Moldova – known for its wine, architecture & for being an inexpensive travel destination.
It may also be (in)famous for the fact that the country did not have a president for three years.
Belgium is shaking and crying because its government formation took a little more than 1.6 years.
Moving on, as a mostly argiculture-based economy, the country is not visited as much as its neighboring countries.
This is a shame, as Moldova has a few unique characters.
But it is understandable – both Romania and Ukraine have much more to offer. So does the rest of Europe as a whole.
So, what can you do in Moldova?
Of course, you better be drinking its wine if you are into it.
I heard the wine is tasty (I do not like wine, so I have to rely on reviews from others 🤪).
The Stephen the Great Central Park is a much visit too.
The Triumphal Arch will remind you of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris (France), but it is still cute.
Let's not forget about the many Fortresses, like Bendery Fortress and Soroca Fortress.
Overall, you should not have to be bored while in Moldova.
And if you do – the neighboring countries are less than two hours away 🤓.
What you should not do, to stay within your Moldova travel budget, is roam internationally in Moldova.
International roaming can be expensive – local SIM cards, like Moldovan ones, are cheaper options.
What is even better is that Moldova has one of the lowest mobile data rates in Europe.
You can get a Moldovan SIM card for 10 MDL (0.55 USD), 29 MDL (1.50 USD), or 50 MDL (2.60 USD) from Moldcell, 29 MDL from Orange, or 39 MDL (2 USD) from Moldtelecom (formerly Unité) in their stores and from resellers, including gas stations. SIM cards are also sold at Chișinău International Airport (KIV).
Special note for those from Ukraine: be sure to ask about special benefits for Ukrainians. Many mobile operators around Europe have waived fees for you or introduced exclusive plans, including free calls back to Ukraine. Слава Україні! 🇺🇦
Not too pricey, right? And all new SIM cards come with generous starter bonuses.
You may not even need to purchase a data-featured plan with these bonuses.
In this guide, I will go over everything you need to know about buying a SIM card in Moldova. Let's go.
Original publication: 21st of March 2020. Last updated: 17th of February 2023.
Table of Contents
Can You Buy a SIM Card in Moldova?
Anyone living in or visiting Moldova can buy a Maldovian SIM card from Orange, Moldcell & Moldtelecom (formerly Unité) with no restrictions.
Your phone has to support the frequencies used in Moldova.
Furthermore, your phone needs to be unlocked (SIM-lock free) to use a Moldovan SIM card.
Where Can You Buy a SIM Card in Moldova?
You can get a Moldovan SIM card in Orange, Moldcell & Moldtelecom (formerly Unité). Resellers, like grocery stores and gas stations, also sell SIM cards. They are also sold at Chișinău International Airport (KIV) – mostly Orange SIM cards.
You can expect to pay the following for Moldovan SIM cards:
- Orange Moldova: 29 MDL
- Moldcell: 10 MDL (regular), 29 MDL (regular) & 50 MDL (data-only)
- Moldtelecom (formerly Unité): 39 MDL
Can You Use Your Phone in Moldova?
Moldova uses GSM technology for mobile communications. CDMA phones will not work in Moldova. If your phone has a SIM card slot, then it supports GSMA (99% of the phones do support GSM nowadays).
Traditional European frequencies are used in Moldova, which are mostly used in ITU Regions 1 and 3 (Africa, Asia (including the Middle East), Europe & Oceania).
The Americas (North-, Central– & South America + the Caribbean – ITU Region 2) use American frequencies, which differ from the European ones.
If you bought your phone in Africa, Asia, Europe, or Oceania (ITU Regions 1 and 3), you should not experience any issues with using your phone Moldova.
If you purchased your phone in the Americas (ITU Region 2) and have a low/medium-end device (without Tri-Band or Quad-Band) support, then there is a possibility you cannot use your phone when in Moldova or can only use slower networks (3G or 2G).
If you have a medium/high-end device with Tri-Band or Quad-Band support, you can use your phone in Moldova (to some extent) – also on 4G/LTE.
Mobile Operators, Networks & Frequencies in Moldova
Moldova has three mobile operators offering prepaid services easily accessible to travelers:
- Orange Moldova
- Moldcell
- Moldtelecom (formerly Unité)
The following frequencies are used in Moldova:
- 2G: 900 MHz & 1800 MHz (no 2G for Moldtelecom (formerly Unité))
- 3G: 900 MHz & 2100 MHz
- 4G/LTE: 800 MHz (Band 20), 1800 MHz (Band 3) & 2600 MHz (Band 7)
You can learn more about frequencies in the video below.
To check whether your phone will work in Moldova, 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 Moldova
Both VoLTE (Voice over LTE (4G) – also known as HD Voice) and VoWiFi (Voice over WiFi – also known as WiFi calling) are available in Moldova.
However, not all mobile operators in Moldova offer VoLTE and VoWiFi.
The following mobile operators offer VoLTE and VoWiFi in Moldova:
- Orange Moldova
The following mobile operators may offer VoLTE and VoWiFi, only VoLTE, or only VoWiFi in Moldova:
- Moldcell
The following mobile operators do not offer VoLTE nor VoWiFi in Moldova:
- Moldtelecom (formerly Unité)
This means that when you make a call with Moldtelecom (and maybe Moldcell too), your phone will downgrade to 2G or 3G instead of staying connected to 4G/LTE.
This is also why you often cannot use mobile data 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 Moldova
5G NR is not available in Moldova as of 2022, and the Moldovan government have not made any indications of when they will auction 5G licenses.
Best SIM Card in Moldova
If you want to buy the best SIM card in Moldova, I recommend going with Orange. It is, overall, the best mobile operator in the country. Consider Moldtelecom (formerly Unité) for more generous allowances for worse network performance.
Best eSIM in Moldova
Orange Moldova and Moldcell offer eSIMs to prepaid customers.
Moldtelecom (formerly Unité) does not have eSIMs at all – not even for postpaid customers.
Orange Moldova and Moldcell do require your identification (passport) when getting an eSIM – this does not apply to physical SIM cards (will be discussed later).
Therefore, if you wish to get an eSIM for Moldova without personal detail capturing, you can get the Moldova (Soroca Mobile) eSIM from Airalo.
You have these three options:
- Moldova/Soroca Mobile 1 GB eSIM for 7 days – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
- Moldova/Soroco Mobile 3 GB eSIM for 30 days
- Moldova/Soroco Mobile 5 GB eSIM for 30 days
Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in February based on data up to the 7th of February
The Airalo links will automatically get you the available Phone Travel Wiz exclusive offers – a code is unnecessary.
For an in-depth analysis of the Moldova Soroco Mobile eSIMs (covering pros and cons as well), check out my Moldova eSIMs Compared guide.
- Check out my Airalo eSIM reviews
Or you can get Moldova eSIMs from Holafly.
Use code PHONETRAVELWIZ for exclusive deals when getting Holafly eSIMs, AND get an additional 5% off!
For an in-depth analysis of the Holafly Moldova eSIMs (covering pros and cons as well), check out my Moldova eSIMs Compared guide.
- Check out my Holafly reviews
With these eSIMs, you can skip Moldova's SIM card registration scheme entirely and use it immediately upon arriving in Moldova!
- Find out about the best local eSIMs, local travel eSIMs & regional travel eSIMs for every country (lookup tool)
TIP: check out my Best Moldova eSIMs Compared guide for an in-depth comparison of several eSIMs for Moldova, including ones not mentioned above.
You also have the Discover Global eSIM.
Airalo was probably the first eSIM reseller to introduce a global eSIM, called Discover Global.
This eSIM can be used in 80+ countries, including Moldova, often offering up to 4G/LTE coverage in those countries.
Anyway, you have these five Airalo Discover Global eSIMs:
- 1 GB/7 days
- 3 GB/15 days – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
- 5 GB/30 days – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
- 10 GB/60 days
- 20 GB/180 days – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in March based on data up to the 13th of March (2023 data only)
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 Moldova and eSIMs worldwide) and my Best Moldova eSIMs Compared guide for an in-depth comparison of several eSIMs for Moldova.
Best International/Travel SIM Card for Moldova
If you want to buy the best international/travel SIM card for Moldova, I recommend going with Simify's Europe SIM cards that covers Europe (mainly the European Union) and parts Asia, Central America, Oceania & South America – all in one SIM card.
You have these four options:
- Europe & UK Travel SIM Card with 10 GB for 30 days
- Europe & UK Prepaid Travel SIM Card with 12 GB for 30 days (includes calls and SMS within the country you are in)
- Explorer Prepaid Travel SIM Card with 12 GB for 365 days
- Europe & UK Prepaid Travel SIM Card with 19 GB for 28 days (includes calls within the country you are in)
If this selection of countries is still not enough, get Simify's Tourist Prepaid Travel SIM card with 6 GB of data for 15 days to be used in Africa, the Americas (all), Asia, Europe (also outside of the European Union), the Middle East & Oceania (100+ countries).
Instead of spending between 0.67 USD to 105.17 USD for SIM cards in each country in the European Union, get a Simify's Tourist Prepaid Travel SIM card covering numerous countries for just one price!
SIM Card Registration in Moldova
SIM card registration, with the use of your personal information (such as your passport), is not required when buying a SIM card in Moldova.
EU Roaming in Moldova
Note that Moldova is not part of the European Union (EU) nor European Economic Area (EEA), meaning that EU roaming regulations do not apply in Moldova.
As a result, you should not expect to roam for free if you have an EU/EEA SIM card while traveling in Moldova.
It is unlikely that your mobile operator offers free roaming for Moldova.
Although Orange Romania and Telekom Romania have data-featured plans with roaming allowances for Moldova (14 EUR and 12 EUR for the plans, respectively).
Still, you can always explore your roaming options before you roam.
This also means that you cannot roam for free with Moldovan SIM cards in the EU/EEA.
However, the Moldovan mobile operators do have reasonably priced roaming packages for EU/EEA roaming, especially for Romania.
But you are better off getting a Romanian SIM card and using that one to roam for free in other EU/EEA nations – much cheaper.
Using Moldovan SIM Cards in Transnistria (Pridnestrovie)
The Moldovan mobile operators do not allow you to roam for free in Transnistria. However, you can still use their SIM cards in the territory with some disruptions.
Transnistria is rather long in height but skinny in width – just like Chile (but much shorter – like myself🤭).
In many cases, the Moldovan mobile operators (Orange Moldova, Moldcell & Moldtelecom (formerly Unité)) will cover most of Transnistria (without international roaming).
However, your reception may be spotty, and speeds may be slower than you are used to.
But if you want the most optimal experience, you should get an Interdnestrcom (IDC) SIM card.
Remember to turn international roaming off if you use a Moldovan SIM card in Transnistria to avoid accidental roaming charges.
Moldova Mobile Speeds, Mobile Internet Prices & Insights
As mentioned in the introduction, Moldova is one of the cheaper travel destinations in Europe.
And the same can be said about mobile data in Moldova.
In fact, it is the second-cheapest country for mobile data in Europe and the cheapest in Eastern Europe.
The average price for 1 GB of data in Moldova is 0.32 USD, below the European average of 2.50 USD. The world average is 4.07 USD.
And I love how the costs have gone down by 88.7% compared to 2019.
Moreover, Moldova is one of the 53 countries where the average cost of 1 GB of data is less than 1 USD.
Cable.co.uk split Europe into three territories: Western Europe, Eastern Europe & the Baltics.
The Eastern European average cost of 1 GB of data, using Cable.co.uk's definition, is 2.25 USD.
While the cost of mobile data is insanely low in Moldova, for global standards, will you also get (s)low speeds?
No, but they will not be blazing fast either.
Moldova's median mobile download speed is around 32 Mbps.
Moldova's median download speed is around the global median, so you should not have to deal with buffering on YouTube (in most cases).
With low SIM card prices, close to excellent nationwide coverage, decent mobile download speeds, and insanely low mobile data rates, you should have a smooth network experience in Moldova.
Currency in Moldova
Moldova uses the Moldovan Leu with the symbol MDL (which will be used throughout this guide).
However, prices are often listed as L. For example, 25 MDL = L 25.
For reference, below are some exchange rates between MDL and USD (US Dollars):
- 1 MDL = 0.50 USD
- 10 MDL = 0.50 USD
- 100 MDL = 5.20 USD
- 1000 MDL = 51.75 USD
For up-to-date MDL:USD exchange rates, or the currency you use (like Euro (EUR) in my case), use the Wise Currency Converter tool.
Some merchants will also accept USD and EUR in cash – cards are mainly accepted in Chișinău, the capital city, but not much/barely in other places.
However, the mobile operators will only accept MDL.
The Romanian Leu (RON) is barely accepted throughout the country, and the mobile operators will not accept it either.
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.
Moldovan Prepaid SIM Cards
Below, I will guide you through Orange Moldova, Moldcell & Moldtelecom (formerly Unité), 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 Moldova has to offer to us.
Orange Moldova
Orange Moldova, just Orange, is the largest mobile operator in Moldova.
Orange, as a company, is active in other countries in Africa, the Caribbean, Europe & the Middle East.
Orange uses the following frequencies:
- 2G: 900 MHz & 1800 MHz
- 3G: 2100 MHz
- 4G/LTE: 800 MHz (Band 20), 1800 MHz (Band 3) & 2600 MHz (Band 7)
This is what you will learn about Orange:
* Coverage
* How to Get an Orange SIM Card & SIM Card Price
* Topping Up Options & Methods + Balance Check
* Plans & Packages
* APN/Internet Settings
Coverage – Orange Moldova
Orange has the best coverage throughout Moldova.
4G/LTE is available almost everywhere.
Below is Orange's coverage map produced by Speedtest:
However, click here to see Orange's official coverage map.
SIM Card Price – Orange Moldova
You can buy an Orange SIM card, called Cartela Orange PrePay, for 29 MDL with 29 MDL credit, 10 GB, and 250 local minutes for 15 days (if you dial *888*0#) in Orange stores and from resellers, including grocery stores, kiosks & gas stations. Orange SIM cards are also sold at Chișinău International Airport (KIV) – sometimes, they are free.
You have to make a call to activate your Orange SIM card.
Dial *88# or *99# to see your Orange 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)
It is also possible to get an Orange eSIM for the same price as a regular SIM card.
Orange Moldova do require your identification (passport) when getting an eSIM – this does not apply to physical SIM cards.
Therefore, if you wish to get an eSIM for Moldova without personal detail capturing, you can get Moldova Soroca Mobile eSIMs from Airalo (three options):
The Airalo links will automatically get you the available Phone Travel Wiz exclusive offers – a code is unnecessary.
- Check out my Airalo eSIM reviews
If you plan on visiting other countries in Europe and others in other regions or continents, consider the Airalo Discover Global eSIM to be used in 85+ countries worldwide with five variants:
- 1 GB/7 days
- 3 GB/15 days – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
- 5 GB/30 days – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
- 10 GB/60 days
- 20 GB/180 days – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in March based on data up to the 13th of March (2023 data only)
Do you think the map above is nice, but you want a country list instead (because you do not recognize the countries on a map🗿)? You can find it in my Airalo review!
From 2023 on, my goal is to test this eSIM in all eligible countries.
- Be sure to check out my Airalo Discover Global eSIM review for my insights!
Note that Orange offers VoLTE (Voice over LTE (4G)) if your phone supports it and if you have enabled it in the settings.
Oh, you can also use VoWiFI (Voice over WiFi).
Top-Up, Recharge & Balance Check – Orange Moldova
Orange top-up vouchers are sold in Orange stores, grocery stores, corner shops & electronics shops throughout Moldova.
The following (online) top-ups are available:
| Top-Up | Bonus Data | Bonus Local Minutes | Bonus Validity | Active Validity | Passive Validity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 MDL – 49 MDL | N/A | N/A | N/A | 1 month | 6 months |
| 50 MDL – 99 MDL | 15 GB | 500 minutes | 15 days | 3 months | 9 months |
| 100 MDL => | 100 GB | 500 minutes | 15 days | 3 months | 9 months |
To top up your Orange SIM card, dial *144*VoucherCode# or call 144 and follow the instructions.
For example, if your voucher code is 123456, you would dial *144*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 *133# to check your Orange balance.
You can also top up and check your balance on the My Orange Moldova app (Android/iOS/Huawei AppGallery).
Packages, Plans, Bundles & Offers – Orange Moldova
Orange has four data-featured prepaid plans:
- Opţiuni Nelimitat/Unlimited Options (combo)
- Combo Optiunea/Combo Options (as the name suggests)
- Extra Optiunea/Extra Options (combo)
- Opţiuni Internet/Internet Options (as the name suggests)
All Orange plans can be activated by dialing *100#.
Click on the links above to jump to the plan you are interested in.
Opţiuni Nelimitat (Unlimited Options) – Orange Moldova
The Opţiuni Nelimitat (Unlimited Options) are combo plans with data and minutes.
Opţiuni Nelimitat can be activated by dialing *100#:
| Price | Data | Local Minutes | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 MDL | N/A | Unlimited | 1 day |
| 50 MDL | 1 GB | Unlimited | 15 days |
| 150 MDL | 20 GB | Unlimited | 7 days |
Combo Optiunea (Combo Options) – Orange Moldova
The Combo Optiunea (Combo Options) are, as the name implies, combo plans with data and minutes.
Combo Optiunea can be activated by dialing *100#:
| Price | Data | Local Minutes | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 MDL | 5 GB | 250 minutes | 15 days |
| 50 MDL | 15 GB | 500 minutes | 15 days |
Extra Optiunea (Extra Options) – Orange Moldova
The Extra Optiunea (Extra Options) are combo plans with data, minutes & SMS.
Extra Optiunea can be activated by dialing *100#:
| Price | Data | Local Minutes | Local SMS | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40 MDL | 500 MB | 60 minutes | Shared with call allowance | 30 days |
| 60 MDL | 1 GB | 100 minutes | Shared with call allowance | 30 days |
Opţiuni Internet (Internet Options) – Orange Moldova
The Opţiuni Internet (Internet Options) are, as the name suggest, data-only plans.
Opţiuni Internet can be activated by dialing *100#:
| Price | Data | Validity |
|---|---|---|
| 10 MDL | 1 GB | 1 day |
| 10 MDL | 2 GB | 1 day |
| 20 MDL | 2 GB | 7 days |
| 25 MDL | 2 GB | 7 days |
APN/Internet Settings – Orange Moldova
- Name: Orange IMO
- APN: wap.orange.md
Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched.
Jump back to the Table of Contents.
Moldcell
Moldcell is the second-largest mobile operator in Moldova.
It used to be part of the Telia Company (group), from Sweden, until the Telia Company decided to leave various markets in Asia and Europe (except for the Baltics and the Nordics).
Now, Moldcell is entirely owned by CG Corp Global (hence, you see CG in Moldcell's logo).
Moldcell was the first mobile operator to introduce 4G/LTE in Moldova.
Moldcell uses the following frequencies:
- 2G: 900 MHz
- 3G: 2100 MHz
- 4G/LTE: 800 MHz (Band 20), 1800 MHz (Band 3) & 2600 MHz (Band 7)
This is what you will learn about Moldcell:
* Coverage
* How to Get a Moldcell SIM Card & SIM Card Price
* Topping Up Options & Methods + Balance Check
* Plans & Packages
* APN/Internet Settings
Coverage – Moldcell
Moldcell has extensive coverage throughout Moldova.
However, 4G/LTE reception is mainly concentrated around the big cities.
Below is Moldcell's coverage map produced by Speedtest:
SIM Card Price – Moldcell
You can buy a Moldcell SIM card, called Cartelă Moldcell, for 10 MDL with 2 GB of data and 100 local minutes or 29 MDL with 20 GB of data and 250 local minutes in Moldcell stores and from resellers, including grocery stores, kiosks & gas stations. Moldcell SIM cards may be sold at Chișinău International Airport (KIV).
- 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)
You can also get the data-only SIM card, called Internet ca Lumea, for 50 MDL with 4 GB of 30 days.
This is also the only plan available for the Internet ca Lumea SIM card.
It is also possible to get a Moldcell eSIM for the same price as a regular SIM card.
Moldcell do require your identification (passport) when getting an eSIM – this does not apply to physical SIM cards.
Therefore, if you wish to get an eSIM for Moldova without personal detail capturing, you can get eSIMs from Holafly (one option):
The best part is that you can get 5% off using code PHONETRAVELWIZ on each Holafly eSIM purchase!
No idea what or who Holafly is? Check out my Holafly review, where I share my hands-on experience after using its eSIMs in more than ten countries over two years.
If you plan on visiting other countries in Europe and others in other regions or continents, consider the Airalo Discover Global eSIM to be used in 85+ countries worldwide with five variants:
- 1 GB/7 days
- 3 GB/15 days – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
- 5 GB/30 days – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
- 10 GB/60 days
- 20 GB/180 days – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in March based on data up to the 13th of March (2023 data only)
Do you think the map above is nice, but you want a country list instead (because you do not recognize the countries on a map🗿)? You can find it in my Airalo review!
From 2023 on, my goal is to test this eSIM in all eligible countries.
- Be sure to check out my Airalo Discover Global eSIM review for my insights!
Currently, it is unclear whether Moldcell offers VoLTE and VoWiFi or not.
Top-Up, Recharge & Balance Check – Moldcell
Moldcell top-up vouchers are sold in Moldcell stores and various top-up locations, including grocery stores, corner shops & electronics shops throughout Moldova.
The following (online) top-ups are available:
| Top-Up | Bonus Data | Bonus Local Minutes | Bonus Validity | Active Validity | Passive Validity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 MDL – 29 MDL | N/A | N/A | N/A | 1 month | 8 months |
| 30 MDL – 49 MDL | 10 GB | 250 minutes | 15 days | 1 month | 8 months |
| 50 MDL => | 20 GB | 500 minutes | 15 days | 4 months | 8 months |
To top up your Moldcell SIM card, dial *999*VoucherCode#.
For example, if your voucher code is 123456, you would dial *999*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.
You can also top up and check your balance on the My Moldcell app (Android/iOS/Huawei AppGallery).
Packages, Plans, Bundles & Offers – Moldcell
Moldcell has four data-featured prepaid plans:
- Optiunea #bum (combo)
- Internet Plans (as the name implies)
- Internet Add-Ons (as the name suggests)
- Social Media Plan (as the name implies)
All Moldcell plans can be activated by dialing *202#.
Click on the links above to jump to the plan you are interested in.
Optiunea #bum – Moldcell
The Optiunea #bum (Option #bum) is a combo plan with 300 MB; 1 GB for Facebook, Odnoklassniki, Twitter & VK; unlimited on-net minutes; 30 off-net minutes & 300 local SMS – all for 30 days.
It costs 30 MDL and can be activated by dialing *222*2*0*4#
| Price | Data | Social Data 1 | On-Net Minutes | Off-Net Minutes | Local SMS | Validity | Activation Code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 MDL | 300 MB | 1 GB | Unlimited | 30 minutes | 300 SMS | 30 days | *222*2*0*4# |
1 for Facebook, Odnoklassniki, Twitter & VK
Internet Plans – Moldcell
The Internet Plans are, as the name implies, data-only bundles.
Internet Plans can be activated by dialing *202#:
| Price | Data | Validity |
|---|---|---|
| 10 MDL | 200 MB | 1 day |
| 20 MDL | 250 MB | 30 days |
| 25 MDL | 1 GB | 7 days |
| 50 MDL | 1 GB | 30 days |
| 90 MDL | 3 GB | 30 days |
| 100 MDL | 5 GB | 30 days |
| 140 MDL | 10 GB | 30 days |
| 200 MDL | 20 GB | 30 days |
Internet Add-Ons – Moldcell
The Internet Add-Ons are data add-ons. They cannot be purchased as standalone plans.
Dial *202# to activate Internet Add-Ons:
| Price | Data | Validity |
|---|---|---|
| 10 MDL | 500 MB | 1 day |
| 25 MDL | 1 GB | 7 days |
The Social Media plan is a 1 GB data-only bundle for Facebook, Odnoklassniki, Twitter & VK, costing 15 MDL valid for 30 days.
Dial *222*1*2# to activate the Social Media plan.
| Price | Social Data | Apps | Validity | Activation Code |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 MDL | 1 GB | Facebook, Odnoklassniki, Twitter & VK | 30 days | *222*1*2# |
APN/Internet Settings – Moldcell
- Name: Moldcell
- APN: internet
Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched.
Jump back to the Table of Contents.
Moldtelecom (formerly Unité)
Moldtelecom, formerly Unité, is the smallest mobile operator in Moldova.
It used to be a state-owned organization until liberalization.
Since then, it has still held a stronghold on the fixed-broadband market (70% market share), offering a median download speed of 92 Mbps (in the top 30 countries with the fastest fixed broadband speeds worldwide).
Its mobile division, however, has always lacked behind because it was the last player to enter the mobile market, and it used to be a CDMA-only mobile operator.
Right now, it is the most generous mobile operator in terms of data allowances.
However, it is the worst option in terms of network performance.
Moldtelecom uses the following frequencies:
- 2G: N/A – never had it (except for on CDMA)
- 3G: 900 MHz & 2100 MHz
- 4G/LTE: 1800 MHz (Band 3)
This is what you will learn about Moldtelecom:
* Coverage
* How to Get a Moldtelecom SIM Card & SIM Card Price
* Topping Up Options & Methods + Balance Check
* Plans & Packages
* APN/Internet Settings
Coverage – Moldtelecom (formerly Unité)
Moldtelecom has extensive coverage throughout Moldova.
However, this mostly applies to its 3G network – 4G/LTE reception barely exists outside the cities.
Below is Moldtelecom's coverage map produced by Speedtest:
However, click here to see Moldtelecom's official coverage map.
SIM Card Price – Moldtelecom (formerly Unité)
You can buy a Moldtelecom SIM card, called Cartela Prepay Moldtelecom, for 39 MDL with 30 GB, unlimited social media data (Facebook, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, OK.ru, TikTok, VK, WhatsApp & Wikipedia), 150 on-net minutes, 150 off-net minutes for 30 days in Moldtelecom stores and from resellers, including grocery stores, kiosks & gas stations. Moldcell SIM cards may be sold at Chișinău International Airport (KIV).
Dial *200# or call 200 to activate your Moldtelecom SIM card.
Text Lang_1 to 100 to change the system's language to English.
Text NUMBER to 100 to see your Moldtelecom 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)
If you top-up at least 50 MDL in the first two months after activating your Moldtelecom SIM card, you will get 35 GB for 30 days for free.
Moldtelecom has no eSIMs – not even for postpaid customers.
Therefore, if you wish to get an eSIM for Moldova without personal detail capturing, you can get eSIMs from Nomad (four options):
The best part is that you can get 3 USD/2.85 EUR/2.45 GBP/4.10 CAD off using code ADU123 on your first Nomad eSIM purchase!
No idea what or who Nomad is? Check out my Nomad review, where I share my hands-on experience after using its eSIMs in more than 25 countries over two years.
If you plan on visiting other countries in Europe and others in other regions or continents, consider the Airalo Discover Global eSIM to be used in 85+ countries worldwide with five variants:
- 1 GB/7 days
- 3 GB/15 days – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
- 5 GB/30 days – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
- 10 GB/60 days
- 20 GB/180 days – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in March based on data up to the 13th of March (2023 data only)
Do you think the map above is nice, but you want a country list instead (because you do not recognize the countries on a map🗿)? You can find it in my Airalo review!
From 2023 on, my goal is to test this eSIM in all eligible countries.
- Be sure to check out my Airalo Discover Global eSIM review for my insights!
Be aware that there is no VoLTE nor VoWiFi with Moldtelecom.
Top-Up, Recharge & Balance Check – Moldtelecom (formerly Unité)
Moldtelecom top-up vouchers are sold in Moldtelecom stores, grocery stores, corner shops & electronics shops throughout Moldova.
The following (online) top-ups are available:
| Top-Up | Bonus Data | Bonus Social Data 1 | Bonus On-Net Minues | Bonus Off-Net Minutes | Bonus Validity | Active Validity | Passive Validity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| <= 24 MDL | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 15 days | 6 months |
| 25 MDL – 49 MDL | N/A | Unlimited | N/A | N/A | 30 days | 60 days | 6 months |
| 50 MDL => | 10 GB | Unlimited | 150 minutes | 150 minutes | 30 days | 90 days | 6 months |
1 for Facebook, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, OK.ru, TikTok, VK, WhatsApp & Wikipedia
To top up your Moldtelecom SIM card, text R_VoucherCode to 100, dial *200#, select option 4, and enter the VoucherCode, or call 300 and follow the instructions.
For example, if your voucher code is 123456, you would text R_123456 to 100.
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.
Text MYINFO to 100 or call 500 and select opion 1 to check your Moldtelecom balance.
You can also top up and check your balance on the MyMoldtelecom app (Android/iOS).
Packages, Plans, Bundles & Offers – Moldtelecom (formerly Unité)
Moldtelecom has four data-featured prepaid plans:
- Opțiunea Național/National Options (combo)
- Fly Prepay (combo)
- Internet Plans (as the name implies)
- Rețele Sociale Gratuite/Free (Unlimited) Social Media (as the name suggests)
All Moldtelecom plans can be activated by texting the Activation Code to 100 or by dialing *200#.
Click on the links above to jump to the plan you are interested in.
Opțiunea Național (National Options) – Moldtelecom (formerly Unité)
The Opțiunea Național (National Options) are combo plans with data, minutes & SMS.
Text the Activation Code to 100 to activate Opțiunea Național (National Options):
| Price | Data | Local Minutes | Local SMS | Validity | Activation Code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 MDL | 500 MB | 40 minutes | 40 SMS | 30 days | N15 |
| 30 MDL | 1 GB | 90 minutes | 90 SMS | 30 days | N30 |
| 40 MDL | 2 GB | 120 minutes | 120 SMS | 30 days | N40 |
| 60 MDL | 3 GB | 180 minutes | 180 SMS | 30 days | N60 |
| 80 MDL | 4 GB | 260 minutes | 260 SMS | 30 days | N80 |
Fly Prepay – Moldtelecom (formerly Unité)
The Fly Prepay Plans are combo bundles with data and minutes.
Text the Activation Code to 100 to activate Fly Prepay:
| Price | Plan | Data | Social Data 1 | On-Net Minutes | Off-Net Minutes | Validity | Activation Code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 MDL | 30 Fly Prepay | 5 GB | Unlimited | Unlimited | 100 minutes | 30 days | Fly 30 |
| 50 MDL | 50 Fly Prepay | 20 GB | Unlimited | 250 minutes | 250 minutes | 15 days | Fly 50 |
| 70 MDL | 70 Fly Prepay | 25 GB | Unlimited | 300 minutes | 300 minutes | 30 days | Fly 70 |
| 100 MDL | 100 Fly Prepay | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | 300 minutes | 15 days | Fly 100 |
1 for Facebook, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, OK.ru, TikTok, VK, WhatsApp & Wikipedia
Internet Plans – Moldtelecom (formerly Unité)
The Internet Plans are, as the name implies, data-only bundles.
Text the Activation Code to 100 to activate Internet Plans:
| Price | Data | Validity | Activation Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 MDL | 1 GB | 24 hours | 1 GB/1 |
| 20 MDL | 1 GB | 7 days | 1 GB/7 |
| 20 MDL | Unlimited | 24 hours | Nelimitat 1 zi |
| 25 MDL | 1 GB | 30 days | 1 GB/30 |
| 30 MDL | 3 GB | 7 days | 3 GB/7 |
| 40 MDL | 3 GB | 30 days | 3 GB/30 |
| 50 MDL | 5 GB | 7 days | 5 GB/7 |
| 60 MDL | 5 GB | 30 days | 5 GB/30 |
| 100 MDL | 10 GB | 30 days | 10GB |
| 100 MDL | Unlimited | 7 days | Nelimitat/7 |
| 150 MDL | 20 GB | 30 days | 20GB |
The Rețele Sociale Gratuite (Free Social Media) is, unlike the name suggests, a (paid – 20 MDL) unlimited data-only plan for select social media apps (Facebook, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, OK.ru, TikTok, VK, WhatsApp & Wikipedia) for 30 days.
Text RS25 to 100 to activate Rețele Sociale Gratuite.
| Price | Social Data 1 | Validity | Activation Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 MDL | Unlimited | 30 days | RS25 |
1 for Facebook, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, OK.ru, TikTok, VK, WhatsApp & Wikipedia
APN/Internet Settings – Moldtelecom (formerly Unité)
- Name: Moldtelecom
- APN: internet.unite.md OR internet3g.unite.md
Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched.
Jump back to the Table of Contents.
The Preferred Way to Stay Connected When Traveling in Moldova
Getting a SIM card from Orange or Moldtelecom would do you well when considering a Moldovan SIM card.
Local Prepaid SIM Cards in Other European Countries
Visiting other countries in Europe? Check out my Europe SIM card buying guide, covering other European 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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Save money with international SIM cards, on plane tickets, bus rides, cruises & accommodation.
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If I can start a business about something I am passionate about (phone travel), then you can do it too!
Learn About Your Phone Travel Options
You can buy local prepaid SIM cards, international SIM cards, mobile hotspots, or roam internationally.
Each of these options has its pros and cons. Learn more about them, and find the best option for you.
Phone Travel Tips, Tricks & Hacks
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