Buy from a local merchant for data discounts and roaming advantages.
The Silk Road makes Uzbekistan a historic tourist destination while others visit the Asian country for business purposes. If you are traveling to Uzbekistan, you can cut your costs down by investing in a prepaid SIM card to reduce fees for roaming and data usage. A prepaid card costs UZS6,000 (US$0.74) and comes with UZS3,000 preloaded credit. Finder.com offers the following guide to the nation’s telco operators.
Prices last updated November 2017Mobile network operators in Uzbekistan
There are four GSM network operators in Uzbekistan that are compatible with most US phones. They are:
- Ucell
- Beeline
- UMS
- Uzmobile
Ucell and Beeline have started 4G/LTE networks. In order to buy a SIM card in Uzbekistan, you must show your passport and confirm that you have registered at a hotel by bringing a copy of the reservation. If the vendor you are dealing with does not require both of these security issues fulfilled, beware that you may be being scammed into buying a SIM card already registered to someone else. Be aware that most network operators offer daily plans for Internet usage because that is the custom of most citizens in Uzbekistan.
Uzbekistan currency
The official currency of Uzbekistan is the Uzbekistan Som. The international ISO code used for Som is UZS. All network providers list their prices in US dollars (US$), but the transactions are done in Som. Check the official exchange rate when you visit, which can be done here. As of November 17, the exchange rate was US$1 for UZS8,000.
Ucell
Ucell has the best coverage but also the highest rates. Its most basic SIM card costs US$0.75 but does not come with any credit preloaded. Topping-up your account can be done by dialing *120#. A one-time fee of US$0.50 must be paid before you select a package.
If you’re planning to visit Uzbekistan more than once, you can freeze your subscription by dialing *145*1# before you leave the country. When you return, dial *145*2# to reactivate your account, which will keep it up for another 6-12 months. You can pay US$3.90 to keep it active for 6 months or US$6.90 for 12 months.
Ucell offers daily, weekly and monthly data bundles. They will always auto-renew as long as there is credit available to do so on your account, unless you’ve sent a deactivation code. If you want to change from one package to another, you have to deactivate the old one first. The data bundles are as follows:
Ucell Daily Packages
| Package Name> | Price | Data Volume | Activation Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Package 2 | US$0.05 | 2MB | *555*1*1*1# |
| Package 5 | US$0.10 | 5MB | *555*1*2*1# |
| Package 10 | US$0.15 | 10MB | *555*1*3*1# |
| Package 25 | US$0.28 | 25MB | *555*1*4*1# |
| Package 40 | US$0.37 | 40MB | *555*1*5*1# |
| Package 60 | US$0.50 | 60MB | *555*1*9*1# |
| Package 80 | US$0.65 | 80MB | *555*1*7*1# |
| Package 100 | US$0.80 | 100MB | *555*1*8*1# |
Ucell Weekly Packages
| Package Name | Price | Data Volume | Activation Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weekly 80 | US$2 | 80MB | *555*2*1*1# |
| Weekly 160 | US$3 | 160MB | *555*2*1*2# |
| Weekly 320 | US$4 | 320MB | *555*2*1*3# |
Ucell Monthly Packages
| Package Name | Price | Data Volume | Activation Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Package 50 | US$1.25 | 50MB | *555*3*1*1# |
| Package 150 | US$3 | 150MB | *555*3*2*1# |
| Package 300 | US$4.50 | 300MB | *555*3*3*1# |
| Package 500 | US$6 | 500MB | *555*3*4*1# |
| Package 1GB | US$10 | 1GB | *555*3*5*1# |
| Package 1.5GB | US$12 | 1.5GB | *555*3*6*1# |
| Package 2GB | US$15 | 2GB | *555*3*7*1# |
| Package 4GB | US$35 | 4GB | *555*3*8*1# |
4G Data Packages
With 4G still a new technology in Uzbekistan, Ucell offers the following promotional packages for 4G/LTE data. Note that the “Try 4G” package can be used only once.
| Package Name | Price | Data Volume | Activation Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Try 4G | US$0.01 | 5GB | *500# |
| Modern Home | US$15 | 5GB | *555*5# |
| Wi-Fi Home | US$25 | 10GB | *555*5# |
Ucell Roaming
Ucell is a product of Swedish-based Telia and offers special data roaming packages to Ucell customers traveling to other Telia-supported countries – 16 in all according to this list. The packages are available for 14 days and are as follows:
- US$8 for 20MB. Activation code: *550*1#
- US$17 for 50MB. Activation code: *550*2#
- US$30 for 100MB. Activation code: *550*3#
APN: internet
Website (in English): http://www.ucell.ucz/en/subscribers
Beeline
Beeline covers almost 90% of the population with its 2G network and about 50% with its 3G. It started a 4G/LTE network in 2015 that has expanded to a few cities beyond Tashkent.
You can choose from one of two base plans and then add on data bundles. The two best basic plans for data usage are:
- Bir Hafta (Be Smart): For US$1.99 per week, you get 200 minutes to Beeline customers, 25 minutes to off-network providers and 100MB of data. Additional data is charged at the rate of US$0.15 per MB. The activation code is *110*595#.
- Click: There are no minutes included, but data is US$0.04 per MB from 9am to 1am and US$0.01 per MB from 1am to 9am. The activation code is *110*000#.
If you want to use Beeline’s 4G/LTE service, you must have a 4G-enabled SIM and activate the plan by dialing *110*444#. Beeline offers both daily/weekly and monthly data bundles which are listed below.
Beeline daily/weekly data bundles
| Price | Data Volume | Validity | Activation Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| US$0.33 | 30MB | 1 day | *110*0*16# |
| US$1.00 | 150MB | 1 day | *110*0*17# |
| US$0.33 | 13MB | 3 days | *110*0*11# |
| US$0.55 | 26MB | 3 days | *110*0*12# |
| US$1.20 | 50MB | 7 days | *110*0*18# |
| US$2.20 | 200MB | 7 days | *110*0*19# |
Beeline monthly data bundles
| Price | Data Volume | Activation Code |
|---|---|---|
| US$1.70 | 60MB | *110*0*01# |
| US$3.25 | 260MB | *110*0*02# |
| US$5.50 | 460MB | *110*0*04# |
| US$7.50 | 800MB | *110*0*05# |
| US$10 | 1.2GB | *110*0*06# |
| US$13 | 2.2GB | *110*0*07# |
| US$20 | 3.5GB | *110*0*08# |
| US$27 | 5GB | *110*0*09# |
| US$33 | 7.5GB | *110*0*15# |
Check your data consumption at any time by dialing *103#. All monthly packages include a 30% bonus for social media websites including: Facebook, OK.RU, Telegram, Viber and WhatsApp.
Beeline 4G/LTE data bundles
Beeline has three 4G Internet packages that are valid for 30 days. A bonus is that if you travel out of range of the 4G/LTE network, the data will continue to work on its 3G and 2G bands. The packages are:
- US$40 for 15GB. Activation code: *110*0*27#.
- US$50 for 30GB. Activation code: *110*0*28#
- US$60 for 60GB. Activation code: *110*0*29#
Beeline Roaming
Beeline also has networks in Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia, Georgia and Tajikistan. If you are visiting any of these countries with your Uzbekistan-bought Beeline SIM card, you can use data at the cost of US$1.50 per MB.
APN: internet.beeline.uz
Website (in Uzbek and Russian only): http://www.beeline.uz
UMS
UMS is the state-owned company and is third in subscribers. It started its 4G/LTE network in Tashkent in 2016 and added Samarkand in 2017. The starter pack costs US$0.74. There are three plans to choose from, after which time you can add data.
- Besh or Baraka: No voice allowance. Data is US$0.05 per MB. Activation code is *111*1110# for Besh and *111*109# for Baraka.
- Start: 100MB for one month for US$1.50. Activation code is *111*100#.
- Optima: 250 minutes and 100MB for a month for US$5. Beyond the 100MB, the cost is $0.10 per MB. Activation code is *111*102#.
You can check your balance at *100#. For 4G/LTE access, you must dial *222*1# to activate.
When it comes to data packages, UMS has a lot of different choices. There are four basic types as listed below:
- Data packages valid for up to 30 days without auto-renewal
- Data packages that auto-renew with a reduced rate for the next month
- Data packages valid for 30 days for use only at night (12am-8am)
- Data packages that provide unlimited bandwidth for the duration of 1 day, 1 week, 1 month or only at night (12am-8am).
Non-renewable UMS data packages
| Price | Data Volume | Validity | Activation Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| US$1 | 50MB | 1 day | *102*50# |
| US$1.50 | 100MB | 1 day | *102*100# |
| US$2 | 100MB | 7 days | *102*100# |
| US$3 | 200MB | 7 days | *102*200# |
| US$4 | 300MB | 7 days | *102*300# |
| US$5 | 750MB | 30 days | *102*300# |
| US$7 | 1.25GB | 30 days | *102*500# |
| US$10 | 2.5GB | 30 days | *102*1000# |
| US$18 | 5GB | 30 days | *102*2000# |
| US$25 | 7.5GB | 30 days | *102*3000# |
| US$35 | 12.5GB | 30 days | *102*5000# |
| US$55 | 25GB | 30 days | *102*10000# |
Auto-renewable unlimited data packages
| Price | Plan Name | Validity | Activation Code | Deactivation code |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US$3 | Drive 1 | 1 night | *200*1*1# | *200*1*0# |
| US$15 | Drive 7 | 7 nights | *200*7*1# | *200*7*0# |
| USS40 | Drive 30 | 30 nights | *200*30*1# | *200*30*0# |
APN: net.ums.uz
Website: http://www.ums.uz
UzMobile
UzMobile started in 2015 with 2G and 3G networks and opened up a 4G/LTE network in 2017. It has three basic plans which are listed below:
- Traffic: US$0.80 per month for 40MB of data. Additional data charged at the rate of $0.05 per MB.
- Step: US$1.50/month for 30 minutes of national calls and 50MB of data. Additional data charged at the rate of $0.07 per MB.
- Salom: US$0.15/day is good for 250 minutes of calls and 120MB of data. Additional data charged at the rate of $0.05 per MB.
UzMobile does not deal in daily or weekly packages, only those ranging from 30-90 days. Data packages do not renew. You can activate them by sending the activation code via SMS to 9999. To check your available data balance, text “1002” to 9999. The following packages are available:
APN: internet.uzmobile.uz
Website (in Uzbek and Russian): http://www.uzmobile.uz
Advice from TripAdvisor about SIM cards in Uzbekistan
In addition to being an online review platform for hotels and attractions, TripAdvisor has an impressive online community of members . Here’s some advice from recent visitors to Uzbekistan:
“Uzbekistan mobile companies have very poor quality. But before buying the SIM card you have to register at the hotel. Without your passport + registration cards, the mobile office will not sell you the SIM card.”
“Just returned from a one-week trip in Uzbekistan. Visited a Ucell service centre in Samarkand on my first day and bought a data SIM card without any problems. I had my foreign passport and registration slip from the hotel. The service staff was very friendly, spoke excellent English and explained clearly about the available data packages and prices.”
Pros and cons of Uzbekistan’s top SIM card operators
Uzbekistan has four major SIM card providers. Here are some of the positives and negatives about these companies.
Pros
- Listed prices are in US dollars for all products.
- Ucell and Beeline have special data rates for 4G/LTE users.
Cons
- Despite listing prices in US dollars, all transactions are still done in Uzbekistan Som which is not a well-known currency for many travelers.
- UMS and UzMobile do not offer roaming packages outside of Uzbekistan.
I will travel to Uzbekistan from 1 – 6 March and i would like to find for data sim use for internet during stay. I need good speed with 1GB.
Please help to suggest the net work and package. Looking forward to hearing from there and see Uzbekistan soon. Thank you
Hi Aou,
Thank you for your comment.
As we are a comparison website, we may not be able to recommend a specific SIM/data pack to you. Also the best option ultimately depends on your own financial situation and needs/preferences.
Nevertheless, there are options for networks and packages you can compare above. You can choose between Ucell, Beeline, UMS and Uzmobile. The cost of the data plans is also outlined above. Once you’ve chosen a network, please visit its official website and see more details from there.
Just a few reminders though, when you buy a SIM card in Uzbekistan, you’d need to show your passport and bring a copy of your hotel reservation. Note that most network operators offer daily plans for Internet usage as that is the custom of most citizens in Uzbekistan.
Hope this helps.
Regards,
Jhezelyn