(The) Seychelles – often referred to as a paradise on earth, is an island nation in the Indian Ocean off East Africa.
Seychelles is also remarkable because about half its landmass is reserved for national parks and reserves, preserving its nature.
But what can you do in Seychelles? A lot.
You could enjoy the beach life in Mahé and visit Beau Vallon Bay. Or perhaps the Sir Selwyn Clarke Market. Maybe the Praslin National Park in Praslin?
And if you want to see massive turtles, Aldabra is the place to be.
As you can see, there is no reason to be bored in Seychelles. In fact, you will most likely share your experiences online.
Before you do so, be aware that international roaming can be expensive, especially in Seychelles because of its remoteness.
Fortunately, there is a way to avoid roaming rates – local SIM cards.
With a local SIM card, like a Seychellois one, you can enjoy local rates, which are almost always lower than international roaming rates. But you do need to buy a SIM card from one of the local mobile operators.
How expensive are SIM cards in Seychelles?
You can get a Seychellois SIM card for 100 SCR (7.50 USD) in Airtel and Cable & Wireless stores across Seychelles. A bundle featuring 1 GB of data is available for as low as 200 SCR (15 USD).
In the previous version of this guide, 100 SCR was equal to 4.70 USD. Somehow, the exchange rate between SCR to USD went up by almost 50% overnight somewhere in April 2021 – odd.
Anyway, we have just scratched the surface. There are many other things you should know about getting yourself a SIM card in Seychelles.
In this guide, I will go over everything you need to know about buying a SIM card in Seychelles. Let's get started.
Original publication: 6th of August 2020. Last updated: 18th of February 2023.
Table of Contents
Can You Buy a SIM Card in Seychelles?
Anyone living or visiting Seychelles can buy a Seychellois SIM card without restrictions.
You do need to be aware that you have to go through a SIM card registration procedure.
Additionally, you need a phone that supports the frequencies used in the country (preferably all of them to have the most optimal experience while in Seychelles).
Finally, you need to have a SIM-lock-free (unlocked) phone to use local SIM cards.
Where Can You Buy a SIM Card in Seychelles?
You can get a Seychellois SIM card in the official stores of Airtel and Cable & Wireless – it is not possible to get SIM cards from retail stores anymore since October 2020. They are also available at Victoria/Seychelles International Airport (Aéroport de la Pointe Larue).
You can expect to pay the following for Seychellois SIM cards:
- Airtel Seychelles: 100 SCR
- Cable & Wireless Seychelles: 100 SCR
Can You Use Your Phone in Seychelles?
Seychelles uses GSM for its cellular communications, meaning that you need a GSM-capable phone to use your phone in the country. Fortunately, there is about a 99% chance your phone supports GSM.
Traditional European frequencies are used in Seychelles, which are mostly used in ITU Regions 1 & 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 & 3), you should not experience any issues with using your phone in Seychelles.
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 Seychelles or can only on 2G.
If you have a medium/high-end device with Tri-Band or Quad-Band support, you can use your phone in Seychelles – even on 4G/LTE.
Mobile Operators, Networks & Frequencies in Seychelles
Seychelles has two mobile network operators offering prepaid services easily accessible to travelers:
- Airtel Seychelles
- Cable & Wireless Seychelles
The following frequencies are used in Seychelles:
- 2G: 900 MHz
- 3G: 2100 MHz
- 4G/LTE: 800 MHz (Band 20)
- 5G NR: unknown
You can learn more about frequencies in the video below.
To check whether your phone will work in Seychelles, 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 Seychelles
Commercial 5G NR has been available in Seychelles since June 2020 with Cable & Wireless Seychelles. However, 5G NR is currently only available to postpaid customers. It is unknown when prepaid customers can get access to 5G NR networks.
Moreover, it is unknown when Airtel Seychelles will launch 5G NR and whether it will be available to prepaid customers from the start or not.
Best SIM Card in Seychelles
If you want to buy the best SIM Card in Seychelles, I recommend going with either Airtel or Cable & Wireless. Both mobile operators are great. Airtel is the faster option. On the other hand, Cable & Wireless has better 4G/LTE reception.
Best eSIM in Seychelles
Unfortunately, none of the mobile operators offer eSIM (to prepaid customers) in Seychelles yet.
However, you can get travel eSIMs from Airalo.
Airalo has the Laziocom eSIMs:
You have one option:
The Airalo links above will automatically get you the available Phone Travel Wiz exclusive offers – a code is unnecessary.
- Check out my Airalo eSIM reviews
With these eSIMs, you can skip Seychelles's SIM card registration scheme entirely and use it immediately upon arriving in Seychelles!
- Find out about the best local eSIMs, local travel eSIMs & regional travel eSIMs for every country (lookup tool)
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 Seychelles and eSIMs worldwide).
SIM Card Registration in Seychelles
SIM card registration, with the use of your passport information, is mandatory in Seychelles. This will be done at the point of sale.
Seychelles Mobile Internet Prices & Insights
Mobile data rates can be either super low or crazy high in Africa. And the costs are even more outrageous on island nations around this continent.
The cost of mobile data in Seychelles has never been low, mostly due to the countries remote nature.
So, how expensive is mobile data in Seychelles?
The average price for 1 GB of data in Seychelles is 8.64 USD, far above the African average of 5.80 USD. The world average is 4.07 USD.
This places Seychelles in the top ten countries with the most expensive mobile data rates in Africa.
Luckily for the locals, and us travelers, the average cost of 1 GB of data has gone down significantly by 55.8% compared to 2019's figures.
The remoteness of this multi-island nation has also not done too much good regarding mobile data speeds. Browsing speeds are decent but far from blazing-fast. But streaming videos in urban areas should not cause too much buffering. I would, however, not recommend trying to play competitive games while in Seychelles.
With reasonably priced SIM cards, bit expensive plans, solid nationwide coverage, and decent mobile internet speeds, you should have a smooth network experience in Seychelles.
Currency in Seychelles
Seychelles uses the Seychellois Rupee with the symbol SCR (which will be used throughout this article). However, prices are often listed as SR or Rs. For example, 25 SCR = SR/Rs. 25. For reference, below are some exchange rates between SCR and USD (US Dollars):
- 1 SCR = 0.75 USD
- 10 SCR = 0.75 USD
- 100 SCR = 7.75 USD
- 1000 SCR = 77.40 USD
- 10 000 SCR = 773.90 USD
For up-to-date SCR:USD exchange rates, search SCR to USD on Google, or replace USD with the currency you use.
Seychellois Prepaid SIM Cards
If your credit/debit card charges you foreign exchange fees, get yourself a Wise Borderless Account and Debit Card.
Their fees are MUCH lower than banks and credit card companies charge you (and Wise is transparent about their fees, unlike banks).
I have saved literal THOUSANDS of Australian Dollars and Euros, my main currencies, when using Wise abroad when traveling compared to my debit and credit cards.
Below, I will guide you through Airtel Seychelles and Cable & Wireless Seychelles, 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 Seychelles has to offer to us.
Airtel Seychelles
Airtel Seychelles, just Airtel, is the largest mobile operator in Seychelles. It purchased Telecom Seychelles back in 2010 and is now the market leader in the country. Airtel is active in 19 countries in South Asia, Africa, Jersey & Guernsey in Europe. With all its subsidiaries, Bharti Airtel is the second-largest mobile operator in the world (440+ million subscribers).
Airtel uses the following frequencies:
- 2G: 900 MHz
- 3G: 2100 MHz
- 4G/LTE: 800 MHz (Band 20)
This is what you will learn about Airtel:
* Coverage
* How to Get an Airtel SIM Card & SIM Card Price
* Topping Up Options & Methods + Balance Check
* Plans & Packages
* APN/Internet Settings
Coverage – Airtel Seychelles
Airtel has extensive coverage throughout Seychelles.
Below is Airtel's coverage map produced by Speedtest:
However, click here to see Airtel's official coverage map.
SIM Card Price – Airtel Seychelles
You can buy an Airtel SIM card for 100 SCR in Airtel stores, showrooms & dealers. It is also possible to get SIM cards at Victoria/Seychelles International Airport.
Dial *121#, select option 1, and option 1 again to see your Airtel phone number.
- Find out how much SIM cards cost in every country, including data-only SIM cards and tourist SIM cards, offered by each mobile operator + information about starter benefits (lookup tool)
Top-Up, Recharge & Balance Check – Airtel Seychelles
Airtel top-up vouchers are sold in Airtel stores, showrooms & dealers and other places, such as kiosks, convenience stores, and grocery stores.
To top up your Airtel SIM card, dial *244*VoucherCode#.
For example, if your voucher code is 123456, you would dial *244*123456#.
You can also tell the salesperson how much credit you want, your phone number, pay, and they will top up your SIM card with the POS system.
You can also recharge online with (international) debit and credit cards.
Dial *220# to check your Airtel balance.
You can also use the My Airtel (Africa) app to refill and check your balance (Android/iOS).
Packages, Plans, Bundles & Offers – Airtel Seychelles
Airtel has only one data-featured prepaid plan, which is the Data Bundles. It is a data plan (without 5G NR).
I will list all the prices in SCR (Seychellois Rupee).
To convert SCR to your currency (let's say USD) with up-to-date exchange rates, use the Wise Currency Converter tool.
The following Data Bundles are available, which you can purchase online:
| Price | Data | Validity |
|---|---|---|
| 19 SCR | 250 MB 1 | 5 days |
| 24 SCR | 50 MB | 7 days |
| 49 SCR | 150 MB | 15 days |
| 98 SCR | 300 MB | 30 days |
| 149 SCR | 750 MB | 30 days |
| 299 SCR | 1.5 GB | 30 days |
| 499 SCR | 3 GB | 30 days |
| 999 SCR | 7 GB | 30 days |
| 1999 SCR | 15 GB | 30 days |
1 for Facebook only
APN/Internet Settings – Airtel Seychelles
- Name: Airtel
- APN: airtelgprs.com
Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched.
Jump back to the Table of Contents.
Cable & Wireless Seychelles
Cable & Wireless Seychelles, just Cable & Wireless, is the other mobile operator in Seychelles. It used to be owned by Liberty Latin America, the parent company of Cable & Wireless, but its Seychellois division was sold to a consortium of local investors.
Cable & Wireless uses the following frequencies:
- 2G: 900 MHz
- 3G: 2100 MHz
- 4G/LTE: 800 MHz (Band 20)
- 5G NR: unknown
This is what you will learn about Cable & Wireless:
* Coverage
* How to Get a Cable & Wireless SIM Card & SIM Card Price
* Topping Up Options & Methods + Balance Check
* Plans & Packages
* APN/Internet Settings
Coverage – Cable & Wireless Seychelles
Cable & Wireless has extensive coverage throughout Seychelles.
Its 4G/LTE reception is better than Airtel Seychelles'.
Below is Cable & Wireless' coverage map produced by Speedtest:
SIM Card Price – Cable & Wireless Seychelles
You can buy a Cable & Wireless SIM card in 6 Cable & Wireless Stores, the airport booth at Victoria/Seychelles International Airport, and Cable & Wireless Kiosks around La Digue, Mahe & Praslin, which foreigners can use for purchasing SIM cards as well.
Dial #126# to see your Cable & Wireless phone number.
- Find out how much SIM cards cost in every country, including data-only SIM cards and tourist SIM cards, offered by each mobile operator + information about starter benefits (lookup tool)
Below is a list of all the Cable & Wireless SIM card purchase locations:
- Victoria Customer Service
- Providence Customer Service
- Anse Royale Customer Service
- Beau Vallon Customer Service
- Grand Anse Praslin Customer Service
- La Digue Customer Service
- Airport Booth at Victoria/Seychelles International Airport
- Cable & Wireless Kiosks (La Digue, Mahe & Praslin)
Top-Up, Recharge & Balance Check – Cable & Wireless Seychelles
Cable & Wireless top-up vouchers are sold in Cable & Wireless stores and many other establishments, such as kiosks, gas stations, and grocery stores.
To top up your Cable & Wireless SIM card, call 110 and follow the instructions.
You can also tell the salesperson how much credit you want, your phone number, pay, and they will top up your SIM card with the POS system.
You can also recharge online with (international) debit and credit cards.
Dial #125# to check your Cable & Wireless balance.
You can also use the MyCare app to refill and check your balance (Android/iOS).
Packages, Plans, Bundles & Offers – Cable & Wireless Seychelles
Cable & Wireless has three data-featured prepaid plans:
- Booster (data for Facebook)
- Data TopUps
- Data Boosters
I will list all the prices in SCR (Seychellois Rupee).
To convert SCR 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.
Booster – Cable & Wireless Seychelles
The Booster is a data plan giving you 250 MB of data for 5 days for Facebook only.
Booster can be activated online.
| Price | Booster | Facebook Data | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19 SCR | Facebook Booster | 250 MB | 5 days |
Data TopUps – Cable & Wireless Seychelles
The Data TopUps are data plans (without 5G NR access).
The following Data TopUps are available, which you can activate online:
| Price | Data | Facebook Data | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24 SCR | 50 MB | N/A | 7 days |
| 49 SCR | 150 MB | N/A | 15 days |
| 99 SCR | 300 MB | N/A | 30 days |
| 199 SCR | 1 GB | 100 MB | 30 days |
| 399 SCR | 2 GB | 200 MB | 30 days |
| 549 SCR | 3 GB | 300 MB | 30 days |
| 749 SCR | 4 GB | 400 MB | 30 days |
| 849 SCR | 5 GB | 500 MB | 30 days |
| 1699 SCR | 10 GB | 1000 MB | 30 days |
Data Boosters – Cable & Wireless Seychelles
The Data Boosters are data plans (without 5G NR access).
The following Data Boosters are available, which you can activate online:
| Price | Data | Facebook Data |
|---|---|---|
| 49 SCR | 150 MB | N/A |
| 99 SCR | 300 MB | N/A |
| 199 SCR | 1000 MB | 100 MB |
| 399 SCR | 2000 MB | 200 MB |
| 549 SCR | 3000 MB | 300 MB |
APN/Internet Settings – Cable & Wireless Seychelles
- Name: CW Seychelles
- APN: internet
Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched.
Jump back to the Table of Contents.
The Preferred Way to Stay Connected When Traveling in Seychelles
Getting a SIM card from Airtel or Cable & Wireless would do you well when considering a Seychellois SIM card.
Local Prepaid SIM Card in Other African Countries
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