Well, here I am again with a little review. More precisely, quite even with great and very useful. Today we will talk about mobile operators in the Czech Republic and mobile communications. Many tourists, upon arrival in the Czech Republic, find themselves in an unpleasant situation when roaming turns out to be extremely expensive, quickly eating up the balance and simply leaving a person without communication. and our man, in a panic, begins to look for ways to replenish his native phone (as an option, inform his relatives and friends in Russia and send them requests for replenishment) and at the same time looks for how to switch to a cheaper communication option, or rather buy a local Czech SIM card.

There are four operators in the Czech Republic. These are Vodafone, T-mobile, O2-Telephonics and Ufon. Let's take a closer look at each. I personally will not consider Ufon because... it uses CDMA rather than GSM and, as a result, the classic phones that our tourists come with do not fit it and, as a result, you won’t be able to buy a Ufon SIM card so easily :)))))
Three remain: Vodafone, T-Mobile, O2. These are already serious players. Most students, young people, tourists and other actively saving citizens of the Czech Republic usually use Vodafone. Its prices are really not much cheaper than T-mobile and O2, plus more aggressive marketing, and most importantly well built. However, Vodafone has one big problem - the quality of the signal, and in general the quality of coverage of their network leaves much to be desired. Let's just say that the signal seems to be everywhere, but it often happens that even in the center the signal will disappear and appear again. It happens that you get into the elevator and there is no connection. Or even just passing through some street arch, the signal is lost. In general, Vodafone’s network is like a sieve and, accordingly, everyone who uses Vodafone has to put up with this. This fact causes particular inconvenience at times when you have to be, say, in numerous restaurants in Prague, which are often located in basements or semi-basements. There you can simply forget about the Vodafone connection.

T-Mobile and O2. These are truly shark operators and the communication quality of both is excellent. Both Czech operators have more than good communications, except that it’s worth adding that if you compare them with each other, then T-mobile wins a little. No matter how much I test the t-mobile, it works more than reliably even in elevators, basements and other nooks and crannies of Prague. O2 is also stable, but there have been cases when O2 gave up where T-mobile was in touch. However, both of these Czech operators are good.

Now about the price. You can buy a SIM card in stalls, shops and other places in Prague. The cost of a SIM card with a balance of 200 CZK (applies to any of the 3 operators) is 200 CZK. There are simply no cheaper Czech SIM cards.

Now - what should a tourist choose? It's difficult to answer definitively. If a reinforced concrete signal is important to you - T-mobile. But be prepared for higher communication costs and more expensive calls to your home country. If quality is not important to you, but the price is what matters, then Vodafone, but you also need to buy the right tariff to make inexpensive calls to your homeland. And by the way, as far as I heard, O2 has a tariff specially designed for Russian tourists. O2 Yes. It is specially designed for tourists from Russia and can be an ideal solution when traveling to the Czech Republic. A minute of calls either to Russia, or to Ukraine, or to Kazakhstan, or within the Czech Republic is 5.50 crowns and an SMS is about 2.6 crowns, which is more than attractive. Therefore, personally, if I were a tourist from Russia, I would most likely choose just such a SIM card. By the way, it even seems to come with a booklet in Russian with detailed instructions on how to top up, how to check the balance, etc. - which is extremely important, you will agree.

Not enough. I want to call relatives and friends, chat on the Internet with like-minded people, find out useful information or find out my location using a GPS navigator. A practical tourist thinks not only about cellular communications, but also does not forget about access to the Internet.

When going to the Czech Republic for a short time, you can limit yourself to roaming. If your vacation exceeds the three-day limit, consider buying a SIM card from a local operator. This step will help save your savings.

Read in this article

It is a well-known fact: Czech mobile communications are recognized as the most expensive in Europe. The greed and arrogance of local operators knows no bounds. Don't think that if you don't communicate much and rarely go on the World Wide Web, you'll be able to pay less. Czech companies have foreseen this and have developed a bunch of extortionate tariffs. Still, it’s worth buying a SIM card in Prague, because with your
With an Oskov SIM card you will lose even more.

The service conditions of Czech offices are practically the same, and the cost of calls will be approximately the same. We list the main operators in the country:

• T-Mobile;
• Ufon;
• Vodafone.

Ufon is relatively new to the Czech market. The connection is very mysterious - you need to buy a device from this office. O2 is traditionally considered the most expensive operator, and Vodafone is the most budgetary.

In general, in the Czech Republic there are two types of SIM cards. The first type does not require a contract and does not require a subscription fee. The second type is associated with a contract, subscription fees and various tariffs. The card will be issued to you personally. Virtual operators are also gaining popularity. The prices of the latter are noticeably lower, but they are not suitable for tourists due to their short stay in the country.

Advice: buy a Vodafone SIM card and forget about other options. Tested by many travelers.

Czech Internet - what is it like?

Mobile communications and the Internet in Prague can be a serious help for a traveler.
GPS support will allow you to calmly walk around the capital of the Czech Republic without fear of getting lost in the ancient quarters. On average, 500 MB of traffic costs our traveler 450 CZK.

Palladium store - shopping center in Prague

If you already have a mobile operator card, costs are reduced to 300 CZK. You can buy SIM cards everywhere. Here are the most popular points:

• large shopping centers;
• supermarkets;
• grocery stores;
• communication salons.

Prepaid cards, as already noted, are issued without any formalities. Buy and use. The prepaid card scheme is incredibly simple: you put in a certain amount and pronounce it. After making a call, you receive an SMS from which you learn about the amount spent and the current balance. It is best to purchase a Vodafone SIM card, it provides the following advantages:

• 60 megabytes for 49 CZK are given by default;
• the ability to connect additional packages;
• for 99 CZK you can get 150 “meters” and an unlimited number of SMS;
• for 199 CZK you buy 500 megabytes;
• By paying 599 CZK, you become the owner of 1.5 gigabytes.

Internet packages are activated by digital combinations (they can be found on the operator’s official website). If you are too lazy to understand how to navigate the portal, contact the salesperson at the showroom. The third activation option is to call *77 (if there is an English menu).

Actually, you don't need to look for anything. Most cafes have free Wi-Fi points. A detailed map of “free” places can be found on the website www.free-wifi.cz. Be sure to visit Starbucks - there is always Wi-Fi there. Average speed - 128 kbit/sec. Briefly about the advantages of the Internet on a phone or tablet in relation to Prague:

• precise localization of your location;
• online map of pubs;
• transport schedule;

Advice: try to eat in inexpensive cafes away from the center of Prague. Firstly, you will save on food, and secondly, you will get free Wi-Fi.

The cost of cellular communications in the side streets of Prague - information for tourists

When purchasing a SIM card in Prague, carefully study the tariff plans and offers of various operators. If you listen to numerous reviews, the most budget-friendly solution is Vodafone. Let's not take the advertising's word for it - let's study in more detail the top three leaders in Czech cellular communications. The picture looks like this:

• O2. You will be required to top up your balance by at least 150 CZK. At the same time, a minute of conversation will cost 5.5 crowns, an SMS will take two crowns out of your pocket, and an MMS will cost three crowns. 50 megabytes of mobile Internet will cost 50 crowns, but for 10 “gigs” you will have to pay 800 crowns. These figures are relevant for tourists who decided to purchase prepaid SIM cards in 2015.
• Vodafone. The minimum top-up amount is CZK 200. The cost of MMS and SMS is not radically different from the previous option, but the situation with calls is more fun. You can call landline numbers and other networks for 3.5 CZK. It is expensive for Russians, but cheaper than other Czech operators. If you decide to call home (Russia, Belarus or Ukraine) - get ready to shell out 7.26 crowns per minute of dialogue. In addition to the Internet tariffs listed above, there are daily and weekly offers. By forking 25 CZK you can get 25 MB per day. But 60 weekly “meters” will take 49 crowns out of your pocket.
• T-Mobile. This operator completes our trio. You can top up your SIM card with 10 crowns - this is quite enough for activation. At the same time, conversations are quite expensive - almost six crowns per minute. You can send an MMS for 4.9 CZK, and an SMS for 1.9 CZK, which is slightly cheaper compared to competitors. For 139 crowns you will get 100 “meters” of traffic, for 239 crowns - 300, for 449 you can grab 2 gigabytes. Regular customers enjoy all the benefits of the network, so for a “week-long” tourist, the best solution would still be Vodafone.

Tip: Make the most of the megabytes you receive. Saving traffic will not lead to saving money. In general, it’s worth thinking about an unlimited tariff - in the Czech Republic they become cheaper every year.

Where to buy SIM cards

Salons, as we noted above, are localized in all supermarkets in the city. For a long time now, cellular communications in Prague have not been exotic, even for connoisseurs of prepaid options. They will immediately connect you to the network and help you activate the selected tariff. Here are the densest clusters of salons:

• central streets of Prague;
• Wenceslas Square;
• airport (there is a Vodafone representative office inside terminal T2).

Salon employees often communicate with Russian-speaking tourists, so they will understand you without any problems. Take out your phone, say the magic spell “SIM card”, and you will instantly get what you want. Pay attention to the brochure stand - it contains all the necessary information on tariff plans. Even information in Czech can tell an inquisitive mind a lot.

Advice: buy a prepaid card and don’t even think about signing an agreement. The terms of most contracts of Czech operators provide for mandatory compliance with conditions (which you will not be able to read), as well as penalties in case of the slightest violation.

How to top up a Czech SIM card

Now let's proceed to the algorithm for replenishing a Czech SIM card. It’s better to figure this out right away so you don’t sit on forums and try to torture random passers-by in broken Czech. Replenishment options are as follows:

1. Purchasing a card. Cards are sold everywhere, there are no commissions, funds are sent to your phone instantly. By dialing the number indicated on the SIM card, you strictly follow the instructions. Use a coin to release the code and enter the numbers where needed. This can be done without leaving the seller. The procedure takes about five minutes.
2. Hypermarket cash registers. When you go shopping for food, don’t forget to top up your SIM card. The number can be dictated to the cashier. True, there is a chance of making a mistake - then the money will go into the pocket of an unknown Czech. If you did everything correctly, you will receive the funds in 5-7 minutes.
3. ATMs. If you have cash, you can top up quickly and easily - through an ATM. Disadvantages: slow receipt of funds (sometimes after an hour) and lack of a payment function in some ATMs.
4. Via the operator's website. To do this, you need to register and create a personal account. It's difficult and time-consuming.
5. Payment machines. Actually, we are talking about information kiosks. In the Czech Republic this is a very popular method of replenishment.

Summarize. The optimal solution for a traveler is a prepaid card. You are unlikely to use this SIM card on your next visit, so it’s worth talking through everything at once. Save and don't overpay!

When you walk around Prague, you want to forget about everything in the world, turn off your phone completely or use it only for photos. But, unfortunately, in our time it is impossible to remain without communication for a long time, even on vacation. If you are going to Prague for more than a couple of days, you will have to buy a local SIM card. But these are justified expenses that will make your trip more comfortable and safer. And now we’ll tell you how not to overpay.

There are many mobile phone offices in the Czech capital, especially in the Prague 1 and Prague 2 areas; going in and connecting is no problem. As in Russia, in the Czech Republic there are two types of connection: prepayment and contract. The second option may be much cheaper, but you need to pay every month and perhaps even more than one year. You've probably read all these scary stories online when carefree tourists returned home, and after some time received huge bills for foreign numbers that they no longer use. In order not to repeat their mistakes, choose a prepaid connection, and you will be happy!

Mobile operators

The most popular mobile operators in the Czech Republic today are Vodafone, O2 and T-Mobile.

T-Mobile

T-Mobile is one of the first Czech operators (operating since 2002). His minimum internet package (400 MB) costs only 99 CZK. If you buy a prepaid card for 200 CZK (approximately 535 rubles, immediately credited to your account), you get the following rates: 3.9 CZK for 1 minute of conversation within the country, 12 CZK for 1 minute to Russia and 1.9 CZK for SMS.

t-mobile.cz

See T-Mobile offices in Prague on this map. Click on the desired branch on the map to see the exact address and opening hours.

O2 (Telefónica)

O2 (Telefónica) is the second most popular among Czech subscribers. At the minimum tariff “FREE O2 60” for 50 MB of Internet you will pay 49 CZK; 1.5 GB will cost 149 crowns (about 400 rubles). There is a very convenient thing - the PředplaDENka tariff. For just 20 CZK per day you get unlimited calls to all numbers within the country, free internet for sending messages in instant messengers, and for 1 SMS you pay only 2 CZK. True, to use full-fledged 4G (LTE) on mobile sites you will have to pay extra, and one minute of conversation with Russia will cost as much as 50 crowns.

Prices change, so check them on the official website: o2.cz

See O2 (Telefónica) offices in Prague on this map. Click on the desired branch on the map to see the exact address and opening hours.

Vodafone

Vodafone is the undisputed favorite among Russian tourists, who prefer this operator because of the special tariff “Karta do světa”. Perhaps this is the best offer that will allow you to save significantly on mobile communications in the Czech Republic. The package costs only 200 CZK: a call to Russia - 5.04 CZK per minute, within the country - 3.5 CZK per minute, SMS - 1.9 CZK, 100 MB of Internet - 49 CZK.

Other Vodafone tariffs with different internet package options and discounts can be viewed on the website: vodafone.cz.

Find Vodafone offices in Prague on this map. Click on the desired branch on the map to see the exact address and opening hours.

• To purchase a SIM card in Prague you need only your passport. When you sign the papers, just in case, make sure once again that your tariff does not imply a multi-year contract with the operator. Unpaid payments, even small ones, are fraught with fines and refusal of a visa due to debt not only to the Czech Republic, but also to all EU countries.
• Of course, if you are in the Czech Republic, then it is best to use the services of Czech operators. But if you often travel around Europe and don’t want to spend money on another temporary SIM card in Prague, then here’s a life hack: now you can use the number of any country that is part of the European Union! Since June 2017, mobile roaming has been abolished in 28 EU countries. According to the new regulations, mobile prices of all mobile operators in EU member states should become uniform. Unfortunately, we currently do not have detailed information in which EU countries this innovation works 100%. Check in advance whether you can speak in the Czech Republic using your Spanish number without overpayment. In addition, despite the innovations, each European operator reserves the right to give discounts and conduct customer promotions only in its territory. Tourists still have to choose: spend the package left over from their last trip or still connect a local one.
• Many travelers are often concerned with the question: whether or not to take older model mobile phones with them - what if they won’t be able to buy a card of a suitable format? Don't worry: all Prague offices sell modern SIM cards in 3-in-1 format (standard/micro/nano), which are suitable for any smartphone.
• Speaking of smartphones: don’t get carried away with the mobile Internet. To avoid overpaying, try to use no more than 10 megabytes per day. 90% of Czech pubs, restaurants and other public establishments have free wi-fi (even on trams!). Try to download area maps and other “voluminous” programs in advance, before departure, as well as applications with which you can call home for free: Telegram, WhatsApp, Viber.
• You can top up your mobile account at the operators’ sales offices, their departments in shopping centers or on the operator’s website. If you have not used your prepaid Czech SIM card for six months, it will be blocked.
• Important phone numbers:
  112 - Rescue Service
  150 - Fire brigade
  155 - Ambulance
  158 - Police
  +420 233 374 100, +420 233 371 548 - Russian Embassy in Prague.

Share your travel impressions and don’t overpay, friends!

The latter provides communications only in the CDMA standard, and accordingly classic GSM mobile phones with a SIM card are not suitable for this operator. Therefore, it is worth paying attention to those operators that provide GSM cellular services.

Vodafone is the most common operator in the Czech Republic; most Czechs and tourists purchase SIM cards from this operator. Tariffs here are slightly lower, and there is a wide variety of them. Therefore, Vodafone is most in demand. But this operator has a big disadvantage - the quality of communication. Even in the city center, the connection sometimes disappears. Quality especially suffers indoors, as well as in cafes and restaurants, because many restaurants are located in the basement, and there is almost no phone reception there.

As for T-Mobile and O2, their connection quality is very good, especially the first one. There are cases when O2 did not pick up in elevators, and T-Mobile coped with this task. Network coverage is much better than Vodafone. T-Mobile's rates are not much higher than Vodafone's.

Regarding the cost, we can say that compared to Russia, communication here is a little more expensive. But the cost of tariffs is the same throughout the country and there is no division into regions; accordingly, there is no concept of national roaming when moving from one region to another, as is the case in Russia.

To connect, just buy a SIM card with a tariff plan. Regardless of the operator, the cost is 200 CZK. You can buy it at a kiosk or at an operator’s showroom. In this case, a passport or any other identification document is not required. There are two payment systems for all operators: advance payment, and contract tariff plans (payment is made after the service is provided).

As a rule, contract tariff plans are chosen by permanent residents of Prague. Here you need to enter into an agreement with the cellular company. Communication fees will be charged monthly. The higher the monthly fee, i.e. The more a person plans to spend on mobile communications, the cheaper a minute of conversation becomes. When choosing such a payment system, you should be careful when signing the contract and pay attention to all its points so as not to fall into bondage.

In addition, when purchasing a SIM card, companies offer to purchase a mobile phone, the cost of which, as a rule, does not exceed 10% of its real cost, and sometimes the cost of the phone can be 1 crown. Under such conditions, it is necessary to conclude an agreement for a period of 6 to 24 months. And also the need to spend a considerable amount of money on communications every month.

Vodafone has the cheapest calls. The cost of a minute of calls within the network is 2.98 CZK, for other operators 7.14 CZK, the cost of SMS varies according to different tariffs from 1.19 to 2.38 CZK. A call to Russia will cost 8.33 crowns.

T-Mobile offers tariffs for calls within the network at 4.76 CZK per minute of conversation, for other operators - 7.14 CZK, SMS from 2.02, and calls to Russia will cost as much as 22.61 per minute of conversation.

O2 has established a single cost for calls to all operators - 5.5 CZK, SMS from 1.5 CZK. And calls to Russia will cost 4.9 crowns per minute of conversation.

Despite the above prices for mobile communication services, the tariffs of each operator are varied, Vodafone has the most of them. In addition, on tariff plans that provide for payment for services after using them (i.e., calls on credit), the cost of a minute of conversation may be higher. You can top up your phone balance either at a mobile operator's store or purchase payment cards at tobacco or newsstands.

All Czech mobile operators provide international roaming to Russian telecom operators. Therefore, when you come to the Czech Republic with your SIM card, you can stay in touch.

How cellular communications and mobile Internet work in Prague. Which mobile operators are the most popular in the Czech Republic and how to save money on vacation.

Mobile communications in Prague are good. But without it it’s bad even during a short tourist trip. Therefore, today we will talk about the most favorable tariffs of national cellular operators. There are currently four mobile operators on the market: Vodafone, O2, T-Mobile and Ufon. The last one - Ufon - has appeared recently and is focused on CDMA. It is not suitable for tourists, so it is better to choose from the first three.

It also makes no sense to use SIM cards from other European operators, since internal roaming in the EU has been cancelled. All the “delicious” promotions are valid only in the countries where they were issued. If you still have, for example, a “Mundo” package from Spanish Orange in your hands, then you can take it with you to Prague, but it’s not profitable to buy it on purpose. It should be immediately noted that there are two connection options in the country: contract and prepayment. In general, there is nothing new in this for Russians.

Under contracts, prices are slightly lower, but you must pay the tariff once a month. So it’s better to immediately focus on prepayment.

Popular excursions in Prague

The most interesting excursions are routes from local residents to Tripster. It’s always more interesting to start with (orient yourself in the Old Town and outline routes for future walks). After which you can afford anything you want - even above the city. On Tripster you have the opportunity to ask any questions to the guides before paying.

Mobile communications in the Czech Republic: T-Mobile

One of the first operators in the Czech Republic, has been active since 2002 and is quite popular among local residents. It now has approximately five million subscribers in the country. It was once considered not the most responsive to the needs of tourists, but now its offers are quite competitive.

Cellular communications and Internet in Prague: which SIM card is more profitable to buy

The starting option for T-Mobile is to purchase a prepaid card for 200 CZK (about 525 rubles). At the same time, the same 200 crowns appear on the account. The cost of a minute within the country in this package is only 3.9 CZK, an SMS will cost 1.9 CZK, and 400 MB of Internet will cost 99 CZK. This is the simplest and most convenient option. A call to Russia here costs 12 CZK per minute.

The operator also offers the option of receiving unlimited calls within all Czech networks. For this service, 139 CZK will be debited from your account, and it will be valid for a week. If you top up your account with another 300 CZK, you will be able to make free calls to T-Mobile subscribers for 30 days.

Mobile communications in the Czech Republic: Vodafone

The operator has been operating in the country since 2005 and is third in terms of the number of subscribers. But it is an absolute favorite among Russian tourists. Especially for guests of the country, he has developed a tariff plan “Karta do světa”, which allows you to significantly save on mobile communications in Prague.

For this Vodafone package you need to pay 200 CZK, which can be spent in full. Calls within the country will cost 3.5 crowns per minute, SMS - 1.9 crowns, but a call to Russia will cost only 5.04 crowns per minute. But the Internet here is expensive: for 100 MB you will have to pay 49 crowns.

If you need access to your favorite sites more than calls to , it is better to choose a regular prepaid SIM card. The operator now offers three packages: with 500 MB Internet for 99 CZK, 1.2 GB for 199 CZK and 3 GB for 349 CZK. In addition to this, Vodafone also provides an unlimited number of SMS messages on its network.

Everything is great in Prague - including mobile communications!

Mobile communications in the Czech Republic: O2 (Telefónica)

The second largest number of subscribers, although it started operating in the Czech Republic later than all of the top three - only in 2006. In principle, their tariff system is similar to T-Mobile. However, they have a PředplaDENka package, in which you pay for each day you use the services.

The cost of the PředplaDENka tariff is 20 CZK per day, for which the tourist receives unlimited calls on all calls within the country and free Internet for messages on Viber, WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger. You can get such a package for 200 CZK, which the operator immediately deposits into your account. For SMS they ask for 2 crowns.

Unfortunately, PředplaDENka does not solve the issue of Internet and roaming. For 500 MB 4G LTE O2 asks 150 CZK, and a minute of conversation with Russia will cost 50 CZK. A regular package is priced at 150 CZK, with 200 CZK credited to your account. In it, a minute of conversation costs 4.9 CZK, for one SMS you have to pay 1.9 CZK, and for 400 MB - 89 CZK.

Drimsim tourist cards

Drimsim has recently entered the mobile communications market. They offer special tourist cards for travelers with cheap mobile Internet and “ridiculous” call prices. In quotes because the wording is almost completely copied from .

But let’s look at the numbers: in Prague, you will have to pay € 0.01 for one megabyte, and € 10.24 for a gigabyte. One minute of a call to your home country will cost € 0.03. In general, the money is really small, considering that for most tourists a few megabytes per day is the maximum. The SIM card itself costs €10 at a time. It is enough to order it once, wait for the courier, and then replenish it on time before the trip.

It will work in almost all countries of the world (more than 190), but it’s nice that mobile tariffs in the Czech Republic are among the cheapest.

There is no monthly fee, but this may be temporary. The company is new, the prices are attractive, and life will tell what will happen next. Sooner or later there will be some kind of catch. In the meantime, it’s interesting to at least try.

Want to save money?

Payment for mobile communications is not the biggest expense item for a tourist in Russia. Few people spend more than 1000 rubles a week. But if you want to reduce this amount, then ask around in Czech Russian-speaking communities or forums dedicated to tourist trips to this country to see if anyone is selling an unnecessary SIM card. This destination is quite popular and often they bring back not only pleasant memories, but also SIM cards with unused packages.

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