How to Connect Mobile Internet in Poland: SIM Cards and Alternatives

From this article you will learn how to connect to the mobile Internet in Poland. We will also provide you with the information about how profitable local operators SIM cards in Poland are, where to buy starter packages and how to replenish your account. We will also tell you about the connection via eSIM technology, about roaming and pocket Wi-Fi in the country. We will explain where to connect to the Internet for free and tell you about the most advantageous way to stay online anywhere in Poland.

Best mobile internet in Poland: connection options for tourists

There are paid and free ways to connect to the mobile internet in Poland. Here are the most popular and affordable of them:

• use the offer of one of the local mobile operators and buy a prepaid SIM card in Poland;
• activate a virtual eSIM card, if your smartphone supports this function;
• activate roaming — a convenient but the most expensive service;
• rent or buy a portable Wi-Fi router;
• connect to free Wi-Fi in cafes, shopping centers, libraries and other popular places for tourists.

Not all of the ways to connect to the network are acceptable in terms of cost and security. We will explain what you should pay attention to when choosing any of the listed options.

SIM cards in Poland

SIM cards in Poland for tourists are sold: online — you can buy them in advance or already after arrival in the country; offline — SIM cards can be bought immediately after crossing the border of Poland in branded communication salons, stores and even in newsstands.

Want to arrive in Poland already with a local SIM card in your pocket? Go to Amazon, eBay or other international marketplaces. There you will find several current starter packages from Polish operators. The variety will not be as large as in Warsaw or Krakow. When buying, pay attention to delivery times and costs.

If you arrive in Poland by airplane, you can also buy a starter pack at the airport terminals in Warsaw, Krakow, Gdansk, Poznan and Wroclaw.

Read also: Sightseeing in Poland: TOP 27 places

You can also buy a prepaid SIM card in Poland in branded stores of local operators. To buy it, you need to show the seller your passport. After that, a new subscriber is added to the database, and a secret code is sent to your smartphone. After 5-10 minutes an employee of the operator adds the code to the base, and then you can replenish your account and use all standard services.

Connection is available on contract or prepaid basis. The second option is more convenient — pay and talk at the selected tariff until the money on your account runs out.

Activation of a SIM card is possible only if you provide an identity document, this is an obligatory requirement. Without a passport or other ID card, the operator will not activate the starter package. The action of this law applies not only to visitors, but also to local residents. If a card is needed for a child under 13 years old, it is issued according to parents' documents. Keep in mind that a SIM card in Poland may also come in handy if you need to issue any documents in the country.

Replenishment is available on official websites, in mobile operators' offices or via mobile applications for iOS and Android. And also at ATMs, payment terminals installed in stores, and with scratch cards. They are sold in almost all stores, with denominations ranging from 5 to 50 Polish zlotys, which is equivalent to 1.05-10.49 EUR.

The average cost of mobile Internet in Poland is about the same for all national operators. The most favorable are unlimited tariffs. There is connection even in small settlements, in the countryside and high in the mountains. Mobile Internet of LTE, 3G and 4G standards works with good speed.

If we talk about more convenient innovative options for connecting to the network, the best mobile Internet in Poland is provided by eSIM technology. It gives a user significant advantages:

if a phone is stolen, a thief will not be able to remove a SIM card, and it will be relatively easy to find the location of the gadget;

• a stranger will not be able to create his own eSIM-account — to do this, you need to enter the password of an old account;
• A subscriber does not need to reinsert a SIM card every time to switch between operators and numbers;
• if a phone supports eSIM technology, there is no need to buy a SIM card and register it with documents, all operations are available online;
• gadgets with virtual eSIM card have fewer holes, so they are better protected from moisture, dust and dirt;
• eSIM virtual card is almost half the size of a standard nano-SIM, which means it saves space inside the phone for a more powerful battery and memory.

We have prepared an overview of the best internet connection offers for virtual eSIM cards and physical SIM cards.

1. Yesim

Yesim will provide you with high quality mobile internet in all regions of Poland. At the same time, your data will be reliably protected. That is why Yesim is often chosen by tourists who go on business trips.

Yesim offers for Poland:

• 3 GB for 5 days for 8 EUR;
• 5 GB for 7 days for 12 EUR;
• 10 GB for 10 days for 22 EUR;
• unlimited traffic for 15 days for 37.5 EUR;
• free VPN for iOS: 10 GB for 10 days for 22 EUR.

Read also: eSIM vs SIM: what's the difference

2. T-Mobile

This operator offers the following data plans:

• daily: unlimited calls and SMS in Poland plus 300 MB of mobile internet for 0.23 EUR;
• monthly: unlimited calls and SMS in Poland plus 10 GB of mobile Internet for 5.75 EUR.

If this amount of traffic is not enough, you can buy additional traffic, for example, 12 GB for 2.76 EUR.

3. Plus

This provider has several tariffs for mobile internet users:

• 300 MB for 30 days for 1.15 EUR;
• 500 MB for 30 days for 1.61 EUR;
• 1 GB for 30 days for 2.30 EUR.

If the volume runs out, gigabytes can be purchased, if you buy 3 GB or more, you get 1 GB as a gift. And the most favorable package for 35 GB will cost 34.52 EUR.

4. Lycamobile

This operator has an accumulation of unused gigabytes. Tariff packages are offered as follows:

• 35 GB in Poland/3.9 GB in the EU for 30 days for 4.6 EUR;
• 50 GB in Poland/4.9 GB in the EU for 30 days for 5.75 EUR;
• 60 GB in Poland/6.75 GB in the EU for 30 days for 8.98 EUR;
• 100 GB in Poland/9.6 GB in theEU for 30 days for 11.28 EUR.

Roaming in Poland

Roaming is the most expensive mobile internet in Poland for tourists. But if a visit to the country lasts only a few days, the option offers the following advantages:

• no need to spend time looking for a local SIM card;
• you can use mobile communication immediately after crossing the border;
• you can replenish your account in advance in your home country;
• if you choose roaming, technical support will remain in the language of your country.

Roaming has only one disadvantage — high cost of mobile communication, internet and other paid services.

Yesim mobile app is an affordable mobile internet option with coverage in most countries. There are tariffs tied to traffic volume and usage period. Before installation, you need to make sure that your gadget supports eSIM technology. Checking is available on the official page of the service.

Pocket Wi-Fi

The advantages of this equipment is that it supports all mobile communication standards: CDMA, GSM, UMTS, HSDPA, LTE. At the same time, the router works without charging for 13-15 hours and distributes the Internet within the radius of 30 meters.

You can connect it via USB to any of available gadgets, from a smartphone to a desktop computer.

If you don't want to buy the equipment, a pocket router can be rented. The cost depends on the term, the chosen delivery method and additional accessories, such as a reinforced antenna.

There are companies in Poland that deliver pocket routers directly to hotels, offices or to a rented accommodation address. A device can also be ordered with delivery to the nearest post office.

The equipment can also be returned via Polish post offices or rental shops. Together with the equipment they give you a user's manual, where you can find details of all possible ways of return.

The main disadvantage of a portable router is the need to buy a SIM card of the Polish cellular operator and understand the tariffs.

Read also: What is eSIM and how does it work

Free Wi-Fi

New spots with free Wi-Fi regularly appear throughout Poland, especially in large cities. Mostly such places are equipped for the comfort of tourists or students. Free Wi-Fi is often available in cafes, bars, restaurants and in fast food.

Usually one free point operates within a radius of 200 meters from the router. The number of participants is up to 4000 people. Depending on their number, the load on the network increases or decreases. The time of a free session is up to 30 minutes.

The speed is enough to communicate using messengers and surf the Internet. But it is not safe to use the public network: cyber fraudsters steal users' personal data through such access points.

The safest and most profitable mobile internet in Poland for tourists is eSIM technology. Install Yesim application and you will always have a stable internet at good speed in any region of Poland.

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