One crucial travel necessity in a foreign country is a SIM card and choosing the best SIM card can make all the difference to your holiday trip. Our best Dubai Tourist SIM Card Guide 2024 will explain to you the different options and how you can choose the best SIM card while considering your requirements.
Airalo has figured out an idea that is bound to make communication for travellers easy as eating cake. Most smartphones now come with an eSim which is embedded in the device. Although this eSim exists, very few are aware of how to set it up and use it. This is where Airalo will help as they are the first eSIM store in the world that sells local and international SIMs that don't take long to set up.
Click here to view the eSIM packages on offer for Dubai. After you decide which plan to buy, make the payment through credit card, PayPal or in-app currency known as Airmoney. You will then be given a QR code. This code can then be scanned by any devices that have built-in eSIMs. This can be done by visiting Settings and then clicking on eSIM menu.
After the QR code has been scanned, the new eSIM profile will be downloaded into the device for that specific destination. Network connections will become active after you enter the country for which you purchased the eSIM. A single device can hold up to 50 different eSIMs making it possible to travel to different destinations and keep changing your email for instant coverage.
If you are buying an Airalo eSIM for Dubai, you need to select United Arab Emirates.
The biggest pro of using Airalo is that it provides easy access to international eSIMs for an affordable price which doesn't take much long to set up. An US eSIM can be set up in a matter of 5 minutes.
You can access free Wi-fi at Dubai International airport (DXB) and Al Maktoum International airport (DWC) by following these steps
On arrival at Dubai Airport, tourists can get a free SIM card with free talk time and data.
Source: Gulf News
To be able to register your free SIM card you need to be 18 years or older. Your passport and a valid UAE visit visa need to be shown for identification and verification purposes. The SIM has a one-month validity and is preloaded with 3 Flexi minutes and 20 MB data.
To activate the free SIM, insert SIM card into phone, dial *122# and follow the instructions.
It can be obtained at the Passport control counter before the baggage collection area. Travelers from any flight can take this sim.
Dubai has only 2 telecom service providers, Du and Etisalat. Majority of tourists staying in or near Dubai have reported no difference in signal strength, coverage or speed between the 2 networks. If you want to wander the untravelled paths then Etisalat is the best prepaid SIM card.
There is one stall each for both Du and Etisalat at all of the 3 Dubai Airport(DXB) terminals.
SIM cards can also be purchased from commercial centres and shopping malls where the mobile network representatives will assist you.
| Pay (AED/ USD) | What you get | Validity |
|---|---|---|
| AED 55 / 15 USD | 500 MB - 20 Flexible Minutes | 7 day validity |
| AED 75 / 21 USD | 2 GB - 40 Flexible Minutes | 14 day validity |
| AED 110 / 30 USD | 3.5 GB - 50 Flexible Minutes | 14 day validity |
| Pay (AED/ USD) | What you get | Validity |
|---|---|---|
| AED 125 / 35 USD | 2 GB – 40 Flexible Minutes | 14 day validity |
| AED 200 / 55 USD | 7.5 GB - 175 Flexible Minutes | 14 day validity |
Dubai has numerous Malls, attractions and places where free Wi-fi is offered. Listed below are fe places you can enjoy free connectivity.
The Mall of Emirates is not just a glamorous shopping spot, it is also an amazing entertainment hub. More than 630 retail outlets including International lifestyle and fashion brands give you a wide option to shop from. Some of the mandatory to-dos include visiting SKI Dubai and Magic Planet. You can also try Yalla! Bowling or watch something at Dreamscape VR VOX Cinema.
To use free wi-fi choose #Free_Mall_Wifi from the list of available networks. If you need more help, the mall's numerous customer service desks can assist you.
Al Barsha, Sheikh Zayed Road, Interchange Four, Dubai, UAE
Sunday to Wednesday: 10:00 am – 10:00 pm | Thursday to Sunday: 10:00 am to 12:00 am
Another favourite of locals and tourists, Dubai mall has numerous luxury and retail outlets. It also connects to two 5 star hotels, Address Boulevard and Address Dubai Mall. You can choose “@Dubai Mall by Emaar” to access free internet.
Financial Centre Road, Along Sheikh Zayed Road, next to Burj Khalifa, Dubai
Sunday to Thursday: 10:00 am – 12:00 midnight | Friday and Saturday: 10:00 am to 01:00 am
This mall has numerous retail options from luxury brands to reputed lifestyle brands which is why it is frequented by tourists and locals. The Mall's captivating laser show known as IMAGINe is a must-watch. If you're a movie junkie then watch a Hollywood or Bollywood blockbuster at NOVO cinema. Free WiFi can be used while shopping in the mall.
Abu Dhabi international airport also has Du and Etisalat counters. Travellers landing in Abu Dhabi can purchase a local Du/ Etisalat SIM. They can also purchase from a range of pre-paid or post-paid packages, smart devices and e-Life packages.
Here is our round-up of 2021's 7 top International SIM card providers. With our comparison of their features, benefits and costs, you can easily decide which of these providers will best suit your requirements.
Purchase from data-only packages offering up to 4 GB or voice+ data bundles covering more than 100 countries. You can also top-up with only credit. Prices of packages and rates for data, texts and calls vary depending on the country.
See this page for up-to-date bundle prices for each country. Luckily, there’s a nice little rate calculator on this page.
cost-$29.95
cost-$34.95
Cost-$19.95
To see more information about rates for data usage, calling and texting in different countries see this page.
countries are categorised into A, B and C. Plans for countries in group A are cheapest and plans for group C countries are the most expensive.
You can check the rates for calling, texting and data usage in any country here, and the prepaid data plans on this page.
To learn more about rates for calls, data and texts in the countries you plan to visit you can use the rate calculator.
Established in 2009, KeepGo offers a Smartwatch Data SIM card and a Lifetime Data SIM Card.
Established in 2009, KeepGo offers a Smartwatch Data SIM card and a Lifetime Data SIM Card.
You can view the latest rates for the regional data plans on this page and for the non-regional plans here.
You can view the company’s data plans and check pay-as-you-go rates for texts, calls and data in any country on their website.
You now have internet access and can visit your social media handles. This doesn't allow you to photograph all that you see and post it. You may fall into deep trouble by going against some rule. Check below our Photography guide in Dubai
Source : Cyber Laws
This law states that photographing another person or invading their privacy by saving, copying, transferring, disclosing or creating electronic photos is a punishable act.Punishments for this offense include imprisonment for minimum 6 months and a fine not less than AED 150,000 and not more than 500,000 or either of these two punishments depending on the severity of the offense.
This law mentions that photographing someone without his or her permission is considered an invasion of privacy and is illegal in the country. The article also mentions that if anyone publishes news, comments or pictures relating to family life or private secrets will be punished even if they are true. The punishment will be either or both of the following depending on the severity of the act. Detention for a period not more than 1 year and/or a fine not more than 10,000 AED.
This law prevents the act of photographing another individual without obtaining their permission and publishing that kind of picture publicly on any social media website. The article has a few exceptions:
Yes you can. For more information refer to the section in which the packages and the location is explained.
If you were on visitor visa when you got the Du SIM and have now converted to a residence visa, update your visa and Emirates ID details to DU and they will make it a permanent SIM.
So far you can’t buy a UAE sim online before arriving. However, you can buy a SIM upon arrival at all airports in UAE including Dubai international airport.
If you haven't been using your Etisalat SIM for 3 consecutive months, you will be charged 10 AED for every 3 months of not use if you want to have a lifetime validity. If there is no balance of 10 AED, your line will be disconnected and the number retained for a duration of 12 months. Within this 12 month period you can start reusing the line of you recharge and start using. If no usage during this 12 month duration, the line will be deactivated and it cannot be revived again
Please visit the nearest Du branch immediately
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Offensive language and social media
Offensive language
Article 373 of the Penal Code, clearly mentions that a fine(not exceeding 10,000 AED) and detention for a period not more than a year will be imposed on any individual who disgraces or insults any individual publicly without attributing any particular act to the defamed party. A fine not more than 20,000 AED or detention for not more than 2 years will be imposed if:
Article 374 of the Penal code also imposes a punishment of detention for not more than 6 months or a fine not more than 5,000 AED for individuals using abuse or slander over the telephone or face to face with the victim and in the presence of a third party.
Source: Gulf News
Social media
Social media is governed by UAE's Cyber and Penal law. If a complaint is made under this section against a user, they can incur a hefty fine. It is highly advised for social media users to adhere to all of UAE's conduct guidelines on social media. Invasion of privacy is punishable under the Penal code and the Cyber Crimes Law, this includes not disclosing any private information that belongs to another individual, example your employer. The legal consequences could be temporary jail time and fine(Article 4). This also includes taking part in discussions that delve into another individual's confidential details