Sim Card on arrival

Is your company not providing you with a phone & sim card? I know my husband's company basically handed him a phone on his first day here. It was a temporary phone until he could by one of his choice. You might want to check with them at least for your phone,

I use Mobily and we spent the extra money so I can call internationally, but I haven't used it really. I have text & don't go through my limit as of yet. I haven't tried texting the states yet, but probably should.

I think Skype will be your favorite way to communicate with your kids staying in the states, but be prepared for poor connections.

If someone gives you really great advice who has done what you ask I will be interested to know as well since I will be in the states for 6 weeks this summer while my husband stays here for 5 of them & the 10 hour time difference to Portland will make talking difficult.

stressedmom wrote:

Is your company not providing you with a phone & sim card? I know my husband's company basically handed him a phone on his first day here. It was a temporary phone until he could by one of his choice. You might want to check with them at least for your phone,

Yes, the company is providing a phone but I've spent too many years in Govt service with an issued phone to feel comfortable carrying on personal business on a company phone.  Call it an integrity thing, call it fear of Big Brother being in my business.  If I keep professional and family business separate then I'm always on solid ground.

Will definitely pass on any good scoop I get here - if you don't see it before I do...

R

jemlondon wrote:

i have ia phone 5c, i use zain unlimited data  - 120 minutes calls - 2000 texts - its 30 sar per week. i bought it at airport and they registered it with my business visa.

Thank you!  Excellent.

But to clarify - Data is unlimited, and it 2 hours of calling time and 2000 texts per....month?  for SR30/wk or SR120 a month?

jemlondon wrote:

here you go...

[link under review]     30 sar per week

Thanks!

u can issue sim on passport and use it forever. no need to change after iqama issuance or anything.. and u can buy dedicated data sims later on for internet connectivity ! 2 gb about sr 50 monthly.. 10 gb about sr 100 or so.. data packages on a voice sim card are relatively expensive as compared to a data only sim..

DrHassanMalik wrote:

u can issue sim on passport and use it forever. no need to change after iqama issuance or anything.. and u can buy dedicated data sims later on for internet connectivity ! 2 gb about sr 50 monthly.. 10 gb about sr 100 or so.. data packages on a voice sim card are relatively expensive as compared to a data only sim..

This sounds good but it raises the question, there's only one sim card on my iPhone 5, does this mean you have to carry around two Sims - and swap voice for data as needed?  Seems a bit confusing or at least bothersome.

Do you have any idea what the data/voice sim costs?

Thank you.

As far as I know, there are no unlimited calling plans, but there are definitely unlimited data packages.  If you get a SIM before you get your iqama, they will use your visa number to register it.  For packages, check out the websites of the 3 carriers.  Just click on "English" at top and browse away!

www.stc.com.sawww.mobily.com.sawww.sa.zain.com

There are so many kinds of packages now depending on device, data or no data, options, etc., that I haven't kept track of them.  BTW, you don't have to get a sim from the airport, you can get once you are settled in after a couple of days and have done the research.  Also, airport might not have all the options that you want.  I would say it is better to go to a dedicated store of one of the carriers after you arrive.

Rigger64 wrote:

DrHassanMalik wrote:

u can issue sim on passport and use it forever. no need to change after iqama issuance or anything.. and u can buy dedicated data sims later on for internet connectivity ! 2 gb about sr 50 monthly.. 10 gb about sr 100 or so.. data packages on a voice sim card are relatively expensive as compared to a data only sim..

This sounds good but it raises the question, there's only one sim card on my iPhone 5, does this mean you have to carry around two Sims - and swap voice for data as needed?  Seems a bit confusing or at least bothersome.

Do you have any idea what the data/voice sim costs?

Thank you.

DrHM, did you have anything to add on this?  It's winding down to decision time.

Thanks,

R