If you are planning to visit Sri Lanka or if you are already visiting Sri Lanka. We will give you an idea from an independent position to choose the right phone SIM card for you. Although Sri Lanka is still a technologically developing country, Sri Lanka has a good internet supply and profitable internet packages. However, when choosing a Sim as a tourist, you should choose the smartphone according to your needs. The fast network in Colombo city will not cover rural areas of the country. So before you land at CMB Airport to choose a sim, I request you to read this article and gain insight.
Who provides internet providers and Mobile phone plans? Who is that?
- Sltmobitel – National Provider
- Dialog – Axiata Group In other Asian countries Cellcom, Idea, Robi, Smart, Ncell
- Hutch – The Sri Lankan brand of Europe’s Populer network ( Three, 3 , tre ) IM3, HAT in Asia
- Airtel – Part of Barathi Airtel.
Who has the most coverage?
In terms of coverage, all other networks except Airtel have distributed 4G networks across the country, which is about 95% of the country’s square footage. But Airtel still covers only densely populated areas well. So far all 5G networks have been tested but Dialog is the only one that has been launched commercially and only in the densely populated areas of Colombo. There is still no Nationwide 5G coverage in Sri Lanka. But fast 4G coverage is spread across the island. However, all the networks have covered the tourist hotspots of the country.
See Open Signal Report For Sri Lanka
Internet Speed
There is no doubt that Airtel and Dialog are the fastest networks in the city. But all networks can get speed above 25Mbps – 110Mbps as Band 3. But Airtel Band provides fastest range like 41 Band and as per my experience Airtel is fastest network but coverage is only in city area. Airtel has already discontinued 3G network and Dialog, HUTCH, Mobitel are already phasing out 3G. The network with the best coverage is Dialog and they provide 4G coverage and required speed even in rural areas.
Volte
Modern volte technology is currently only offered by Dialog and Mobitel on all devices. Hutch and Airtel are still only available on Limited select Apple, Samsung, Huawei phone models. But all networks continue to provide GSM coverage.
Service Arcade/ Customer Service
Dialog and Sltmobitel service centers are spread across the island and they maintain offices in every city. But Hutch and Airtel operate their Arcade only in Colombo city and do not have their service outlet in other parts of the country. But all networks provide 24-hour customer service by phone and internet. But all the top-ups you need can be done from the sales center or through the Online App on any network such as Dialog, hutch, airtel, mobile etc.
Packege and Price
All the networks are regulated by the government and the maximum rate they can provide is given for data, SMS and calls. But most of the times the networks give discounts based on their ability. And IDD calls will be charged on existing networks in their other countries. You can get cheap IDD calls to Europe 3 network with Hutch. Also Airtel can make IDD calls at a very low price to countries like India where Airtel services are available. However, all the networks have introduced separate packages for tourists and there is no difference between their prices. However, Hutch and Airtel are ahead in terms of Affrodable packages.
See More : Who is the best internet service provider in Sri Lanka?
After reading this article, you will understand what is the best travel package to visit in Sri Lanka. However, I will summarize this article based on my experience. If you are only traveling to popular cities like Colombo, Galle, Kandy, I would recommend Airtel. Also, if you are traveling in the difficult areas of Sri Lanka, we recommend a Dialog smartphone. And if you are looking for cheap packages, Hutch is the best network for that. Also, Sltmobitel offers the same coverage and speed as Dialog network. By understanding the above points while choosing a sim card and buying a sim card at the airport, you can make your trip a pleasant one.