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This article lists the countries and territories in the world where you can run into trouble finding or using a local SIM card for data. This may be due to technical constraints, legal restrictions or other reasons.

These areas have been put into three different categories:

  • BLACKLIST - where it's simply impossible to go
  • GREYLIST - where there may be major obstacles, but still feasible under certain conditions
  • WARZONES - where the political or economical situation is very unstable

Blacklist

Blacklist

This category shows countries or territories where it's impossible to buy a local prepaid SIM card (for data) for now. This can be because of lack of technical infrastructure or legal reasons which prohibits the purchase of a SIM card for foreigners. As you see, this list is rather short and refers mostly to very isolated areas:

Cuba (see own article)

In Cuba there are still no data on their GSM network, not even GPRS on the only state-owned mobile provider "Cubacel". The only way to log on the internet for foreigners is to go to one of the major hotels or public WiFi hotspots. The situation is about to change with the easing of the US embargo. First 3G cells are now operating in Havanna and Varadero, but so far for roaming visitors only.

Eritrea

Eritrea was the last country in the world to adopt a mobile phone system. It's sole provider "Eritel" is hardly accessible to foreigners as it requires a resident's permit, a very high connection fee and some weeks to get connected to a network mostly 2G-only with few 3G cells. There is a separate CDMA network covering 85% which is not compatible with most GSM phones.

Korea (North) (see own article)

The state-owned provider "koryolink" sells SIM cards to foreign visitors for their 3G network on 2100 MHz: a "Visitor Line" with 3 different packages on prepaid and a postpaid "Foreigner Line" for residents. Unfortunately, the Visitor Line has voice and text only, but no data. This can only be activated on the Foreigner Line at astronomical rates, but remains inaccessible to most short-time visitors.

Niue

The only provider Telecom Niue has a 2G/GSM network, but not for data, only voice and SMS. Visitors can have internet connection through Niue's extensive WiFi network with hotspots all over the island after paying NZ$ 25 for 5 GB in 14 days (for more info check here).

Saint Pierre & Miquelon (France) (see own article)

The two mobile providers SPM Télécom and Globatel only offer 2G without any data in this French Overseas Department. This leaves the area as only territory without own 3G coverage in America, but both ADSL internet access and a widespread public WiFi network are available.

Transnistria (see Moldova article)

Transnistria is the only populated region in Europe without a 2G or 3G GSM coverage as the only provider "IDC" uses CDMA and EVDO only which is incompatible with GSM-devices. This situation may change as a 4G/LTE network on 800 MHz is being built, but not yet open for prepaid.

Lord Howe Island (Australia)

On Lord Howe there is no mobile coverage. There are paid WiFi hotspots at visitor information center, museum and few other places but the rates are not published. Some hotels provide complimentary WiFi. Connection is slow as it goes through a narrow satellite link.

Pitcairn Island (UK)

There's​ no mobile coverage on Pitcairn Island. There is a fixed internet service provided in some accommodations, sometimes with a WiFi router, so you can connect through WiFi to it. All data goes through Inmarsat, so latency is high, speed is low and traffic is expensive. There is a tiered tarification to discourage large downloads. The exact prices are not published online. Outages lasting weeks are not unheard of.

Tristan da Cunha (UK)

There is no mobile coverage on Tristan da Cunha. Since 2006 there is an internet café with a VSAT. 1 Mbps shared by all users, so it will be slow. Internet cafe has a place to use own laptop but it's unknown whether it's Ethernet or WiFi. Price for visitors is GBP 10 for the duration of the stay but it's not published online so this number is likely outdated.

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (UK)

There is no publicly available telecom service on those islands. You'll have to rely either on your ship's service or your own satellite link. If you're employed there, you will need to contact your employer for info that applies to you.

Norfolk Island (Australia) (see own article)

The only provider Norfolk Telecom has a 2G/GSM network, but not for data, only voice and SMS. Visitors can have internet connections through some WiFi hotspots on the island.

Christmas Island (Australia)

After shutdown the only provider on this island is Telstra on 2G without any data. Speedcast has picked up the old CiiA 4G network, before internet will eventually be provided by NBN.

Cocos (Keeling) Islands (Australia) (see own article)

There's​ only one network (IOTT) on 2G without data connectivity. Furthermore for a population of 600 IOTT has a backhaul of 2 Mbps, that's total, not per person. Fortunately there's​ an NBN installation going on, so you might be able to connect through them via WiFi in near future, possibly already.

Marshall Islands (see own article)

Their only operator (MINTA) is working on installing 4G some time in the future. Meanwhile their network is 2G-only without data. You can use their hotspots as an alternative.

Tokelau (New Zealand)

There are no mobile phone services in Tokelau at present. Internet is provided through Teletok in free internet cafes and some households offer their own ADSL internet connection.

Uninhabited territories

Obviously there is mostly no mobile coverage in uninhabited territories. As there are too many of them, it's impossible to enumerate, hence they are grouped in this entry. Your only way to connect would be to bring your own satellite link installation.

Greylist

Greylist
This category shows countries or territories, where you should think twice of buying a local prepaid SIM card, as it may not be advisable under all circumstances. Because of certain requirements, legal barriers or technical restraints, you may be better off looking for alternatives like WiFi hotspots or using a roaming SIM card instead. Check articles first to check what exactly is restricted and how and if it applies to you and may affect your purposes.

Algeria (see own article)

To buy a SIM card in Algeria, you need to present a certified copy of your passport to the provider. This needs to be made at a local mairie (town hall) at office hours before you walk into any operator store.

Azerbaijan (see own article)

It's easy to buy a local SIM card from one of the providers as a new centralized registration system for foreigners has been implemented. The country remains greylisted as an additional IMEI registration system is in place for all devices using a local SIM.

China (see own article)

Because of the "Great Firewall of China" a.k.a. censorship your internet can be severely restricted. Facebook, Twitter, many Google sites like Maps, Gmail or its search engine and many others are blocked. Furthermore, they are starting to clamp down on VPNs used to circumvent these blocks.

Diego Garcia (UK)

This remote island in the Indian Ocean is served by Sure on 2G only, but there is landline DSL at low speeds too. Lacking a submarine fibre link, prices remain high and speeds low for C-Band satellite connections.

Equatorial Guinea

Foreigners can't buy a prepaid SIM card in usual operator's stores, but only in two special branches of GETESA (Orange) in Malabo and Bata.

Falkland Islands (UK) (see own article)

The sole operator Sure on the islands has 2G only up to EDGE speed without 3G or 4G, but almost everyone in Stanley has ADSL internet service instead.

Germany (see own article)

A new security law in 2017 has made it very tricky for some visitors to get prepaid SIM cards registered on their passports or ID cards with some operators especially Deutsche Telekom.

India (see own article)

India has a very unforeseeable policy of registration which can take a few minutes, but also more than a week. So you'll never know, when you will actually be connected to the network after having purchased a new SIM card.

Japan (see own article)

Japan is one of the few countries with no 2G/GSM network and much of its 3G is on very own frequencies. Furthermore, it bans the purchase of voice SIM cards to travelers by law. You can still buy data SIMs or rent a device or SIM card at many rental agencies.

Palestine (see own article)

After 12 years of waiting operators in the Palestine Territories were granted permission from Israel to launch 3G services in the West Bank in 2018. But the Gaza Strip is excluded so far leaving Gaza as the only million city in the world without own 3G or 4G coverage.

Turkey (see own article)

Turkey has implemented a scheme of paying a TL115 tax for all imported devices to be used with a local SIM card. This is added by a whitelist registration system of IMEI numbers. If you don't follow the rules, your device will be blocked after a few months for this SIM. This only bothers you, if you want to stay longer or keep your SIM for another visit.

Turkmenistan (see own article)

Turkmenistan is a very restricted Asian country where they sell SIM cards with data, but for visitors it's hard to get one especially as the second provider has been shut down in 2017.

Tuvalu (see own article)

The only mobile operator of this island nation Tuvalu Telecom offers slow 3G-only emitted over one antenna. For their capital better buy WiFi vouchers for data, outside only satellite phones will work.

Ukraine - Donesk and Lugansk regions (see Ukraine article):

Due to the ongoing conflict in the Eastern part of the country, no 3G networks could have been deployed there yet. Mobile internet is only through 2G networks at EDGE speed (max. 150 kbps).

Warzones

Warzone

These countries are at war, have major armed conflicts within or go through significant economical turmoil. In all of them travel warnings have been issued for major parts and very few visitors now go there. That's why no reliable information can be given for travellers. The technical infrastructure is often damaged and provision of mobile services severely restricted. Often extreme inflation prohibits a detailed listing of prices and options too. For each of these following countries a basic article with potential providers and a roundup of the situation will be given soon:

  • Afghanistan
  • Iraq
  • Libya
  • Somalia
  • South Sudan
  • Syria
  • Venezuela
  • Yemen

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