Prepaid SIM - Switzerland
#18
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: London and Zurich
Programs: AA, BA, Mucci: Sir Roger des Directions Routières, PCR
Posts: 13,609
If you want the convenience of just one SIM, take a look at www.togglemobile.com which can provide local numbers for Switzerland, Norway and Denmark as well as 10 other countries including the USA. It's a low cost PAYG operation.
You will need to activate local numbers. Check the website for more info.
For Turkey, it depends how much you will need a Turkish number. If a lot, get a Turkish SIM. If not much, probably better to use a Toggle or other and roam.
You will need to activate local numbers. Check the website for more info.
For Turkey, it depends how much you will need a Turkish number. If a lot, get a Turkish SIM. If not much, probably better to use a Toggle or other and roam.
#19
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 189
Couple of data points for data/internet access:
arrived zurich airport, swisscom shop was out of sim cards, and I needed online access right away, so I picked up a orange sim with 1gb data (the most they offered) for quick temporary access. No issues, it worked fine with my huawei e586 mifi, I think it was around 10chf (didn't keep that receipt).
Went to the zurich train station, as I was really wanting the swisscom 5 chf/5gb/day plan. Got the sim, got the credit put on it, but couldn't seem to get online. The clerk (with language barrier), said it might take a little time to activate. The store was packed, I was in a hurry, so I left assuming it would work later. I could text from the mifi, see credit etc, but couldn't get data to work. Tried everything I could with the mifi, tried using the sim in my nexus 5 phone (which I think should at least get 2g data), but same thing. Could text etc, but data never worked. Wasn't anywhere close to a swisscom store, so basically it's just money lost. Perhaps I got a voice/sms only card of some sort. Ended up just using the orange sim and conserving the amount of data I used.
arrived zurich airport, swisscom shop was out of sim cards, and I needed online access right away, so I picked up a orange sim with 1gb data (the most they offered) for quick temporary access. No issues, it worked fine with my huawei e586 mifi, I think it was around 10chf (didn't keep that receipt).
Went to the zurich train station, as I was really wanting the swisscom 5 chf/5gb/day plan. Got the sim, got the credit put on it, but couldn't seem to get online. The clerk (with language barrier), said it might take a little time to activate. The store was packed, I was in a hurry, so I left assuming it would work later. I could text from the mifi, see credit etc, but couldn't get data to work. Tried everything I could with the mifi, tried using the sim in my nexus 5 phone (which I think should at least get 2g data), but same thing. Could text etc, but data never worked. Wasn't anywhere close to a swisscom store, so basically it's just money lost. Perhaps I got a voice/sms only card of some sort. Ended up just using the orange sim and conserving the amount of data I used.
#20
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,300
1) You register your Simcard in the Shop?
2) you have to use this "NATEL® easy smart"
3) and you have to activate it here: http://cockpit.swisscom.ch/
2) you have to use this "NATEL® easy smart"
3) and you have to activate it here: http://cockpit.swisscom.ch/
#21
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Northern Italian Lakes
Programs: BA, *A, Hertz Goldstar, Mucci wannabee, Waitrose, safari Oleg
Posts: 1,545
Couple of data points for data/internet access:
arrived zurich airport, swisscom shop was out of sim cards, and I needed online access right away, so I picked up a orange sim with 1gb data (the most they offered) for quick temporary access. No issues, it worked fine with my huawei e586 mifi, I think it was around 10chf (didn't keep that receipt).
Went to the zurich train station, as I was really wanting the swisscom 5 chf/5gb/day plan. Got the sim, got the credit put on it, but couldn't seem to get online. The clerk (with language barrier), said it might take a little time to activate. The store was packed, I was in a hurry, so I left assuming it would work later. I could text from the mifi, see credit etc, but couldn't get data to work. Tried everything I could with the mifi, tried using the sim in my nexus 5 phone (which I think should at least get 2g data), but same thing. Could text etc, but data never worked. Wasn't anywhere close to a swisscom store, so basically it's just money lost. Perhaps I got a voice/sms only card of some sort. Ended up just using the orange sim and conserving the amount of data I used.
arrived zurich airport, swisscom shop was out of sim cards, and I needed online access right away, so I picked up a orange sim with 1gb data (the most they offered) for quick temporary access. No issues, it worked fine with my huawei e586 mifi, I think it was around 10chf (didn't keep that receipt).
Went to the zurich train station, as I was really wanting the swisscom 5 chf/5gb/day plan. Got the sim, got the credit put on it, but couldn't seem to get online. The clerk (with language barrier), said it might take a little time to activate. The store was packed, I was in a hurry, so I left assuming it would work later. I could text from the mifi, see credit etc, but couldn't get data to work. Tried everything I could with the mifi, tried using the sim in my nexus 5 phone (which I think should at least get 2g data), but same thing. Could text etc, but data never worked. Wasn't anywhere close to a swisscom store, so basically it's just money lost. Perhaps I got a voice/sms only card of some sort. Ended up just using the orange sim and conserving the amount of data I used.
#22
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 189
Believe me, I spent hours trying to get it to work (I work in IT, so I'm pretty good at sorting out these kinds of issues). The card was registered, I purchased in person at the swisscom store, they used my passport to set it up, it was activated on the link provided above, and I had the correct APN setup on the device. As I mentioned, it worked well with orange, so perhaps it was just an swisscom incompatibility with the huawei mifi or some other configuration error when the sim card was purchased. I've used the mifi in several other countries, before and after switerland, so it wasn't an issue with the mifi.
Regardless, I'm back home in the US now, so I can't do much else with it, and it worked out with Orange anyway. Just a small vacation expense.
Regardless, I'm back home in the US now, so I can't do much else with it, and it worked out with Orange anyway. Just a small vacation expense.
#23
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: SAN
Programs: DL DM, Marriott LT Titanium, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 351
Updates from Switzerland:
1. Orange is now called "Salt." (yeah, weird)
2. Both Swisscomm and Salt. are at ZRH.
3. Swisscomm was out of nano sims so I had no choice but to go to Salt.
4. Paid 10 CHF for 1 GB of data, good for 6 months, with a hotspot feature as well.
5. My US passport was required for the SIM card procurement.
6. Salt. speed is great (mix of 3G and 4G) in nearly all Zurich zones - can't speak to Lucern or Bern.
1. Orange is now called "Salt." (yeah, weird)
2. Both Swisscomm and Salt. are at ZRH.
3. Swisscomm was out of nano sims so I had no choice but to go to Salt.
4. Paid 10 CHF for 1 GB of data, good for 6 months, with a hotspot feature as well.
5. My US passport was required for the SIM card procurement.
6. Salt. speed is great (mix of 3G and 4G) in nearly all Zurich zones - can't speak to Lucern or Bern.
#24
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 3,519
Updates from Switzerland:
1. Orange is now called "Salt." (yeah, weird)
2. Both Swisscomm and Salt. are at ZRH.
3. Swisscomm was out of nano sims so I had no choice but to go to Salt.
4. Paid 10 CHF for 1 GB of data, good for 6 months, with a hotspot feature as well.
5. My US passport was required for the SIM card procurement.
6. Salt. speed is great (mix of 3G and 4G) in nearly all Zurich zones - can't speak to Lucern or Bern.
1. Orange is now called "Salt." (yeah, weird)
2. Both Swisscomm and Salt. are at ZRH.
3. Swisscomm was out of nano sims so I had no choice but to go to Salt.
4. Paid 10 CHF for 1 GB of data, good for 6 months, with a hotspot feature as well.
5. My US passport was required for the SIM card procurement.
6. Salt. speed is great (mix of 3G and 4G) in nearly all Zurich zones - can't speak to Lucern or Bern.
Thanks for this... guessing you don't have to be a resident of Switzerland to get a prepaid sim.
#26
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: San Jose CA
Posts: 1,100
Yallo SIM
Needed a SIM upon landing in Geneva and was told that the only store selling SIMs was the post office. They were unable to sell me one (something was broken) so I picked up a "Yallo" SIM card at the Swiss Post Office in Zurich.
For 10 CHF, I got a SIM with 200? MB of data and 20 CHF of credit. Had to show my passport, and the process was slow, as they needed stuff not on the passport, like current address.
You can only apply the 20 CHF credit after the first batch of data runs out. Then you can choose roaming plans, or just data, in various increments. I texted "SURF1000" to the same SMS address that had been sending me ads and notifications, and 15 CHF of my free 20 CHF was used to allocate a 1GB block.
Yallo provided 4G coverage in Zurich, Geneva, Lausanne, and on the train between those places, sometime dipping to 3G. I'd use them again.
For 10 CHF, I got a SIM with 200? MB of data and 20 CHF of credit. Had to show my passport, and the process was slow, as they needed stuff not on the passport, like current address.
You can only apply the 20 CHF credit after the first batch of data runs out. Then you can choose roaming plans, or just data, in various increments. I texted "SURF1000" to the same SMS address that had been sending me ads and notifications, and 15 CHF of my free 20 CHF was used to allocate a 1GB block.
Yallo provided 4G coverage in Zurich, Geneva, Lausanne, and on the train between those places, sometime dipping to 3G. I'd use them again.
#27
Join Date: Mar 2015
Programs: HH Diamond, GHA Titanium
Posts: 1,961
Adding a data point. Was able to get a SwissCom prepaid SIM card at the Geneva Airport Post Office. chf19.90 for 100mb of 'free' data and chf20 of credit. After the 100mb of free data was used up, auto deduction of chf2/day for data.
#28
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Bay Area
Programs: DL SM, UA MP.
Posts: 12,729
Going there next month. The Swisscom seems pretty meh. Unlimited but it’s only like 10Mbps up to 10 GB a day and then severely throttled.
Sunrise and Salt have similar 2 to 2.5 CHF per day but without any restrictions.
meanwhile, if you buy data bundles, it’s not too competitive, like 20 CHF and up for like 3 GB.
#29
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: DCA or IAD (originally DUB)
Programs: UA 1K 1.8MM, Hertz PC, Marriott Platinum/Lifetime Gold
Posts: 7,657
Any other recent data points?
Going there next month. The Swisscom seems pretty meh. Unlimited but it’s only like 10Mbps up to 10 GB a day and then severely throttled.
Sunrise and Salt have similar 2 to 2.5 CHF per day but without any restrictions.
meanwhile, if you buy data bundles, it’s not too competitive, like 20 CHF and up for like 3 GB.
Also, there is so much free WiFi available, why do you need all that data?
Every time I'm in Switzerland, I never come remotely close to my data allowance(s).
#30
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: RDU
Programs: Marriott Platinum. AA and UA as well, but I don't care about them anymore.
Posts: 308
I was prepared to also buy a Swisscom SIM, but found it was not necessary. But my experience depends on you entering Europe elsewhere at least long enough to buy a SIM before transiting onwards to Switzerland.
Also, 40 Euro is steep for a SIM, but by comparison, if I had used VZW to roam, it would have cost me $10 per day, and if I had bought a SIM in Hungary and then in Switzerland, I would have come close to, or over, 40 EUR anyway.