Best Phone Plan for an Occasional Visitor
 

I visit Russia a few times a year for a week or so at a time. Can anyone recommend a phone / mobile plan for a smartphone that doesn't require monthly payments? I used to have something with MTC but the company changed mony of its plans. I'm not in Russia now to go to an actual store to find out my options, but I'd like to switch to some plan online before I land in Russia.

If you are a RF citizen or resident ( with a domestic passport) can start a post paid account which may help you. The rest of us have to settle for a the pre paid cards. I usually have my friends set one up for me in advance or someone in the ground, then drop it off at my hotel.

My biggest pet peeve is that the cards expire after 3 months, with no options to make this last longer. Etisalat or Du ( in Dubai) have an option where you can make the card last 1 year by paying a fee. I would gladly pay that.

What's wrong with getting a plan that requires a monthly payment? It's very cheap anyway, you can get a plan for as low as like 300 Rubles a month. And you don't have to pay for it the whole time, only pay for a month when you are in Russia.

So if you are in Russia twice a year you will be only paying for 2 months.

You can't really do it online you'll have to do it when you land in Moscow. If I remember correctly you can get SIM-cards right at the airport at Sheremetyevo as well as Domodedovo airport. I would suggest you to go with "Megafon" they have the best coverage in Russia.