer TV services.
However, some providers are more focused on home solutions. So, you should go for those who are geared towards more sensible packages for mobile and prepaid. Not that there is any provider that is so bad they aren’t worth considering. You can rest assured though that your preferred provider will offer you a package deal if you get all three services.
Mobile Service Providers in Greece
The main mobile service provider in Greece is Cosmote, (previously). So you will find most of your new friends and neighbours subscribed to their services. It has the best coverage signal-wide in the country. But don’t settle because the competition is stiff in the sector. There might be a better provider for you.
Other providers to consider are Nova (formerly known as Forthnet), Vodafone and Wind. However, if you are also looking for a landline or an Internet connection, Cosmote will be the best provider for you. They have fairly impressive packages and offer discounts to family members.
All the providers have a range of packages for mobile phones services. Your choice will depend on whether you intend to use more data services or texts and call services. You can visit their nearest establishments to find out more about their offers before making a choice. I would recommend checking their websites since it’s more convenient.
The websites are mostly in English so you should be able to understand. If not then you can request to chat with a customer care agent. Similarly, all the providers let you choose the best contract for you. The two main ones are the prepaid and postpaid. Prepaid contracts let you recharge your mobile phone based on consumption. With postpaid, you will receive a monthly bill.
Greece prepaid SIM card
All the service providers will offer you a prepaid SIM card for mobile services in the country. However, the type of prepaid SIM will vary from one provider to another. A prepaid SIM is ideal if you are planning to stay in Greece for long. Otherwise I would recommend other mobile service options.
The good news is that all the prepaid SIM cards will stay connected in places such as Athens, Santorini or Mykonos. So you can still go on road trips without worrying about your connection. However, you should always choose the Cosmote card on account that it has the best network coverage around Greece.
Your mobile service provider will require a valid ID document, such as a passport to sell you a prepaid SIM card. So make sure you carry a copy of your ID or even a photo. Besides, you must be over 18 years to get a card.
So where can you get a prepaid SIM card? Well just visit a designated store, or street vendor in the large cities and you will likely find one. If you are in Athens you can get one from the airport but it will cost you.
