Cellular communication and internet in goa. Communications and connection in india internet to goa mobile

India is a country of contrasts, which surprises with its nature and stuns with the poverty of its people. It is strange to see luxury hotels and resorts next to the poorest neighborhoods and dirty streets. But, nevertheless, India is the place where you should come at least once, you will not regret it. After all, everything is different here, not like in Europe. Therefore, new impressions and experience are provided. If you are already packing your bags, do not forget to inquire about the country and what you will need. Today we will help you choose the cheapest option for mobile internet in India and calls to other countries. Note that in this case it is not recommended to completely rely on fate, since there are some nuances, even with the purchase of a SIM card.

Mobile operators in India: offers for tourists

If you want to buy a SIM card for a tourist, then you should prepare in advance several color photographs (like for a passport) and a photocopy of the visa, the first pages of the passport. Without this, not a single seller, either in the salon or in a regular store, will want to talk to you. By the way, there are times when tourists are denied a purchase. True, nothing prevents you from contacting another point of sale, but a little unpleasant. If you do not have photos with you, then taking them for a fee is not a problem (from 70 to 100 rupees).

Today, cellular communication in India is developing rapidly, so there should be no problems with the Internet. Especially in big tourist cities. But, having bought a SIM card in one city, and having left its aisles, you automatically enter the roaming zone. And this means that you will have to pay more for calls than was originally set. So don't be surprised by price hikes. By the way, internal roaming is relevant only for calls and SMS, the cost of mobile Internet does not change, regardless of the region. But you should be prepared for the fact that in large cities the connection is good, and in more remote areas it is worse. You can use the services of the following mobile operators in India:

• Airtel is the most popular provider among tourists and has good coverage throughout the country. Provides special rates for tourists, it is possible to connect 3G, and in metropolitan areas such as Calcutta, you can also order 4G.
• Idea is the second in demand. The mobile operator specializes in providing Internet services, various packages for 3G are offered.
• Vodafone is a well-known British operator that also operates in India. Offers prepaid rates for travelers. The operator approaches the issue of registration and purchase strictly, often requiring not only documents, but also an address.

In general, it cannot be said that communications and mobile Internet are very expensive in the country. But the purchase, activation, registration takes time. And in an unfamiliar country, it is much more difficult to do all this, so we advise you to go with your SIM card. Say that roaming is too expensive, perhaps, but there are good deals.

Mobile phone tariffs in India: which one is better to choose?

If roaming was affordable, would our tourists really fool around with local SIM cards. Of course not, which is why we offer to evaluate the offers of several operators and compare the benefits. So, let's start with the prices for the Internet from:

• MTS offers 30 megabytes for 380 rubles, that is, 12.6 rubles per 1 MB.
• Megafon will provide mobile Internet (70 MB for 350 rubles), that is, 5 rubles per megabyte.
• Comfort Way offers a megabyte for 147 rubles.
• Tele2 offers 10 megabytes for 300 rubles, that is, 30 rubles for 1 MB.
• Beeline for only 5 rubles one megabyte.

At first glance, it seems that it is profitable to choose the last offer, but we found the conditions even more profitable. Mobile operator Globalsim offers in roaming:

• International calls to 140 countries at 25 cents per 1 outgoing minute.
• The cost of one megabyte is 2.60 rubles.
• Free incoming calls.
• Free forwarding of the Russian number of your interlocutor (no need to carry a phone with an Estonian SIM card).
• Various traffic packages (different periods of validity and traffic volumes).

With the Internet in Goa, everything is very sad. But nevertheless, it is, and therefore the following is a description of our experience of interacting with the Indian Internet, both with mobile and not so much.

Mobile Internet

So, upon arrival in Goa, it is recommended to immediately get a SIM card, otherwise you can just be left without the Internet. The probability that there will be Wi-Fi in the guesthouse in which you check in tends to zero. Not everything is smooth and covered by local mobile operators, so it is recommended to buy several SIM cards at once to check which one works best in your place of residence. In my opinion, if you live in the Arambol beach area, manipulations with various SIM cards are unlikely to help you, since all cell towers here are concentrated behind gas stations away from the sea, which means that the closer you live to the beach, the worse 3G will work for you, no matter what mobile operator you have.

However, we decided to buy all the sim cards from the Big Goan Three: Vodafon, IDEA, And Airtell. Where we went, cards Airtell was not, but there were some Aircell, which they refused to sell to us, citing the fact that this operator suspended its work in the Arambol beach area and in general no internet packages work for it. All this sounds rather strange, but do not take away the SIM card by force. Yes, I almost forgot, to purchase a SIM card, you must have your passport and photo with you!

When buying a SIM card in Goa, you will definitely be offered two activation options: the first, you pay 500 rupees, and get 355 rupees to your account and 1 Gigabyte of mobile Internet, but you will have to wait 2-3 days for activation or the second, the same options and activation is instant, but already for 600 rupees (this is in October, in November they are already asking for 800). All this is true for Vodafon so for IDEA. We chose instant activation and when we got home, we immediately conducted a comparative test:

Here it may seem that IDEA a clear favorite, but numerous tests have proven that the situation, depending on the time of day, wind strength, or something else, can change to the opposite. The only thing that always remains constant is Ping, IDEA it is always above 100 ms, which is bad for programs like Skype where delays are critical.

After thinking, we decided that we would leave the SIM card IDEA in a USB modem, and SIM cards Vodafon in phones. We took the modem with us from Russia, so as not to spend money on it on the spot. Although it is designed to work only with MTS SIM cards, with the help of simple manipulations it can be made “omnivorous”, if anyone is interested in how, you can read here. Another useful thing that would be nice to always have with you is adapters for various types and sizes of SIM cards. With these things, by cutting the SIM card to the smallest nano-sim, you can use it in any devices, no matter what size they need a SIM card.

Now about the tariffs, oddly enough, Vodafon And IDEA they are practically the same. In general, the number of options for Internet packages that you can connect goes off scale, so in the table I will give some for the operator Vodafon, to understand the order of prices:

By the way, connecting various tariffs is very simple, right from the on-screen menu: dial *111# For Vodafon or *122# For IDEA and then by sending numbers, select various options. It looks something like this:

We sort of figured out the mobile Internet, let's move on to not very mobile.

Wired Internet

There are two main wired internet operators in Goa BSNL(ADSL technology) and Gwave(optics). If you are lucky, then in your place of residence there will be Internet from one of these providers. We were “lucky” twice and the guest house and our new house are connected to BSNL but why in quotes? The problem is that the provider BSNL very tricky and each tariff has a limit on the number of downloaded megabytes (stone age, I agree). Those. at the beginning of each month, you have access to 2 Mbps and 6 GB of traffic (depending on the tariff plan), but after all gigabytes have been selected (and this will happen very soon), you will see the following message:

And you, i.e. the owner of the house will need to add more money to the account in order to buy a few more gigabytes at full speed, of course he will not do this and for the rest of the month you will have to be content with a speed of 512 Kbps, which is very sad for several people.

If you are more lucky than us, then in your house (or guest house) there will be Internet from Gwave. This provider does not have a limit on downloaded megabytes, so you can enjoy an honest 2 or 4 MB / s for a whole month. Naturally, the tariffs of this provider are higher than those of BSNL, therefore, as I understand it, the Indians are not very eager to connect to it.

So, while these are all the varieties of the Internet that we managed to get acquainted with here in Goa, if we test something new, we will definitely write about it.

If you want to use telephone and internet connection in India, then it makes sense to get a local SIM card, as roaming with a Russian SIM card will cost you a lot. There are three most popular mobile operators in Goa - Airtel, Vodafone and Idea.

Communication in India is developed quite well and it is quite cheap. Many parts of India have 4G, but unfortunately Goa only has 3G so far.

Required documents for obtaining a SIM card

So, in order to get a SIM card in Goa and register it for yourself, you will need:

1. color photo(if you do not have it with you, then it will be made for you for 50 rupees on the spot).
2. Foreign passport and a copy of the main page with a photo(if there is no copy, then it will be made for you for 10 rupees).
3. Address and phone number of the owner of the house where you are staying(they will call him and clarify whether you really live at this address).
4. Money(100 rupees for connection + money for the selected tariff).

Tariffs and cost of calls

Communication tariffs are different and depend on the amount of Internet traffic you need, as well as the number of minutes of calls.

For example, the tariff for 401 rupees per month includes:

• 1 GB Internet 3G for 1 month;
• all incoming calls are free, including from Russia;
• 1 minute call to Russia 6-7 rupees;
• 1 minute by Indian number - 1 rupee;
• sms in India (7 sms) - 5 rupees;
• 35 free SMS are given for the first 7 days;

This SIM card is valid for 3 months. When buying a SIM card, it is not activated. To activate it, cellular communication employees need to bring documents to the operator's company. This takes approximately 2-3 days. On the fourth day, you come to the same address and it will be activated for you.

What are the alternatives to not wait for the activation of the SIM card

There are many offers to buy an already activated SIM card. Naturally, they will not be designed for you and will cost much more.
So, for example, travel agencies during a transfer can offer you the purchase of such a SIM card, or local residents in tents, or even tourists themselves who have settled and live there.

Which option you use is up to you, of course.

How to call

• If you call to Russia, then dial the number through +7.
• If you call Indian numbers, then just dial the ten-digit number.
• To call your Indian number from Russia, dial +91 followed by the ten digit number.
• If you bought a SIM card in Goa, then when you go to another state, roaming will turn on and the payment will be higher.

How to check balance

• Airtel - *123#
• Vodafone- *141# or *111*2# (remaining Internet traffic - *111*6*2#)
• ideas- *212# (remaining Internet traffic - *125#)

How to replenish the balance

The balance can be topped up at the same store where you bought the SIM card or at any other mobile phone sales point. Wait for the money to be credited to your account before leaving the salon. And keep in mind that not the entire amount that you give for replenishment may fall on the balance, because. intermediaries often increase the cost, and take the difference for themselves.

Telecommunications in India is one of the fastest growing sectors of the economy. There is a government program in which the development of telecommunications is declared a state priority. There are almost a billion telephone subscribers in India today.

Fixed telephone services in India are provided by two state-owned companies MTNL and BSNL. Fixed-line users are mainly government agencies. Residents of the country and private business, however, prefer cell phones, which to a certain extent explains the more affordable price of mobile calls.

Currently, there are 14 fiercely competing mobile and Internet operators in the country, including the state of Goa, the most famous of which are: Vodafone, Airtel, Idea, BSNL, Aircel, Reliance, Tata DoCoMo.

The best telephone option for a foreign tourist in Goa who wants to use their own phone, these are prepaid services of mobile operators. Calls to Russia from local cellular networks are much cheaper than roaming calls from Russian operators, some of which, by the way, do not support this service in Goa. Tariffs for both incoming and outgoing calls in roaming with Russian operators start at 100 rubles a minute, SMS is about 20, and a call from Goa to Russia from any local network costs 6-7 rubles a minute, SMS - 3-4 rubles, calls and SMS within Goa - less than a ruble.

Buy a prepaid sim card you can in the offices of cellular companies and travel agencies, they are also sold in supermarkets and hotels. According to reviews, Vodafone, Airtel and Idea are distinguished by the best coverage in Goa. To connect to the network of any operator, you will be required to have copies of significant pages of your passport and one or two passport-sized photographs. Copies are usually made on the spot. Since September 2012, India has introduced restrictions on the sale of SIM cards to foreigners. Tourists are issued SIM cards for the duration of the visa, but not longer than 3 months. That is, if you have a visa for a longer period, then you will have to buy a new one.SIMmap.

To replenish the balance need to purchase a voucher recharge voucher), they are sold almost everywhere. It is also possible to replenish in cash - in the offices of mobile operators or travel agencies. It is recommended to replenish the balance only full talk time. This means that you will receive on your balance exactly the same amount that you paid. Some operators have commissions for replenishing the balance.

International landline available in points STD-ISD-PCO, which are widespread, especially in the resort area of ​​​​Goa. Usually such points are recognized from afar by yellow signs. The service is convenient because it is paid after the call, in cash, the tariff is per second, and the current time and cost of the call are reflected on the scoreboard next to the phone. Call to Russia from STD/ISD/PCO network 9-10 rubles per minute.

Dialing a phone number.

cellular

Mobile telephony in the country is experiencing rapid development. By purchasing a SIM card from local companies, you can get a direct Indian number. A SIM card from local operators costs from 500 INR, for the purchase you need a copy of your passport and visa, plus two photographs (for 70 INR - 100 INR, the seller of the SIM cards will take the photo). When traveling outside the state in which the SIM card was purchased, roaming takes effect (1 INR - 2 INR per minute for all calls, counting incoming).

All Indian operators in prepaid tariff plans charge a separate payment for the actual connection (account refill) and SIM card validity extension (validity). Annual or lifetime validity is quite inexpensive.

Replenishment of the card balance is possible through express payment cards and dealers of the company. The dealer will use a Nokia phone with a special program for this (you should wait for the SMS to be received on your phone and only then give the money), and you should not refuse offers to replenish your account with a "non-circular amount" (for example, 444 INR instead of 400 INR). Marketing companies often change, and what was profitable six months ago may no longer be relevant. Be prepared to pay significant commissions for topping up the balance of the national mobile operator while roaming within the country.

A call to Moscow from a mobile phone costs (from Delhi) about 10 INR. An incoming call to a mobile phone (even from abroad) is free.

GPRS on a local SIM card will most likely not be activated. The police usually require documentary proof of the local address of residence for this operation.

Cellular coverage, even in large cities, is rather incomplete. At the same time, roaming of local mobile companies does not cover the entire territory of the country, so some areas (especially mountainous) are still inaccessible in this regard.

Cell phone etiquette in India requires a mobile phone number to be printed on a business card. Even if it is an Indian minister or a big businessman.

Telephone communications

It is more profitable to make international calls via automatic communication of private or public telephone companies (STD / ISD, tariffs practically do not differ), or order a conversation through a telephone operator. Telephone booths usually have an electronic display showing the time and cost of the call. You can also call from the hotel, but in this case the rate will be three times higher.

To call a country, dial 8 - 10 - 91 -<код города> - <номер вызываемого абонента>. Codes of some cities: Ahmedabad - 79, Bangalore - 80, Mumbai (Bombay) - 22, New Delhi - 11, Jaipur - 141, Kolkata (Calcutta) - 33, Kanpur - 512, Lucknow - 522, Chennai (Madras) - 44 , Nagpur - 712, Nasik - 253, Patna - 612, Pune - 212, Surat - 261, Hyderabad - 40, Chandigarh - 172, Shillong - 364.

khorenian | October 2012