Cellular and Data Plans for United Arab Emirates

If you are planning on traveling to the UAE and need cellular service, you have several options. One option is to receive a free SIM card from the local carrier at the airport in the UAE. For this option, please note that you will need an unlocked phone. Here is how you can get a free SIM card;

First time travelers to the UAE above the age of 18 can get a free SIM card at any of the UAE entry points including the Dubai airport. The SIM card has very little data, SMS and call credit - just three-minutes of talk time, five SMS and 20MB of mobile data and hence, you will need to add credit immediately. The SIM card is literally given to you by a passport control officer when they stamp your passport. If you need a local number, this is a good solution. However, the downside of this is that you will need to add credit to the SIM card if you plan on using it for more than a few emails or minutes of calls and adding credit can be an annoyance.

Alternatively, we offer a Global SIM Card that works in the UAE as well as approximately 200 other countries. Unlike the local UAE SIM card option, you can easily add credit directly from your handset which means that you will not be stuck without service if you cannot find a store locally to add credit.

If your phone is locked or you want to rent a phone for your trip, we also offer Android and iPhone rentals that work in the UAE as well as any other destination during your transit. The service comes with a UK number and an option for a US number or to keep your number. Please click on the appropriate links below for more information.