Jul 9, 2013, 11:35 am
Last edit by: joshwex90
Israel has full-service carriers and MVNOs (to the consumer, there is ZERO difference between the 2!)
Full Service
MVNOs*
*None of these carriers work with BlackBerry. If you have a BlackBerry (including the new Q10 or Z10) and you get a SIM from any of these companies, calls/SMS will work, but no data (internet, BlackBerry data such as BBM, push email,) will work. You will need to be connected to WiFi to connect to internet.
If coming to Israel for just a few days, it's probably not worth going through the hassle of signing up with a carrier, and just renting a SIM through one of the following companies: Talk n Save, Israel Phones, TravelCell, or World SIM Travel.
If you're going to be traveling to Israel frequently, then it becomes worth signing up with a carrier. HOT Mobile offers a plan that has no monthly charge, and costs 13 agurot/minute to call Israeli phone numbers, 13 agurot/domestic SMS, cheap direct dialing rates abroad, (15 agurot/minute to USA,) and 13 agurot/MB internet. The cost of the SIM is a one-time fee of NIS 39. Sign up is possible with a foreign credit card and with a passport number in lieu of an Israeli identity number (Teudat Zehut). (Note that this plan isn't listed on the English site.)
If you plan on being in Israel for a month or two, Golan is another option. They have a special now for new subscribers which is their regular plan, free of charge for the first 2 months. The plan includes unlimited domestic calling and unlimited domestic SMS, unlimited 3G data (speeds throttled after 3GB), and international calling. After 2 months, the cost goes up to NIS 99. Sign-up is possible with a foreign credit card and a passport number.
A unique benefit of Golan is the ability to have a virtual phone number, free of charge.
If you'll be in Israel long-term, both HOT Mobile and Golan offer the same unlimited plans at NIS 99, with specials now, such as NIS 49 or NIS 59 for the first few months.
Note regarding prices: All prices include the 18% VAT (Israeli Value Added Tax, or sales tax in Israel)
Prices are listed in (ILS) shekel (NIS = New Israeli Shekel). 100 agurot equal 1 shekel. Google "convert XXX to ILS" to check current exchange rates between shekel and local currency.
How to dial internationally from Israel?
HOT Mobile - dial 00-country code-local phone number OR dial "+" followed by country code and then local number
Golan Telecom - same as HOT Mobile
Orange - 012-country code (via 012 Smile)
Cellcom - 013-country code (via Netvision)
Pelephone - 014-country code (via Bezeq)
Rami Levi - 015-country code (via 015Hallo)
LTE!
Advanced LTE has made it to Israel, though not every carrier currently has it available.
Orange (Partner Communications) and subsidiary 012Smile offer Advanced LTE. To benefit, you must have a phone that supports either LTE band 3 or band 7.
All other networks in Israel use band 7 only!
They are: Pelephone and Cellcom
Full Service
- Orange (also known as Partner Communications)
- Cellcom - Promotion: 2 unlimited cellphone, 15 MBs home internet (sapak only), and home phone line with unlimited calling - NIS 199/month for 6 months (after which price increases to NIS 249)
- Pelephone
- HOT Mobile* (Note: stores are closed Saturday night, contrary to what's listed on the website). HOT Mobile customers benefit from free internet service ("sapak") through HOTnet (though must still purchase "tashtit."
- Golan Telecom*
MVNOs*
- Rami Levi Communications
- YouPhone (also known as Alon Cellular) - Current promotion: NIS 39/month for first 4 months for unlimited talk/text and unlimited internet (speed throttled after 1GB). After 4 months, price goes up to NIS 79. Add NIS 10 to increase base internet to 3GB
- Home Cellular
- 012Smile - Roams off parent company, Orange
*None of these carriers work with BlackBerry. If you have a BlackBerry (including the new Q10 or Z10) and you get a SIM from any of these companies, calls/SMS will work, but no data (internet, BlackBerry data such as BBM, push email,) will work. You will need to be connected to WiFi to connect to internet.
If coming to Israel for just a few days, it's probably not worth going through the hassle of signing up with a carrier, and just renting a SIM through one of the following companies: Talk n Save, Israel Phones, TravelCell, or World SIM Travel.
If you're going to be traveling to Israel frequently, then it becomes worth signing up with a carrier. HOT Mobile offers a plan that has no monthly charge, and costs 13 agurot/minute to call Israeli phone numbers, 13 agurot/domestic SMS, cheap direct dialing rates abroad, (15 agurot/minute to USA,) and 13 agurot/MB internet. The cost of the SIM is a one-time fee of NIS 39. Sign up is possible with a foreign credit card and with a passport number in lieu of an Israeli identity number (Teudat Zehut). (Note that this plan isn't listed on the English site.)
If you plan on being in Israel for a month or two, Golan is another option. They have a special now for new subscribers which is their regular plan, free of charge for the first 2 months. The plan includes unlimited domestic calling and unlimited domestic SMS, unlimited 3G data (speeds throttled after 3GB), and international calling. After 2 months, the cost goes up to NIS 99. Sign-up is possible with a foreign credit card and a passport number.
A unique benefit of Golan is the ability to have a virtual phone number, free of charge.
If you'll be in Israel long-term, both HOT Mobile and Golan offer the same unlimited plans at NIS 99, with specials now, such as NIS 49 or NIS 59 for the first few months.
Note regarding prices: All prices include the 18% VAT (Israeli Value Added Tax, or sales tax in Israel)
Prices are listed in (ILS) shekel (NIS = New Israeli Shekel). 100 agurot equal 1 shekel. Google "convert XXX to ILS" to check current exchange rates between shekel and local currency.
How to dial internationally from Israel?
HOT Mobile - dial 00-country code-local phone number OR dial "+" followed by country code and then local number
Golan Telecom - same as HOT Mobile
Orange - 012-country code (via 012 Smile)
Cellcom - 013-country code (via Netvision)
Pelephone - 014-country code (via Bezeq)
Rami Levi - 015-country code (via 015Hallo)
LTE!
Advanced LTE has made it to Israel, though not every carrier currently has it available.
Orange (Partner Communications) and subsidiary 012Smile offer Advanced LTE. To benefit, you must have a phone that supports either LTE band 3 or band 7.
All other networks in Israel use band 7 only!
They are: Pelephone and Cellcom
Prepaid SIM - Israel (and non-prepaid)
Jun 22, 2016, 2:34 am
#61
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You can order from Golan and you don't need to be a citizen or use an Israeli credit card.
Jun 22, 2016, 6:26 am
#62
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Seattle, Washington USA
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Jun 22, 2016, 10:41 am
#63
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Jun 22, 2016, 1:48 pm
#64
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: CPT,AMS
Posts: 4,412
In terms of customer service, I had to e-mail them a few times as they had some weird charges (e.g. they charged me for an SMS I sent in the Netherlands), in all cases they replied that they are checking and then proceeded to refund the money, it wasn't the fastest service, but it worked just fine.
Jun 23, 2016, 8:09 am
#65
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Are they? I have their SIM as I travel to Israel few times a year, never had any issues with dropped calls, or SMS, or internet, browsing/facebook/whatsapp/google maps etc. all works fine.
In terms of customer service, I had to e-mail them a few times as they had some weird charges (e.g. they charged me for an SMS I sent in the Netherlands), in all cases they replied that they are checking and then proceeded to refund the money, it wasn't the fastest service, but it worked just fine.
In terms of customer service, I had to e-mail them a few times as they had some weird charges (e.g. they charged me for an SMS I sent in the Netherlands), in all cases they replied that they are checking and then proceeded to refund the money, it wasn't the fastest service, but it worked just fine.
Jul 13, 2019, 6:44 am
#68
Join Date: May 2000
Location: WAS
Posts: 1,069
SIM card for Israel
Will be visiting Israel for exactly 7 days and am looking for a SIM card for a lot of data usage, as well as short local calls, short calls to the US, and texts to the US, and had a few questions:
1. I get the impression that even prepaid providers in Israel all work based off of plans (i.e. there's no option to simply load a balance that gets charged down based on usage; instead you buy a plan that offers unlimited calls etc. for a set amount of time) - is that right?
2. Also, which providers are both reliable and well-priced?
3. I saw that Snapair (through Cellcom) and 019 offer pickup at the airport - are they good options?
4. For Snapair and 019, their websites mention plans with unlimited local calls and texts and unlimited calls to the US, but make no mention of texts to the US. How much extra should I expect to pay to be able to send texts tot he US?
5. I saw there's a post office at TLV supposedly open until 22:00 - would they offer me a better deal on a SIM card?
1. I get the impression that even prepaid providers in Israel all work based off of plans (i.e. there's no option to simply load a balance that gets charged down based on usage; instead you buy a plan that offers unlimited calls etc. for a set amount of time) - is that right?
2. Also, which providers are both reliable and well-priced?
3. I saw that Snapair (through Cellcom) and 019 offer pickup at the airport - are they good options?
4. For Snapair and 019, their websites mention plans with unlimited local calls and texts and unlimited calls to the US, but make no mention of texts to the US. How much extra should I expect to pay to be able to send texts tot he US?
5. I saw there's a post office at TLV supposedly open until 22:00 - would they offer me a better deal on a SIM card?
Jul 14, 2019, 2:33 pm
#69
Moderator: Travel Safety/Security, Travel Tools, California, Los Angeles; FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Location: LAX
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Jul 14, 2019, 2:51 pm
#70
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 1999
Posts: 24,153
At least Plan wise with Hot you need to have an Israeli with a TDZ sign on with you, had that too but the plan was changed numerous times w/o being told so it was very expensive, and they didnt charge my US CC so in the end they started legal action against my friend whose TDZ was used. Went to Hot HQ in Yeru and was able to pay it off and they CXed the legal action
Then no one any longer sells cheap SIMs at the airport so you have to wait till you can get a new SIM which they charge for besides the value you put on it
The last few trips in I simply did w/o a phone and Survived, so much so that Im not sure I will be getting another SIM over there, unless they go back to the likes of putting money on the card and its good for 6 months. traveling with a Majic Jack allows me to call those over there with US #s for free, but thats only via my computer, but has been good enough the last few trips over
Obviously someone going for biz needs a SIM
Jul 14, 2019, 3:07 pm
#71
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 21,018
Better for threads like SIM's to have one thread with an up to date wiki rather than many threads spread over many sub forums
Jul 15, 2019, 12:49 am
#72
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: HaMerkaz/Exit 145
Programs: UA, LY, BA, AA
Posts: 13,167
Will be visiting Israel for exactly 7 days and am looking for a SIM card for a lot of data usage, as well as short local calls, short calls to the US, and texts to the US, and had a few questions:
1. I get the impression that even prepaid providers in Israel all work based off of plans (i.e. there's no option to simply load a balance that gets charged down based on usage; instead you buy a plan that offers unlimited calls etc. for a set amount of time) - is that right?
2. Also, which providers are both reliable and well-priced?
3. I saw that Snapair (through Cellcom) and 019 offer pickup at the airport - are they good options?
4. For Snapair and 019, their websites mention plans with unlimited local calls and texts and unlimited calls to the US, but make no mention of texts to the US. How much extra should I expect to pay to be able to send texts tot he US?
5. I saw there's a post office at TLV supposedly open until 22:00 - would they offer me a better deal on a SIM card?
1. I get the impression that even prepaid providers in Israel all work based off of plans (i.e. there's no option to simply load a balance that gets charged down based on usage; instead you buy a plan that offers unlimited calls etc. for a set amount of time) - is that right?
2. Also, which providers are both reliable and well-priced?
3. I saw that Snapair (through Cellcom) and 019 offer pickup at the airport - are they good options?
4. For Snapair and 019, their websites mention plans with unlimited local calls and texts and unlimited calls to the US, but make no mention of texts to the US. How much extra should I expect to pay to be able to send texts tot he US?
5. I saw there's a post office at TLV supposedly open until 22:00 - would they offer me a better deal on a SIM card?
- Several companies offer prepaid and some of them do offer pay-as-you-go, including 012, Rami Levy, and 019. That being said, the rates in Israel for an unlimited plan are low enough that often, the prepaid options aren't really worth it. For example, Rami Levy charges 30 shekel for 5 GB. Getting 5 GB that PAYG would cost over 80 shek.
- In terms of cell coverage, for the most part, all the 4 networks (Partner, Pelephone, Cellcom, and HOT) have pretty much the same coverage. I personally have found Partner to be better in some areas. All other companies roam off of one of those networks. Personally, I have found Golan to be unreliable in many places though they are really easy to deal with for foreign tourists. My parents have 019 for when they visit and have been very happy with them.
- Never heard of Snapair but 019 is quite reasonable. Definitely a good option.
- International SMS are never included on any plan. While incoming SMS is always free, you'll pay to text internationally. It can be anywhere from 99 agurot to 5 shekel. I recommend using WhatsApp, Google Hangouts/Voice, Skype, etc.
- Not likely
Jul 17, 2019, 7:14 pm
#74
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 12
For a 7 date trip the cost per day is negligible so you night as well get the simm wi
If its 3-4 weeks trip then there are real savings with a local simm and plan - many of those are available on Ebay and run about $13 for the SIM and 59 shekel for unlimited local calls and texts plus 10-20 gig of data.
Jul 20, 2019, 2:18 am
#75
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Carlsbad,CA USA
Programs: Marriott Bonvoy Titanuim/Lifetime Platinum, Hilton Gold, United Silver
Posts: 1,534
Visiting a few countries in Europe on a cruise before heading to Israel for 5 days. Are there any sim cards that I can buy either in the US or my first stop in France that would work in both Europe and Israel?