A visitor’s guide to the best prepaid SIM cards in New Caledonia

Having a single network operator limits choices in this French territory.

New Caledonia is a French territory located east of Australia in the South Pacific Ocean. With the fourth-largest economy in the South Pacific, it attracts 100,000 visitors a year. If you’re headed to New Caledonia, consider investing in a local prepaid SIM card to reduce your roaming costs.

Mobilis is the only telco in New Caledonia and finder.com.au offers the following guide to what the options are for visitors.

	Details	Features
Flexiroam X International SIM Card	If you're planning a trip that includes multiple countries, attaching flexiroam X can be much cheaper than roaming with your existing mobile number or buying a new SIM in each location.	Over 100 countries Three different starter pack options Data options from 1 to 5 GB Shipment takes 3 to 5 days Pay as you go plans	Go to site

Mobilis (by OPT)

Mobilis is the only provider of mobile networks in New Caledonia. It is run by the Office des Postes et Telecoms (OPT), which also runs banking and postal services, along with landline communications.

You can purchase a SIM card from any OPT store, and there are about 50 across the country. You’ll need to show a photo ID upon purchase, and your passport is fine if you’re a tourist. A prepaid SIM card costs XPF6,195 (AUD$78.46) and comes with XPF3,000 credit preloaded, which is good for 90 days. There is an OPT store located conveniently at La Tontouta International Airport.

Mobilis prepaid SIM cards are offered under the label of Liberté. All other plans have a minimum commitment of six months.

Topping up is called recharging in New Caledonia and can be done at OPT stores, news agencies or by calling a number and entering your voucher code.

Recharge card details are listed below:

• XPF1,050: XPF1,000 credit valid for 4 months
• XPF3,150: XPF3,000 credit valid for 5 months
• XFP5,250: XPF5,000 credit valid for 6 months

To check your balance, dial 1088 and press 1 and then 1 again.

There are two data packages available, both of which last a day or less.

Once you reach the limit on your data, the speed is throttled to 254 Kbps. To see how much data you have used, text “IM” to 1088.

APN: IM
Website (in French): http://www.mobilis.nc/

Advice from TripAdvisor about SIM cards in New Caledonia

In addition to being an online review platform for hotels and attractions, TripAdvisor has an impressive online community of members. Here’s some advice from a recent visitor to New Caledonia:

“There is only one telecommunication company in New Caledonia, which is OPT. You can find information and SIM cards at any of their branches.Getting a micro-SIM won't be a problem as smartphones are used in New Caledonia too, but getting a prepaid one with data will be harder. The prepaid offer is called ‘Liberté’ (opposed to postpaid ‘Mobilis’ offers). For XPF6,000, you will get a SIM card and a XPF3,000 credit. You can then activate ‘on-demand Internet’ by sending text messages.”

Pros and cons of New Caledonia’s only SIM card operator

OPT is the only SIM card provider in New Caledonia. Here are some of the positives and negatives about this company.