Dominica, sometimes confused with the Dominican Republic, is known for its beaches, thrilling nightlife & the highest peak in the Caribbean (Morne Diablotins).
You can visit the Boiling Lake – a lake heated by lava (just look at it – do not jump in it).
The Trafalgar Falls probably is Dominica's most impressive waterfall.
Or you can swim in the Emerald Pool with a waterfall and crystal clear waters.
Of course, there are plenty of hiking trails throughout Dominica too.
As you can see, there is no reason to be bored in Dominica.
Unlike most Caribbean nations, travel in Dominica is quite inexpensive (for regional standards, at least).
But compared to many other nations around the world, it can still be a pricey country.
So any way to save some cash is always appreciated.
One way to do so is by getting a local SIM card to enjoy local rates – international roaming can be expensive.
Fortunately, SIM cards are not too expensive in Dominica.
You can get a Dominican SIM card for 20 XCD (7.40 USD) in Digicel, Flow & Fone Shack (for Digicel SIM cards only) stores. They are not sold at Roseau-Canefield Airport (DCF) or Marigot-Douglas–Charles Airport (DOM – formerly Melville Hall Airport).
Not too pricey, huh? The same counts for mobile data rates in the country.
They are the fourth-cheapest in the Caribbean – amazing!
In this guide, I will go over everything you need to know about buying a SIM card in Dominica. Let's get started.
Original publication: 11th of March 2020. Last updated: 30th of May 2023.
Table of Contents
Can You Buy a SIM Card in Dominica?
You can buy a Dominican SIM card from Digicel and Flow as a tourist. There is nothing preventing travelers from buying a SIM card in Dominica.
You do have to comply with the SIM card registration regulations.
- Find out which countries have SIM card registration regulations and what is required from you (lookup tool)
Moreover, your phone has to support the frequencies used in Dominica.
Finally, your phone needs to be unlocked (SIM-lock-free) to use a Dominican SIM card.
Where Can You Buy a SIM Card in Dominica?
You can get a Dominican SIM card in the official stores of Digicel and Flow. Resellers, like Fone Shack, sell Digicel SIM cards too. They are not sold at Roseau-Canefield Airport (DCF) or Marigot-Douglas–Charles Airport (DOM – formerly Melville Hall Airport).
You can expect to pay the following for Dominican SIM cards:
- Digicel Dominica: 20 XCD
- Flow Dominica: 20 XCD
Currently, none of the Dominican mobile operators have SIM targeting tourists (also known as tourist or visitor SIM cards or plans).
For up-to-date XCD:your currency (let's say USD) exchange rates, use the Wise Currency Converter tool.
- 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)
Can You Use Your Phone in Dominica?
Dominica 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 three ITU Regions, you only need to know these two terms: American- and European frequencies.
Africa, Asia (including the Middle East), Europe & Oceania (ITU Regions 1 and 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 differ from European frequencies.
Dominica 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.
Suppose you bought your phone in the Americas (ITU Region 2) and have a low/medium-end device (without tri-band or quad-band support).
In that case, you want to go with Flow Dominica. 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) instead and have a low/medium-end device (without tri-band or quad-band support), you want to go with Digicel Dominica.
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 Dominican mobile operator. Your phone will support American- and European frequencies, even on 4G/LTE (+5G NR soon… hopefully).
Mobile Operators, Networks & Frequencies in Dominica
Dominica has two mobile operators offering prepaid services easily accessible to tourists:
- Digicel Dominica
- Flow Dominica
The following frequencies are used in Dominica:
- 2G: 850 MHz & 1900 MHz
- 3G: 900 MHz & 1900 MHz
- 4G/LTE: 700 MHz (Band 13 & Band 17)
- 5G NR: N/A – rollout not announced yet
You can learn more about frequencies in the video below.
To check whether your phone will work in Dominica, 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 (expensive!) 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 why.
VoLTE & VoWiFi in Dominica
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 Dominica (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 Dominica
5G NR is not available in Dominica as of 2023, and the Dominican government has not indicated when it will auction 5G NR-compatible licenses.
Best SIM Card in Dominica
If you want to buy the best SIM card in Dominica, I recommend going with Digicel or Flow. Both operators have great coverage throughout the country (not in the mountains), 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 Dominica
Unfortunately, none of the mobile operators offer eSIM to prepaid customers in Dominica yet.
Note that the Dominican mobile operators require your identification (passport) for (future) eSIMs and physical SIM cards (will be discussed later).
However, you can also get a travel eSIM from various eSIM providers.
The list below is not exhaustive – many more providers have eSIMs for Dominica.
But these are the ones I have tried and had pleasant experiences with.
Moreover, they are reasonably priced, which I find very important (you will not see me recommending an eSIM I would not buy myself).
So here are the four best eSIMs for Dominica:
- Airalo Dominica Vaina Communications eSIM with one 1 GB option (cheapest <7 GB)
- Holafly Dominica eSIM with one 1 GB option (cheapest 7 GB >)
- Holafly Caribbean eSIM (covers 16 Caribbean countries with a generous allowance)
- Airalo Island Hopper eSIM with one 1 GB option (covers 24 Caribbean countries at higher prices and just 1 GB of data)
Because this is the SIM card buying guide for Dominica, I will not spend too much time about travel eSIMs here and throughout this guide (but I will still do here and there).
If you want to learn more about the best eSIMs for Dominica, you better check out my Dominica eSIM buying guide.
It is as helpful and comprehensive as this guide but about eSIMs instead 😜.
SIM Card Registration in Dominica
SIM card registration with your passport information is required in Dominica. It will be done at the point of sale.
- Find out which countries have SIM card registration regulations and what is required from you (lookup tool)
Dominica 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).
As mentioned in the introduction, Dominica is quite cheap too, so are mobile data rates.
The average price for 1 GB of data in Dominica is 1.76 USD, below 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 87.9%.
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 Dominica 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, great nationwide coverage (except on and around Morne Diablotins), decent mobile download speeds, and low mobile data rates, you should have a smooth network experience in Dominica.
Currency in Dominica
Dominica uses the East Caribbean Dollar with the symbol XCD (which will be used throughout this guide).
However, prices are often listed as just $, EC$, or ECD. For example, 25 XCD = 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 get it.
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.
Dominican Prepaid SIM Cards
Below, I will guide you through Digicel Dominica & Flow Dominica, 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 Dominica has to offer to us.
Digicel Dominica
Digicel Dominica, just Digicel, is one of the two mobile operators in Dominica.
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)
- 5G NR: N/A – rollout not announced yet
- VoLTE: No
- VoWiFi: No
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 Dominica
Digicel has good coverage throughout Dominica.
4G/LTE reception is strong around the coasts – it can be weak and poor around mountains.
Below is Digicel's coverage map produced by Speedtest:
SIM Card Price – Digicel Dominica
You can get a Digicel SIM card for 20 XCD in Digicel stores and from resellers like Fone Shack. They are not sold at Roseau-Canefield Airport (DCF) or Marigot-Douglas–Charles Airport (DOM – formerly Melville Hall Airport).
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 Dominican mobile operators require your identification (passport) for (future) eSIMs and physical SIM cards.
Therefore, if you wish to get an eSIM for Dominica (without personal detail capturing), you can get the Dominica (Vaina Communications) eSIM from Airalo with (1 GB of data for 7 days – top-ups are available).
The Airalo links will automatically get you the available Phone Travel Wiz exclusive offers – a code is unnecessary.
- Check out my Airalo eSIM reviews
Or get Dominica eSIMs from Holafly. You have these three options:
- Dominica 3 GB eSIM for 7 days – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
- Dominica 7 GB eSIM for 15 days – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
- Dominica 15 GB eSIM for 30 days
Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in May based on data up to the 17th of May (2023 data only).
- Check out my Holafly reviews
Holafly recently introduced an eSIM for the Caribbean, covering 16 countries with 6 GB of data for 15 days.
The Holafly Carribean eSIM can be used in the following 16 countries:
- Antigua & Barbuda
- Aruba
- Barbados
- Bermuda
- British Virgin Islands
- Cayman Islands
- Dominica
- French Guiana
- Haiti
- Jamaica
- Martinique
- Saint Kitts & Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Vincent & the Grenadines
- Trinidad & Tobago
- Turks & Caicos Islands
Remember to use code PHONETRAVELWIZ for exclusive deals when getting Holafly eSIMs, AND get an additional 5% off!
TIP: check out my Best Dominica eSIMs Compared guide for an in-depth comparison of several eSIMs for Dominica, 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 Dominica
Digicel top-up vouchers are sold in Digicel stores, kiosks, gas stations & grocery stores throughout Dominica.
To top up your Digicel SIM card, dial *125# and follow the instructions.
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 *140# to check your Digicel balance.
You can also top up and check your balance on the MyDigicel app (Android/iOS).
Packages, Plans, Bundles & Offers – Digicel Dominica
Digicel has two data-featured prepaid plans: Prime Bundles (combo) & Data Bundles.
All Digicel plans can be activated by dialing *140# or *147#.
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.
Click on the links above to jump to the plan you are interested in.
Prime Bundles – Digicel Dominica
The Prime Bundles are combo plans with data (without 5G NR access) and minutes.
The following Prepaid Prime Bundles are available, which can be activated by dialing *140# or *147#:
| Price | Plan | Data | Social Data 1, 2 | On-Net Minutes | Off-Net Minutes | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 XCD | 1 Day Prime Bundle | 2 GB | 1 GB/app | Unlimited | 25 minutes | 1 day |
| 15 XCD | 3 Day Prime Bundle | 6 GB | 3 GB/app | Unlimited | 150 minutes | 3 days |
| 32 XCD | 7 Day Prime Bundle | 12 GB | 7 GB/app | Unlimited | 525 minutes | 7 days |
| 90 XCD | 30 Day Prime Bundle | 30 GB | 30 GB/app | Unlimited | 900 minutes | 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 +unlimited texting data for Facebook (Messenger), Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter & WhatsApp
Prime Bundles auto-renew. To disable auto-renewal, dial *140#.
Data Plans – Digicel Dominica
The Data Plans are, as the name implies, data bundles (without 5G NR access).
The following Data Plans are available, which can be activated by dialing *140# or *147#:
| Price | Plan | Data | Social Data 1 | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 XCD | 1 Day Pli Data | 0.6 GB | Unlimited | 1 day |
| 10 XCD | 3 Day Pli Data | 3 GB | Unlimited | 3 days |
| 25 XCD | 7 Day Pli Data | 7 GB | Unlimited | 7 days |
| 55 XCD | 30 Day Pli Data | 12 GB | Unlimited | 30 days |
1 unlimited texting data for Facebook (Messenger), Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter & WhatsApp + undisclosed allowances for HBO MAX, Spotify, TikTok & YouTube
Data Plans auto-renew. To disable auto-renewal, dial *140#.
APN/Internet Settings – Digicel Dominica
- Name: Digicel
- APN: internet
Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched.
Jump back to the Table of Contents.
Flow Dominica
Flow Dominica, just Flow, is one of the two mobile operators in Dominica.
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)
- 5G NR: N/A – rollout not announced yet
- VoLTE: No
- VoWiFi: No
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 Dominica
Flow has good coverage throughout Dominica.
4G/LTE reception is strong around the coasts – it can be weak and poor around mountains.
Below is Flow's coverage map produced by Speedtest:
SIM Card Price – Flow Dominica
You can get a Flow SIM card for 20 XCD from the Flow Old St Retail Store in Roseau. They are not sold at Roseau-Canefield Airport (DCF) or Marigot-Douglas–Charles Airport (DOM – formerly Melville Hall Airport).
Dial *129# 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 Dominican mobile operators require your identification (passport) for (future) eSIMs and physical SIM cards.
Therefore, if you wish to get an eSIM for Dominica (without personal detail capturing), you can get the Dominica (Vaina Communications) eSIM from Airalo with (1 GB of data for 7 days – top-ups are available).
The Airalo links will automatically get you the available Phone Travel Wiz exclusive offers – a code is unnecessary.
- Check out my Airalo eSIM reviews
Or get Dominica eSIMs from Holafly. You have these three options:
- Dominica 3 GB eSIM for 7 days – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
- Dominica 7 GB eSIM for 15 days – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
- Dominica 15 GB eSIM for 30 days
Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in May based on data up to the 17th of May (2023 data only).
Use code PHONETRAVELWIZ for exclusive deals when getting Holafly eSIMs, AND get an additional 5% off!
- Check out my Holafly reviews
Holafly recently introduced an eSIM for the Caribbean, covering 16 countries with 6 GB of data for 15 days.
The Holafly Carribean eSIM can be used in the following 16 countries:
- Antigua & Barbuda
- Aruba
- Barbados
- Bermuda
- British Virgin Islands
- Cayman Islands
- Dominica
- French Guiana
- Haiti
- Jamaica
- Martinique
- Saint Kitts & Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Vincent & the Grenadines
- Trinidad & Tobago
- Turks & Caicos Islands
Remember to use code PHONETRAVELWIZ for exclusive deals when getting Holafly eSIMs, AND get an additional 5% off!
TIP: check out my Best Dominica eSIMs Compared guide for an in-depth comparison of several eSIMs for Dominica, 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 Dominica
Flow top-up vouchers are sold in the Flow Old St Retail Store in Roseau, grocery stores, gas stations & bars throughout Dominica.
To top up your Flow SIM card, dial *121*VoucherCode# or dial *129# 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 Dominica
Flow has only one data-featured prepaid plan: Always On (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 Always On plans are available, which you can activate by dialing the Activation Code:
| Price | Plan | Data | Social Data 1 | On-Net Minutes | Local/International Minutes | Local SMS | Activation Code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 XCD | Always On 1 Day Plan | 2 GB | Unlimited | Unlimited | 60 minutes | Unlimited | *244*0# |
| 12 XCD | Always On 3 Day Plan | 5 GB | Unlimited | Unlimited | 200 minutes | Unlimited | *244*1# |
| 30 XCD | Always On 7 Day Plan | 10 GB | Unlimited | Unlimited | 500 minutes | Unlimited | *244*2# |
| 80 XCD | Always On 30 Day Plan | 16 GB | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited 2 | Unlimited | *244*3# |
1 for Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter & WhatsApp
2 to Flow Caribbean (Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Bonaire, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Curaçao, Grenada, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saba, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Martin, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines, Sint Eustatius, Sint Maarten, Trinidad and Tobago & the Turks and Caicos Islands), Canada, the United Kingdom (fixed) & the United States
APN/Internet Settings – Flow Dominica
- 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 Dominica
Getting a SIM card from Digicel or Flow would be your only when considering a Dominican SIM card.
Local Prepaid SIM Cards in Other Caribbean Countries
Visiting other countries in the Caribbean? Check out my Caribbean SIM card buying guide, covering other Caribbean 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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