Prepaid SIM Card at IGI Airport

lkowallah

Hello,

I travel to India very rarely so am not sure how to go about getting mobile phones for myself and my daughter when we visit next month. I understand that due to security concerns visitors find it difficult to obtain a phone in India.

I saw in a Delhi airport thread that one could get a prepaid SIM card upon arrival at the airport. Any idea how that works? Can you also rent the handset there? If not, where do I find a handset etc?

Any other tips about getting a mobile in Delhi would be helpful. I only have one day in the city so there is not much scope for shopping around.

regards.

Raghu.Kumar

Hi Ikowallah,

To obtain a SIM Card ( pre paid or post paid ) one has to furnish the following documents.

1) Proof of Residence ( Passport or Ration Card )
2) One Photograph

A foreign national can get a SIM provided he/she is able to furnish the above, otherwise it is dificult and you may have to ask your Indian Contact to get one in their name and return the same when you leave.

Cell phones are not given on rental in India as far as I know.

Raghu

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lkowallah

Thanks Raghu. I guess I will have to bring my US phone and pay their fantastic rates!

kmalik

Raghu,

Is a foreign passport enough? Or, does one need to substantiate residence in India?

Thanks!

GhostRider

All you need is a photocopy of your passport(foreign/UK/USA etc) and 1x passport size photo, i've had sims this way from Goa, Delhi, Shimla and Jaipur, only in Jaipur was I asked to fill out extra forms for security reasons.

kmalik

Thanks!

nycank

I recommended in the past to my business partners to rent-a-phone if the trip is less than two weeks. In the tri-state area; a local SIM {SEA,India, Japan,S.Korea}
plus a handset was quite inexpensive (read less that USD 30-60) depending on the destination.

The more information you provide, the more feedback we could give. I'd think that cell-phone rentals in SFO area would be similar.

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lkowallah

nycank,
Thanks for the tip - I didnt think that I could rent a phone in the US cheaply for roaming in India. Can you recommend any co's or websites?

I will be traveling approx a month and will be in Delhi, Uttaranchal, Rajasthan, West UP and Central UP.

regards

gaurav1441

You have so much time in India? Why are you looking at SIM card in Delhi Airport itself. There are 100s of shops in Delhi and all across these places who would sell you a pre-paid working phone number.and in some cases without any documentation.

kmalik

Gaurav -

That's good advice.

However, this is rather disconcerting:

In view of all the terror stuff India has seen, I'd have thought they'd have stopped that.

No problem with the messenger, just the message. Thanks!

gaurav1441

Well is there any documentation required for a Prepaid or Pay as You go Plan in US?

Please dont teach aout terrorists they would have satellite phones and wireless and 100 other ways to communicate.

nycank

I guess you missed the part about less than... in my post. You will have to estimate what % of your calls are going to originate in the US, and terminate in India. If you are traveling on business, then its a hassle for your business assoc. to relearn/update their address book. You eat the roaming charges since it's less than two weeks. OTH, if its local friends and family for a month, renting a postpaid in India would be more convenient.

livinhimalayas

I think you are jumping your gun too fast Gaurav, even for prepaid phones you have to furnish proofs of identity otherwise the sim is blocked. So please restrain from giving misinformation.

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gaurav1441

Well I had my new Plan here in US without any Proof of Identity whatsoever. Not even at the time of activation.

Over my last two SIM cards in India. I got phone numbers in somebody else's name even after furnishing the correct documents. Later came to know that since my documents were incomplete the shopkeeper had submitted his name for connection which I used to have.

capt_mahajan

Few will sell you a SIMCARD without ID proof etc. Although there may be exceptions. Some will disconnect later pending documentation if there is a problem, which is problematic for a tourist who may now be a thousand miles away.

kmalik's...

Besides simcards , this is the security threat we are really sitting on our asses on:



Fake IMEI numbers worry DoT, asks telcos not to carry calls


http://www.business-standard.com/ind...calls/73403/on

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