The mobile phone penetration in Romania is high, and nearly everybody has a mobile phone. The mobile phone standard in Romania is GSM as in the rest of Europe. If you come from other countries with the GSM standard, using your phone in Romania is not an issue as long as it is not locked for a particular operator. However, if you come from North America or parts of Asia you may need to buy a new phone.

The mobile phone market in Romania is extremely competitive. In order to keep their market share, the mobile phone players periodically introduce innovative products and packages, update the technology regularly, and improve coverage. As a result, Romania has excellent mobile services at a reasonable price.

Mobile phone numbers in Romania begin with 07 and have ten digits.

Mobile Phone Providers in Romania

The mobile phone operators are:

• Orange
• Vodafone
• Telekom
• Digi Mobil

Mobile Phone Contracts in Romania

Companies offer different contract terms, and you should read the agreements carefully before signing one. Previously, a contract offered lower rates than pre-paid cards, but nowadays the offers and packages for pre-paid cards are often comparable to long-term subscriptions. However, only contracts allow you to purchase a mobile phone device at a discounted rate.

In order to sign up for a contract as a foreigner, you will have to present a valid passport, a proof that you are legally allowed to reside in Romania and a driving license or a bank card. Credit checks are usually not needed.

Contracts may be from one to two years, and you can extend them without problems. However, ending them before the minimum period may be more difficult, as you would need to pay the monthly subscriptions until the end of the minimum contract period.

Mobile phone operators offer a wide range of subscription plans, depending on your specific needs, and these may include free unlimited calls within the network, free calls to specific numbers, free national or international minutes, as well as data traffic. It is good to shop around and gather as much information as possible before signing up.

• There are some basic points you need to consider for choosing the right deal.
  Personal Use: Evaluate how much you use the phone, when, where you are calling, how often you use short message services (SMS), if you use the phone abroad, etc.
• Coverage: Most important if you live in a remote place or regularly using the mobile while traveling in the countryside as most companies offer decent coverage.
• Fees & Rates: Each operator offers several different plans and options. Investigate the plans carefully and evaluate your needs.

Pay As You Go Phones in Romania

Prepaid phones are becoming increasingly more popular due to their flexibility. Users pay in advance for credit which will be used to make phone calls or for data traffic. Cards (cartele pre-pay) can be bought at the majority of supermarkets, newspaper stands, petrol stations as well as online.

Before purchasing a pre-paid card, you need to consider:

• the cost of the purchase of the SIM itself
• the cost of recharging the card
• the rates for calls, text messages or data traffic
• the time of the validity to make or receive calls

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