Traveling out of Europe, I try to use local mobile and Internet providers. It is more comfortable and cheaper. I got my prepaid SIM card in Singapore as well, to be in touch with my relatives and friends. And of course in order to publish beautiful photos from the trip.
But buying a prepaid local SIM card became quite a challenge not only for me. My local Singaporean friends were also puzzled with the question of: where to buy a prepaid mobile card.
Seven Eleven
The first place where to find anything for a tourists is the world-known chain 7/11. I do remember how they helped me in Stockholm, when I had no local currency at night in the airport to purchase a bus ticket to the city centre.
This time they didn’t help. Unfortunately, all the shops we went to had SIM card in Singapore were sold out. The demand was higher that the offer.
Chinatown
The solution was very close to us. We were wondering around Chinatown in Singapore and saw a table with a paper advert asking «Looking for SIM card?» The man showed us a sticky laminated «menu» of variants of prepaid cards he had.
But they all were just for phone calls only, with no internet data.
The second «menu» taken from underneath of the table included Internet in the prices. But the old man wanted to much money for a SIM card even for Singapore. So we continued to search.
Sentosa
The following day on the way from the Aquarium in Sentosa island, we saw another kiosk of 7/11. For 15 local dollars we got 2 SIM cards. They included: phone calls and Internet with 100 GB of data to be used in 4G network.
In comparison with European prices it was a fairy-tale of endless and fast surfing and constant uploads. But in reality 4G network was as hard to find as chewing gums in Singapore (they are forbidden).
Moreover the amount of data was limited with 3 or 4 days after which there should be a payment made to activate some other options. You see, that it is not an easy task to find and buy a prepaid SIM card in Singapore.
Price for a prepaid SIM card in Singapore
Generally speaking the SIM card in Singapore work pretty well. It helped me always to be in touch and keep my readers in Instagram updated. We bought STARHUB SIM card called 15$ Happy 4G prepaid SIM.
To buy a card in Singapore you need not only money and luck to find a proper places and SIM. You need your ID or better passport. Luckily the procedure is quite fast and takes about 2-3 minutes. They only make a scan of the document and picture of the prepaid SIM card.
To sum up my experience of how I bought a prepaid SIM card in Singapore:
- Check if the SIM card has Internet active and phone calls.
- Have you passport with you to buy a card.
- Check 7/11 shops in the airport of Singapore at arrival.
