Sint Eustatius, also going by Statia, is named after Saint Eustace.
It is a special municipality of the Netherlands.
Previously, it was part of the Netherlands Antilles until it was dissolved in 2010.
Now, it is the second-smallest territory in the Caribbean, ahead of Saba – another special municipality of the Netherlands.
What can you do in Sint Eustatius?
Surprisingly quite some things for its size, but not much remarkable compared to other Caribbean nations.
Mount Mazinga, a volcano, is ironically the second volcano/mountain in the Netherlands.
Quill National Park is exciting.
And Fort Oranje needs to be seen.
Of course, you can also chill at the many beaches, swim around, or scuba dive.
Just like many other Caribbean nations, Sint Eustatius is not a cheap travel destination.
What is even more expensive are the international roaming rates for Sint Eustatius – roaming can be expensive.
You are better off getting local SIM cards, like a Statian one, when you travel to enjoy local rates.
SIM cards are not cheap in Sint Eustatius, but they are still way more affordable than international roaming rates.
You can get a Statian SIM card for 16.75 USD from Flow in the Flow store or 20 USD from TelCell in the Eutel store (local TelCell partner). They cannot buy SIM cards at Sint Eustatius/Orangestad-F. D. Roosevelt Airport (EUX).
Yep – the SIM cards are not inexpensive, but they are still worth the investment.
Unless you want to receive a 300 USD roaming bill when you go back home😜.
In this guide, I will go over everything you need to know about buying a SIM card in Sint Eustatius. Let's go.
Original publication: 19th of December 2021. Last updated: 17th of February 2023.
Table of Contents
Can You Buy a SIM Card in Sint Eustatius?
You can buy a Statian SIM card from Flow/Chippie (formerly UTS) and TelCell (TelEm) as a tourist. There is nothing preventing travelers from buying a SIM card in Sint Eustatius.
You do have to comply with the SIM card registration regulations.
Moreover, your phone has to support the frequencies used in Sint Eustatius.
Finally, your phone needs to be unlocked (SIM-lock free) to use a Statian SIM card.
Where Can You Buy a SIM Card in Sint Eustatius?
You can get a Statian SIM card in the official store of Flow/Chippie (formerly UTS) and Eutel (for TelCell). They are not available at Sint Eustatius/Orangestad-F. D. Roosevelt Airport (EUX).
You can expect to pay the following for Statian SIM cards:
- Flow/Chippie Sint Eustatius (formerly UTS Sint Eustatius): 16.75 USD
- TelCell (Sint Eustatius): 20 USD
Can You Use Your Phone in Sint Eustatius?
Sint Eustatius uses GSM for their cellular communications, meaning that you need a GSM-capable phone to use your phone in the country. Fortunately, there is about a 99% chance your phone supports GSM.
Besides that, you need to be aware of the ITU Regions to determine whether your phone will work in other parts of the world.
Although there are 3 ITU Regions, you only need to know these two terms: American frequencies and European frequencies.
Africa, Asia (including the Middle East), Europe & Oceania (ITU Regions 1 & 3) typically use European frequencies, meaning phones bought in those regions can be used in countries using European frequencies without issues.
The Americas (North-, Central– & South America + the Caribbean), ITU Region 2, use American frequencies, which are different from the European frequencies.
Sint Eustatius uses a mix of American frequencies and European frequencies for 3G and 4G/LTE, depending on the mobile operator. 2G is exclusively on European frequencies.
If you purchased your phone in Africa, Asia, Europe, or Oceania (ITU Regions 1 & 3) and have a low/medium-end device (without Tri-Band or Quad-Band) support, you can go with any mobile operator.
They support traditional European frequencies on 2G, 3G & 4G/LTE. However, one of TelCell Sint Eustatius' 3G and 4G/LTE frequencies (850 MHz (on Band 5)) is a traditional American frequency.
Luckily, the other ones (1800 MHz on Band 3 and 2100 MHz on Band 1) are traditional European frequencies.
If you bought your phone in the Americas (ITU Region 2) and have a low/medium-end device (without Tri-Band or Quad-Band) support, you can go with any mobile operator.
One of their 3G frequencies (850 MHz) is a traditional American frequency. The same counts for 850 MHz (Band 5) on TelCell's 4G/LTE network (which barely exist anyway).
Suppose you have a medium/high-end device with Tri-Band or Quad-Band support. In that case, you can go with any mobile operator, as your phone will support both American frequencies and European frequencies, even on 4G/LTE.
Mobile Operators, Networks & Frequencies in Sint Eustatius
Sint Eustatius has two mobile operators offering prepaid services easily accessible to travelers:
- Flow/Chippie Sint Eustratius (formerly UTS Sint Eustatius)
- TelCell (Sint EUstatius – TelEm)
The following frequencies are used in Sint Eustatius:
- 2G: 900 MHz & 1800 MHz
- 3G: 850 MHz & 2100 MHz
- 4G/LTE: 850 MHz (Band 5), 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 Sint Eustatius, check out this page by Kimovil or this one by Will My Phone Work (outdated, unfortunately, but extremely user-friendly – useful for phones launched in or before 2019. It does not check for 5G NR compatibility).
Again, make sure your phone is unlocked. Otherwise, you will not be able to use any SIM card except the one from your home operator (meaning you have to roam internationally or buy another unlocked phone that does support the frequencies listed above).
If you want to learn how international roaming works, this guide explains it in-depth. If you wonder why it is often so expensive to roam, this article explains the hidden reason they do not want you to know.
VoLTE & VoWiFi in Sint Eustatius
Both VoLTE (Voice over LTE (4G) – also known as HD Voice) and VoWiFi (Voice over WiFi – also known as WiFI calling) are not offered by the mobile operators in Sint Eustatius (yet).
This means that when you make a call, your phone will downgrade to 3G (or 2G when 3G is not available) instead of staying connected to 4G/LTE.
This is also why you often cannot use mobile while calling if not connected to WiFi.
VoWiFi is, as the name implies, calling on a WiFi connection as opposed to on a cellular network.
5G NR in Sint Eustatius
5G NR is not available in Sint Eusuatius as of 2022, and the Statian government has not made any andications of when it will auction 5G licenses.
Best SIM Card in Sint Eustatius
If you want to buy the best SIM card in Sint Eustatius, I recommend going with Flow/Chippie (formerly UTS). It has the best (4G/LTE) coverage, is the fastest, and allows for free roaming in Chippieland (neighboring territories with Flow/Chippie).
SIM Card Registration in Sint Eustatius
SIM card registration with your passport information is required in Sint Eustatius. It will be done at the point of purchase.
Sint Eustatius Mobile Internet Prices & Insights
The Caribbean is certainly not known for being a cheap travel destination.
Many of the Caribbean nations have many high-end resorts.
They are fun, but they are off-limits for your on-a-budget backpacker – if you get me.
So what about mobile data rates? Are they low in Sint Eustatius?
The average price for 1 GB of data in Sint Eustatius is 3.76 USD, around the Caribbean average of 4.44 USD. The world average is 4.07 USD.
But what about the arrows in the image above?
Yes, Sint Eustatius is part of Caribbean Netherlands. But I do not know how Cable.co.uk came with their average, as it is nowhere clear to reality.
Based on my own calculations, the average cost of 1 GB of data is 3.76 USD.
Much better than the 10.94 USD average from Cable.co.uk, I would say 😏.
While there is not much information about mobile data speeds in Sint Eustatius because not many people do speed tests there, I can mention something about speeds.
In the Caribbean, you can expect your speeds to range between 10 Mbps and 25 Mbps.
With quite expensively priced SIM cards, good nationwide coverage (in populated areas), decent mobile download speeds, and average mobile data rates, you should have a smooth network experience in Sint Eustatius.
Currency in Sint Eustatius
Sint Eustatius uses the US Dollar with the symbol USD (which will be used throughout this guide).
Prices in Sint Eustatius are listed in just $.
For up-to-date USD:your currency (let's say Euro) exchange rates, use the Wise Currency Converter tool.
If your credit/debit card charges you foreign exchange fees, get yourself a Wise Borderless Account and Debit Card.
Their fees are MUCH lower than banks and credit card companies charge you (and Wise is transparent about their fees, unlike banks).
I have saved literal THOUSANDS of Australian Dollars and Euros, my main currencies, when using Wise abroad when traveling compared to my debit and credit cards.
Statian Prepaid SIM Cards
Below, I will guide you through Flow/Chippie St Eustatius (formerly UTS Sint Eustatius) & TelCell Sint Eustatius (TelEm), 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 Sint Eustatius has to offer to us.
Flow/Chippie Sint Eustatius (formerly UTS)
Flow Sint Eustatius, just Flow and formerly UTS Sint Eustatius, is one of the two mobile operators in Sint Eustatius.
Flow/Chippie is a brand by Cable & Wireless used throughout the Caribbean.
Flow/Chippie uses the following frequencies:
- 2G: 900 MHz & 1800 MHz
- 3G: 850 MHz & 2100 MHz
- 4G/LTE: 1800 MHz (Band 3)
This is what you will learn about Flow/Chippie:
* Coverage
* How to Get a Flow/Chippie SIM Card & SIM Card Price
* Topping Up Options & Methods
* Plans & Packages
* Chippieland Explained
* APN/Internet Settings
Coverage – Flow/Chippie Sint Eustatius (formerly UTS)
Flow/Chippie has the best coverage in Sint Eustatius.
4G/LTE reception can be found in populated areas.
Expect no coverage in unpopulated areas, including Mount Mazinga and Boven National Park.
Below is Flow's/Chippie's coverage map produced by Speedtest:
SIM Card Price – Flow/Chippie Sint Eustatius (formerly UTS)
You can get a Flow/Chippie SIM card for 16.75 USD with 11 USD credit from the Flow Store in Oranjestad (Fort Oranjestraat). They are not sold at Sint Eustatius/Oranjestad-F. D. Roosevelt Airport (EUX).
Dial *91 or #191# to access the Flow menu.
Dial *555# to see your Flow phone number.
- Find out how much SIM cards cost in every country, including data-only SIM cards and tourist SIM cards, offered by each mobile operator + information about starter benefits (lookup tool)
Top-Up, Recharge & Balance Check – Flow/Chippie Sint Eustatius (formerly UTS)
Flow/Chippie top-up vouchers, called Chippiecards, are sold in the Flow Store in Oranjestad (Fort Oranjestraat), grocery stores, gas stations & bars.
The following top-ups are available:
| Top-Up | Validity |
|---|---|
| 5 USD | 30 days |
| 10 USD | 30 days |
| 20 USD | 30 days |
To top up your Flow SIM card, dial *191*VoucherCode#; dial *91, select option 2, and enter the VoucherCode; or dial *444#, select option 1, select option 1 again, and enter the VoucherCode.
For example, if your voucher code is 123456, you would dial *191*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 #191# or dial *91 and select option 1 to check your Flow/Chippie balance.
You can also top up on the Topup Chippie app (Android/iOS).
Packages, Plans, Bundles & Offers – Flow/Chippie Sint Eustatius (formerly UTS)
Flow/Chippie has three data-featured prepaid plans:
- Combo Bundles (as the name implies)
- Data Bundles (as the name suggests)
- Extra Data (data add-on)
All Flow/Chippie plans can be activated by texting the Activation Code to 3434.
Click on the links above to jump to the plan you are interested in:
Combo Bundles – Flow/Chippie Sint Eustatius (formerly UTS)
The Combo Bundles are, as the name implies, combo plans with data, minutes & SMS.
Activate Combo Bundles by texting the Activation Code to 3434:
| Price | Plan | Data | Local Minutes | Local SMS | Validity | Activation Code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 USD | 1 Day Combo | 1.5 GB | 1000 minutes | 100 SMS | 1 day | combo1d |
| 7 USD | 3 Day Combo | 2.5 GB | 1000 minutes | 200 SMS | 3 days | combo3d |
| 14 USD | 7 Day Combo | 7.5 GB | “Unlimited”, 3000 minutes | Unlimited | 7 days | combo7d |
| 51 USD | 30 Day Combo | 10 GB | “Unlimited”, 3000 minutes | Unlimited | 30 days | combo30d |
Data Bundles – Flow/Chippie Sint Eustatius (formerly UTS)
The Data Bundles are, as the name suggests, data-only plans.
Activate Data Bundles by texting the Activation Code to 3434:
| Price | Plan | Data | Validity | Activation Code |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.50 USD | 1 Day | 2 GB | 1 day | data1d |
| 6 USD | 3 Days | 3 GB | 3 days | data3d |
| 12 USD | 7 Days | 4 GB | 7 days | data7d |
| 18 USD | 30 Days Small | 2 GB | 30 days | data30ds |
| 24 USD | 30 Days Large | 8 GB | 30 days | data30ds |
Extra Data Add-On – Flow/Chippie Sint Eustatius (formerly UTS)
The Extra Data is a data-only add-on exclusively for Combo Bundles. It cannot be purchased as a standalone plan.
For 6 USD, you get 1 GB on top of your existing data allowance.
The validity of your current Combo Bundle stays in place.
Text extra data to 3434 to activate Extra Data.
| Price | Data | Validity | Activation Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 USD | 1 GB | Until plan expires | extra data |
APN/Internet Settings – Flow/Chippie Sint Eustatius (formerly UTS)
- Name: Chippie
- APN: premium
Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched.
Jump back to the Table of Contents.
TelCell (Sint Eustatius – TelEm)
TelCell Sint Eustatius, just TelCell but also known as TelEm, is one of the mobile operators in Sint Eustatius.
It operates as one mobile operator network in Saba, Sint Eustatius & Sint Maarten.
This allows you to use your TelCell SIM card in the aforementioned territories without paying roaming fees.
TelCell uses the following frequencies:
- 2G: 900 MHz & 1800 MHz
- 3G: 850 MHz & 2100 MHz
- 4G/LTE: 850 MHz (Band 5) & 2100 MHz (Band 1)
This is what you will learn about TelCell:
* Coverage
* How to Get a TelCell SIM Card & SIM Card Price
* Topping Up Options & Methods
* Plans & Packages
* APN/Internet Settings
Coverage – TelCell (Sint Eustatius – TelEm)
TelCell has good coverage in Sint Eustatius.
3G reception can be found in populated areas.
4G/LTE barely exists with TelCell.
Expect no coverage in unpopulated areas, including Mount Mazinga and Boven National Park.
Below is TelCell's coverage map produced by Speedtest:
SIM Card Price – TelCell (Sint Eustatius – TelEm)
You can get a TelCell SIM card for 20 USD with 10 USD credit in the Eutel store (TelCell's local partner). They are not sold at Sint Eustatius/Oranjestad-F. D. Roosevelt Airport (EUX).
Text number to 121 to see your TelCell 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 – TelCell (Sint Eustatius – TelEm)
TelCell top-up vouchers are sold in the Eutel store (TelCell's local partner) and from Top Up Vendors, including grocery stores, gas stations & bars.
The following top-ups are available:
| Top-Up | Validity |
|---|---|
| 1 USD – 2.99 USD | 2 days |
| 2 USD – 4.99 USD | 5 days |
| 5 USD – 9.99 USD | 10 days |
| 10 USD – 19.99 USD | 30 days |
| 20 USD – 59.99 USD | 60 days |
| 60 USD – 99.99 USD | 80 days |
| 100 USD – 200 USD | 100 days |
To top up your TelCell SIM card, dial *123*VoucherCode#.
For example, if your voucher code is 123456, you would dial *123*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 *124# to check your TelCell balance.
You can also top up and check your balance on the TelCell Customer Selfcare app (Android/iOS).
Packages, Plans, Bundles & Offers – TelCell (Sint Eustatius – TelEm)
TelCell has two data-featured prepaid plans: Mobile Prepaid Data Plans (as the name implies) & Smart Data (add-on).
Mobile Prepaid Data Plans – TelCell (Sint Eustatius – TelEm)
The Mobile Prepaid Data Plans are, as the name suggests, data-only bundles.
The following Mobile Prepaid Data Plans are available, which you can activate by texting DATA ON to the corresponding number:
| Price | Data | Validity | Activation Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 USD | 750 MB | 1 day | DATA ON to 1001 |
| 3 USD | 1.5 GB | 1 day | DATA ON to 2001 |
| 7.50 USD | 4 GB | 1 day | DATA ON to 2004 |
| 10 USD | 1 GB | 30 days | DATA ON to 1007 |
| 10 USD | 5.25 GB | 7 days | DATA ON to 3001 |
| 20 USD | 3 GB | 30 days | DATA ON to 2030 |
| 30 USD | 5 GB | 30 days | DATA ON to 1030 |
| 35 USD | 7.5 GB | 30 days | DATA ON to 1035 |
| 40 USD | 10 GB | 30 days | DATA ON to 1040 |
Smart Data Add-On – TelCell (Sint Eustatius – TelEm)
The Smart Data plan is a data-only add-on. It cannot be purchased as a standalone plan.
For 10 USD, you get 1 GB on top of your existing data allowance.
The validity of your current Mobile Prepaid Data Plan stays in place.
Text DATA ON to 3230 to activate Smart Data.
| Price | Data | Validity | Activation Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 USD | 1 GB | Until plan expires | DATA ON to 3230 |
APN/Internet Settings – TelCell (Sint Eustatius – TelEm)
- Name: TelCell
- APN: internet.telcell.an
- Authentication Type: PAP or CHAP
Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched.
Jump back to the Table of Contents.
The Preferred Way to Stay Connected When Traveling in Sint Eustatius
Getting a SIM card from Flow/Chippie would be your only when considering a Statian SIM card.
Local Prepaid SIM Cards in Other American Countries
Visiting other countries in the Americas? Check out my Caribbean SIM card buying guide, covering other American nations, such as:
Going to other places around the world? Then you should also check out my sim card buying guides for other destinations around the world.
Next Steps to Enhance Your Travel Experiences
Looking for the next steps to enhance your phone travel experiences? Here is what to do:
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