Romania: 5 Best Prepaid SIM Cards Buying Guide (2023)

Romania – known for its mountains, Transylvania & the story of Count Dracula.

The country also has a rich history, which is still present to this day when looking at the architecture throughout the nation.

But what can you do in Romania? A lot.

There are plenty of castles to visit, such as Bran Castle, Castelul Corvinilor & Peleș Castle.

Romania also has many salt mines – Salina Turda offers tours.

And the open-air village Dimitrie Gusti will be a fun attraction too.

As you can see, there is no reason to be bored in Romania.

What also would not bore you is dealing with an expensive roaming bill because you decided to use your main SIM card in Romania.

International roaming can be expensive, which is why I recommend getting local SIM cards when traveling to enjoy local rates.

Fortunately, SIM cards are inexpensive in Romania – you can even get them for free!

You can get a Romanian SIM card for 4 EUR (4.25 USD) from DIGI, 5 EUR (5.30 USD) from Orange and Telekom & 6.20 EUR (6.55 USD) from Vodafone. Orange, Lycamobile & YOXO allow you to get SIM cards for free if you top up on the spot. SIM cards are sold at Bucharest-Henri Coandă International Airport (OTP).

These prices are not crazy cheap – not even for Eastern European standards.

But wait until you see the generous data allowances offered by some mobile operators in Romania – it is incredible.

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

Original publication: 8th of January 2022. Last updated: 1st of October 2023.

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Table of Contents

Can You Buy a SIM Card in Romania?

Anyone living in or visiting Romania can buy a Romanian SIM card from Orange, Vodafone, DIGI, Telekom (Romania – formerly Cosmote), Lycamobile & YOXO with no restrictions.

Your phone has to support the frequencies used in Romania.

Furthermore, your phone needs to be unlocked (SIM-lock free) to use a Romanian SIM card.

Where Can You Buy a SIM Card in Romania?

You can get a Romanian SIM card in Orange, Vodafone, DIGI & Telekom (Romania – formerly Cosmote) stores. Resellers, like grocery stores and gas stations, also sell SIM cards (especially for Lycamobile). They are also available at Bucharest-Henri Coandă International Airport (OTP – at kiosks).

Note: Yoxo SIM cards have to be ordered online – they cannot be purchased in Orange Romania stores (it is a Orange digital sub-brand).

You can expect to pay the following for Romanian SIM cards:

• Orange România: Free, but top-up required or 5 EUR
• Vodafone România: 6.20 EUR
• DIGI România: 4 EUR
• Telkom România (formerly Cosmote România): 5 EUR
• Lycamobile România: free, but top-up or plan purchase required
• YOXO: free, but top-up or plan purchase required

For up-to-date EUR:your currency (let's say GBP) exchange rates, use the Wise Currency Converter tool.

Can You Use Your Phone in Romania?

Romania uses GSM technology for mobile communications. CDMA phones will not work in Romania. 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 Romania, 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 in Romania.

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 Romania 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 Romania (to some extent) – also on 4G/LTE (and soon 5G NR as well).

Mobile Operators, Networks & Frequencies in Romania

Romania has four mobile operators, one mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) & one sub-brand offering prepaid services easily accessible to travelers:

• Orange România
• Vodafone România
• DIGI România
• Telekom România (formerly Cosmote România)
• Lycamobile România (Telekom România MVNO)
• YOXO (Orange România sub-brand)

The following frequencies are used in Romania:

• 2G: 900 MHz & 1800 MHz
• 3G: 900 MHz & 2100 MHz
• 4G/LTE: 800 MHz (Band 20), 900 MHz (Band 8), 1800 MHz (Band 3), 2100 MHz (Band 1) & 2600 MHz (Band 7)
• 5G NR: 3500 MHz/3600 MHz (n78) – not for prepaid yet

You can learn more about frequencies in the video below.

To check whether your phone will work in Romania, 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.

A Note about Vodafone România Flex

Vodafone Flex by Vodafone România is a hybrid solution, offering even more generous allowances for its plans.

While Vodafone Flex is a subscription, it is not a long-term one, and it can be canceled at any time.

Honestly, Vodafone Flex is (much) better than its regular prepaid offering.

Currently, I am not sure if you can set up Vodafone Flex with an international debit or credit card, which is why I will not cover Vodafone Flex in-depth in this guide.

But I will be heading to Romania again soon, so then I can find out if it can work for us travelers or not.

I was not aware that Vodafone Flex existed during my previous trip – my bad 🥲.

This section will be updated once I have an answer – or it may be completely gone and incorporated in the Vodafone section.

A Note about YOXO

YOXO is a digital sub-brand by Orange România, offering plans at even more competitive rates.

As YOXO is fully digital, its SIM cards are not available in stores – they have to be ordered online.

It takes between three to seven business days to receive your YOXO SIM card, making YOXO an unappealing option for short-term travelers.

As a result, YOXO will not be discussed in this guide.

However, those living in Romania or are staying in the country for a long time should consider YOXO.

It takes advantage of Orange România's superior network at lower rates (and the mobile data rates are already low in Romania anyway).

VoLTE & VoWiFi in Romania

Both VoLTE (Voice over LTE (4G) – also known as HD Voice) and VoWiFi (Voice over WiFi – also known as WiFi calling) are available in Romania. All mobile operators in Romania offer both services.

However, Lycamobile România, the only Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) in the country, does not have access to Telekom România's VoLTE and VoWiFi services.

5G NR in Romania

Commercial 5G NR has been available in Romania since June 2020. It is available on the Orange, Vodafone, DIGI networks. Telekom (România) is currently testing 5G NR. However, prepaid customers cannot use 5G NR (yet).

Best SIM Card in Romania

Best eSIM in Romania

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

However, you can get travel eSIMs from Airalo, Holafly & Nomad.

Airalo has the Noroc eSIMs:

You have these five options:

1. Romania/Noroc 1 GB eSIM for 7 days – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
2. Romania/Noroc 2 GB eSIM for 15 days
3. Romania/Noroc 3 GB eSIM for 30 days
4. Romania/Noroc 5 GB eSIM for 30 days – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
5. Romania/Noroc 10 GB eSIM for 30 days – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers

Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in September based on data up to the 7^th of September (2023 data only).

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

Or you can get Romania eSIMs from Nomad.

The 5 GB Nomad Romania eSIM for 30 days is the most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers.

Use code ADU123 for the best deals available when getting Nomad eSIMs (on the site or their apps) and get 3 USD/2.70 EUR/2.40 GBP/4.05 CAD off (even on top of (some) ongoing promotions)!

But during certain promotions where you are required to enter a code for a discount (let's say Tuesdays (web sales only) or public holidays), the discount you get for these special promotions will be more than the 3 USD off with codes ADU123. I suggest using those codes instead for extra savings – I will not blame you for it 😏.

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

• Check out my Nomad reviews

Finally, you can get Romania eSIMs from Holafly if you prefer unlimited data plans and do not mind paying a bit more for this advantage:

1. Romania unlimited data eSIM for 5 days – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
2. Romania unlimited data eSIM for 7 days
3. Romania unlimited data eSIM for 10 days – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
4. Romania unlimited data eSIM for 15 days
5. Romania unlimited data eSIM for 20 days – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
6. Romania unlimited data eSIM for 30 days
7. Romania unlimited data eSIM for 60 days
8. Romania unlimited data eSIM for 90 days

Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in September based on data up to the 7^th of September (2023 data only).

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

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

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

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

If you plan on visiting other neighboring European nations, consider the Eurolink eSIM (six variants: 1 GB/7 days, 3 GB/30 days – very popular with PTW readers, 5 GB/30 days – most popular with PTW readers, 10 GB/30 days – very popular with PTW readers, 50 GB/90 days & 100 GB/180 days) in Romania and these other countries:

• Check out my Airalo Eurolink eSIM review (tested in Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Hungary, Greece, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia & Spain)

Holafly and Nomad also have eSIMs covering all of the European Union (and more).

But honestly, the Eurolink eSIM is superior (but you can consider the Holafly Europe eSIM if you want unlimited data in 30+ countries – just do not forget about code PHONETRAVELWIZ if you go with Holafly).

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 Romania and eSIMs worldwide) and my Best Romania eSIMs Compared guide for an in-depth comparison of several eSIMs for Romania.

SIM Card Registration in Romania

SIM card registration, with the use of your personal information (such as your passport), is not required when buying a SIM card in Romania.

While the Romanian government has tried to introduce a SIM card registration scheme, it has been struck down by the Romanian Constitutional Court numerous times.

The latest blow to this legislation was early 2020, which was the sixth attempt by the Romanian government.

I guess the third try is not charm in this instance 🤓.

EU Roaming in Romania

Romania is part of the European Union (EU).

Since June 2017, those with EU/EEA (European Economic Area) SIM cards can roam for free in other EU/EEA nations, including Romania.

This means that, in the majority of cases, you do not need to purchase a Romanian SIM card if you already have an EU/EEA SIM card because you can roam without additional costs.

However, conditions do apply. Mobile operators in some countries may impose a roaming Fair Use Policy (FUP).

In countries where local mobile data rates are extremely low (such as in the Baltics and Nordics), mobile operators may still charge you for roaming in the EU/EEA.

Be sure to head over to the international roaming page to learn whether your mobile operator offers free roaming while in Romania or if restrictions apply.

Roaming in the EU with Romanian SIM Cards

Romania and the Romanian mobile operators have largely adopted the roam like at home regulations principles early on.

However, some plans have an EU/EEA roaming cap.

Moreover, the standard Fair Use Policy applies where you should not be roaming over 50% of the time over a four-month period.

If you do so, EU roaming rates will apply. You are then better off buying local prepaid SIM cards in other EU nations.

Romania Mobile Speeds, Mobile Internet Prices & Insights

Currency in Romania

Romania uses the Romanian Leu with the symbol RON (which will be used throughout this guide).

However, prices are often listed as lei or L. For example, 25 RON = L. 25 / lei.

For reference, below are some exchange rates between RON and USD (US Dollars):

• 1 RON = 0.20 USD
• 10 RON = 2.15 USD
• 100 RON = 21.25 USD
• 1000 RON = 212.50 USD

For up-to-date RON:your currency (let's say EUR – Euro) exchange rates, use the Wise Currency Converter tool.

While Romania is in the European Union, it is not part of the Euro Zone.

That is why it still uses its own currency.

But you may have noticed that I have used the Euro (EUR) symbol in earlier sections – what gives?

That is because the Romanian mobile operators price things in EUR instead of RON.

While this is convenient for travelers from the Eurozone, there is a catch.

All prices marked in EUR are without 19% VAT (TVA – taxa pe valoarea adăugată).

Meaning that a 5 EUR top-up will cost you 5.95 EUR instead.

So why not convert everything in RON?

Because each mobile operator uses a different method to calculate the RON:EUR exchange rate.

For example, Orange Romania uses the mid-market exchange daily at 15:00.

Vodafone Romania, however, checks the rates once a month.

So just be aware that a top-up will cost a bit more than the nice round numbers used in this guide.

Romanian Prepaid SIM Cards

Below, I will guide you through Orange România, Vodafone România, DIGI România, Telekom România & Lycamobile România, 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 Romania has to offer to us.

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Orange România

Orange România, just Orange, is the largest mobile operator in Romania.

However, Vodafone Romania is closely training Orange, so they may switch positions every few quarters.

Right now, it is the fastest mobile operator in the country with quite a margin.

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: 900 MHz & 2100 MHz
• 4G/LTE: 800 MHz (Band 20), 900 MHz (Band 8), 2100 MHz (Band 1) & 2600 MHz (Band 7)
• 5G NR: 3500 MHz (n78)

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 România

Orange has the best coverage in Romania.

It also won the Romania Best Mobile Coverage Speedtest Award of 2021.

Below is Orange's coverage map produced by Speedtest:

SIM Card Price – Orange România

You can buy an Orange SIM card, called Orange PrePay, for 5 EUR with 5 EUR credit in Orange stores and from resellers, including grocery stores, kiosks & gas stations. Orange SIM cards are also sold at Bucharest-Henri Coandă International Airport (OTP).

You can also get an Orange SIM card for free in some Orange stores, which require a top-up within seven days to be activated.

Dial *100# to access the Orange menu.

Call 222 to hear your Orange phone number.

While Orange does have eSIMs, they are (currently) not offered to prepaid customers.

Therefore, if you wish to get an eSIM for Romania without personal detail capturing, you can get Romania Noroc eSIMs from Airalo (five options):

1. 1 GB/7 days – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
2. 2 GB/15 days
3. 3 GB/30 days
4. 5 GB/30 days – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
5. 10 GB/30 days – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers

Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in September based on data up to the 7^th of September (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.

If you plan on visiting other neighboring European nations, consider the Airalo Eurolink eSIM to be used in 39 European countries with six variants:

1. 1 GB/7 days
2. 3 GB/30 days – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
3. 5 GB/30 days – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
4. 10 GB/30 days – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
5. 50 GB/90 days
6. 100 GB/180 days

Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in September based on data up to the 7^th of September (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!

• Be sure to check out my Airalo Eurolink eSIM review for my insights!

Many more travel eSIMs will perform well in Romania.

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

Note that Orange offers VoLTE (Voice over LTE (4G)) if your phone supports it and you have enabled it in the settings.

Oh, you can also use VoWiFi (Voice over WiFi).

Top-Up, Recharge & Balance Check – Orange România

Packages, Plans, Bundles & Offers – Orange România

Orange has one data-featured prepaid plan: Plans. It includes data (with 5G NR access), minutes & SMS.

I will list all the prices in EUR (Euro).

To convert EUR to your currency (let's say USD) with up-to-date exchange rates, use the Wise Currency Converter tool.

Plans can be activated by texting the Activation Code to 321:

Price	Data	EU/EEA Roaming Data	On-Net Minutes	Off-Net Minutes	EU/EEA Minutes	On-Net SMS	Validity
5 EUR	5 GB	5.56 GB 2	Unlimited	1000 minutes	100 minutes	Unlimited	28 days
6 EUR	6 GB 1	6.67 GB 2	Unlimited	2000 minutes	300 minutes	Unlimited	28 days
8 EUR	8 GB	8.89 GB	Unlimited	2000 minutes	400 minutes	Unlimited	28 days
12 GB	12 GB	13.33 GB	Unlimited	2000 minutes	600 minutes	Unlimited	21 days
16 EUR	16 GB	17.78 GB 3	Unlimited	2000 minutes	600 minutes	Unlimited	35 days

¹ double data bonus valid for 3 months (so 12 GB)
² requires 10 EUR roaming credit for activation
³ +1 GB that can also be used in Australia, China, Egypt, Israel, Moldova, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Kingdom & the United States

EU Roaming – Orange România

You can use your Orange allowances in the following EU/EEA member states without paying roaming fees:

Be aware that, in some cases, the EU/EEA roaming allowance is lower than the domestic allowances.

APN/Internet Settings – Orange România

• Name: Orange RO
• APN: net

Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched.

Jump back to the Table of Contents.

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Vodafone România

Vodafone România, just Vodafone, is the second-largest mobile operator in Romania.

However, Vodafone is closely trailing Orange Romania, so they may switch positions every few quarters.

Vodafone, as a company, is active in Africa (mostly as Vodacom), Asia, Europe, the Middle East & Oceania.

Vodafone uses the following frequencies:

• 2G: 900 MHz & 1800 MHz
• 3G: 900 MHz & 2100 MHz
• 4G/LTE: 800 MHz (Band 20), 900 MHz (Band 8), 1800 MHz (Band 3), 2100 MHz (Band 1) & 2600 MHz (Band 7)
• 5G NR: 3500 MHz (n78)

This is what you will learn about Vodafone:

* Coverage
* How to Get a Vodafone SIM Card & SIM Card Price
* Topping Up Options & Methods + Balance Check
* Plans & Packages
* APN/Internet Settings

Coverage – Vodafone România

Vodafone has extensive coverage throughout Romania.

4G/LTE is available almost anywhere.

Below is Vodafone's coverage map produced by Speedtest:

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

SIM Card Price – Vodafone România

You can buy a Vodafone SIM card, called Cartela Vodafone, for 6.20 EUR with 5 EUR credit in Vodafone stores and from resellers, including grocery stores, kiosks & gas stations. Vodafone SIM cards are also sold at Bucharest-Henri Coandă International Airport (OTP).

Dial *100# to access the Vodafone menu.

While Vodafone does have eSIMs, they are (currently) not offered to prepaid customers.

Therefore, if you wish to get an eSIM for Romania without personal detail capturing, you can get unlimited data eSIMs from Holafly (eight options):

1. Unlimited/5 days – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
2. Unlimited/7 days
3. Unlimited/10 days – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
4. Unlimited/15 days
5. Unlimited/20 days – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
6. Unlimited/30 days
7. Unlimited/60 days
8. Unlimited/90 days

Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in September based on data up to the 7^th of September (2023 data only).

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 neighboring European nations, consider the Holafly Europe eSIM to be used in 33 European countries, also with unlimited data, with eight variants:

1. Unlimited/5 days – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
2. Unlimited/7 days
3. Unlimited/10 days – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
4. Unlimited/15 days – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
5. Unlimited/20 days
6. Unlimited/30 days
7. Unlimited/60 days
8. Unlimited/90 days

Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in September based on data up to the 7^th of September (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 Holafly review!

Remember to use code PHONETRAVELWIZ for 5% off each Holafly purchase!

Many more travel eSIMs will perform well in Romania.

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

Note that Orange offers VoLTE (Voice over LTE (4G)) if your phone supports it and you have enabled it in the settings.

Oh, you can also use VoWiFi (Voice over WiFi).

Top-Up, Recharge & Balance Check – Vodafone România

Packages, Plans, Bundles & Offers – Vodafone România

Vodafone has only one data-featured prepaid plan: Ofertas (Offers). It includes data (without 5G NR access), minutes & SMS.

I will list all the prices in EUR (Euro).

To convert EUR to your currency (let's say USD) with up-to-date exchange rates, use the Wise Currency Converter tool.

Ofertas can be activated by dialing *100# or by calling 222 and selecting option 2:

Price	Plan	Data	EU/EEA Roaming Data	Social Data	On-Net Minutes	Off-Net Minutes/SMS	International Minutes	On-Net SMS	Validity
4 EUR	Oferta 4	120 000 MB	4500 MB	N/A	Unlimited	100 minutes	N/A	Unlimited	14 days
5 EUR	Oferta 5	50 000 MB	N/A	N/A	Unlimited	1000 minutes/SMS	100 minutes	Unlimited	28 days
6 EUR	Oferta 6	100 000 MB	N/A	N/A	Unlimited	2000 minutes/SMS 2	300 minutes	Unlimited	28 days
8 EUR	Oferta 8	Unlimited	N/A	Unlimited	Unlimited	3000 minutes/SMS 2	1000 minutes	Unlimited	35 days
15 EUR	Oferta 15 (SEA)	150 000 MB	16 700 MB 1	Unlimited	Unlimited	2000 minutes/SMS 3, 4, 5	1000 minutes	Unlimited	21 days
40 EUR	Oferta 35	150 000 MB	44 500 MB 1	Unlimited	Unlimited	2000 minutes/SMS 3, 4, 5	1000 minutes	Unlimited	28 days

¹ +1000 MB roaming outside the EEA
² national minutes shared with Italy, the Republic of Moldova & Spain
³ national minutes shared with Italy & Spain
⁴ +100 minutes/SMS outside of the EEA (Australia, Canada, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Jersey, Kenya, Kuwait, Malaysia, Macedonia, Republic of Moldova, Qatar, Serbia, Singapore, Switzerland, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the United States of America, Thailand, Turkey & Vietnam)
⁵ +200 local SMS/EEA roaming

EU Roaming – Vodafone România

You can use your Vodafone allowances in the following EU/EEA member states without paying roaming fees:

Be aware that, in some cases, the EU/EEA roaming allowance is lower than the domestic allowances.

APN/Internet Settings – Vodafone România

• Name: Vodafone RO
• APN: live.vodafone.com
• Username: live

Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched.

Jump back to the Table of Contents.

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DIGI România (by RCS & RDS)

DIGI România, just DIGI and sometimes called DIGI Mobile – not to be confused with Digi in Belize or Malaysia, is the third-largest mobile operator in Romania.

It was originally a fixed broadband internet service provider until entering the mobile market.

It was mostly because of DIGI that Romania has such a high fiber broadband penetration rate and also why Romania has one of the fastest broadband speeds worldwide (at low prices).

Back to DIGI Mobile, as a newcomer in 2014, it had to compete with the Big Three.

However, by having almost rock-bottom prices, it managed to grow quickly and is now larger than Telekom România, which used to the the third-largest mobile operator in the country.

DIGI, as a mobile operator, is also active in Hungary, Italy & Spain.

• 2G: 900 MHz
• 3G: 2100 MHz
• 4G/LTE: 900 MHz (Band 8), 2100 MHz (Band 1) & 2600 MHz (Band 38)
• 5G NR: 3700 MHz (n78)

This is what you will learn about DIGI:

* Coverage
* How to Get a DIGI SIM Card & SIM Card Price
* Topping Up Options & Methods + Balance Check
* Plans & Packages
* APN/Internet Settings

Coverage – DIGI România

DIGI has extensive coverage throughout Romania.

It has the best 4G/LTE availability.

This was also confirmed by Opensignal.

Below is DIGI's coverage map produced by Speedtest:

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

SIM Card Price – DIGI România

You can buy a DIGI card for 4 EUR in DIGI stores. They are not sold at Bucharest-Henri Coandă International Airport (OTP).

DIGI has no eSIMs – not even for postpaid customers.

It is also possible to get a Slovak Telekom eSIM for the same price as a regular SIM card.

Note that the Slovak mobile operators require your identification (ID for EU/EEA travelers and passport for anyone else) for eSIMs and physical SIM cards.

Therefore, if you wish to get an eSIM for Romania without personal detail capturing, you can get eSIMs from Nomad (eight options):

1. 1 GB/7 days (powered by two different providers with different prices) (price dropped)
2. 3 GB/15 days (price dropped)
3. 3 GB/30 days (price dropped)
4. 5 GB/15 days (price dropped)
5. 5 GB/30 days (price dropped)
6. 10 GB/30 days (powered by two different providers with different prices) (price dropped) – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
7. 10 GB/15 days (price dropped) – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
8. 15 GB/30 days (price dropped) – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
9. 20 GB/30 days (price dropped) – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers

Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in September based on data up to the 7^th of September (2023 data only).

The best part is that you can get 3 USD/2.70 EUR/2.40 GBP/4.05 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 neighboring European nations, consider the Nomad Europe eSIM to be used in 30 or 35 European countries, depending on the plan, with 14 variants:

1. 1 GB/7 days (30 countries) (price dropped)
2. 1 GB/7 days (35 countries)
3. 3 GB/15 days (30 countries) (price dropped)
4. 3 GB/30 days (35 countries) (price dropped)
5. 5 GB/30 days (30 countries) (price dropped) – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
6. 5 GB/30 days (35 countries) (price dropped) – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
7. 10 GB/30 days (30 countries) (price dropped) – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
8. 10 GB/30 days (35 countries) (price dropped) – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
9. 15 GB/30 days (30 countries) (price dropped)
10. 15 GB/30 days (35 countries) (price dropped)
11. 20 GB/30 days (30 countries) (price dropped) – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
12. 20 GB/30 days (35 countries) (price dropped) – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
13. 30 GB/30 days (35 countries) (price dropped)
14. 40 GB/30 days (35 countries) (price dropped)

Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in September based on data up to the 13^th of September (2023 data only).

• Be sure to check out my Nomad Europe eSIM review for my insights!

Many more travel eSIMs will perform well in Romania.

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

Top-Up, Recharge & Balance Check – DIGI România

Packages, Plans, Bundles & Offers – DIGI România

DIGI has only one data-featured prepaid plan: Prepaid. It includes data (without 5G NR access), minutes & SMS.

Be aware that DIGI (prepaid) plans are for local use only and cannot be used in the EU/EEA.

I will list all the prices in EUR (Euro).

To convert EUR to your currency (let's say USD) with up-to-date exchange rates, use the Wise Currency Converter tool.

The following plans are available, which can be activated by dialing the Activation Code:

Price	Plan	Data	On-Net Minutes	Off-Net Minutes	On-Net SMS	Validity	Activation Code
2 EUR	Hipsterova	2 GB	Unlimited	150 minutes	Unlimited	1 month	*110*2*1*1#
2 EUR	Diva	2 GB	N/A	200 minutes	Unlimited	3 months	*110*2*2*1#
3 EUR	Deluxovici	3 GB	N/A	350 minutes	Unlimited	3 months	*110*2*4*1#
3 EUR	Bogatinov	4 GB	Unlimited	250 minutes	Unlimited	1 month	*110*2*3*1#
4 EUR	Bashtanov	4 GB	N/A	450 minutes	Unlimited	3 months	*110*2*6*1#
4 EUR	Dinerovich	6 GB	Unlimited	400 minutes	Unlimited	1 month	*110*2*5*1#

EU Roaming – DIGI România

While DIGI offers roaming options, you cannot roam for free in the European Union.

APN/Internet Settings – DIGI România

• Name: DIGI
• APN: prepaid

Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched.

Jump back to the Table of Contents.

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Telekom România (formerly Cosmote România)

Telekom România, just Telekom and formerly Cosmote România, is the smallest mobile operator in Romania.

It used to be in third place for a long time until DIGI România went on a growing spree.

Telekom, by Deutsche Telekom (from Germany), is active in Europe (as Telekom and T-Mobile) and the United States (as T-Mobile).

Telekom uses the following frequencies:

• 2G: 900 MHz & 1800 MHz
• 3G: 900 MHz & 2100 MHz
• 4G/LTE: 800 MHz (Band 20), 900 MHz (Band 8), 1800 MHz (Band 3) & 2100 MHz (Band 1)
• 5G NR: testing phase (will probably be at 3500 MHz on n78 and most likely not for prepaid customers initially)

This is what you will learn about Telekom:

* Coverage
* How to Get a Telekom SIM Card & SIM Card Price
* Topping Up Options & Methods + Balance Check
* Plans & Packages
* APN/Internet Settings

Coverage – Telekom România

Telekom has the worst coverage in Romania.

Below is Telekom's coverage map produced by Speedtest:

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

SIM Card Price – Telekom România

You can get a Telekom SIM card for free in Telekom stores or from resellers, including grocery stores, convenience stores & gas stations. However, you are often required to top-up or purchase a plan on the spot. They are also sold at Bucharest-Henri Coandă International Airport (OTP).

Any SIM card in the image below are not available anymore.

Dial *100# to access the Telekom menu.

Telekom has no eSIMs – not even for postpaid customers.

Therefore, if you wish to get an eSIM for Romania without personal detail capturing, you can get Romania Noroc eSIMs from Airalo (five options):

1. 1 GB/7 days – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
2. 2 GB/15 days
3. 3 GB/30 days
4. 5 GB/30 days – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
5. 10 GB/30 days – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers

Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in September based on data up to the 7^th of September (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.

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 84+ countries worldwide with 12 variants:

1. 1 GB/7 days
2. 1 GB/7 days
3. 2 GB/15 days
4. 2 GB/15 days
5. 3 GB/15 days
6. 3 GB/15 days
7. 5 GB/30 days – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
8. 5 GB/30 days
9. 10 GB/60 days
10. 10 GB/60 days
11. 20 GB/180 days – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
12. 20 GB/180 days – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers

Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in September based on data up to the 7^th of September (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!

• Be sure to check out my Airalo Discover Global eSIM review for my insights!

Many more travel eSIMs will perform well in Romania.

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

Note that Telekom offers VoLTE (Voice over LTE (4G)) if your phone supports it and you have enabled it in the settings.

Oh, you can also use VoWiFi (Voice over WiFi).

Top-Up, Recharge & Balance Check – Telekom România

Packages, Plans, Bundles & Offers – Telekom România

Telekom has two data-featured prepaid plans: Opțiuni Voce/Voice Options (combo) & Opțiuni Date/Data Options (data).

I will list all the prices in EUR (Euro).

To convert EUR to your currency (let's say USD) with up-to-date exchange rates, use the Wise Currency Converter tool.

Opțiuni Voce (Voice Options) – Telekom România

The Opțiuni Voce (Voice Options) are combo plans with data (without 5G NR access), minutes & SMS.

Text the Activation Code to 123 to activate Opțiuni Voce:

Price	Plan	Data	On-Net Minutes	Off-Net Minutes	International Minutes	On-Net SMS	Off-Net SMS	Validity	Activation Code
2 EUR	Opțiunea Mobil Nelimitat Mini	2 GB	Unlimited	Unlimited	100 minutes	Unlimited	Unlimited	7 days	U2
5 EUR	Opțiunea N5	5 GB	Unlimited	1500 minutes	100 minutes	Unlimited	Shared with off-net call allowance	28 days	N5
6 EUR	Opțiunea Mobil Nelimitat	6 GB	Unlimited	Unlimited	300 minutes	Unlimited	Unlimited	30 days	N6
8 EUR	Opțiunea Mobil Nelimitat 8	8 GB	Unlimited	Unlimited	600 minutes	Unlimited	Unlimited	35 days	U8
12 EUR	Opțiunea R12 cu roaming	15 GB 1	Unlimited	1000 minutes	200 minutes	Unlimited	Shared with off-net call allowance	28 days	R12

¹ 13.33 GB EU/EEA data + shared 100 minutes and SMS for Moldova, Serbia, Switzerland & Turkey

Opțiuni Date (Data Options) – Telekom România

The Opțiuni Data (Data Options) are combo plans with data (without 5G NR access), minutes & SMS.

Text the Activation Code to 638 to activate Opțiuni Voce:

Price	Plan	Data	On-Net Minutes	Local Minutes	International Minutes	On-Net SMS	Off-Net SMS	Validity	Activation Code
3 EUR	Date Mobile M	1536 MB	shared with local minutes	500 minutes 1	shared with local minutes	Unlimited	shared with local minutes	1 month	A DM
5 EUR	Date Mobile L	2048 GB	N/A	Unlimited	300 minutes 2	N/A	Unlimited	1 month	A DL

¹ shared with local SMS & international minutes
² +200 international minutes

EU Roaming – Telekom România

You can use your Telekom allowances in the following EU/EEA member states without paying roaming fees:

Be aware that, in some cases, the EU/EEA roaming allowance is lower than the domestic allowances.

APN/Internet Settings – Telekom România

• Name: Telekom RO
• APN: broadband

Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched.

Jump back to the Table of Contents.

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Lycamobile România

Lycamobile România, just Lycamobile, is a Telekom România MVNO.

Lycamobile, as a brand, is known for offering low rates for international calls abroad, and it is active in various other European countries.

To learn about Lycamobile’s frequencies, jump back to Telekom România’s frequencies.

This is what you will learn about Lycamobile:

* Coverage
* How to Get a Lycamobile SIM Card & SIM Card Price
* Topping Up Options & Methods + Balance Check
* Plans & Packages
* APN/Internet Settings

Coverage – Lycamobile România

Lycamobile is a Telekom România MVNO, meaning Lycamobile uses the Telekom România network and does not have its own mobile infrastructure.

Unfortunately, Lycamobile does not have full access to Telekom România's network.

Its coverage is embarrassing compared to what Telekom România has to offer.

Below is Lycamobile's coverage map produced by Speedtest:

SIM Card Price – Lycamobile România

You can get a Lycamobile SIM card for free from resellers, including grocery stores, convenience stores & gas stations. However, you are often required to top-up or purchase a plan on the spot. Lycamobile SIM cards may be sold at Bucharest-Henri Coandă International Airport (OTP).

Dial *132# to see your Lycamobile phone number.

Call 150 to change the system's language.

Lycamobile has no eSIMs.

Therefore, if you wish to get an eSIM for Romania without personal detail capturing, you can get unlimited data eSIMs from Holafly (eight options):

1. Unlimited/5 days – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
2. Unlimited/7 days
3. Unlimited/10 days – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
4. Unlimited/15 days
5. Unlimited/20 days – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
6. Unlimited/30 days
7. Unlimited/60 days
8. Unlimited/90 days

Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in September based on data up to the 7^th of September (2023 data only).

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 Nomad Global eSIM to be used in 109/139 countries worldwide with six variants:

1. 1 GB/7 days (powered by two different providers with different prices) – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
2. 3 GB/30 days (powered by two different providers with different prices) – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
3. 5 GB/30 days (powered by two different providers with different prices) – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers

Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in September based on data up to the 13^th of September (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 Nomad review!

Remember to use code ADU123 for 3 USD/2.70 EUR/2.40 GBP/4.05 CAD off your first Nomad purchase!

Many more travel eSIMs will perform well in Romania.

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

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Top-Up, Recharge & Balance Check – Lycamobile România

For many, it had performance issues. However, the Android app has worked well for me.

Perhaps the update will make the apps work well for you too.

Packages, Plans, Bundles & Offers – Lycamobile România

Lycamobile has three data-featured prepaid plans: National Plans (combo) & Asian Plans (combo)

I will list all the prices in EUR (Euro).

To convert EUR 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.

National Plans – Lycamobile România

The National Plans are combo plans with data (without 5G NR access), minutes & SMS.

Although the name suggests that these bundles can only be used in Romania, they can also be used in other EU/EEA member states without being charged data roaming rates.

Dial the Activation Code to activate National Plans:

Price	Plan	Data	EU/EEA Roaming Data	On-Net Minutes	Off-Net Minutes	International Minutes 3	On-Net SMS	Off-Net SMS	Activation Code
5 EUR	Romania MINI	5 GB	N/A	100 minutes 2	Unlimited	25 minutes 4	N/A	500 SMS	*139*40005#
6 EUR	Romania SUPER	6 GB 1	N/A	100 minutes 2	Unlimited	200 minutes 4	100 minutes	600 SMS	*139*40006#
8 EUR	Romania ULTRA	80 GB	N/A	100 minutes 2	Unlimited	300 minutes 4	Unlimited	1000 SMS	*139*40008#
10 EUR	Romania Gold	100 GB	N/A	N/A	Unlimited	350 minutes	N/A	1000 SMS	*139*400009#
20 EUR	Romania Max	140 GB	14 GB	N/A	Unlimited	500 minutes	N/A	1000 SMS	*139*400010#

¹ +60 GB bonus
² for Lycamobile Ukraine and kyivstar
³ to landline numbers in Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada (+mobile) Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland (+mobile), France, Germany, Greece (+mobile), Hungary, Italy (+mobile), Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands (+mobile), Northern Cyprus, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia (+mobile), Slovenia, Spain, the United Kingdom & the United States (+mobile)
⁴ +25 mins to other Ukraine networks

Asian Plans – Lycamobile România

The Asian Plans are combo plans with data (without 5G NR access), minutes & SMS.

It also includes international minutes to Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka & Vietnam.

Dial the Activation Code to activate National Plans:

Price	Plan	Data 1	EU/EEA Data	Local Minutes	International Minutes	Local SMS	Validity	Activation Code
9 EUR	Asia Plan S	5 GB	5 GB	Unlimited	500 minutes 2	Unlimited	30 days	*139*50006#
12 EUR	Asia Plan M	5 GB	5 GB	Unlimited	600 minutes 3	Unlimited	30 days	*139*50009#
15 EUR	Asia Plan L	5 GB	5 GB	Unlimited	800 minutes 4	Unlimited	30 days	*139*50012#

¹ +unlimited internet bonus
² to Bangladesh (1 unit/minute), Nepal (20 units/minute), Pakistan (5 units/minute), the Philippines (10 units/minute), Sri Lanka (20 units/minute) & Vietnam (5 units/minute)
³ to Bangladesh (1 unit/minute), Nepal (12 units/minute), Pakistan (4 units/minute), the Philippines (8 units/minute), Sri Lanka (12 units/minute) & Vietnam (4 units/minute)
⁴ to Bangladesh (1 unit/minute), Nepal (10 units/minute), Pakistan (4 units/minute), the Philippines (8 units/minute), Sri Lanka (10 units/minute) & Vietnam (4 units/minute)

EU Roaming – Lycamobile România

You can use your Lycamobile allowances in the following EU/EEA member states without paying roaming fees:

Be aware that, in some cases, the EU/EEA roaming allowance is lower than the domestic allowances.

APN/Internet Settings – Lycamobile România

• Name: Lycamobile RO
• APN: data.lycamobile.ro
• Username: lmro
• Password: plus

Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched.

Jump back to the Table of Contents.

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The Preferred Way to Stay Connected When Traveling in Romania

Getting a SIM card from Orange or Vodafone would do you well when considering a Romanian SIM card.