SIM Card in Uzbekistan: Which Operator Should a Tourist Choose

A connection on the road is needed for everything: maps, translation, ordering transport, bookings, contact with your guesthouse. Roaming is expensive, so most travellers buy a local SIM card. In Uzbekistan this is easy, but there are nuances: registration with a passport, and differences in coverage and plans. Operators' plans and terms change, so check current figures on their sites or in their offices. Below is the general picture.

Main operators

Several mobile operators work in the country. The best known for a traveller are:

• Ucell. One of the largest, with wide coverage and convenient plans with data packages.
• Beeline. A major operator with good coverage in cities and on main roads.
• Mobiuz (UzMobile). The state operator, with wide coverage including many regions.
• Perfectum Mobile (Humans). Newer players, sometimes with interesting offers.

Branding and names change over time, so confirm current names and terms on the spot. For a tourist the choice is most often between Ucell, Beeline and Mobiuz.

Coverage

In big cities (Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva, Fergana, Urgench, Nukus) all operators have good 4G with speeds sufficient for maps, messengers and video. Differences show in the regions:

• Highways between cities. Main roads are covered, but on some desert stretches the signal drops.
• Mountains. In Chimgan, Beldersay, Nurata and other mountain areas the signal is unstable: present in one valley and absent in another. The operator that works best in your area may be a different one, so ask locals.
• Kyzylkum desert. Often there is no signal, especially in yurt camps. Download offline maps and key materials in advance.
• Small towns and villages. Usually there is a signal, but speed is lower.

The simplest approach is to ask your guesthouse or driver which operator works best exactly where you are heading. If your phone supports two SIM cards or eSIM, you can use two operators and not depend on one.

How to buy a SIM card

1. Where. In operators' branded offices (in city centres, malls and airports) and in mobile shops. It is better to buy at official offices: more reliable and less risk of dealing with middlemen.
2. What to bring. A passport is required: SIM cards are registered to the owner. You may need a visa or an entry stamp, so check on the spot.
3. Procedure. The employee sets up the card, records passport data and sometimes takes a photo. Registration takes 10 to 20 minutes.
4. Plan. Choose a package by gigabytes and duration: weekly and monthly plans suit tourists. Ask the employee which suits short trips.
5. Check. Make sure the card works before you leave.

Do not buy SIM cards from private individuals or on the street: they may be registered to other people, which creates risk and blocking problems.

Which plans to choose

Plans vary, from small packages of a few gigabytes to unlimited. A 10 to 30 GB package for a week or month is usually enough for a tourist who uses maps, messengers and occasional video. If you work remotely a lot, look at unlimited or large packages. Pay attention to:

• Validity. What happens when the package ends: disconnection or a paid tariff.
• Top-up. How to buy more data via the app, a USSD code or a terminal.
• Voice calls. Whether you need minutes for calling a guesthouse owner or driver.
• Tethering. Whether the hotspot function is allowed.

Plan names and prices change often, so go by current information and do not rely on old articles.

eSIM

Some operators and international services offer eSIM for travellers. It is convenient because you can set up a connection before you fly. Check that your phone supports eSIM and is not locked to a carrier. eSIM terms and prices differ from local SIM cards, so compare the options.

How to top up

• Through the operator's app (if it works with your number).
• Through payment terminals in shops and on the street.
• Through bank and payment apps tied to a local card.
• At the operator's office.

For a foreigner without a local card, the easiest way to top up is at an office or at terminals that take cash.

Useful apps

With one SIM you can use maps, translation, messengers and travel and booking apps. In the Yo'ldosh app you book a seat on trips between cities and contact the driver. This needs internet and a local number so the driver can call you. Save offline maps in case you lose signal.

Practical tips

1. Buy a SIM at the airport or on your first day in town: it saves time.
2. Bring a charged phone and a power bank.
3. Check internet speed and operation before leaving the office.
4. Write down the operator's number and the number of your own SIM.
5. Download offline maps for the desert and mountain route.
6. Tell loved ones you have a new number.
7. Do not leave the SIM active after you leave if you do not need it: confirm validity rules with the operator.

Connectivity on the road

When travelling between cities the signal sometimes drops on certain stretches, especially in the desert and mountains. For example, on the Tashkent to Samarkand route the signal is almost steady all the way, while on the Bukhara to Khiva route, some 450 km across the desert, there may be dead zones. Download maps and agree on a meeting point in advance so you do not depend on the internet.

Bottom line

A SIM card in Uzbekistan means a passport, 15 minutes at an operator's office and a suitable package. In cities any operator will do, while for the mountains and desert it is worth asking locals and preparing offline maps. Plan routes on the pages for Tashkent to Samarkand and Bukhara to Khiva, and your connection will not let you down.

Cover photo: Unknown authorUnknown author or not provided, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons.