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Jordan is one of the Middle East’s most cultured nations, with much to see and do across the entire kingdom. Using your home phone network there can be expensive, so consider switching over to a local SIM card to take advantage of better deals and plans. Jordan has some good prepaid SIM cards available, with deals that can reduce your bills. You can buy 1GB of data from Jordan’s leading telco provider for as little as JOD5 (about AUD$9). So, whether you’re planning a short trip, longer stay or tour of the entire Middle East, check out the best SIM card options available.
There are three main operators in Jordan: Zain, Umniah and Orange. All three operators go through a strict approval process before being allowed to operate, and each one competes with the others to offer the best deals. Their services have all been tried and tested by both locals and travellers, and can be trusted. According to OpenSignal’s coverage map, Jordan has very good service in the northern and western areas, but the more southeast you head, the worse your signal will become.
Jordan’s operators have good roaming rates and sell prepaid credit that allows users to take advantage of cheap local offers and deals. All three providers offer customers 2G, 3G and 4G/LTE services. Locals call their SIM cards “SIMs” or “chips”, and they can be purchased from official outlets or approved resellers. Credit can also be bought from the same retailers and at most stores and supermarkets. You will need to show your passport when purchasing a prepaid SIM card, and the retailer will then register and activate the SIM for you. Please note that there is an 8% tax charge added to all prepaid SIM cards and credit purchases in Jordan.
Below, we have broken down each telco provider to highlight exactly what’s available during your visit to Jordan.
Zain is the largest operator in Jordan and offers some great prepaid voice and data packages. It offers customers good 2G, 3G and 4G/LTE services. Internet speeds are fast and the network coverage is good. Your passport must be shown when purchasing a prepaid SIM card, and a registration form will have to be filled out and signed before it can be activated. Credit can be purchased from the same retailers and at supermarkets, corner stores and service stations.
The "Al Kul" prepaid SIM cards can be purchased for JOD5, but credit or packages will have to be added before use. There are also "Mish Tabee3i" combo packs that offer voice and data plans. You can order these plans by dialling *500#, and they come with 3GB of data and voice and data discounts for JOD8.82.
The standard default data rate is charged at JOD0.21 per MB. The following data packs can be added as well:
Main Internet Plans | ||
---|---|---|
Bundle Validity | Bundle Capacity | Price (JD) |
Monthly | Facebook, Whats App & Instagram | 2 |
Monthly | 250 MB | 2.5 |
Monthly | 500 MB | 3.5 |
Monthly | 1 GB | 5 |
Monthly | 2 GB | 8 |
Monthly | 4 GB | 12 |
Monthly | 7 GB | 15 |
Monthly | 10 GB | 20 |
Weekly | 100 MB | 1 |
Weekly | 1 GB | 3 |
Daily | Facebook, Whats App & Instagram | 0.25 |
Daily | 50 MB | 0.5 |
Daily | 1 GB | 1 |
Dial *240# to subscribe to one of the above-mentioned packs. Dial *121*2# to check your balance. 4G/LTE can be added to any prepaid SIM card for JOD5 per month.
There is also the "EzNet" data-only SIM card available. The following options can be purchased:
In addition, there are special 4G/LTE plans available for tourists that can bring down the cost of voice and data even further. For JOD12 you can purchase a voice and data SIM card, which comes with 3GB, 5,000 intranet, 50 local minutes and 50 local SMS, valid for 30 days. You can also add the 4G/LTE booster pack, mentioned above, to this prepaid SIM card.
There are prepaid data-only SIM cards available that come in the following options:
JOD10 | 2GB |
JOD25 | 30GB |
JOD35 | 100GB |
JOD50 | 200GB |
Please note that there will be an 8% local tax added to all prepaid SIM card and credit amounts purchased in Jordan.
Zain’s APN: internet and website: www.jo.zain.com
Umniah is the second-largest operator in Jordan and offers good prepaid voice and data packages. Umniah offers customers some great 2G, 3G and 4G/LTE services. Internet speeds are fast and the network coverage is respectable. Your passport must be shown when purchasing a prepaid SIM card, and a registration form will have to be filled out and signed before it can be activated. Credit can be purchased at the company’s retail outlets, supermarkets, corner stores and service stations.
Prepaid SIM cards can be purchased for JOD5, and credit can be added in the following denominations: JOD1, JOD3, JOD5, JOD6, JOD10 and JOD15.
The following prepaid voice and data packages are also available:
The following "evo mobile prepaid" data packs are available too:
1 minute | Unlimited data (in 60 seconds) | JOD0.01 |
Happy Hour (10-11am, 3-4pm) | Unlimited data | JOD0.1 (per hour) |
24 hours | 130MB | JOD0.35 |
24 hours | 500MB | JOD0.50 |
Week | 200MB | JOD1 |
Week | 400MB | JOD1.5 |
Week | 500MB | JOD2 |
Month | 500MB | JOD3 |
Month | 1GB | JOD5 |
Month | 2GB | JOD7 |
Month | 2.5GB + 1GB for Skype only | JOD5 |
Dial *888# and select the relevant pack to activate.
In addition, there is a data-only prepaid SIM card available called "evo mobile prepaid", which comes in the following options:
The following packs are also available:
Evo Plan | Capacity | Free Capacity | Price |
---|---|---|---|
Daily | 250 MB | - | JOD0.5 |
Weekly | 500 MB | - | JOD2 |
2-Weeks | 1 GB | 2 GB for Facebook & sports URLs* | JOD3 |
Monthly | 1.5 GB | - | JOD5 |
Monthly smart | 7 GB | 2 GB at night** | JOD6 |
Monthly Mix-JOD7 | 5 GB | 7 GB at night and 2 GB for governorates*** | JOD7 |
Monthly Plus | 10 GB | 4 GB at night** | JOD10 |
Monthly Mix-JOD11 | 10 GB | 7 GB at night and 2 GB for governorates*** | JOD11 |
Monthly Limited Edition | 30 GB | - | JOD15 |
There is a selection of special SIM card packages available for 4G/LTE only:
JOD10 | 9GB |
JOD12 | 20GB |
JOD15 | 30GB |
JOD28 | 60GB (60 days) |
For JOD2 per day, you can add 2GB of data, or for JOD5 per week, you will receive 5GB of data. Remember there is an 8% tax charge in Jordan.
Umniah’s APN for mobile phones: net
APN for routers and dongles: Umniah
Website: www.umniah.com/en
Orange is the smallest operator in Jordan but still offers some good prepaid voice and data packages. It provides customers with good 2G, 3G and 4G/LTE services. Internet speeds are fast and the network coverage is relatively good. Your passport must be shown when purchasing a prepaid SIM card, and a registration form will have to be filled out and signed before it can be activated. Credit can be purchased from the company’s retailers and at supermarkets, corner stores and service stations.
Prepaid SIM cards can be purchased for a relatively cheap rate of just JOD1.72, and there are several prepaid base plans which can be added:
The following data packs can also be added to all prepaid SIM cards mentioned above:
Daily | |
50MB | JOD0.5 |
Weekly | |
75MB | JOD0.99 |
200MB | JOD1.99 |
Monthly | |
250MB | JOD2.99 |
500MB | JOD4.99 |
1GB: | JOD6.99 |
3GB | JOD14.99 |
6GB | JOD19.99 |
Dial *777# and select the relevant pack to activate. Dial 155# to check your credit and data balance.
Orange’s "3akaifak 2" data-only SIM card can be purchased for JOD15, and it comes with a 3G USB dongle and 3.5GB of data. Dial *201# or send an SMS to 99555 to purchase the package if you’re an existing prepaid customer.
The following top-up variations are available too:
Scratch card value (JOD) | Validity period | Download capacity (GB) | Free off-peak capacity GB from 2-10am |
---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 days | 0.55 | - |
1.5 | 2 days | 0.8 | - |
3 | 1 week | 1.1 | - |
5 | 1 month | 5 | 2 |
6 | 1 month | 6 | 4 |
10 | 1 month | 10 | 4 |
12 | 1 month | 12 | 4 |
22 | 2 month | 22 | 6 |
32 | 6 month | 32 | 10 |
Dial *155# or send an SMS to 99555 to check your balance. You can also go online and update credit via the "my account" option. Dial *150*<14-digit code># to 99555 to add credit if you purchase vouchers.
The following 4G/LTE-only SIM card packages are available as well:
The following data options can be added to the 4G/LTE-only SIM cards:
JOD10 | 12GB | 1 month |
JOD12 | 25GB | 1 month |
JOD22 | 60GB | 2 months |
JOD32 | 160GB | 6 months |
Remember there is an 8% tax charge in Jordan.
Orange’s APN: net.orange.jo, and website: http://www.orange.jo
While it’s well known for reviews, booking hotels, flights and holidays, TripAdvisor also has many user comments that can help guide you through what SIM cards have been tried and tested in Jordan.
Here are some top tips from TripAdvisor users:
“If you’re aiming for international calls, pick Umniah service provider and get their SIM card since its the cheapest when it comes to overseas calls. If you are after making local calls or Internet and other services, pick Zain.
“Free Wi-Fi is available nearly everywhere: cafes, hotel, hostels, even the private car/taxi. To buy a SIM card is cheap in Jordan, under JOD10 you be well covered for a week.”
“90% of Jordan is covered with cell phone networks; never encountered any problems with Internet, especially on cell phones. 3G is provided by all networks and you can navigate without any worries, although it will cost you an arm and a leg for international roaming with Internet!”
All networks require you to have a SIM-unlocked, GSM-compatible international phone. To double check you have this phone, or if it’s possible for your provider to unlock your device, contact your provider before you leave.
A: Jordan SIM cards can be used in other Middle Eastern countries, subject to additional roaming charges, but that defeats the object of purchasing a local SIM card to avoid using your home phone network abroad. We advise you to only use the Jordan SIM card in Jordan to reap the full benefits of what it can offer. If you plan on travelling around to other Arab nations, it might be better to purchase a SIM card from each country to cut costs.
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