To date, mobile operators in the Crimea do not function as they do throughout Russia. Perhaps this is due to the fear of sanctions, but providers such as Beeline, Megafon and Tele2 do not work throughout the peninsula. It is neither possible to buy their SIM cards, nor to use the tariffs and services offered to subscribers located in other regions of the Russian Federation. As soon as the holder of such a card is in the territory of Crimea, intranet roaming is automatically connected, due to which the cost of communication increases very significantly. But is there any way to save? How to connect roaming in Crimea without extra costs? To do this, you can use the services of other operators, including local ones.
On the territory of Crimea, their own providers operate - Volna, K-Telecom (aka Win Mobile), Sevmobile and Krymtelecom. At the same time, Sevmobile works well exclusively within Sevastopol and its environs. In addition, it is present in the Crimea and "MTS", albeit with some features. What to choose?
Roaming "MTS" in the Crimea
As already noted, this operator fully works throughout the peninsula. Therefore, you can not only take advantage of an existing connection, but also purchase a local SIM card. When you connect on the spot, the subscriber will have the opportunity to set certain tariffs that will enable him to travel profitably throughout Russia.
It is not profitable to use MTS roaming in Crimea because the local SIM card of this operator offers several attractive tariff plans. The region where this provider is connected in Crimea is the Krasnodar Territory and the Republic of Adygea. As elsewhere in the country, there are currently a number of Smart tariffs that offer a certain number of unlimited calls to MTS within the region, Internet traffic and SMS packages.
Tariffs "MTS" in Crimea
For those who use the phone minimally, the Smart Mini tariff plan is suitable, which will cost only 200 rubles. It includes the following package of services: 1 GB of Internet traffic, a thousand minutes for on-net calls, including outside the region, as well as 200 SMS to local MTS SIM cards. Within the region, calls to SIM cards of other providers will cost one and a half rubles per minute, while outside they will cost 12 minutes.
If you plan to make calls not only to MTS subscribers, then it is better to opt for Smart or Smart Unlimited packages, which involve cheaper network calls. The first will cost 350 rubles a month, the second will cost a little more than 12 rubles a day in the first month of connection and 15 rubles a day for subsequent use.
Replace roaming in the Crimea will help the local tariff "Guest", which assumes free incoming calls and outgoing to SIM cards of the same tariff. Any other calls within the region, as well as to MTS subscribers throughout Russia, will cost one and a half rubles per minute. However, the Internet is not included in this package. It’s best to additionally activate a service called SuperBIT Smart, which will cost 10 rubles a day and provide 3 GB of Internet traffic.
If you use a home SIM card "MTS"
If you decide not to purchase a SIM card with a local tariff and use roaming in the Crimea, how much will it cost?
If you are connected to one of the Smart packages (except for Mini), most of the services are valid throughout Russia. At the same time, in roaming, 15 rubles will be debited from your account daily. Calls within the package will be free, as well as Internet traffic. On top of the package, calls will cost 2 rubles per minute to the home region and five rubles in Russia, SMS - 3.80 rubles.
It is also possible to activate the service "Everywhere at home", which is available at almost all tariffs, including archival ones. The exception is VIP-2014 and Business without Borders plans. Connection of the service will cost 30 rubles, and use will cost seven rubles a day. Calls in Russia will cost three rubles per minute, and all incoming calls will be free. In addition, this service gives the subscriber a hundred SMS for free.
For MegaFon subscribers
As already noted, there is no local Megafon tariff plan on the peninsula. Roaming in Crimea will cost a lot - each outgoing and incoming minute will cost about ten rubles, as well as a megabyte of Internet. An SMS message will cost about five rubles. Such roaming is activated automatically upon entering the territory of the autonomous republic.
However, this provider has the opportunity to save money. This year, a special option "Megaphone" - "Roaming in the Crimea." It includes a monthly fee of 15 rubles per day. Moreover, all incoming calls will cost free, outgoing calls - five rubles per minute, Internet - megabytes for 5 rubles, SMS - three rubles.
For Beeline subscribers
Speaking about which Beeline has roaming in the Crimea, it is worth noting that since the summer of 2016 it has not been international. The cost of calls and the Internet will depend on which tariff plan you have selected in your home region. This provider does not have special options and offers in force in the Crimea.
So, if your home tariff plan is “All for 300”, then you will not have any benefits at all. Roaming in Crimea will be exactly the same as in all other regions of Russia. It will be available automatically upon arrival, and the cost of incoming and outgoing calls will be about ten rubles. The same costs sending SMS and megabytes of Internet.
When using the more expensive “All for 500” tariff, the connection will be more profitable. With incoming calls, the first minute will cost three rubles, all subsequent ones will be free. Outgoing calls are charged at three rubles per minute, the same cost of sending SMS and 1 Mb of Internet.
Some other Beeline tariff plans may offer completely free incoming calls. At the same time, the “My Country” option popular with this provider is not available in the Crimea.
For Tele2 subscribers
From 2016 to the present, you can hear that SIM cards of this operator are available for sale on the peninsula. Does Tele2 have roaming in Crimea?
According to the official representatives of the company, such a connection was “gray”. Until mid-April 2014, options for travel to all regions of Russia were available in Crimea. Currently, a special package of options “Tele2” has appeared. Roaming in Crimea can now be connected for 30 rubles, further use of the option will cost 6 rubles per day. At the same time, incoming calls will be free all the time, and the cost of other services will remain within the home tariff plan.
A basic tariff is also available, under which all calls cost five rubles per minute (outgoing and incoming), the same cost is the megabyte of the Internet. The cost of SMS is 3.5 rubles.
YOTA in Crimea
Using YOTA today will cost the most expensive in Crimea. The cost of incoming calls and 1 Mb of Internet for this provider is 9 rubles, outgoing - 19 rubles per minute, the same amount for sending SMS.
Internet Services
As already noted, in some cases it is more advantageous not to connect roaming in the Crimea, but to purchase a local SIM card. This is especially true for active Internet users.
The highest quality 3G and 4G services are present at the local provider WIN mobile. Also, 3G-communication throughout the republic is represented by Krymtelecom, and Sevmobile within Sevastopol. When roaming is connected, all providers begin to work through the above operators.
Win mobile
This operator has a special tariff plan for vacationers. By connecting "At Sea", you get free incoming, outgoing will cost 3 rubles per minute. 100 MB of the Internet will cost 10 rubles.
On some tariffs you can activate the option “My Russia”, the cost of which is 15 rubles one-time plus three rubles a day. At the same time, outgoing calls to any region of the Russian Federation will cost two rubles per minute.
For those who prefer to use only the Internet, the Fast and Furious tariff plan is perfect. It offers 15 GB of Internet traffic for only 400 rubles.
Krymtelecom
This provider offers a profitable plan "My Crimea", operating throughout the peninsula, with the exception of Sevastopol. The cost of services is as follows: 20 kopecks - the minute of outgoing calls within the network, one and a half rubles - the minute of conversation in the region, five rubles - the minute of a call to any other Russian region. The Internet should be connected separately; 10 GB of traffic is provided for 200 rubles.
Sevmobile
This provider only works in Sevastopol and offers a My City plan. It assumes a subscription fee of 180 rubles, at which the subscriber is provided with 90 minutes of conversation within the region and free on-net calls and SMS. Outgoing calls to other regions will cost three rubles per minute. Internet options are also better to connect separately, 10 GB of traffic will cost 300 rubles.