Phone and Internet in Tanzania
When traveling abroad for tourism, it’s not uncommon to ask for information on the use of the phone and internet. Even those who are organizing their holidays in Tanzania ask themselves if they’re going to be able to use their Italian phone or if they should buy a local SIM. And what about the Internet? Is there a connection during a safari or in the accommodation facilities? We want to answer all these questions in order to prepare the travelers before the departure.
Is it possible to use a phone with an Italian sim in Tanzania?
Sure, it can be done. The GSM coverage is everywhere, but there are some areas in which you won’t find a network. The solution is to use the Italian line in roaming, but except on rare occasions, there are no convenient offers from telephone companies. However, you should keep in mind that the management costs are quite high. If you intend not to limit yourself to using Wi-Fi in public areas or hotels, but want to make frequent calls to Italy, the best thing to do is choosing a SIM card from a local operator.
If you want you can certainly use your own SIM card to keep in touch with your contacts during the trip, but, as we’ve already said, it’s not the most convenient choice and above all you will have to activate the chance of making phone calls to and from Tanzania. If you are not thinking about buying a local SIM, we recommend a call to your operator for understanding if it is possible to activate a limited offer just for the trip.
Local SIMS to buy
Buying a phone card on site it’s quite simple and you can do it right from the airport or by going to a store in the city. It is the most convenient choice if you decide to keep in touch, be able to read emails and to make phone calls without spending large sums Among the most popular operators we find Zantel, the operator with really good and advantageous promotions. The choice is excellent because it allows you to activate weekly offers, for example: 7 days with 2,5 giga at the price of 10$. Do not worry, the Giga are not few also because in most restaurants, clubs and hotels you will find a free and fast Wi-Fi connection
Internet connection during a safari
Given that the best thing is to avoid surfing the internet during such a magical experience such as the one of the Safari in Tanzania, there are those who wonder if the connection is available. We can assure you that the connection is good in almost all of Tanzania and also that even in parks it has a good stability, except for some areas. Among the places where the internet doesn’t adequately take up we find Lake Natron, the Serengeti National Park, Lake Ndutu and along the Mara River. For the rest we can say that during your Safari experience you could connect with great freedom.
Our advice however, is to try and put aside social media and messaging apps, enjoying an unforgettable experience.
Wi-Fi in Tanzania
You should know that Wi-Fi is very popular in Tanzania. In big cities like Arusha and Dar Er Salaam, you can find a fast line and you can also find a lot of areas where you can connect for free by hooking up to the network. It is the same restaurants and lodges that make the connection available to visitors free of charges. Obviously, hotels, villages and accommodation facilities offer this service for their customers. In short: the internet in Tanzania is certainly not a problem!
How much does it cost to make a call to Italy or to receive calls from Italy?
Calling from Tanzania to Italy or receiving calls from Italy can be expensive, that is why the best choice, in case you need to keep in touch throughout the trip, is to buy a local sim. Search among the different operators, such as Airtel, Zantel or Vodafone. If you want to make cheap calls, an excellent option is not to use the telephone line, but to activate an internet offer and use apps such as Whatsapp or Skype, that also allow video calls.
