Caribbean – Phone Travel Wiz

The Caribbean has many beautiful destinations - St Kitts & Nevis is one of these lovely places. However, things are not cheap here, but that can be said about the Caribbean in general. Even then, there are many actions you can take to make your stay in St Kitts & Nevis more affordable, such as getting a local SIM card. International roaming is expensive - not just in St Kitts & Nevis but in general. However, it is even more expensive here. Luckily, you can get a St Kittian and Nevisian SIM card when visiting this country without restrictions - and you can even get one for free. You can get a Flow SIM for free in St Kitts & Nevis. Digicel sells SIM cards for 23.40 XCD. A combo plan with 15 GB of data and local minutes and SMS will set you back 150 XCD (55.50) with Flow and 130 XCD (48.10 USD) with Digicel. Cannot see the video above? Watch it here or on YouTube. Now, that may not sound affordable to some at all. And I agree. There are 163 countries and territories with lower data costs than St Kitts & Nevis in 2021. However, international roaming will be way more expensive than getting a local package. Plus, the average cost of data has gone down significantly in St Kitts & Nevis over the years. It is worth the investment - especially if you want to stay connected. In this guide, I will tell you everything you need to know about buying a SIM card in St Kitts & Nevis. Let's go. Original publication: 12th of March 2020. Last updated: 11th of April 2021. Table of Contents Can You Buy a SIM Card in St Kitts & Nevis? You can purchase a St Kittian & Nevisian SIM card regardless of your residence or visitor status, meaning that tourists can also buy a SIM card in St Kitts & Nevis. You do need to ensure your SIM card is registered in your name, have a phone that supports St Kitts & Nevis' frequencies, and have an unlocked device (SIM-lock free). Where Can You Buy a SIM Card in St Kitts & Nevis? You can get a St Kittian & Nevisian SIM card in the official stores of Flow and Digicel. Here is a list of what to expect to pay for a SIM card in St Kitts & Nevis: Flow St Kitts & Nevis (Flow St Kitts): Free!Digicel St Kitts & Nevis: 23.40 XCD Can You Use Your Phone in St Kitts & Nevis? St Kitts & Nevis 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 compared to CDMA (unless you are from the US (Verizon/Sprint), Japan, South Korea, or Russia). 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, and 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, and South America + the Caribbean), ITU Region 2, use American Frequencies, which are different from the European Frequencies. By Maximilian Dörrbecker (Chumwa) - Own work, using this file by Denelson83, CC BY-SA 2.5 St Kitts & Nevis uses a mix of American and European frequencies for 2G and 3G, depending on the operator. 4G/LTE is exclusively on American 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 would want to go with Flow St Kitts & Nevis. They support traditional American frequencies on 2G, 3G, and 4G/LTE, meaning that you can take full advantage of their network. 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 would want to go with Digicel St Kitts & Nevis. They support traditional European frequencies on 2G and 3G, but you will not be able to use thier 4G/LTE network. Suppose you have a medium/high-end device with Tri-Band or Quad-Band support. In that case, you can go with either Flow St Kitts & Nevis or Digicel St Kitts & Nevis, as your phone will support both American and European frequencies, even on 4G/LTE. Mobile Operators, Networks & Frequencies in St Kitts & Nevis St Kitts & Nevis has two mobile network operators: Flow St Kitts & Nevis (Flow St Kitts)Digicel St Kitts & Nevis The following frequencies are used in St Kitts & Nevis: 2G: 850 MHz, 900 MHz & 1800 MHz3G: 850 MHz, 1900 MHz & 2100 MHz4G/LTE: 700 MHz (Band 13 & Band 17) You can learn more about frequencies in the video below. Cannot see the video above? Watch it here or on YouTube. To check whether your phone will work in St Kitts & Nevis, check out this page by Will My Phone Work. 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. Best SIM Card St Kitts & Nevis If you want to buy a SIM card in St Kitts & Nevis, I recommend going with either Flow or Digicel. Both operators have great coverage in the country and have similar pricing. Flow hands out SIM cards for free, while Digicel's Prime Bundles offers generous data allowances for Prime apps. SIM Card Registration St Kitts & Nevis SIM card registration with your passport information is required in St Kitts & Nevis. It will be done at the point of sale. St Kitts & Nevis Prices & Insights I used to say that mobile data is expensive in the Caribbean. To some extent, that is still true. However, cellular rates have gone down significantly over the years - Especially when comparing 2021 rates to 2020 and even more than 2019. Although I am not sure what motivated the Caribbean operators to slash prices this drastically, it is welcomed. Mainly because the Caribbean is not the cheapest travel destination out there. So how expensive, or cheap for that matter, is mobile data in St Kitts and Nevis? The average price for 1 GB of data in St Kitts & Nevis is 3.70 USD in 2021, which is less than the annual Caribbean average of 4.44 USD. The 2021 world average is 4.09 USD. Source Compared to 2020 figures, with the 1 GB average of 11.07 USD, the Flow and Digicel St Kitts & Nevis managed to bring down the average cost of 1 GB by 67%. Now, St Kitts & Nevis is the 14th cheapest Caribbean country to buy mobile data (of the 28 Caribbean nations and territories). In 2020, they were the 5th most expensive nation to buy mobile data (or the 24th "cheapest"), so this is great news to anyone wanting to use mobile data in the country - for the locals and travelers. Moreover, mobile coverage is quite extensive in St Kitts & Nevis, and mobile data speeds are acceptable (but not the fastest in the region - that is Trinidad & Tobago). With all of this said, you should have a smooth network experience when in St Kitts & Nevis, and it will not break the bank (like in Bermuda). Currency in St Kitts & Nevis St Kitts & Nevis uses the East Caribbean Dollar with the symbol XCD (which will be used throughout this guide). However, prices are often listed as ECD, EC$, or $. For example, 25 ECD is ECD/EC$/$ 25. XCD is pegged 2.70:1 to the Us Dollar (USD), meaning that 2.70 XCD is 1 USD. 27.10 XCD would be 10 USD. 270 is 100 USD, etc. 1 XCD is 0.37 USD, 10 XCD is 3.70 USD, 100 XCD is 37 USD – you know the drill. 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 Euros, my main currency, when using Wise abroad when traveling compared to my debit and credit cards. Open a Wise account FREE! St Kitts & Nevis Prepaid SIM Cards Below, I will guide you through Flow St Kitts & Nevis and Digicel St Kitts & Nevis, and go through: Background informationMobile coverageSIM card types, prices, and availabilityRecharge / top-up informationCombo plans, data plans, and special packs (such as social media packs) With that being said, let’s see what St Kitts & Nevis have to offer to us. Flow St Kitts & Nevis Flow St Kitts & Nevis, known as simply Flow St Kitts but will be referred to as Flow, is the incumbent operator in the dual island nation. They have a market share of about 50% because many St Kittians and Nevisians have SIM cards from both Flow and Digicel St Kitts & Nevis. This is the norm in many countries and territories in the Caribbean. Flow uses the following frequencies: 2G: 850 MHz & 1900 MHz3G: 850 MHz & 1900 MHz4G/LTE: 700 MHz (Band 13 & Band 17) This is what you will learn about Flow: * Coverage* How to Get a Flow SIM Card & SIM Card Price* Topping-Up Options & Methods* Plans & Packages* APN/Internet SettingsClick on the links above to jump to the section you are interested in.Jump to Digicel Coverage - Flow St Kitts & Nevis Flow has extensive coverage in St Kitts & Nevis and has the best 4G/LTE availability in the country. Mobile reception up in Mount Liamuiga (St Kitts) can be poor to non-existent at times. The same counts for when you are at Nevis Peak and around Gingerland. 4G/LTE coverage is the strongest in Central, South, and Southwest St Kitts. East Nevis also has strong 4G/LTE reception. Source Overall, coverage should not be an issue in St Kitts & Nevis, as shown in the coverage map below. Source SIM Card Price - Flow St Kitts & Nevis You can get a Flow SIM card for free in Flow stores. Top-Up & Recharge - Flow St Kitts & Nevis Flow top-up cards can be obtained in values starting from 5 XCD to 200 XCD in Flow stores, supermarkets, gas stations, and convenience stores. Online recharge with (international) debit and credit cards is available too. To top-up your Flow SIM card, access the Flow menu by dialing *129# and follow the instructions. You can check your balance by dialing *120#. Packages, Plans, Bundles & Offers - Flow St Kitts & Nevis Flow has one type of combo plan, which is its Always On Prepaid Plan. Those plans feature data, unlimited social messaging for SWIFT apps (Snapchat, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook & Twitter), local anywhere minutes, and local anywhere SMS. The following Always On Prepaid Plans are available: PricePlanDataSocial Messaging (SWIFT)Local Anywhere MinutesLocal Anywhere SMSValidityActivation Code5 XCDPrepaid 1 Day Plan1 GBUnlimited25 minutes25 SMS1 day *244*0#15 XCDPrepaid 3 Days Plan1 GBUnlimited200 minutes200 SMS3 days*244*1#35 XCDPrepaid 7 Days Plan 3 GBUnlimited350 minutes350 SMS7 days*244*2#100 XCDPrepaid 30 Days Plan10 GB Unlimited1000 minutes1000 SMS 30 days*244*3#150 XCDPrepaid 30 Days Plan15 GB Unlimited1500 minutes15000 SMS 30 days *244*4# APN/Internet Settings - Flow St Kitts & Nevis Name: Flow InternetAPN: ppinternet Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched. Jump back to the Table of Contents. Digicel St Kitts & Nevis Digicel St Kitts & Nevis, just Digicel, is the other operator in St Kitts & Nevis. They entered the market in early 2000 to end Flow's monopoly position in St Kitts & Nevis and many other English-speaking countries and territories in the Caribbean. Now, they have about a 50% market share in this dual island nation. Digicel uses the following frequencies: 2G: 8900 MHz & 1800 MHz3G: 2100 MHz4G/LTE: 700 MHz (Band 13 & Band 17) This is what you will learn about Digicel: * Coverage* How to Get a Digicel SIM Card & SIM Card Price* Topping-Up Options & Methods* Plans & Packages* APN/Internet SettingsClick on the links above to jump to the section you are interested in.Jump to Flow Coverage - Digicel St Kitts & Nevis Digicel has extensive coverage in St Kitts & Nevis. Its coverage is slightly worse than Flow's, where only 2G or 3G reception is available, while Flow will have 4G availability. Besides that, Digicel's coverage is almost on par with Flow's. Source SIM Card Price - Digicel St Kitts & Nevis You can purchase a Digicel SIM card for 23.40 XCD in Digicel stores. You may have to dial *122# to activate your SIM card if your SIM card does not work upon purchase. Top-Up & Recharge - Digicel St Kitts & Nevis Digicel recharge cards are sold in denominations of 5 XCD to 200 XCD in Digicel stores and many other establishments, such as kiosks, gas stations, and grocery stores. Online recharge with (international) debit and credit cards is possible as well. in value of 25.67 XCD to 270.67 XCD (charged in USD or EUR). To redeem a Digicel top-up card, dial *125*VoucherCode#. For example, if your voucher code is 123456, you would dial *125*123456#. Dial *140# or *141# to check your credit balance. Packages, Plans, Bundles & Offers - Digicel St Kitts & Nevis Digicel has the Prime Bundles, which are combo bundles with data, data for select Digicel Apps (Prime Apps), and minutes for local and international use. © Digicel The following Prime Bundles are available: PriceBundleAny Use DataListen More (Music) DataListen More (Radio) DataWatch More DataPlay More DataShare More DataKnow More DataStore More DataLocal MinutesInternational MinutesValidity12 XCD3 Day Digicel Prime Bundle 2 GB3 GB3 GB3 GB3 GB3 GB3 GB3 GB100 minutesN/A3 days 50 XCD14 Day Digicel Prime Bundle 6 GB7 GB7 GB7 GB7 GB7 GB7 GB7 GB1000 minutes N/A14 days 130 XCD30 Day Digicel Prime Bundle 15 GB 30 GB 30 GB 30 GB 30 GB 30 GB 30 GB 30 GB 1200 minutes500 minutes30 days You also get unlimited Do More data, which is for the MyDigicel App Prime Bundles can be activated on the MyDigicel app or by dialing *141#. You can download any Prime Bundle app by visiting the links below: Listen More (Music) with D'MusicListen More (Radio) with GoLoudWatch More with PlayGoPlay More with Sports MaxShare More with BipKnow More with LoopStore More with Billo © Digicel APN/Internet Settings - Digicel St Kitts & Nevis Name: DigicelAPN: web Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched. Jump back to the Table of Contents. Other Ways to Stay Connected When Traveling in St Kitts & Nevis I would highly encourage anyone visiting St Kitts & Nevis to get themselves a St Kittian and Nevisian SIM card - you will be saving a lot of money when you do so. However, for some, getting a St Kittian and Nevisian SIM card is not an option. For example, your device may be SIM-locked, meaning that you cannot use any SIM card other than the SIM card provided by your operator. There are other ways to stay online while in St Kitts & Nevis, but they may not be cheap. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhLfhARWaJ0 However, these methods may be more expensive than getting a SIM card from the two local operators. International Roaming International roaming is the most convenient way to stay connected when traveling in other countries because you do not have to buy a new SIM card, have to deal with SIM card registration regulations, nor have multiple phone numbers to deal with. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0X7xGPry-Tc However, international roaming has proven to be expensive in many cases, especially compared to buying local SIM cards. That is why many travelers are not fond of international roaming. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNXUQnX3Uww International roaming has its pros and cons. However, it is important to know how it works. This in-depth guide explains it all. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSKtHeE0rVg Find out whether your mobile operator has attractive roaming rates for St Kitts & Nevis here. Using an International SIM Card or Travel SIM Card International SIM cards are SIM cards made for the traveler in mind. Using them is often cheaper than international roaming. However, they are almost always more expensive than using a local SIM card. There are many other advantages and disadvantages of getting international SIM cards, which you can learn about here. Using a Mobile Hotspot (Pocket WIFI) Mobile hotspots, or pocket WIFI, are small devices that connect to the local operators of the country you are visiting. Mobile hotspots are ideal for families or those traveling in a large group, as they allow you to connect multiple devices to one hotspot without the need of each traveler having to buy a SIM card. You can either buy a mobile hotspot or rent one. Using Free WIFI Networks Using free WIFI connections is the cheapest way to stay connected because they are free. The major downside of trying to use WIFI hotspots is that you will have to locate them, and they are not available on every corner in St Kitts & Nevis. Make sure to protect your internet traffic with a VPN so that hackers cannot steal your personal data. The Preferred Way to Stay Connected When Traveling in St Kitts & Nevis Getting a SIM card from Flow would do you well when considering a St Kittian and Nevisian SIM card. Local Prepaid SIM Cards in Other Caribbean Countries Visiting other countries in the Caribbean? Check out my Caribbean SIM card buying guide, covering other Caribbean nations, such as: AnguillaAntigua and BarbudaArubaBahamasBarbadosBonaireBritish Virgin IslandsCayman IslandsCubaCuraçao Dominican RepublicGrenadaGuadeloupeHaitiJamaicaMartiniqueMontserratPuerto RicoSaba DominicaSaint BarthelemySaint Kitts and NevisSaint LuciaSaint MartinSaint Vincent and the GrenadinesSint EustatiusSint MaartenTrinidad and TobagoTurks and Caicos Islands 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: Check Out My Resource Page Looking for the best companies and gadgets to enhance your travel experience? Check out my travel resources page for the best companies to use when you travel! Save money with international SIM cards, on plane tickets, bus rides, cruises, and accommodation. Besides that, I also list services and items I use to make my life easier – and I believe they will help you too! Start Your Own Online Business - Make Money While Traveling Do you want to learn how I started an online business that allows me to generate income while traveling? In my starting an online business guide, I tell you which tools, services, and products I have for this site and my YouTube channel. If I can start a business about something I am passionate about (phone travel), then you can do it too! Learn About Your Phone Travel Options You can buy local prepaid SIM cards, international SIM cards, mobile hotspots, or roam internationally. Each of these options has its pros and cons. Learn more about them, and find the best option for you. Phone Travel Tips, Tricks & Hacks I have written many articles with tips and hacks to save money on mobile costs while abroad. You surely want to check them out! Sign Up for the Phone Travel Wiz Newsletter Sign up for my newsletter: Stay up-to-date with the best tips, tricks, and hacks on how to save money on phone bills when traveling around the world by signing up for my newsletter! Let's Be Social Did you know that I have a YouTube channel covering everything you need to know about traveling with your phone? A lot of useful videos are uploaded multiple times a week, and you do not want to miss out on them! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJrV0ZZBPv8 Learn More About Who Adu Actually Is Who is the guy behind Phone Travel Wiz? Well, find out on the Ernest Adu about page!