Pakistan: 4 Best Prepaid SIM Cards Buying Guide (2023)

Back in the day, it was a huge hassle to get a Pakistani SIM card while in Pakistan. The SIM card registration regulations got tightened up after several terrorist attacks.

Not only was this a challenge for travelers, but it was even more challenging for the locals, who had to re-register their SIM cards twice within a two year – with photos, government ID information captures, and even fingerprints collected (one of the few countries in the world to do so).

This caused long lines as phone shops for a long time. Let's hope not many more countries will introduce such strict SIM card registration schemes

Nowadays, after a rocky start, it is relatively easy to get a SIM card, even for travelers. However, the process of getting a SIM card (activated) may take longer than what you are used to.

But first things first, how much will a SIM card cost you?

You can get a Pakistani SIM card between 200 PKR (0.90 USD) to 570 PKR (2.50 USD) in the official stores of the four operators (Jazz, Telenor, Zong & Ufone). A data package featuring 1 GB valid for 7 days can be obtained for as low as 120 PKR (0.55 USD).

Okay, so we know that SIM cards and mobile data are cheap in Pakistan, which is a good thing.

The less you pay for SIM cards and local packages, the more money you can spend on experiences while in Pakistan.

Something you could not do if you were to pay expensive international roaming rates.

But there is a lot more to know about getting yourself a SIM card in Pakistan. The operators, speeds, coverage, and packages.

In this guide, I will go over everything you need to know about buying a SIM card in Pakistan. Let's get started.

Original publication: 26th of February 2020. Last updated: 14th of March 2023.

Table of Contents

Can You Buy a SIM Card in Pakistan?

Everyone living in or visiting Pakistan is allowed to buy a Pakistani SIM card. Pakistani nationals can have 5 SIM cards active on their names. In contrast, foreign nationals, including Pakistan Origin Card holders can have 2 active SIM cards.

All SIM card purchases have to go through a rigorous registration process, which includes biometric capture (fingerprints).

And you also need a device that supports the frequencies used in Pakistan and have an unlocked (SIM-lock-free device).

Else, you can only use the SIM card provided by your home operator.

Where Can You Buy a SIM Card in Pakistan?

You can buy a Pakistani SIM card in the four operators' official stores (Jazz, Telenor Pakistan, Zong, Ufone), its authorized franchises, and the Telenor Self Service Booths (TSSBs – Telenor only).

Do note that it is not possible to buy a SIM card at Islamabad International Airport or Karachi International Airport (officially known as Jinnah International Airport).

Here is an overview of what to expect to pay for a SIM card in Pakistan:

• Jazz: 300 PKR
• Telenor Pakistan: 200 PKR
• Zong: 200 PKR
• Ufone: Between 200 PKR and 570 PKR

TIP: Check out my SIM card prices lookup tool for a detailed overview of SIM card starter pack benefits (for Pakistani SIM cards and SIM cards worldwide).

Can You Use Your Phone in Pakistan?

To use your phone in Pakistan, you need a device that supports GSM. CDMA phones will not work in Pakistan anymore since 2018. Fortunately, there is a 99% chance that your phone supports GSM.

Pakistan uses primarily European frequencies. Those frequencies are used in countries in ITU Regions 1 & 3, including Africa, Asia (with the Middle East), Europe, and Oceania. Phones sold in ITU Regions 1 and 3 will have no connectivity issues when in Pakistan.

In the Americas (North-, Central– & South America + the Caribbean – ITU Region 2), they use American frequencies. Those are different from European frequencies. Phones sold in ITU Region 2 may experience connectivity issues when in Pakistan.

If you have a low/medium-end device without Tri-Band or Quad-Band support, then you should go with Telenor Pakistan. It uses a 3G and 4G/LTE frequency (850 MHz – Band 5), which is one of the primary 3G and 4G/LTE frequencies used in ITU Region 2.

Suppose you have a medium/high-end device with Tri-Band or Quad-Band support. In that case, you should experience limited to no hindrance when using your phone in Pakistan.

Mobile Operators, Networks & Frequencies in Pakistan

Pakistan has four mobile network operators offering prepaid services easily accessible to travelers:

• Jazz
• Telenor Pakistan
• Zong
• Ufone

The following frequencies are used by the Pakistani operators:

• 2G: 900 MHz & 1800 MHz
• 3G: 850 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz & 2100 MHz
• 4G: 850 MHz (Band 5), 900 MHz (Band 8), 1800 MHz (Band 3) & 2100 MHz (Band 1)

You can learn more about frequencies in the video below.

To check whether your phone will work in Pakistan, 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.

5G NR in Pakistan

5G NR is currently not available in Pakistan to the general public, and it will not be until late 2022.

Zong was the first operator in Pakistan to hold 5G trials in the summer of 2019, with speeds reaching more than 1 Gbps (1171 Mbps – see video).

The Ministry of Information Technology & Telecommunication noted that PTCL Group managed to achieve an even higher download speed of 1.685 Gbps (1685 Mbps) on the 12th of February 2021.

I will be discussing internet speeds in Pakistan in-depth a bit later (spoiler alert – it is slow).

You should note that 5G will not be available for commercial use until the end of 2022, as stated by Amin-ul-Haq, the Federal Minister for Information Technology & Telecommunication, when speaking as a chief guest at the 2nd PMFA Appreciation Awards in November 2020, as reported by The Nation.

Best SIM Card in Pakistan

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Best eSIM in Pakistan

Unfortunately, none of the mobile operators offer eSIM (to prepaid customers) in Pakistan yet.

However, you can get travel eSIMs from Airalo and Holafly.

Airalo has the Sheesh eSIMs:

You have four options:

1. Pakistan/Sheesh 1 GB eSIM for 7 days – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
2. Pakistan/Sheesh 3 GB eSIM for 30 days – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
3. Pakistan/Sheesh 5 GB eSIM for 30 days
4. Pakistan/Sheesh 10 GB eSIM for 30 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 13^th of March (2023 data only)

The Airalo links above will automatically get you the available Phone Travel Wiz exclusive offers – a code is unnecessary.

For an in-depth analysis of the Pakistan Sheesh eSIMs (covering pros and cons as well), check out my Pakistan eSIMs Compared guide.

You can also get Pakistan eSIMs from SimCorner (6 GB/15 days), which can also be used in neighboring Asian countries.

Use code PHONETRAVELWIZ for extra savings, although the link above will do the same automatically.

For an in-depth analysis of the SimCorner Pakistan eSIMs (covering pros and cons as well), check out my Pakistan eSIMs Compared guide.

Finally, You can also get Pakistan eSIMs from Holafly:

• Pakistan 6 GB eSIM for 15 days

Use code PHONETRAVELWIZ for exclusive deals when getting Holafly eSIMs, AND get an additional 5% off!

With SimCorner, you can use the same code (PHONETRAVELWIZ) for extra savings, although the links above will do the same automatically.

For an in-depth analysis of the Holafly Pakistan eSIMs (covering pros and cons as well), check out my Pakistan eSIMs Compared guide.

With these eSIMs, you can skip Pakistan's SIM card registration scheme entirely and use it immediately upon arriving in Pakistan!

TIP: check out my Best Pakistan eSIMs Compared guide for an in-depth comparison of several eSIMs for Pakistan, including ones not mentioned above.

Best International/Travel SIM Card for Pakistan

If you want to buy the best international/travel SIM card for Pakistan, I recommend going with SimCorner's Pakistan SIM cards. Consider SimCorner's Asia SIM cards to be used in Pakistan and 20+ countries, including neighboring India, Oman, Nepal.

You have the following two Pakistan Travel SIM cards:

• Pakistan Travel SIM Card with 6 GB for 8 days
• Pakistan Travel SIM Card with 6 GB for 15 days (new: also available as an eSIM)

You have these two Asia SIM cards:

• Asia SIM card with 6 GB for 8 days in 30 countries
• Asia SIM card with 6 GB for 15 days in 20+ countries (new: also available as an eSIM)

The SimCorner Asia SIM cards can be used in Pakistan and the following other countries:

You can also get the SimCorner International Travel SIM card (new: also available as an eSIM) 6 GB of data valid for 15 days to be used in Pakistan and 100+ countries, including most of the ones mentioned above (Asia) and in the Americas, Europe & Oceania:

Instead of spending between 5 USD to 15 USD for SIM cards in each country, get a SimCorner travel SIM card (or eSIM) covering numerous countries for just one price!

Use discount code PHONETRAVELWIZ for extra savings!

SIM Card Registration in Pakistan

Pakistani SIM cards have to be registered with your personal information, such as your passport details or your Pakistan Origin Card (POC), your (valid) Visa, a photo of you, and a biometric scan of your thumb as part of the SIM card registration process. This will be done at the point of purchase.

At the time of writing, Pakistan is one of the 17 countries with biometric SIM card registration regulations.

The Pakistani government has tightened SIM card registration laws starting from 2014 because of terrorist attacks. Then, biometric registration was introduced.

Later, the photo requirement was added. And in 2015, all registered SIM cards had to be re-registered again.

Now, it is actually a crime to use an unregistered SIM card or use someone else's SIM card (with fines up to 500 000 PKR (3160 USD) or a maximum prison sentence of 3 years). In most cases, an unregistered SIM card will be deactivated swiftly by the operator once it notices that an unregistered SIM card uses its network. And most Pakistanis are hesitant to even give you their SIM card because of potential repercussions.

All SIM cards and fingerprints are verified and stores in the National Database and Registration Authority's (NADRA) national database.

Although Pakistani nationals are allowed to have 5 SIM cards to their name, foreign nationals or holders of Pakistan Origin Cards (POC) are allowed to have only 2 SIM cards issued to them. Moreover, the validity of the SIM card is tied to the validity of your Visa or POC.

Moreover, those with foreign phones (phones bought abroad) and who want to use a Pakistani SIM card for more than 14 days have to get their device whitelisted by the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA). This has to be done on the DIRBS website and cannot be done through the operator when purchasing your SIM card. You can only register five devices per year.

From the looks of it, access to the website is geo-restricted because I have yet been able to access that website for more than a year (outside of Pakistan – even when changing VPN locations). So I cannot give you instructions on how to use that tool (it will be a while because of the current conditions in the world)

When SIM card registration got tightened, getting a Pakistani SIM card was a challenge for travelers – headache-inducing, you could say. However, with more than 70 000 fingerprint scanners installed across the country, sales agents knowing what documents to process for foreigners, and a more streamlined process of processing SIM card registration, getting yourself a SIM card is not as bothersome as some other countries in the region. However, it may seem intimidating.

Internet Censorship in Pakistan

In 2019, it was reported that The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has apparently blocked more than 900 000 URLs in Pakistan for “reasons such as carrying blasphemous and pornographic content and/or sentiments against the state, judiciary or the armed forces.” Moreover, blasphemous, anti-Islamic, or threatening to internal security are also blocked.

With all this censorship, you may want to use a VPN to access blocked websites. Remember, the government's definition of some of the terms is subjective. Innocent blogs have been censored from the web without a solid reason (as in, them not even being critical of Pakistan, Islam, or anything controversial related to Pakistan).

This, with the excessive information required to be captured and stored by the government, which invades your individual privacy in various magditudes, should be a reason to keep your internet traffic private.

I recommend NordVPN and connecting to Indian servers, the closest to Pakistan (there are no VPN servers in Pakistan). Yes, I know Pakistan and India are not friends, but that does not matter if you want to keep your internet traffic secure.

Regional Taxes in Pakistan

Mobile operators in Pakistan have to charge their customers Goods and Service Tax (GST) based on the regional (provincial) tax rates and WHT (Advance Income Tax) on recharges, surcharges on recharges, and out-of-bundle voice and SMS traffic.

The GST and WHT rates differ per region. Below are the current tax rates:

Region	WHT	GST
Punjab	12.5%	19.5%
Sindh	12.5%	19.5%
Baluchistan	12.5%	19.5%
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK)	12.5%	19.5%
Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT)	12.5%	17%
Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK)	12.5%	17%
Gilgit-Baltistan (GB)	0%	0%
Federally/Provincially Administered Tribal Areas (FATA/PATA)	0%	0%

You should reload more than what the listed bundle price is if you plan on purchasing a plan because of these taxes.

For example, the Jazz Weekly Mega data bundle (7 GB) costs 210 PKR. However, you would need to recharge at least 237 PKR to purchase this bundle (in most regions).

However, the following services are inclusive of the taxes:

• Out-of-bundle data usage
• Bundles (combo-hybrid/data/voice/SMS)
• Certain reload methods (such as Internet EasyLoad with Telenor Pakistan)
• Value-Added Services (VAS)
• Postpaid

On the bundle pages of the operators, the bundle prices will say that the price is inclusive of all taxes, which they technically are. But the recharges are not, which is something to keep in mind when topping-up to buy a specific bundle.

Normally, I would add another column with the price with VAT/GST when listing the bundles. However, because GST varies per region, it would not be simple to calculate and make the tables confusing.

To never be short on a reload, multiply the bundle price with * 1.20 (20%). For example, you want to buy a bundle that costs 100 PKR. To be safe, you should reload at least 20% more than the listing price. In this case, that would be 100 PKR * 1.20 = 120 PKR.

You will be charged the default tax of 12.5% WHT and 19.5% GST if you recharge your SIM card while your phone is off. This could be possible by using Telenor Pakistan's EasyLoad service, for example. This is because the tax will be charged based upon the location of the tower your device is catching signals. So make sure your phone is on when you are in GB, FATA, and PATA when recharging.

Pakistan Mobile Internet Prices, Mobile Speeds & Insights

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Currency in Pakistan

Pakistan uses the Pakistani Rupee with the symbol PKR (which will be used throughout this article). Prices in Pakistan are listed in Rs. For example, 25 PKR = Rs. 25. For reference, below are some exchange rates between PKR and USD (US Dollars – Rounded):

• 10 PKR = 0.45 USD
• 100 PKR – 0.45 USD
• 1000 PKR = 4.45 USD
• 10 000 PKR = 44.40 USD
• 100 000 PKR = 444.00 USD

Pakistan Prepaid SIM Cards

Below, I will guide you through Jazz, Telenor Pakistan, Zong & Ufone, and go through:

• Background information
• Mobile coverage
• SIM card types, prices, and availability
• Recharge / top-up information
• Combo plans, data plans, and special packs (such as social media packs)

With that being said, let’s see what Pakistan has to offer to us.

Jazz

Jazz is the largest operator in Pakistan. Until 2016, Jazz was known as Mobilink before changing names to Jazz. Around the same time, Mobilink/Jazz decided to merge with Warid (which, at the time, was Pakistan's 4th largest mobile operator with 13 million subscribers).

For a long period, the brands Mobilink and Warid were still being used while the rebranding process was still in motion. Although the Mobilink brand ceased to exist relatively quickly, the Warid brand was still out there in 2019. Now, everything is simply Jazz.

Jazz has won the Speedtest Fastest Mobile Network two years in a row (2018 & 2019).

No Speedtest Awards was given to any Pakistani operator in 2020.

Jazz uses the following frequencies:

• 2G: 900 MHz & 1800 MHz
• 3G: 2100 MHz
• 4G/LTE: 900 MHz (Band 8) & 1800 MHz (Band 3)

This is what you will learn about Jazz:

* Coverage
* How to Get a Jazz SIM Card & SIM Card Price
* Recharge Options & Methods
* Plans & Packages
* Roaming
* APN/Internet Settings

Coverage – Jazz

Jazz has the most extensive coverage in Pakistan.

Jazz's 2G coverage is the best in the country. However, 2G is useless for modern data browsing. Jazz's 3G and 4G/LTE footprint are on top of the list, sharing the 3G position with Telenor Pakistan and the 4G/LTE position with Zong.

Jazz has no official coverage map on its site (anymore). Luckily, the Speedtest app has created one to give us insights into what to expect with Jazz.

Below is Jazz's coverage map produced by Speedtest:

SIM Card Price – Jazz

You can buy a regular Jazz SIM card and the Data-Only SIM card for 300 PKR in Jazz stores (Retail Shops, Experience Centers, and Franchise Centers).

Therefore, if you wish to get an eSIM for Pakistan (without personal detail capturing), you can get Pakistan Sheeh eSIMs from Airalo (four options):

• 1 GB/7 days – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
• 3 GB/30 days – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
• 5 GB/30 days
• 10 GB/30 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 13^th of March (2023 data only)

No idea what or who Airalo is? Check out my Airalo review, where I share my hands-on experience after using its eSIMs in more than 25 countries over four years.

Many more travel eSIMs will perform well in Pakistan.

You can read about them in my Best Pakistan eSIMs Compared guide for an in-depth comparison.

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Top-Up, Recharge & Balance Check – Jazz

Packages, Plans, Bundles & Offers – Jazz

Jazz has three types of bundles that feature data, which are:

• MYOB Make Your Own Bundle (customizable combo)
• All in One Offers (combo)
• Data Packages (data-only)

Click on the links above to jump to the plan you are interested in.

MYOB Make Your Own Bundle – Jazz

MYOB Make Your Own Bundle is, as the name implies, a product that allows you to customize your bundle. You can set the amount of data, minutes, and SMS you want and set the validity to 1 day, 7 days, or 30 days.

Make Your Own Bundle can be set up by dialing *303#, and everything can be customized through the USSD menu or on the Jazz World app.

After dialing the USSD code, the following steps have to be followed:

1. Select the validity (1: 1 day, 2: 7 days, 3: 30 days)
2. Confirm that you agree with the terms of MYOB by pressing 1
3. Enter how many on-net minutes you want (maximum of 6000 on-net minutes)
4. Enter how many off-net minutes you want (maximum of 1000 off-net minutes)
5. Select how much data you want (0: 0MB, 1: 3000 MB, 2: 6000 MB, 3: 9000 MB, 4: 12 000 MB, 5: 15 000 MB)
6. Enter how many local SMS you want (maximum of 10 000 SMS)
7. Review your entries and review the bundle's price.
8. If everything is to satisfaction, press 1 to confirm your bundle
9. You have successfully set up MYOB

Depending on the validity of your bundle, you have different USSD codes to check your bundle's balance:

• 1-day validity: *303*1#
• 7-day validity: *303*7#
• 30-day validity: *303*30#

MYOB does not auto-renew. When MYOB expires, you have to set up a new bundle or choose another Jazz bundle.

All In One Offers – Jazz

The All In One Offers are combo plans with data, social media data, minutes, and SMS.

The following All In One Offers are available:

Price	Plan	Data	Social Data	App(s)	On-Net Minutes	Off-Net Minutes	SMS	Validity	Activation Code
14 PKR	Daily Day Bundle	20 MB	N/A	N/A	300 minutes	N/A	300 SMS	Until midnight	*340#
17 PKR	Daily Super	150 MB	N/A	N/A	1440 minutes	N/A	50 SMS	1 day	*212#
28 PKR	Super Plus	500 MB	N/A	N/A	500 minutes	5 minutes	500 SMS	1 day	*558#
35 PKR	3 Day-Max Offer	1 GB	N/A	N/A	100 minutes	N/A	N/A	3 days	*631#
75 PKR	Mahana Bachat Offer	N/A	2 GB	WhatsApp & IMO	200 minutes	20 minutes	2000 SMS	30 days	*614*2#
89 PKR	All In One Social	N/A	3 GB	WhatsApp, Facebook & IMO	1000 minutes	N/A	N/A	7 days	*668#
95 PKR	Work From Home Bundle	10 GB	N/A	N/A	Unlimited 3	N/A	N/A	7 days	*117*14#
120 PKR	Weekly Hybrid	1 GB	N/A	N/A	1000 minutes	20 minutes	1000 SMS	7 days	*407#
170 PKR	Weekly All Network	2 GB	N/A	N/A	1000 minutes	60 minutes	1000 SMS	7 days	*700#
210 PKR	Weekly Super Duper	3 GB	N/A	N/A	1500 minutes	60 minutes	1500 SMS	7 days	*770#
240 PKR	Weekly Super Plus	12 GB 1	N/A	N/A	5000 minutes	70 minutes	5000 SMS	7 days	*505#
299 PKR	Weekly Super Max	30 GB	N/A	N/A	6000 minutes	60 minutes	6000 SMS	7 days	*506#
444 PKR	Monthly Hybrid	1 GB	N/A	N/A	10 000 minutes 2	50 minutes	1000 SMS	30 days	*430#
600 PKR	Monthly Super Duper	5 GB	N/A	N/A	3000 minutes	150 minutes	3000 SMS	30 days	*706#
620 PKR	Monthly Premium	15 GB	10 GB	YouTube	250 minutes (all net)	N/A	N/A	30 days	*2000#
977 PKR	Monthly Super Duper Plus	15 GB	N/A	N/A	5000 minutes	300 minutes	5000 SMS	30 days	*707#

¹ 6 GB anytime data, 6 GB for between 2:00 – 14:00
² 333 on-net minutes/day, and unlimited on-net minutes on Sundays
³ for between 8:00 – 18:00

All In One Offers Updates:

• Mahana Bachat Offer: Price increase from 67 PKR to 75 PKR. However, the data allowance can also be used for IMO instead of just WhatsApp
• Weekly Hybrid: Price increase from 115 PKR to 120 PKR. However, Jazz increased the data allowance from 500 MB to 1 GB
• Weekly All Network: Price increase from 160 PKR to 170 PKR. However, the data allowance was increased from 1.5 GB to 2 GB. On the other hand, the SMS allowance went down from 1500 SMS to 1000 SMS. Off-Net minutes allowance also went down from 75 minutes to 60 minutes.
• Weekly Super Max: The 30 GB of data allowance has been made anytime data instead of the data being split as 10 GB anytime data, 10 GB for between 2:00 – 14:00, and 10 GB for YouTube

Do note that Jazz likes to change its plans whenever it feels like it without clearly stating it on its website or on its app, usually in the form of a price increase or changing the allowance. In most cases, even when the price increases, the allowances become better too (or one part becomes better while another suffers).

Data Packages – Jazz

The Data Packages are bundles with data and social media data.

You can purchase the following Data Packages:

Price	Package	Data	Social Data	App(s)	Validity	Activation Code
Free	Free WhatsApp Offer	N/A	65 MB/call 1	WhatsApp	Until midnight	*225#
9 PKR	Super Ghanta Offer	1 GB	N/A	N/A	1 hour	*638#
15 PKR	Daily YouTube & Social	N/A	1 GB	YouTube, WhatsApp & Facebook	1 day	*968#
15 PKR	Daily Extreme	2 GB	N/A	N/A	1 day (0:00 – 12:00)	*757#
27 PKR	Daily Mega	1 GB	N/A	N/A	24 hours	*117*4#
75 PKR	Weekly Extreme	25 GB	N/A	N/A	7 days (0:00 – 12:00)	*117*1#
89 PKR	Weekly YouTube & Social	N/A	5 GB	IMO, WhatsApp, YouTube & Facebook	7 days	*660#
89 PKR	Monthly Browser	2 GB	N/A	N/A	30 days	*709#
99 PKR	Monthly Social	N/A	5 GB	WhatsApp, Facebook & IMO 2	30 days	*661#
169 PKR	Weekly Premium	5 GB 5	N/A	N/A	7 days	*117*47#
210 PKR	Weekly Mega	7 GB	N/A	N/A	7 days	*159#
275 PKR	Weekly Mega Plus	25 GB	N/A	N/A	7 days	*453#
349 PKR	Monthly Mega Plus	12 GB 3	N/A	N/A	30 days	*117*30#
499 PKR	Monthly Supreme	20 GB 4	N/A	N/A	30 days	*117*32#
620 PKR	Monthly Premium	15 GB	10 GB	YouTube	30 days	*2000#

¹ maximum of 65 MB per call. FUP of 10 calls/day (650 MB/day). Data can also be used for regular WhatsApp usage
² + 12 000 local SMS
³ 6 GB anytime data, 6 GB for between 2:00 – 14:00
⁴ 10 GB anytime data, 10 GB for between 2:00 – 14:00
⁵ + 50 local minutes

Data Package Updates:

• Infinity Browser became Monthly Browser with the same 2 GB allowance. The validity, however, reduced from 180 days to 30 days, and the price increased from 80 PKR to 89 PKR

Roaming with Jazz

Jazz does not have any regular plans that include free international roaming (IR). However, they do have attractive roaming packages. Check out this guide for more information about roaming with Jazz.

APN/Internet Settings – Jazz

In most cases, your phone will automatically retrieve the correct Jazz APN settings. However, if that is not the case, you can get the internet settings by dialing *443# and selecting option 5 or dialing *444*6*5#.

If the aforementioned methods do not work, you have to add the following APN settings manually:

• Name: Jazz
• APN: jazzconnect.mobilinkworld.com

Notes: APN “connect.mobilinkworld.com” is for postpaid customers only. Do not add or change anything else not mentioned above.

Jump back to the Table of Contents.

Telenor Pakistan

Telenor Pakistan, just Telenor, is the second-largest provider in Pakistan.

Telenor itself is active in Scandinavia (Norway (origin), Denmark, Sweden, Finland (as DNA), and a few countries in Asia, including Bangladesh (as Grameenphone), Malaysia (as Digi), Myanmar & Thailand (as dtac).

Telenor uses the following frequencies:

• 2G: 900 MHz & 1800 MHz
• 3G: 850 MHz & 2100 MHz
• 4G/LTE: 850 MHz (Band 5) & 1800 MHz (Band 3)

This is what you will learn about Telenor:

* Coverage
* How to Get a Telenor SIM Card & SIM Card Price
* Recharge Options & Methods
* Plans & Packages
* APN/Internet Settings

Coverage – Telenor Pakistan

Telenor has extensive coverage in Pakistan.

Telenor is known for having the best 3G coverage together with Jazz in the country. Telenor's 4G/LTE footprint is extensive too, but (slightly) lacks behind the ones of Jazz and Zong.

Telenor used to have a (3G) coverage map on its site. However, that was mysteriously removed, so I will show the Speedtest app's one instead.

Below is Telenor's coverage map produced by Speedtest:

You can check if the area you are in is covered by 3G by dialing *7799#.

SIM Card Price – Telenor Pakistan

You can get a Telenor SIM card for 200 PKR in Telenor stores or a Telenor Self Service Booth (TSSB).

Although it is possible to order a SIM card online, I discourage you from doing so. Only premium numbers can be selected when buying a SIM card online, priced at 1200 PKR and 5200 PKR. Moreover, delivery can take up to 72 hours.

It will be more convenient and faster to find a Telenor store or a TBBS instead of ordering an expensive SIM card online.

Therefore, if you wish to get an eSIM for Pakistan (without personal detail capturing), you can get eSIMs from Holafly (one option):

• 6 GB/15 days

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.

Many more travel eSIMs will perform well in Pakistan.

You can read about them in my Best Pakistan eSIMs Compared guide for an in-depth comparison.

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Top-Up, Recharge & Balance Check – Telenor Pakistan

Packages, Plans, Bundles & Offers – Telenor Pakistan

Telenor has many bundles, ranging from data-only offers to combo bundles. Below is an overview:

Price	Bundle	Data	Social Data	App(s)	On-Net Minutes	Off-Net Minutes	Local SMS	Validity	Activation Code
1.50 PKR	Daily Social Pack	N/A	50 MB	Facebook & WhatsApp	N/A	N/A	N/A	1 day	*311#
5 PKR	Monthly WhatsApp Package	1500 MB	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	30 days	*247#
8 PKR	Daily YouTube Package	N/A	500 MB	YouTube	N/A	N/A	N/A	Until midnight	*60#
13 PKR	Full Day Offer	50 MB	100 MB	WhatsApp	Unlimited	N/A	N/A	Until midnight	*5*250#
15 PKR	Weekly Music Bundle	N/A	500 MB	Soundcloud & Patari	N/A	N/A	N/A	7 days	Online/Telenor App
18 PKR	Raat Din Offer	1.5 GB	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	12 hours (0:00 – 12:00)	*150#
18 PKR	Weekly Sports Offer	N/A	2000 MB	Cricwick & CricnGif	N/A	N/A	N/A	7 days	*345*74#
40 PKR	TikTok & Snapchat Package	N/A	2 GB	TikTok & Snapchat	N/A	N/A	N/A	30 days	Online/Telenor App
44 PKR	4G 3 Day Bundle	1000 MB 1	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	3 days	*32#
45 PKR	Monthly IMO Package	N/A	2000 MB	IMO	N/A	N/A	N/A	30 days	*466#
50 PKR	Telenor 3/3 Offer	50 MB	N/A	N/A	600 minutes	N/A	N/A	3 days	*345*243#
50 PKR	Monthly Social Pack	100 MB	3000 MB	Facebook & WhatsApp	N/A	N/A	N/A	30 days	*911#
50 PKR	4G Weekly Internet Max	30 GB	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	7 days (0:00 – 9:00)	*19#
52 PKR	3 Day Sahular Offer	50 MB	100 MN	Facebook, WhatsApp & Twitter	250 minutes	25 minutes	N/A	3 days	*5*3#
55 PKR	Weekly 6 to 6 Offer	4000 MB	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	7 days (6:00 – 18:00)	*71#
75 PKR	Monthly Social Pack Plus	N/A	5000 MB	Facebook & WhatsApp	N/A	N/A	10 000 SMS	30 days	*660#
80 PKR	Weekly YouTube Package	N/A	5000 MB	YouTube	N/A	N/A	N/A	7 days	*220#
90 PKR	Haftawar Chappar Phaar Offer	70 MB	350 MB	Facebook, WhatsApp & Twitter	Unlimited	N/A	N/A	7 days	*5*700#
110 PKR	4G Weekly Super	4000 MB 2	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	7 days	*288#
115 PKR	Haftawar Sahulat Offer	100 MB	350 MB	WhatsApp, Facebook & Twitter	1000 minutes	70 minutes	700 SMS	7 days	*5*7#
135 PKR	Weekly Easy Card	1500 MB	N/A	N/A	1000 minutes (+PTCL)	50 minutes	N/A	7 days	*963#
150 PKR	4G Monthly Light	2 GB	1 GB	WhatsApp, Goonj & GameBox	N/A	N/A	N/A	30 days	*301#
185 PKR	4G Weekly Ultra	8 GB	1 GB	Goonj	N/A	N/A	N/A	7 days	*336#
222 PKR	Mega Weekly Easy Card	10 GB 3	N/A	N/A	2000 minutes (+PLTC)	N/A	N/A	7 days	*001#
240 PKR	4G Weekly Ultra Plus	20 GB 4	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	7 days	*225#
300 PKR	4G Monthly Starter Bundle	8 GB 5	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	30 days	*302#
450 PKR	4G Monthly Ultra	10 GB 6	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	30 days	*335#
450 PKR	Monthly East Card 450	1 GB	2 GB	WhatsApp	500 minutes (+PTCL)	50 minutes	500 SMS	30 days	*350#
530 PKR	Monthly Easy Card 600	6 GB + 6 GB nighttime 8	N/A	N/A	3000 minutes (+PTCL)	150 minutes 9	3000 SMS	30 days	*530#
700 PKR	4G Monthly Ultra Plus	50 GB 7	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	30 days	*303#
715 PKR	Monthly Easy Card 800	9 GB + 9 GB nighttime 8	N/A	N/A	5000 minutes (+PTCL)	300 minutes	3000 SMS	30 days	*80#

¹ 500 MB anytime data, 500 MB for between 0:00 – 8:00
² 2000 MB anytime data, 2000 MB for between 1:00 – 11:00
³ 5 GB anytime data, 5 GB for between 1:00 – 11:00
⁴ 10 GB anytime data, 10 GB for between 1:00 – 11:00
⁵ 4 GB anytime data, 4 GB for between 1:00 – 7:00
⁶ 5 GB anytime data, 5 GB for between 12:00 – 8:00
⁷ 25 GB anytime data, 25 GB for between 1:00 – 11:00
⁸ Nighttime data for between 1:00 – 11:00
^{9 + 25 international minutes to Canada, the United Kingdom & the United States}

APN/Internet Settings – Telenor Pakistan

In most cases, your phone will automatically retrieve the correct Telenor Pakistan APN settings. However, if that is not the case, you can get the internet settings by texting internet to 131.

If the aforementioned methods do not work, you have to add the following APN settings manually:

• Name: Telenor
• APN: internet
• Username: Telenor
• Password: Telenor

Note: Do not add or change anything else not mentioned above.

Jump back to the Table of Contents.

Zong

Zong, officially known as CMPak or China Mobile Pakistan, is the third-largest operator in Pakistan.

China Mobile managed to enter the Pakistani mobile market by buying Millicom's shares in Paktel. Paktel was rebranded to China Mobile Pakistan. Within almost a year, that name changed to Zong.

Zong uses the following frequencies:

• 2G: 900 MHz & 1800 MHz
• 3G: 2100 MHz
• 4G/LTE: 1800 MHz (Band 3) & 2100 MHz (Band 1)

This is what you will learn about Zong:

* Coverage
* How to Get a Zong SIM Card & SIM Card Price
* Recharge Options & Methods
* Plans & Packages
* APN/Internet Settings

Coverage – Zong

Zong has extensive coverage in Pakistan. They also have the best 4G/LTE coverage in the country, together with Jazz.

When China Mobile bought Paktel, they were already introducing 4G/LTE in China. So China Mobile decided to bring their 4G/LTE expertise immediately to Pakistan. The other operators were still working on building and improving their 2G and 3G networks.

In fact, Zong had a 2-year head start with 4G/LTE than Jazz and Telenor Pakistan, who were then the more established operators. Now, they have the best 4G/LTE availability in the country, which is also recognized by OpenSignal in its Pakistan Mobile Network Experience Report of 2021.

It is worth checking out that report, as it has some interesting findings. But honestly, I was, and still am, surprised with Zong's performance.

What, however, does not impress me is Zong's official coverage map. It is practically useless for checking its nationwide coverage. And the city/town search function does not work either.

Below is Zong's coverage map produced by Speedtest:

However, click here to see Zong's official coverage map.

SIM Card Price – Zong

Zong SIM cards are available for 200 PKR in Zong Service Centers. New Zong SIM cards include the New SIM Offer, featuring 2 GB of data, 1 GB for WhatsApp, 1 GB for Facebook, and 1000 on-net minutes – all valid for 7 days. You can, however, not use your data allowance between 19:00 and 23:59.

Note: the New SIM offer only applies to “regular” Zong SIM cards, not for Mobile Broadband (MBB) nor Internet SIM (data-only) cards.

On top of the New SIM Offer, you can get bonus credit depending on how much you recharge within seven days of acquiring the SIM card.

• Recharge between 50 PKR and 99.99 PKR: 25 PKR credit bonus
• Recharge between 100 PKR and 499.99 PKR: 50 PKR credit bonus
• Recharge of 500 PKR or more: 100 PKR credit bonus

You can book a phone number of liking on the Book Your Number page. A booked number can be collected at any Zong Service Center, as long as it is done within three days.

Therefore, if you wish to get an eSIM for Pakistan (without personal detail capturing), you can get Pakistan Sheeh eSIMs from Airalo (four options):

• 1 GB/7 days – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
• 3 GB/30 days – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
• 5 GB/30 days
• 10 GB/30 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 13^th of March (2023 data only)

No idea what or who Airalo is? Check out my Airalo review, where I share my hands-on experience after using its eSIMs in more than 25 countries over four years.

Many more travel eSIMs will perform well in Pakistan.

You can read about them in my Best Pakistan eSIMs Compared guide for an in-depth comparison.

Top-Up, Recharge & Balance Check – Zong

Zong recharge cards are available in Zong Service Centers and many other retailers, such as grocery stores, corner shops, news stands, and gas stations. They can be obtained in values of 100 PKR, 300 PKR, 500 PKR, and 1000 PKR. You can also recharge online (50 PKR – 20 000 PKR).

To redeem your recharge voucher, dial *101*VoucherCode#.

For example, if your voucher code is 123456, you would dial *101*123456#.

Zong has a menu, which can be access through *310#. This menu allows you to top-up, check your balance, and and purchase plans. However, accessing the menu costs 0.24 PKR. You can also quickly check your balance by dialing *222#.

However, it is not know whether you will be charged 0.24 PKR for that method as well. (let me know if you know).

You can also use the Zong App (Android & iOS) to check your balance for free.

Packages, Plans, Bundles & Offers – Zong

Zong has many bundles to choose from, which are:

• All In One Bundles (combo)
• Call Bundles (combo – only those with data)
• SMS Bundles (combo – only those with data)
• App Exclusive Offers (combo – through app only)
• Data Bundles (data)
• Data Share Bundles (data that can be shared in a group)
• Internet SIM Packages (data bundles for Internet SIM (data-only SIM))
• Mobile Broadband (MBB) Bundles (data bundles for MBB devices)

All bundles can be purchased by dialing *310# or on the Zong app.

Click on the links above to jump to the plan you are interested in.

All In One Bundles – Zong

The All In One Bundles are combo bundles with data, social data (for YouTube, tapmad TV, TikTok & WhatsApp), minutes, and SMS.

The following All In One Bundles are available:

Price	Bundle	Data	Social Data	App(s)	All-Net Minutes	On-Net Minutes	Off-Net Minutes	Local SMS	Validity
200 PKR	15 Combo Pack	3 GB	N/A	N/A	50 minutes	N/A	N/A	N/A	15 days
200 PKR	Weekly All-In-1 Weekly	2.5 GB	N/A	N/A	N/A	1000 minutes	40 minutes	1000 SMS	7 days
270 PKR	Weekly Haftawar Load Offer	12 GB 1	N/A	N/A	N/A	5000 minutes	80 minutes	5000 SMS	7 days
299 PKR	Super Weekly Max	15 GB	15 GB	YouTube (+tapmad TV)	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	7 days
330 PKR	Super Weekly Premium and Zong Mobile TV	15 GB	15 GB	YouTube, TikTok & Zong TV	100 minutes	N/A	N/A	N/A	7 days
330 PKR	Super Weekly Premium	30 GB	N/A	N/A	100 minutes	N/A	N/A	N/A	7 days
500 PKR	Star Pre-Load Monthly Power Pack SIM 500	2.5 GB	N/A	N/A	N/A	1000 minutes	50 minutes	1000 SMS	30 days
650 PKR	Monthly Zong Super Card	3 GB	3 GB	WhatsApp	N/A	180 minutes	N/A	N/A	30 days
1000 PKR	Value Pre-Load Monthly Power Pack SIM 1000	500 MB	N/A	N/A	N/A	2000 minutes	150 minutes	1500 SMS	30 days
1000 PKR	Gold Pre-Load 3 Months Power Pack SIM 1500	8 GB	N/A	N/A	N/A	8000 minutes	200 minutes	3000 SMS	90 days
1000 PKR	Monthly Supreme Offer	5 GB	N/A	N/A	N/A	5000 minutes	300 minutes	N/A	30 days
1300 PKR	Monthly Super Offer	20 GB	10 GB	YouTube (6 GB) & WhatsApp (4 GB)	N/A	5000 minutes	300 minutes	3000 SMS	30 days

¹ 6 GB anytime data, 6 GB for between 1:00 – 9:00

Call Bundles – Zong

The Call Bundles are plans focused on calls. However, a few Call Bundles include data, WhatsApp data, and local SMS.

Only the bundles with a data allowance will be mentioned below (even those with just 1 MB, straight up useless).

You can get one of the following Call Bundles:

Price	Bundle	Data	Social Data	App(s)	On-Net Minutes	Off-Net Minutes	Local SMS	Validity
5 PKR	Hourly Super Student Bundle	30 MB	N/A	N/A	Unlimited	N/A	N/A	1 hour
5 PKR	Daily Full Gup	N/A	30 MB	WhatsApp	75 minutes	N/A	100 SMS	1 day
8 PKR	Daily Sixer Plus 1	1 MB	N/A	N/A	Unlimited	N/A	500 SMS	1 day
12 PKR	Daily Flutter	50 MB	N/A	N/A	120 minutes	N/A	120 SMS	1 day
13 PKR	Daily Hello 1 Din	50 MB	N/A	N/A	150 minutes	N/A	150 SMS	1 day
14 PKR	Daily Shandaar Daily Offer	50 MB	N/A	N/A	Unlimited	N/A	800 SMS	1 day
45 PKR	Weekly Hello 7 Day Bundle	1 MB	N/A	N/A	100 minutes/day	N/A	100 SMS	7 days
120 PKR	Weekly Shandaar Haftawaar Offer	500 MB	N/A	N/A	500 minutes	40 minutes	500 SMS	7 days
170 PKR	Weekly Hello Monthly Bundle	1 MB	N/A	N/A	100 minutes/day	N/A	100 SMS	7 days
300 PKR	Monthly Shandaar Mahana Offer	1 GB	N/A	N/A	1000 minutes	100 minutes	1000 SMS	30 days

¹ for between 6:00 – 18:00

For the remaining Call Bundles without a data allowance, check out the Call Bundles page.

SMS Bundles – Zong

The SMS Bundles are plans focused on SMS. However, some SMS Bundles include data and WhatsApp data.

Only the bundles with a data allowance will be mentioned below.

You can get one of the following SMS Bundles:

Price	Bundle	Data	Social Data	App(s)	Local SMS	Validity
4 PKR	Daily Zulu SMS Bundle	1 MB	N/A	N/A	500 SMS	1 day
5 PKR	Daily SMS + WhatsApp Bundle	1 MB	30 MB	WhatsApp	500 SMS	1 day
21 PKR	Weekly SMS + WhatsApp Bundle	N/A	200 MB	WhatsApp	1500 SMS	7 days
50 PKR	Monthly SMS + WhatsApp Bundle	N/A	30 MB/day	WhatsApp	500 SMS/day	30 days

For the remaining SMS Bundles without a data allowance, check out the SMS Bundles page.

App Exclusive Offers – Zong

The App Exclusive Offers are offers that can only be redeemed or activated through the Zong App. An App Exclusive Offer may be triggered by reaching a reload threshold or purchasing the Offer on the Zong App.

Currently, these App Exclusive Offers are available:

Price/Required Reload	Bundle	Data	Social Data	App(s)	All-Net Minutes	On-Net Minutes	Off-Net Minutes	Local SMS	Validity
Free	6 GB on First Time App Registration	200 MB/day (6 GB)	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	30 days
300 PKR	Super Weekly Premium Bundle	15 GB	15 GB	YouTube & TikTok	100 minutes	N/A	N/A	N/A	7 days
1000 PKR	Supreme Offer	10 000 MB	N/A	N/A	N/A	5000 minutes	300 minutes	5000 SMS	30 days
3500 PKR	150 GB Exclusive Prepaid MBB Offer	150 GB	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	30 days

Data Bundles – Zong

The Data Bundles are data plans with data and social data (for Facebook, Google Duo, YouTube, TikTok, WhatsApp & IMO).

The following Data Bundles can be purchased:

Price	Bundle	Data	Social Data	App(s)	Validity
5 PKR	Daily Facebook Offer	N/A	500 MB	Facebook	1 day
5 PKR	Classified Pack	50 MB	N/A	N/A	1 day
10 PKR	Social Pack	100 MB	N/A	N/A	1 day
10 PKR	Google Duo Offer	N/A	2 GB	Google Duo	30 days
16 PKR	Youth Offer	2.5 GB 1	N/A	N/A	1 day
16 PKR	Daytime Offer	1200 MB 2	N/A	N/A	1 day
17 PKR	Daily Basic	100 MB	N/A	N/A	1 day
38 PKR	Daily Data Max	500 MB	500 MB	YouTube	1 day
50 PKR	Monthly Mini 150	150 MB	N/A	N/A	30 days
50 PKR	Weekly TikTok Offer	N/A	2 GB	TikTok	7 days
50 PKR	Monthly WhatsApp Offer	N/A	4 GB	WhatsApp	30 days
50 PKR	Monthly IMO Offer	N/A	2 GB	IMO	30 days
80 PKR	Monthly WhatsApp Plus Offer 3	N/A	4 GB	WhatsApp	30 days
100 PKR	Monthly Facebook Offer	N/A	6 GB	Facebook	30 days
100 PKR	Weekly Mega Data Offer	100 GB 4	N/A	N/A	7 days
135 PKR	Weekly YouTube Offer	N/A	8 GB	YouTube	7 days
150 PKR	Monthly Basic Offer	500 MB	N/A	N/A	30 days
165 PKR	Weekly Super Offer	2.5 GB	N/A	N/A	7 days
240 PKR	Weekly Super Plus	7 GB	N/A	N/A	7 days
299 PKR	Weekly Super Max	15 GB	15 GB	YouTube	7 days
600 PKR	Monthly Premium 15 GB	15 GB 5	N/A	N/A	30 days
750 PKR	Monthly Prepaid Internet SIM Addons – 8 GB	8 GB 6	N/A	N/A	30 days
1000 PKR	Monthly Premium 40 GB	40 GB 7	N/A	N/A	30 days
1200 PKR	Monthly Prepaid Internet SIM Addons – 24 GB	24 GB 8	N/A	N/A	30 days
2000 PKR	Monthly Prepaid Internet SIM Addons – 60 GB	60 GB	N/A	N/A	30 days
3500 PKR	Monthly 150 GB MBB Exclusive Offer	150 GB	N/A	N/A	30 days

¹ for between 1:00 – 9:00
² for between 4:00 – 19:00
³ + 200 on-net minutes and 20 off-net minutes
⁴ for between 1:00 – 9:00. Max 2 GB for WhatsApp
⁵ 10 GB anytime data, 5 GB for between 1:00 – 9:00
⁶ 4 GB anytime data, 4 GB for between 4:00 – 16:00
⁷ 20 GB anytime data, 20 GB for between 1:00 – 9:00
⁸ 12 GB anytime data, 12 GB for between 4:00 – 16:00

Data Share Bundles – Zong

The Data Share Bundles are data bundles that can be shared with multiple Zong numbers in a group.

The following Data Share Bundles are available:

Price	Bundle	Data	Validity
500 PKR	Monthly 5 GB	5 GB	30 days
900 PKR	Monthly 10 GB	10 GB	30 days

After purchasing a Data Share Bundle, dial *6464*5# to set up a sharing group.

Internet SIM Packages – Zong

The Internet SIM Packages are data bundles exclusively for the Internet SIM (data-only SIM card).

You can get any of the following Internet SIM Packages:

Price	Bundle	Data	Validity
230 PKR	Prepaid Data Addons	1 GB 1	As per base bundle
570 PKR	Prepaid – Internet SIM Addons	1 GB 2	As per base bundle
750 PKR	1 Month Bundle	8 GB 3	30 days
1150 PKR	Internet SIM New Tariff 3 GB/3 Month	3 GB/month (9 GB)	90 days
1200 PKR	1 Month Bundle	24 GB 4	30 days
1800 PKR	1 Month Bundle	30 GB	30 days
2000 PKR	1 Month Bundle	60 GB	30 days
2790 PKR	Internet SIM New Tariff 12 GB/3 Month	12 GB/month (36 GB)	90 days
3250 PKR	Prepaid Intenet SIM Addons – (Monthly) 175 GB	175 GB	30 days

¹ for between 1:00 – 9:00
² for between 9:00 – 16:00
³ 4 GB anytime data, 4 GB for between 4:00 – 16:00
⁴ 12 GB anytime data, 12 GB for between 4:00 – 16:00

Mobile Broadband (MBB) Bundles – Zong

The Mobile Broadband (MBB) Bundles are data bundles exclusively for those with a Zong MBB device.

Price	Bundle	Data	Validity
230 PKR	MBB Good Night Offer (GNO)	1 GB	1:00 – 9:00
450 PKR	Monthly Prepaid MBB Add-On 5 GB	5 GB	As per base bundle
2000 PKR	Monthly Prepaid MBB 60 GB	60 GB	30 days
2500 PKR	Monthly Prepaid MBB 150 GB	150 GB 1	30 days
3250 PKR	Monthly Prepaid MBB 200 GB	200 GB 2	30 days
5500 PKR	3 Months Prepaid MBB (60 GB/Month)	60 GB/month (180 GB)	90 days
12 000 PKR	6 Months Prepaid MBB (100 GB/Month)	100 GB/month (600 GB) 3	180 days
22 000 PKR	12 Months Prepaid MBB (100 GB/Month)	100 GB/month (1200 GB) 3	360 days

¹ 75 GB anytime data, 75 GB for between 4:00 – 16:00
² 100 GB anytime data, 100 GB for between 4:00 – 16:00
³ 75 GB anytime data, 25 GB for between 4:00 – 16:00

APN/Internet Settings – Zong

• Name: Internet
• APN: zonginternet

Note: Do not add or change anything else not mentioned above.

Jump back to the Table of Contents.

Ufone

Ufone is the smallest operator in Pakistan. They are also, in most cases, the cheapest operator in the country.

Ufone uses the following frequencies:

• 2G: 900 MHz & 1800 MHz
• 3G: 900 MHz & 2100 MHz
• 4G/LTE: 1800 MHz (Band 3)

This is what you will learn about Ufone:

* Coverage
* How to Get a Ufone SIM Card & SIM Card Price
* Recharge Options & Methods
* Plans & Packages
* Roaming
* APN/Internet Settings

Coverage – Ufone

Ufone has decent coverage in Pakistan. However, they have the worst coverage of the big four operators.

When putting the four operators' coverage maps next to each other, you will see fewer LTE dots with Ufone than the other operators. For some reason, it took Ufone until 2019 to enable 4G/LTE (for comparison, Zong started deploying 4G/LTE in 2014).

Not only is network reception significantly weaker with Ufone than with the other Pakistani operators, but speeds are notably slower (the slowest in the country).

Ufone does have an official coverage map on its site. However, they decided to go with the dots on Google Maps route, which is, personally speaking, an awful way of showcasing your coverage. However, it is still better than having no official map at all (looking at you, Jazz & Telenor Pakistan).

Below is Ufone's coverage map produced by Speedtest:

However, click here to see Ufone's official coverage map.

You can check if the area you are in is covered by 3G or 4G/LTE quickly with USSD codes. To check 3G availability, dial *3344#. To check if 4G/LTE is available, dial *4#.

SIM Card Price – Ufone

You can purchase a Ufone SIM card starting from 200 PKR, depending on the SIM card you choose, in Ufone offices or stores. They can also be ordered online with free delivery (for some SIM cards).

* Dial *1000# to activate the offer

You can also book Golden and Platinum Numbers, which can be remembered easier, and pick them up at the nearest Ufone store. Golden Numbers have a surcharge of 50 PKR (or 0 PKR during). Platinum Numbers have a surcharge of 1500 PKR (or 499 PKR during promotions).

Ufone has four different starter SIM cards to choose from, which are:

• New SIM Offer (200 PKR)
• Classic Offer (250 PKR)
• Super Card Double Offer (570 PKR)
• Internet SIM (200 PKR)

Below is an overview of the perks each starter SIM card includes:

Price	SIM Card	Data	WhatsApp Data	On-Net Minutes	Off-Net Minutes	Local SMS	Perks Validity
200 PKR	New SIM Offer	2000 MB	Unlimited (90 days)	500 minutes	25 minutes	500 SMS	5 days
200 PKR	Internet SIM	1000 MB	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	30 days
250 PKR	Classic Offer	N/A	Unlimited *	N/A	N/A	N/A	90 days
570 PKR	Super Card Double Offer	3400 MB	N/A	2000 minutes	300 minutes	8000 SMS	30 days

Therefore, if you wish to get an eSIM for Pakistan (without personal detail capturing), you can get eSIMs from Holafly (one option):

• 6 GB/15 days

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.

Many more travel eSIMs will perform well in Pakistan.

You can read about them in my Best Pakistan eSIMs Compared guide for an in-depth comparison.

Top-Up, Recharge & Balance Check – Ufone

Packages, Plans, Bundles & Offers – Ufone

Ufone has six data-featured prepaid bundles to choose from, which are:

• Ufone Super Card Family (combo)
• All In One Offers (combo)
• Internet Offers (data only)
• iPhone Buckets (data only for iPhones)
• Content Bundles (data for social media)
• Internet SIM Bundles (data bundles for data-only SIM card)

Click on the links above to jump to the plan you are interested in.

Super Card Family – Ufone

Super Card Family Packages are combo plans with data, Facebook data, minutes, and SMS.

The following Ufone Super Card Family Packages are available:

Price	Offer	Data	Facebook Data	On-Net Minutes (+PTCL)	Off-Net Minutes	Local SMS	Validity	Activation Code
53 PKR	Super Recharge Offer	100 MB	N/A	300 minutes	10 minutes	700 SMS	2 days	*300#
135 PKR	Super Internet	1.2 GB	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	7 days	*220#
330 PKR	Mini Super Card	600 MB	N/A	500 minutes	75 minutes	3500 SMS	15 days	*230#
599 PKR	Super Card Plus	2000 MB	“Unlimited”, 5 GB	“Unlimited”, 5000 minutes	180 minutes	4200 SMS	30 days	*250#
999 PKR	Super Card Gold	5 GB	“Unlimited”, 7 GB	“Unlimited”, 5000 minutes	300 minutes	“Unlimited”, 5000 SMS	30 days	*900#

All In One Offers – Ufone

The All In One Offers are combo plans with data, Facebook Data, minutes, and SMS.

You can get one of the following All In One Offers:

Price	Offer	Data	Facebook Data	On-Net Minutes (+PTCL)	Off-Net Minutes	Local SMS	Validity	Activation Code	Auto-Renews?	Unsubscribe Code
7.17 PKR	Power Hour	60 MB	N/A	60 minutes*	N/A	60 SMS	1 hour	*99#	No	N/A
18 PKR	Daily Pakistan Offer	10 MB	N/A	100 minutes	N/A	N/A	1 day	*888#	Yes	*8880#
100 PKR	Weekly Pakistan Offer	100 MB	N/A	700 minutes	N/A	N/A	7 days	*8888#	Yes	*8880#
120 PKR	Asli Chappar Phaar Offer	1000 MB	N/A	100 minutes (no PTCL)	N/A	100 SMS	7 days	*5050#	No	N/A
418 PKR	Monthly Pakistan Offer	400 MB	N/A	4000 minutes	N/A	N/A	30 days	*8888#	Yes	*8880#

* On-net minutes can also be used to call Vfone (PTCL) numbers.

Internet Offers – Ufone

The Internet Offers are data bundles with regular data and data for Line & WhatsApp.

The following Internet Offers are available:

Price	Bundle	Data	Line & WhatsApp Data	Validity	Activation Code
6 PKR	Special Daily	50 MB	500 MB	1 day (1:00 – 21:00)	*3461#
12 PKR	Daily Light	40 MB	500 MB	1 day	*2256#
15 PKR	Mega Internet	2 GB	N/A	1 night (1:00 – 8:00)	*550#
18 PKR	Daily Heavt	75 MB	500 MB	1 day	*2258#
30 PKR	3 Day Bucket	100 MB	500 MB	3 days	*3350#
135 PKR	Super Internet	1.2 GB	N/A	7 days	*220#
180 PKR	Weekly Internet Plus	6 GB *	N/A	7 days	*260#
390 PKR	Monthly Light	1 GB	2 GB	30 days	*7807#
499 PKR	Super Internet Plus	8 GB	5 GB (WhatsApp)	30 days	*290#
780 PKR	Monthly Heavy	3 GB	2 GB	30 days	*803#
1560 PKR	Monthly Max	10 GB	2 GB	30 days	*5100#

* 3 GB anytime data, 3 GB for between 1:00 – 8:00

You are allowed to purchase multiple monthly bundles at the same time (the same ones or combining ones). This does not apply to the daily, 3-day, and weekly bundles.

iPhone Buckets – Ufone

The iPhone Buckets are data plans with reduced speeds (up to 3 Mbps) specifically for iPhone users.

You can get one of the following iPhone Buckets:

Price	Data	Speeds	Validity
1000 PKR	3 GB	3 Mbps	30 days
1800 PKR	5 GB	3 Mbps	30 days

Honestly, I have no idea why these bundles exist because iPhone users can get any other bundle mentioned so far, which are all far cheaper than the iPhone Buckets and do not have to deal with speed reductions.

Content Bundles – Ufone

The Content Bundles are data bundles for select social media apps, such as WhatsApp, YouTube, Daily Motion, and TikTok.

The following Content Bundles are available for purchase:

Price	Bundle	Social Data	App(s)	Local SMS	Validity	Activation Code
6 PKR	Social Daily	100 MB	WhatsApp	N/A	1 day	*4422#
6 PKR	Daily Chat	500 MB	WhatsApp	10 000 SMS	1 day	*3465#
10 PKR	Streaming Offer	500 MB	YouTube & DailyMotion	N/A	1 hour	*78#
50 PKR	Ufone TikTok Offer	1.5 GB	TikTok	N/A	7 days	*2345#
60 PKR	Social Monthly	1 GB	WhatsApp	N/A	30 days	*5858#

You can activate multiple Content Bundles simultaneously (the same ones or combining different ones).

Internet SIM Bundles – Ufone

The Internet SIM Bundles are data bundles exclusively for Ufone's Internet SIM (data-only SIM).

You can get one of the following Internet SIM Bundles:

Price	Bundle	Data	Social Media Data	Validity
100 PKR	Super Internet	1.2 GB	N/A	7 day
250 PKR	Monthly Light	1 GB	2 GB	30 days
500 PKR	Monthly Heavy	3 GB	2 GB	30 days
1000 PKR	Monthly Max	10 GB	2 GB	30 days

Roaming with Ufone

Ufone does not have any regular plans that include free international roaming (IR). However, they do have attractive roaming packages. Check out this guide for more information about roaming with Ufone.

APN/Internet Settings – Ufone

• Name: Ufone
• APN: ufone.ptinternet

Note: Do not add or change anything else not mentioned above.

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The Preferred Way to Stay Connected When Traveling in Pakistan

Getting a SIM card from either Jazz or Zong would do you well when considering a Pakistani SIM card.