Anguilla – known for its beaches, barrier reefs & stray chickens roaming around.
It is also known for not having a cinema – not even one.
The nearest cinema is in Sint Maarten.
But should the lack of a cinema prevent you from visiting Anguilla? Not at all.
Of course, you can spend your days on the many beaches in Anguilla, like Maundays Bay, Rendezvous Bay & Shoal Bay.
You can also visit one of the many islands, such as Dog Islands and Seal Island.
Oh, just know that Dog Island has no dogs – so keep your expectations low, ha.
As you probably know, Anguilla is an expensive travel destination.
Moreover, international roaming can be expensive, especially in Anguilla.
Local SIM cards, like an Anguillan one, are a better way to stay connected when abroad – and much more cost-effective.
Luckily, SIM cards are not too expensive in Anguilla.
You can get an Anguillan SIM card for 25 XCD (9.25 USD) in the Digicel and Flow Stores in The Valley. They are not available at Anguilla-Clayton J. Lloyd International Airport (AXA).
While many readers from other countries may think these prices are high, they are typical for Caribbean standards.
Yeah, the Caribbean is not cheap – at all.
In this guide, I will go over everything you need to know about buying a SIM card in Anguilla. Let's do this.
Original publication: 9th of March 2020. Last updated: 4th of April 2023.
Table of Contents
Can You Buy a SIM Card in Anguilla?
You can buy an Anguillan SIM card from Digicel and Flow as a tourist. There is nothing preventing travelers from buying a SIM card in Anguilla.
You do have to comply with the SIM card registration regulations.
Moreover, your phone has to support the frequencies used in Anguilla.
Finally, your phone needs to be unlocked (SIM-lock free) to use an Anguillan SIM card.
Where Can You Buy a SIM Card in Anguilla?
You can get an Anguillan SIM card in the official stores of Digicel and Flow in The Valley. They are not available at Anguilla-Clayton J. Lloyd International Airport (AXA).
You can expect to pay the following for Anguillan SIM cards:
- Digicel Anguilla: 25 XCD
- Flow Anguilla: 25 XCD
Can You Use Your Phone in Anguilla?
Anguilla uses GSM for their cellular communications, meaning that you need a GSM-capable phone to use your phone in the country. Fortunately, there is about a 99% chance your phone supports GSM.
Besides that, you need to be aware of the ITU Regions to determine whether your phone will work in other parts of the world.
Although there are 3 ITU Regions, you only need to know these two terms: American frequencies and European frequencies.
Africa, Asia (including the Middle East), Europe & Oceania (ITU Regions 1 & 3) typically use European frequencies, meaning phones bought in those regions can be used in countries using European frequencies without issues.
The Americas (North-, Central– & South America + the Caribbean), ITU Region 2, use American frequencies, which are different from the European frequencies.
Anguilla uses a mix of American frequencies and European frequencies for 2G and 3G, depending on the mobile operator. 4G/LTE is exclusively on American frequencies.
If you bought your phone in the Americas (ITU Region 2) and have a low/medium-end device (without Tri-Band or Quad-Band) support, you want to go with Flow Anguilla
It supports traditional American frequencies on 2G, 3G & 4G/LTE, meaning that you can take full advantage of its network.
If you purchased your phone in Africa, Asia, Europe, or Oceania (ITU Regions 1 & 3) and have a low/medium-end device (without Tri-Band or Quad-Band) support, you want to go with Digicel Anguilla.
It supports traditional European frequencies on 2G and 3G, but you will not be able to use its 4G/LTE network.
Suppose you have a medium/high-end device with Tri-Band or Quad-Band support. In that case, you can go with any mobile operator, as your phone will support both American frequencies and European frequencies, even on 4G/LTE.
Mobile Operators, Networks & Frequencies in Anguilla
Anguilla has two mobile operators offering prepaid services easily accessible to travelers:
- Digicel Anguilla
- Flow Anguilla
The following frequencies are used in Anguilla:
- 2G: 850 MHz & 1900 MHz
- 3G: 900 MHz & 1900 MHz
- 4G/LTE: 700 MHz (Band 13 & Band 17)
You can learn more about frequencies in the video below.
To check whether your phone will work in Anguilla, check out this page by Kimovil or this one by Will My Phone Work (outdated, unfortunately, but extremely user-friendly – useful for phones launched in or before 2019. It does not check for 5G NR compatibility).
Again, make sure your phone is unlocked. Otherwise, you will not be able to use any SIM card except the one from your home operator (meaning you have to roam internationally or buy another unlocked phone that does support the frequencies listed above).
If you want to learn how international roaming works, this guide explains it in-depth. If you wonder why it is often so expensive to roam, this article explains the hidden reason they do not want you to know.
VoLTE & VoWiFi in Anguilla
Both VoLTE (Voice over LTE (4G) – also known as HD Voice) and VoWiFi (Voice over WiFi – also known as WiFi calling) are not offered by the mobile operators in Anguilla (yet).
This means that when you make a call, your phone will downgrade to 3G (or 2G when 3G is not available) instead of staying connected to 4G/LTE.
This is also why you often cannot use mobile while calling if not connected to WiFi.
VoWiFi is, as the name implies, calling on a WiFi connection as opposed to on a cellular network.
5G NR in Anguilla
5G NR is not available in Anguilla as of 2022, and the Anguillan government has not made any indications of when it will auction 5G licenses.
Best SIM Card in Anguilla
If you want to buy the best SIM card in Anguilla, I recommend going with Digicel or Flow. Both mobile operators have extensive coverage throughout the country, and the speeds are similar. Digicel has attractive plans (Prime Bundles) with dedicated data allowances for Prime apps, TikTok & YouTube (up to 30 GB/app).
Best eSIM in Anguilla
Unfortunately, none of the mobile operators offer eSIM to prepaid customers in Anguilla yet.
Note that the Anguillan mobile operators require your identification (passport) for (future) eSIMs and physical SIM cards (will be discussed later).
Therefore, if you wish to get an eSIM for Anguilla (without personal detail capturing), you can get the Anguilla (Dolphin Mobile) eSIM from Airalo with 1 GB of data for 7 days.
Now, you may think this is a sad selection or that 1 GB of data is insufficient.
Both points are true… I agree – but you can make unlimited top-ups with the Dolphin Mobile eSIM through the Airalo website or apps.
So if you need 5 GB of data, you can purchase the Dolphin Mobile 1 GB eSIM and get four 1 GB top-ups.
Yes, it is a bit inconvenient for now; Airalo may offer 3 GB, 5 GB & 10 GB plans with a 30-day validity for Anguilla soon, as it did for many other countries it supports.
For Airalo eSIMs, the links will automatically get you the Phone Travel Wiz exclusive offers available – a code is unnecessary.
For an in-depth analysis of the Anguilla Dolphin Mobile eSIMs (covering pros and cons as well), check out my Anguilla eSIMs Compared guide.
- Check out my Airalo eSIM reviews
With this eSIM, you can skip Anguilla's SIM card registration scheme entirely and use it immediately upon arriving in Anguilla!
- Find out about the best local eSIMs, local travel eSIMs & regional travel eSIMs for every country (lookup tool)
TIP: check out my Best Anguilla eSIMs Compared guide for an in-depth comparison of several eSIMs for Bermuda, including ones not mentioned above.
Airalo has an eSIM for the Caribbean: Island Hopper. The Island Hopper eSIM can be used in 24 Caribbean countries.
The Island Hopper eSIM is not as valuable as other Airalo regional eSIMs (like Asialink for Asia, Eurolink for Europe & Latamlink for Latin America) because you only have one variant: 1 GB for 7 days, but top-ups are available (the -link eSIMs have at least four variants, up to 100 GB of data for 180 days, making top-ups often unnecessary).
The Island Hopper eSIM can be used in the following 24 countries:
- Aruba
- Anguilla
- Antigua & Barbuda
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- Bonaire
- British Virgin Islands
- Cayman Islands
- Curaçao
- Dominica
- French Guiana 1
- Grenada 2
- Guadeloupe
- Haiti
- Jamaica
- Martinique
- Montserrat 2
- Panama
- Puerto Rico
- Saint Kitts & Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Vincent & the Grenadines
- Trinidad & Tobago
- Turks & Caicos Islands
1 the Latamlink eSIM covers French Guiana too – it has better options than Island Hopper (1 GB/7 days, 2 GB/15 days, 3 GB/30 days & 5 GB/30 days) in Central- and South America. However, if you do not visit those regions and stay in the Caribbean only, then stick with the Island Hopper eSIM instead
2 on 3G only
With the Island Hopper eSIM, you can save a lot of money by skipping the initial SIM card costs per country you visit in Latin America!
I am working with Airalo to turn the Island Hopper into a -link so that it offers you better value.
For now, you still have an eSIM covering almost all of the Caribbean, which is neat :).
TIP: Check out my eSIM lookup tool for an overview of local mobile operators offering eSIMs to prepaid customers and travel eSIMs I use and love (for eSIMs in Anguilla and eSIMs worldwide) and my Best Anguilla eSIMs Compared guide for an in-depth comparison of several eSIMs for Anguilla.
SIM Card Registration in Anguilla
SIM card registration with your passport information is required in Anguilla. It will be done at the point of sale.
Anguilla Mobile Internet Prices & Insights
The Caribbean is not known for being a cheap travel region.
With many luxurious resorts and PRISTINE beaches, it is somewhat understandable why the region is a bit high-class (with some exceptions, like the Dominican Republic and Haiti).
But what about mobile data costs? Are they cheap in Anguilla?
They are not cheap, but they are not expensive either.
The average price for 1 GB of data in Anguilla is 3.85 USD, around the Caribbean average of 4.44 USD. The world average is 4.07 USD.
Compared to 2019's numbers, the average cost of 1 GB of data decreased by 72.3%.
While there is not much information about mobile data speeds in the country because not many people do speed tests there, I can mention something about speeds.
Flow Anguilla claims the maximum achievable speed you can get on their network is 35 Mbps.
But remember, this is the maximum speed – you will most likely get speeds ranging between 10 Mbps and 25 Mbps.
With reasonably priced SIM cards, close to excellent nationwide coverage, decent mobile download speeds, and average mobile data rates, you should have a smooth network experience in Anguilla.
Currency in Anguilla
Anguilla uses the East Caribbean Dollar with the symbol XCD (which will be used throughout this guide).
However, prices are often listed as ECD, EC$, or $. For example, 25 ECD = ECD/EC$/$ 25.
XCD is pegged 2.70:1 to the US Dollar (USD), meaning that 2.70 XCD is 1 USD. 27.10 XCD would be 10 USD. 270 is 100 USD, etc.
1 XCD is 0.37 USD, 10 XCD is 3.70 USD, 100 XCD is 37 USD – you know the drill.
For up-to-date XCD:your currency (let's say Euro) exchange rates, use the Wise Currency Converter tool.
If your credit/debit card charges you foreign exchange fees, get yourself a Wise Borderless Account and Debit Card.
Their fees are MUCH lower than banks and credit card companies charge you (and Wise is transparent about their fees, unlike banks).
I have saved literal THOUSANDS of Australian Dollars and Euros, my main currencies, when using Wise abroad when traveling compared to my debit and credit cards.
Anguillan Prepaid SIM Cards
Below, I will guide you through Digicel Anguilla & Flow Anguilla, and go through:
- Background information
- Mobile coverage
- SIM card types, prices & availability
- Recharge / top-up information
- Combo plans, data plans & special packs (such as social media packs)
With that being said, let’s see what Anguilla has to offer to us.
Digicel Anguilla
Digicel Anguilla, just Digicel, is one of the two mobile operators in Anguilla.
Digicel, as a company, is active in many other Caribbean nations, Central America & Oceania.
Digicel uses the following frequencies:
- 2G: 850 MHz & 1900 MHz
- 3G: 900 MHz & 1900 MHz
- 4G/LTE: 700 MHz (Band 17)
This is what you will learn about Digicel:
* Coverage
* How to Get a Digicel SIM Card & SIM Card Price
* Topping Up Options & Methods
* Plans & Packages
* APN/Internet Settings
Coverage – Digicel Anguilla
Digicel has excellent coverage in Anguilla.
4G/LTE reception is available basically anywhere in Anguilla.
Below is Digicel's coverage map produced by Speedtest:
SIM Card Price – Digicel Anguilla
You can get a Digicel SIM card for 25 XCD from the Digicel store in The Valley. They are not available at Anguilla-Clayton J. Lloyd International Airport (AXA).
You may have to dial *122# to activate your Digicel SIM card if your SIM card does not work upon purchase.
Dial *129# to see your Digicel phone number.
Dial *141# to access the Digicel menu.
- Find out how much SIM cards cost in every country, including data-only SIM cards and tourist SIM cards, offered by each mobile operator + information about starter benefits (lookup tool)
Digicel has no eSIMs.
Note that the Anguillan mobile operators require your identification (passport) for (future) eSIMs and physical SIM cards.
Therefore, if you wish to get an eSIM for Anguilla (without personal detail capturing), you can get the Anguilla (Dolphin Mobile) eSIM from Airalo with (1 GB of data for 7 days – top-ups are available).
For Airalo eSIMs, the links will automatically get you the Phone Travel Wiz exclusive offers available – a code is unnecessary.
Airalo has an eSIM for the Caribbean: Island Hopper. The Island Hopper eSIM can be used in 24 Caribbean countries.
The Island Hopper eSIM is not as valuable as other Airalo regional eSIMs (like Asialink for Asia, Eurolink for Europe & Latamlink for Latin America) because you only have one variant: 1 GB for 7 days, but top-ups are available (the -link eSIMs have at least four variants, up to 100 GB of data for 180 days, making top-ups often unnecessary).
The Island Hopper eSIM can be used in the following 24 countries:
- Aruba
- Anguilla
- Antigua & Barbuda
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- Bonaire
- British Virgin Islands
- Cayman Islands
- Curaçao
- Dominica
- French Guiana 1
- Grenada 2
- Guadeloupe
- Haiti
- Jamaica
- Martinique
- Montserrat 2
- Panama
- Puerto Rico
- Saint Kitts & Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Vincent & the Grenadines
- Trinidad & Tobago
- Turks & Caicos Islands
1 the Latamlink eSIM covers French Guiana too – it has better options than Island Hopper (1 GB/7 days, 2 GB/15 days, 3 GB/30 days & 5 GB/30 days) in Central- and South America. However, if you do not visit those regions and stay in the Caribbean only, then stick with the Island Hopper eSIM instead
2 on 3G only
With the Island Hopper eSIM, you can save a lot of money by skipping the initial SIM card costs per country you visit in Latin America!
I am working with Airalo to turn the Island Hopper into a -link so that it offers you better value.
For now, you still have an eSIM covering almost all of the Caribbean, which is neat :).
TIP: check out my Best Anguilla eSIMs Compared guide for an in-depth comparison of several eSIMs for Anguilla, including ones not mentioned above.
- Find out about the best local eSIMs, local travel eSIMs & regional travel eSIMs for every country (lookup tool)
Top-Up, Recharge & Balance Check – Digicel Anguilla
Digicel top-up vouchers are sold in the Digicel store in The Valley, kiosks, gas stations & grocery stores.
To top up your Digicel SIM card, dial *125*VoucherCode# or dial *141# and follow the instructions.
For example, if your voucher code is 123456, you would dial *125*123456#.
You can also tell the salesperson how much credit you want, your phone number, pay, and they will top up your SIM card with the POS system.
You can also recharge online with (international) debit and credit cards.
Dial *120# or *141# to check your Digicel balance.
You can also top up and check your balance on the Digicel app (Android/iOS).
Packages, Plans, Bundles & Offers – Digicel Anguilla
Digicel has only one data-featured prepaid plan: Prepaid Prime Plus Bundles (combo). It includes data (without 5G NR access), minutes & SMS.
I will list all the prices in XCD (East Caribbean Dollar).
To convert XCD to your currency (let's say USD) with up-to-date exchange rates, use the Wise Currency Converter tool.
The following Prepaid Prime Plus Bundless are available, which you can activate by dialing *141#:
| Price | Plan | Data | Social Data 1 | On-Net Minutes | Local Minutes | Local SMS | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6.50 XCD | 1 Day Prime Plus Bundle | 2 GB | 1 GB/app 2 | N/A | Unlimited | Unlimited | 1 day |
| 18.50 XCD | 3 Day Prime Plus Bundle | 6 GB | 3 GB/app | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | 3 days |
| 42 XCD | 7 Day Prime Plus Bundle | 9 GB | 7 GB/app | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | 7 days |
| 140 XCD | 30 Day Prime Plus Bundle | 15 GB | 30 GB/app | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | 30 days |
1 for BiP, GoLoud, HBO Max, Loop, SportsMax, Spotify, TikTok & Youtube (so you would have the said data allowance per app, aka 1 GB for BiP, 1 GB for GoLoud, 1 GB for Loop, etc., if the data allowance says “1 GB/app”)
2 also for Apple Music
APN/Internet Settings – Digicel Anguilla
- Name: Digicel
- APN: internet
Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched.
Jump back to the Table of Contents.
Flow Anguilla
Flow Anguilla, just Flow, is one of the two mobile operators in Anguilla.
Flow is a brand by Cable & Wireless used throughout the Caribbean.
Flow uses the following frequencies:
- 2G: 850 MHz
- 3G: 850 MHz
- 4G/LTE: 700 MHz (Band 13)
This is what you will learn about Flow:
* Coverage
* How to Get a Flow SIM Card & SIM Card Price
* Topping Up Options & Methods
* Plans & Packages
* APN/Internet Settings
Coverage – Flow Anguilla
Flow has excellent coverage in Anguilla.
4G/LTE reception is available basically anywhere in Anguilla.
Below is Flow's coverage map produced by Speedtest:
SIM Card Price – Flow Anguilla
You can get a Flow SIM card for 25 XCD from the Flow store in The Valley. They are not available at Anguilla-Clayton J. Lloyd International Airport (AXA).
Dial *120# to access the Flow menu.
Dial *555# to see your Flow phone number.
- Find out how much SIM cards cost in every country, including data-only SIM cards and tourist SIM cards, offered by each mobile operator + information about starter benefits (lookup tool)
Flow has no eSIMs.
Note that the Anguillan mobile operators require your identification (passport) for (future) eSIMs and physical SIM cards.
Therefore, if you wish to get an eSIM for Anguilla (without personal detail capturing), you can get the Anguilla (Dolphin Mobile) eSIM from Airalo with (1 GB of data for 7 days – top-ups are available).
For Airalo eSIMs, the links will automatically get you the Phone Travel Wiz exclusive offers available – a code is unnecessary.
Airalo has an eSIM for the Caribbean: Island Hopper. The Island Hopper eSIM can be used in 24 Caribbean countries.
The Island Hopper eSIM is not as valuable as other Airalo regional eSIMs (like Asialink for Asia, Eurolink for Europe & Latamlink for Latin America) because you only have one variant: 1 GB for 7 days, but top-ups are available (the -link eSIMs have at least four variants, up to 100 GB of data for 180 days, making top-ups often unnecessary).
The Island Hopper eSIM can be used in the following 24 countries:
- Aruba
- Anguilla
- Antigua & Barbuda
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- Bonaire
- British Virgin Islands
- Cayman Islands
- Curaçao
- Dominica
- French Guiana 1
- Grenada 2
- Guadeloupe
- Haiti
- Jamaica
- Martinique
- Montserrat 2
- Panama
- Puerto Rico
- Saint Kitts & Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Vincent & the Grenadines
- Trinidad & Tobago
- Turks & Caicos Islands
1 the Latamlink eSIM covers French Guiana too – it has better options than Island Hopper (1 GB/7 days, 2 GB/15 days, 3 GB/30 days & 5 GB/30 days) in Central- and South America. However, if you do not visit those regions and stay in the Caribbean only, then stick with the Island Hopper eSIM instead
2 on 3G only
With the Island Hopper eSIM, you can save a lot of money by skipping the initial SIM card costs per country you visit in Latin America!
I am working with Airalo to turn the Island Hopper into a -link so that it offers you better value.
For now, you still have an eSIM covering almost all of the Caribbean, which is neat :).
TIP: check out my Best Anguilla eSIMs Compared guide for an in-depth comparison of several eSIMs for Anguilla, including ones not mentioned above.
- Find out about the best local eSIMs, local travel eSIMs & regional travel eSIMs for every country (lookup tool)
Top-Up, Recharge & Balance Check – Flow Anguilla
Flow top-up vouchers are sold in the Flow store in The Valley and from Recharge Partners, including grocery stores, gas stations & bars.
To top up your Flow SIM card, dial *121*VoucherCode# or dial *120# and follow the instructions.
For example, if your voucher code is 123456, you would dial *121*123456#.
You can also tell the salesperson how much credit you want, your phone number, pay, and they will top up your SIM card with the POS system.
You can also recharge online with (international) debit and credit cards.
Dial *120# to check your Flow balance.
You can also top up and check your balance on the Flow app (Android/iOS).
Packages, Plans, Bundles & Offers – Flow Anguilla
Flow has only one data-featured prepaid plan: Always On Plans (combo). It includes data (without 5G NR access), minutes & SMS.
I will list all the prices in XCD (East Caribbean Dollar).
To convert XCD to your currency (let's say USD) with up-to-date exchange rates, use the Wise Currency Converter tool.
| Price | Plan | Data | Social Data 1 | On-Net Minutes | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.50 XCD | 1 Day Always On | 1.5 GB | Unlimited | Unlimited | 1 day |
| 18 XCD | 3 Day Always On | 4 GB | Unlimited | Unlimited | 3 days |
| 35 XCD | 7 Day Always On | 7 GB | Unlimited | Unlimited | 7 days |
| 130 XCD | 30 Day Always On | 12 GB | Unlimited | Unlimited | 30 days |
1 for Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter & WhatsApp
APN/Internet Settings – Flow Anguilla
- Name: Flow Internet
- APN: ppinternet
Note: do not use just “internet” as a prepaid customer. That APN is reserved for postpaid customers. Leave anything not mentioned above untouched.
Jump back to the Table of Contents.
The Preferred Way to Stay Connected When Traveling in Anguilla
Getting a SIM card from Flow or Digicel would do you well when considering an Anguillan SIM card.
Local Prepaid SIM Cards in Other American Countries
Visiting other countries in the Americas? Check out my Caribbean SIM card buying guide, covering other American nations, such as:
Going to other places around the world? Then you should also check out my sim card buying guides for other destinations around the world.
Next Steps to Enhance Your Travel Experiences
Looking for the next steps to enhance your phone travel experiences? Here is what to do:
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Each of these options has its pros and cons. Learn more about them, and find the best option for you.
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