Rating of the best mobile Internet tariffs in Crimea for 2022

Many mobile users, once choosing a tariff plan, stop tracking new offers from operators, missing the opportunity to save their budget. In order not to waste money in vain, we recommend periodically comparing the price offers of operators with each other, and switching to more favorable tariff plans.

Monthly spending on a mobile phone is not noticeable, however, in the long run, overpayments can “eat up” a significant part of the family budget, especially if there are several mobile phone users in the family. In this article, we will tell you how to choose one or another offer of companies providing communication services, as well as what to look for in order not to make mistakes when choosing a mobile Internet tariff in Crimea.

Features of mobile communications in Crimea

Perhaps not everyone knows that the Republic of Crimea is considered unrecognized throughout the world (it received recognition only from the Russian Federation), which is why sanctions are imposed on the activities of large companies in the camp. In this regard, well-known global operators do not operate on the mainland. Only those organizations that are not afraid of imposing sanctions from other countries can work here. Operators who value their reputation provide services in Crimea on a roaming basis, which is unprofitable for customers. This statement does not apply to the only organization - MTS (Mobile Telesystems), which continues to work in the same way as before the introduction of restrictions.

In order to avoid pressure on the customers of mobile operators, the Russian government has passed a law that obliges firms to cancel roaming conditions. However, this law works only formally - roaming was officially canceled, however, in fact, prices for users remained at the same, inflated level (the main increase in prices did not affect the provision of communication, but mobile Internet - in this way, companies seek to level their costs). The main reason for the high prices is the need for Russian operators to rent cell towers located on the peninsula.

Mobile Internet on the peninsula is underdeveloped. In most territories, it operates in 2G format, which is characterized by a slow data transfer rate.Support for 3G is available only in large cities, as soon as they leave the borders of which, users lose this opportunity. The 4G format is available only in three settlements - Yalta, Simferopol, Sevastopol. Information can be found in the media that it is planned to provide 4G network coverage for the entire peninsula in 2022, but whether this will actually be possible is unknown.

According to user feedback, recently in Simferopol and other large cities it was possible to connect to the LTE network, which is by far the best for Internet surfing. This network can only be operated by a single communications service provider, and the government must hold a tender to select such an entity by the third quarter of 2022. After the winner of the tender is determined, he will receive a license to work in this area and will be obliged to provide Crimea with Internet access.

Recommendations for using mobile communications in Crimea

1. First of all, you need to buy a SIM card on the spot in order to avoid overpaying for roaming.
2. It is better to buy a card in large settlements, in which case its cost will be less than in hard-to-reach areas.
3. Before purchasing a card, you need to compare the offers of companies and choose the best one, matching your needs for communication and Internet access.
4. When making calls and transferring data, you need to make sure that the device is connected to the desired operator, and not the nearest tower, as this will be cheaper.
5. If you are using a non-Crimean SIM card, it is recommended to connect options and replenish your account in Russia, it will be cheaper than on the peninsula.
6. After the user has moved to the mainland, you must immediately disable the card in order to avoid charging a commission.

It is worth remembering that the main criterion for choosing a tariff plan should be the final cost of its use, as well as the data transfer rate.

Recently, more and more often you can find reviews on the quality of communication on the peninsula. This is due to the fact that after the annexation of the territory, some towers that belonged to Ukrainian companies were demolished, while others were not modernized for a long time. Despite all the steps taken by the Russian government to normalize the situation, today users are still dissatisfied. There is practically no development in this area. So, for example, for the period 2014-2018. the number of towers increased by only 3%, which does not correspond to the growth rate of the needs of the population. Until now, in some territories there is no coverage at all, and people living in these places do not have full access to the Internet.

Access to the GSM network is available almost everywhere, but this is only possible thanks to the infrastructure that has remained since the time when Ukraine owned Crimea. The functionality of the towers does not meet the needs of the population, and the characteristics of the equipment are significantly inferior to regulatory requirements. Even in such a large city as Sevastopol, there are a large number of so-called "gray zones" - places where access problems are recorded. Not only the local population suffers from the above problems, but also tourists who are amazed at the cost of a basic package of services.According to ongoing studies, up to 15% of those visiting the peninsula prefer to completely abandon the services of local operators in order to avoid paying the high cost of the proposed connection options.

Rating of high-quality tariff plans for the Internet in Crimea

Global Companies

MTS

Due to the fact that the operator seeks to avoid the negative consequences of international sanctions as much as possible, there is no official information on the organization's website about tariff plans. Formally, PJSC Mobile Telesystems operates using local towers and provides communication via roaming. According to customers, the organization's offer is much more profitable for users compared to competitors. This is due to the fact that roaming is provided only formally, but in fact the tariffs are close to the all-Russian ones and are the cheapest. To use the services, you do not need to purchase a separate SIM card, you can use the one that was issued in any other city in Russia.

Formally, a SIM card operating on the peninsula is listed in the Krasnodar Territory, and has a corresponding digital code. The most common offer is Super MTS.

The cost of purchasing a SIM card is 50 rubles, which are immediately credited to the buyer's account. The cost of incoming calls and the accrual of a monthly fee is free of charge. The first 20 minutes of calls to MTS subscribers (with the exception of Ukrainian numbers) are carried out without charging, subsequently billing is carried out according to the following scheme: 0.5 rubles - from 20 to 35 minutes, subsequent ones - for 0.75. Calls to Ukrainian subscribers are more expensive - 2.5 rubles per 1 minute, to landline phones located in the Krasnodar Territory and Crimea - 1.3 rubles.Calls to subscribers who are not in this territory will cost about 10 rubles.

Using the Internet in the first 15 days after connecting a SIM card is free of charge, which is beneficial for tourists. For additional benefits, you can use the connection packages, which include services provided at a lower cost. Additional packages are provided at the request of the subscriber, and, according to the advice of users, it is recommended to constantly monitor the balance of the package in order not to go into a big loss.

In order to use the Internet, you can connect one of three packages, the benefits of which are obvious:

• Mini bit. Can be activated when buying a card. 10 Mb of traffic is provided per day, which will cost 10 rubles.
• Bit smart. Designed for smartphones, 75 MB of traffic is provided, approximately the same price as in the previous package.
• Super bit smart. 3 GB of Internet traffic will cost the user 360 rubles.

Packages are available for use throughout the Crimea, as well as in Sevastopol. Tariff plans for unlimited use of Internet access are not provided.

Corporate service packages are not officially provided on the territory of the peninsula, but they can be connected through intermediary companies. The organization enters into appropriate agreements with intermediaries, through which it gets the opportunity to provide services to the population. In accordance with such agreements, intermediaries have the full right to dispose of SIM cards at their discretion. In most cases, corporate clients are offered individual conditions, the profitability of which is determined by the intermediary.

At the provided tariffs, incoming calls and SMS are not charged.Unlimited Internet is offered only on one of the most expensive tariff plans (TP). Most TPs have a limited number of gigabytes included in the package, fireproof at the end of the month is not provided. The subscription fee ranges from 500 to 1500 rubles per month. The advantages of such an offer include a large number of free minutes (at the same time, calls can be made to any phone numbers, including landlines), as well as SMS messages included in the subscription fee, and a relatively low cost of service compared to prices that competitors have.

• budget prices;
• convenient personal account;
• MTS offers are suitable for everyday use, and are also beneficial for tourists.

• connection complexity - in order for the SIM card to work in the Crimea, you need to connect to the Super MTS service;
• corporate clients can work with the company only through intermediaries;
• Unlimited Internet is only offered at a few TPs.

Since other global companies provide subscribers with communications on roaming terms, it is not rational to consider them in this rating. The profitability of the conditions for local users tends to zero, since even a commission may be charged for checking the balance, incoming calls and SMS messages.

Local companies

Since the majority of global companies in Crimea operate only on roaming terms, it is recommended to purchase a card from a local provider upon arrival. There are only 4 of them - Wave, Win mobile, Crimea-telecom (K-telecom), Sevmobile. The most popular of them are the first two.

wave mobile

The rating of the "local" category begins with a company that has been operating since June 2016.It provides services throughout the Crimea and in Sevastopol, as well as data transmission according to 2, 3, 4 G standards. On the organization's website, you can find a map with coverage areas, by which you can determine its availability in a particular area. Service and sales centers are located in most large settlements, and in some of them you can only get advice and replace a SIM card, and you will have to contact others for a full range of services. At the conclusion of the contract, you can choose a "beautiful number" at will, for which you will have to pay extra separately.

One of the important advantages of the Wave is the provision of coworking, a description of the conditions of which can be found on the official website. It is designed to form a workplace where you can create a media space, hold work meetings, and work remotely. Workplaces and space for negotiations are organized in such a way that a person feels comfortable. All points have air conditioning, the necessary set of office equipment (except for a computer), a large monitor for showing videos, presentations, images, text materials.

Coworking points are unified in different cities, and usually represent nine workplaces, which are divided into two rooms - one has 3 individual places, the second has a meeting room designed for 6 people (it can also be used as individual workplaces). For subscribers of the company, unlimited Internet is provided without charging a fee. For the convenience of visitors, sanitary facilities are provided, as well as lockers for storing personal belongings.

In order to use free coworking, you need to have a Volna mobile SIM card and reserve a workplace by phone or order online. The administrator will need to specify the time for which the room is booked, as well as the number of visitors. The reservation is kept for 30 minutes after the start of the set period, and after this time it is canceled. If there are free places, they are booked no later than 30 minutes (this is necessary in order to prepare the place for a new visitor). For representatives of the media, priority booking is provided. Among the shortcomings of the proposal, one can note the lack of stationary computers and laptops, so users have to take the necessary equipment with them.

The operator offers only one basic tariff plan for the Internet and several additional conditions, which are called options. The subscription fee for the TP is 150 rubles per month (or 6 per day). As part of it, free calls and SMS are provided to Volna mobile customer numbers, as well as 300 minutes and SMS messages to landline phones, as well as numbers of other operators. The package includes 3 GB of traffic, everything else is paid separately. After the end of the package, you can connect one of the 3 options for 1, 5, 10 GB for 50, 200, 300 rubles, respectively.

For payment, there are several options for replenishing an account: through the RNKB online systems, using a bank card (terminals), through a personal account. Most options for replenishment do not have a commission, however, in some terminals it is possible to withdraw the percentage of the bank, therefore, when choosing an info kiosk, it is recommended to pay attention to the presence of the “no commission” mark.The site has a map where you can find terminals in which the commission for replenishing the account is not charged to the user.

Each client can install a personal application on a mobile phone, in which one can control the balance of funds on the account, as well as make settings, switch from one tariff plan to another. With it, you can also top up your account, contact a room service consultant, find out local news. You can download the application for any type of device from Google play, App Store, Yandex Store.

With a zero balance, the client can make the promised payment, send a “call me back” request to a friend or request a replenishment of the account, and also transfer money from one account to another.

• there is coverage in 4G format (which is rare for the peninsula);
• services are inexpensive compared to other operators;
• free coworking;
• many options for replenishing the balance;
• good coverage, in most areas communication is available in 3 or 4 G format.

• when replenishing an account in some institutions, a commission is charged;
• There are no tariff plans with unlimited internet.

win mobile

The review continues with the second of two companies in the Crimea, which supports the 4 G format. It serves a large number of clients, including government ones. The main ones are: Krymenergo, Genbank, Federal State Unitary Enterprise Okhrana of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, etc. The organization not only provides communication services, but also supports socially oriented projects. For example, it provides financial support to the orphanage, participates in fundraising for sick children, supports sports marathons, etc.

Unlike the previous contestant, Win mobile offers users a large number of tariff plans for the Internet, including unlimited ones. The most popular tariff is Megahit. For those who manage to conclude an agreement before 01/31/2021, special conditions are offered - a monthly fee of 100 rubles per month, unlimited social networks, calls in the Crimea and the Krasnodar Territory without restrictions, 15 GB of traffic.

For regular subscribers, the cost of monthly payments is 300 rubles per month. This amount, among other things, includes 100 minutes of calls to telephone numbers in the Russian Federation. Also, fans of "surf" will be interested in three other offers with data transfer: Simple, Online, Premium. All these offers have no traffic restrictions. Each of them includes additional conditions that can be tailored to individual needs.

One of the interesting offers is the service of delivering a SIM card to your home. The courier will arrive within 7 days after confirming its readiness. Delivery is carried out only on weekdays, from 09:00 to 19:00. The organization's website has a "Support" section, which describes the main questions that users have and how to resolve them. You can replenish the balance using standard methods, or through the website of a partner company without paying additional interest. You can also do this through your personal account, where, among other things, you can manage your tariff plan, connect and disconnect additional packages, control the flow of funds.

• many TPs with the Internet, the user can choose them for specific needs;
• good coverage area;
• there are 4 G;
• average price per gigabyte.

• high cost of calls to Russian numbers.

Crimea Telecom

The main office of the organization is located in Simferopol, in other large settlements there are areas for the sale of services and public services. Most of them work only on weekdays. In addition to providing subscribers with communications, the operator also provides access to the global network using ADSL, FTTB, SHDSL, and Ethernet technologies. On the official website, you can find a coverage map, get acquainted with the tariffs and find out how much this or that offer costs. In order to receive answers to questions regarding the maintenance or adjustment of the equipment, you can contact a technical specialist, whose telephone number is located there.

The company's website also contains information on where you can buy a SIM card, or get advice from a specialist.

The operator offers several TPs for mobile Internet, while unlimited is the most expensive of the available offers, it will cost 400 rubles per month. This cost includes free calls within the network and SMS messages to numbers of mobile operators. The subscription fee also includes 300 calls to telephone numbers located on the territory of the peninsula and in Simferopol. Users note an important advantage of a tariff plan with a blocking function in the absence of sufficient funds in the account - thanks to this, it is impossible to "go into the red." This function is convenient if the phone is used by a child or an adult who is poorly versed in the billing of communications. Blocking is performed automatically, it is even possible to interrupt the call when making a call.

Other tariff plans have restrictions on the amount of traffic, but their data transfer speed exceeds the tariff that was described earlier. The cost of such TP ranges from 5 rubles per day to 650 rubles per month.Through your personal account, you can change the number, owner, tariff plan, set up additional functions. In order to use your personal account, you must register and create a personal password. If it is entered incorrectly more than 3 times, the entrance is blocked, after which the user will have to personally visit the office to unlock it.

Among other things, the company offers such services as sounding of the round table, wired radio broadcasting, telegraph communication. Crimea Telecom periodically holds various promotions. So, in January 2022, subscribers of the Universalny TP receive 10 GB of traffic for free, you can connect a dedicated line using FTTB technology in Yalta, Simferopol, Feodosia and other large cities.

• a large number of types of tariffs for any needs;
• there is unlimited access;
• a convenient personal account in which you can carry out most of the operations yourself.

• no 4G;
• on the network you can find negative reviews about the quality of communication.

Sevmobile

According to media reports, from the end of 2020, the company decided to leave the mobile communications market in the peninsula. She started her activities together with Crimea-telecom, by agreement with which she had to serve subscribers in the territory of Sevastopol, using the stationary towers of the second operator to serve subscribers in the territory of Crimea. At the same time, the company did not provide a return service to the partner.

According to some sources, Sevmobile worked jointly not only with Crimea-telecom, but also using the infrastructure of Intertelecom (which created a small network of stations on the territory of Crimea), as well as Elemte-Invest.At the same time, according to users, the conditions of the services provided by Sevmobile were significantly inferior to other companies, including Crimea-telecom. Because of this, sales of "sim cards" of the company were at a low level. Low sales were also explained by the fact that 4G was not mastered by Sevmobile.

Independent sources report that the operator's exit from the market may be due to two reasons: firstly, Elemte-Invest changed its owner (now it is Miranda-Media), and secondly, Intertelecom went bankrupt. Due to the fact that the company's relations with Crimea-telecom are strained, there are no more grounds for the continuation of the existence of Sevmobile.

Other options

Since the largest Russian operators provide services in Crimea only on a roaming basis, it is irrational to use your SIM card. Many travelers recommend purchasing a Drimsim card, which was created specifically for those who often change countries and continents.

Drimsim

This SIM card is not tied to any of the existing operators, and works in most countries of the world. There is no fixed subscription fee, you can use the Internet immediately after activating the card, and in order to make calls and send messages, you will need to rent a phone number. Renting a room will cost the client 1 euro per month. Internet is paid for upon use, on average 1 MB costs 0.01 euros per month. All incoming calls are free, outgoing SMS cost 15 cents, outgoing calls - from 4 to 7 euro cents.

When moving from one country to another, the change of operator occurs automatically, without user intervention.In the event that a force majeure event occurs and the subscriber is unable to receive the paid services, the cost of issuing the card and the money spent earlier will be returned in full. This statement works even if the client independently decided not to use the connection. Each subscriber can install a mobile application on a smartphone, in which you can control expenses and the rest of the traffic. Here you can also get advice from a technical specialist, replenish your account, and even arrange travel insurance.

Since the novelty appeared on the market relatively recently, many travelers do not know about its existence, and are forced to either overpay for roaming or be content with the low quality of mobile Internet in Crimea.

• favorable rates;
• operates in most countries of the world;
• fast clearance;
• if the client did not use the services, the cost of issuing a SIM card is refunded in full.

• the company has recently appeared on the market, which is why many do not know about its existence.

Conclusion

When choosing a SIM card of which company in Crimea it is better to buy, it is recommended to evaluate your expenses and decide which of them are in priority. Based on this, you need to select a tariff plan. All subscribers of Russian companies claim that roaming conditions are extremely unfavorable on the territory of the peninsula, which leaves buyers with only two options - to purchase a card from a local company, or to conclude an agreement with Drimsim. In the second case, you need to understand that the provision of services in any case is carried out through the towers of local operators, which is why the quality of communication will be comparable.Don't count on 4G on the coast, it's only available in a few major cities. In most territories, especially remote ones, 2G EDGE is still operating. I would like to believe that the government's statements will come true, and soon customers will be able to use access to the worldwide network on a par with Russian users.

We hope that our review will help you make the right choice!