Ukraine prepaid flat rate SIM
 

Which Ukrainian provides has best flat rate in prepaid? How much the card cost and how much is usable of the balance?

Thanks!

«Free life:)» tariff plan ‹ Tariffs ‹ Individual life:)

0,00 EUR (inside Life 063, 093)
0,04 EUR (all other mobile phones)
no setup fee

Which Ukrainian network has the best data speeds, coverage and micro-SIM cards for prepaid customers? Is it Kyivstar? It seems they charge UAH 1.00 for 50MB per day, which is a very good deal for a short-term visitor. How much are their micro-SIM cards and how much credit does the purchase price include? The information at PrePaidGSM: Ukraine looks out of date.

The best data speeds offer 3G network TryMob, known also as Utel, former part of Ukrtelecom. ÒðèÌîá - Ìîá³ëüíèé ²íòåðíåò áåç äîãîâîðóIt is only 3G WCDMA 2100 MHz in Ukraine.

Another 3G networks provide data and voice in CDMA2000 800 MHz - PeopleNet (incl. Newtone), Intertelecom, CDMAua, and 450 MHz - MTS (data only).

All GSM/WCDMA providers can change your sim for microsim card in their customer service offices or sometimes you can find new microsim start-packages in retail shops.

If you prefer 3G internet, TryMob offers next prepaid tariffs.
1. OGO!Mobilny start
fee 30 UAH/month
package includes 550 Mb 3G internet

2. OGO!Mobilny lehkyy
fee 60 UAH/month
1536 Mb (incl. 350 Mb you can use in 2G roaming Kyivstar)

3. OGO!Mobilny standart
fee 120 UAH/month
8192 Mb (incl. 5120 Mb you can use in 2G roaming Kyivstar)

4. U'try
no monthly fee
Mb not included
free calls and videocalls inside network after top-up 30 UAH or more every month.

Monthly fee charges only when you have enough money on account. You can change your tariff any time for free and as much as you want. Also all calls and videocalls inside TryMob are free (when using internet packages).
Tariffs after using packeges:
3G internet 1 Mb - 0,10 UAH
2G internet 1 Mb (Kyivstar roaming) - 0,40 UAH


Kyivstar (2G)
It offers one of the most expensive tariffs for internet in Ukraine. In all tariffs it costs 1,00 - 6,00 UAH per Mb.
But Kyivstar offers service "Internet without limits".
Fee 1 UAH/day
incl. 50 Mb (usual speed for GPRS/EDGE)
after using this limit you get really very slow internet (up to 64 Kbit/s).
Internet without limits

Life (2G)
Tariff plan «life:) crazy day» ‹ Tariffs ‹ Individual life:)
Fee 1,19 UAH/day
you get 40 Mb internet, 40 sms within Ukraine, 400 min call inside Life per day. You can double day internet for 0,80 UAH.

Another tariff with 0,10 UAH/Mb Tariff plan life:) online ‹ Tariffs ‹ Individual life:)

MTS (2G)

MTS Ukraine - MTS Prepaid
Tariff "Max Energy"
Fee 1,20 UAH/day
incl. 1500 Mb/month
After using monthly package you pay 7,00 UAH/Mb

Thanks for the comprehensive reply. It's extraordinary that there's only one 3G network, and susprising that both of the big Russian networks in Ukraine, MTS and Beeline, are 2G-only. When I saw only one 3G network listed at PrePaidGSM: Ukraine I assumed incorrectly that the page was out of date. How much does ÒðèÌîá charge for a prepaid micro-SIM before buying any service, and what is their expiry policy?

According to their site it costs 30 UAH with 550MB and 5 UAH credit included.

The sim card is valid 365 days from last recharge of 100 UAH and more, or 270 days from last recharge less than 100 UAH.

Most of the information I know from Frank_Costello who was kind enough to explain it all to me :)

By the way, I think Kievstar offers national roaming on the TryMob network. At least I have used a Kievstar prepaid last time when I was in Ukraine (summer 2011 in Odessa) and for sure I had a 3G signal.

Are you sure that Kyivstar doesn't provide 3G? Kyivstar's web site suggests that they do. Perhaps it is provided by a roaming agreement with ТриМоб. What is Kyivstar's expiry policy? Is it 1 year from the last call as stated at PrePaidGSM: Ukraine? I avoid networks that require periodic top-ups.

yes, thats pretty sure. The other operators have CDMA but 450 and 800 MHz wich is not GSM compatible:

GSM Coverage Maps | Ukraine

Like you, I used to rely upon the above GSM Association web site for definitive information about networks, but it is clearly out of date in many cases. For example, this month I used MTS 3G in Belarus, which is shown at GSM Coverage Maps | Belarus as being "GSM 900/1800" only. I therefore still believe that Kyivstar has 3G coverage. Can anyone confirm?

Kyivstar hasn't 3G coverage. It provides 3G national roaming in TriMob network (with special simcard only). All other 3G networks use American standard CDMA 800 MHz and 450 MHz. By the way, you can't find any CDMA 800 MHz network in Europe except Ukraine and Transnistria (Moldova).

Kyivstar provides 3G data roaming only when you use special Kyivstar simcards for internet that you can buy only together with 3G modem (“Kyivstar. Mobile Internet” set marked with yellow stripe "3G internet", price 349 UAH).

This situation is because of very expensive licenses for 3G.
(Beeline-Ukraine hasn't own 2G network since last year, it was united as a part of Kyivstar.)

After purchasing of the start-package you can get microsim in customer service offices, it costs 20 UAH.

But most of users here just cut it in small private repair shops of mobile phones, "radio markets" or do it at home. How To Cut Sim & Make a Micro Sim Card For iPhone 4S/4 & iPad 3G 1/2/3 - YouTube

Thanks for all the information, Frank Costello. It seems that Ukraine is much less straightforward for SIM cards than one would expect. I suppose 4G/LTE is out of the question, given the shortage of 3G networks?

There are several 4G/WiMax networks in Ukraine like Giraffe.ua and FreshTel.

I think the operators are waiting for the time and they are going to develop 4g/LTE and skip 3G.

Also state project 4G/LTE network for education is underway.
????????? ???? | State Agency for Investment and National projects of Ukraine
http://www.ukrproject.gov.ua/sites/d...t_02_print.pdf

It's hard for me to argue with a specialist from Ukraine, but I really remember having 3G signal... In summer 2010 when I was my very first time in Ukraine I even remember actually testing its speed in Sambor because I was amazed that it had 3G coverage there - and I have bought the sim card from a little Kievstar stand at the Marschrutka station for 50 UAH there (no modem or anything). But perhaps it may have changed since then....?

It is not possible to use regular Kyivstar simcards in national roaming in TriMob (Utel in 2010) network. It is impossible even register in TriMob network with it. To use 3G internet you need to buy special simcard with modem, and this simcard supports only data and sms, you can't use it for calls.

Also it is possible to buy just special simcard without modem by signing the contract in Kyivstar offices (you need to show passport and Ukrainian tax number certificate).

So, I think you're mistaken. Apparently it was just the EDGE.
Or maybe someone sold you Kyivstar's 3G simcard separately on one's pat? Does it support calls?

Is it possible to use such a SIM card for voice calls, or is it intended only for data?

It's not possible. Only data, incoming sms and USSD.

Any type of service in the Ukraine aside of in the really major cities can be very patchy. Don't think you are in a highly developed telecommunications country! Check around with a local to see what the best deal is at any given time depending on where you want to call. I was there three weeks ago and got a SIM from Beeline [Kyivstar] that gives me USA calling for UAH 0.19 / EU 0.019 a minute [with a UAH 1 connection fee on the first call made each day].

http://www.ukrtelecom.ua/media/libra...o_sim_back.jpg
http://www.ukrtelecom.ua/media/libra...o_sim_face.jpg

Thanks for the info folks!

Has anything changed in Ukraine recently? Is ТриМоб still the only 3G network in Kiev? Is there any 4G yet?

Is it possible to buy a ТриМоб nano-SIM at Kiev Бориспіль airport (ideally in Terminal D)?

Unfortunately nothing has changed. ТриМоб is still the only 3G network in Ukraine (if we doesn't count CDMA networks). 3mob has the worst marketing and PR departments in the world I guess. Half of friends of mine still thought that there're no any 3G options except CDMA.
You can get micro or nano sim in mobile phone shops and also in the 3mob offices. I don't know about situation in the KBP.

Thanks very much for the advice. Does ТриМоб definitely issue prepaid SIM cards? On their web site , it suggests it's contract only.

I've been in Kiev since Friday. I tried to buy a ТриМоб SIM card in the centre of Kiev but only an independent shop would sell me one with a huge markup, bringing the price to around UAH 130. As a comparison, the same shop had a price for a Kyivstar SIM of around the same amount. I then went to a Kyivstar shop and bought a new SIM for UAH 10 (including UAH 5 of credit I think), which I then swapped to a genuine nano-SIM for UAH 21. Although this only gives me 2G, it's fine for background data and free wifi is ubiquitous in Kiev. Often the first thing people do when they sit down in a bar or restaurant is ask for the establishment's wifi password.

Unlike ТриМоб, I can keep my Kyivstar nano-SIM active for future trips with only a balance deduction every 12 months. The helpful girl in the Kyivstar shop told me I needed to switch off data (UAH1/day) by dialling *154*0# before leaving Ukraine and reactivating it on future trips by dialling *154*1#. If you don't switch it off, you are charged UAH1/day even if you don't use data on a particular day.