There are several ways to get connected in Amsterdam, you shouldn’t be panic. In addition, you can consider the options we have offered below:
1. Using your Existing Mobile Phone in Amsterdam
If you already have a GSM compatible phone and your phone is unlocked, you are good to go. What you need to do is just to get a Dutch SIM card. See section 2.3 for more info about the provider options. If your phone is locked by your provider (contract) or has a region lock, you will need to get it unlocked first at a mobile store (Note! this will void the warranty). Otherwise, you may choose to get a new phone altogether.
2. Buying a New Mobile Phone
Is your phone not Dutch-SIM compatible? Or is it as old as a brick? Why not get a new phone? You have 2 options when buying a new phone in Holland; a prepaid plan (losse toestellen) or a phone contract.
- Losse Toestellen: buy an unlocked phone without any subscription. You will need to get a prepaid SIM card separately.
- Phone Contract: if you’re planning to stay for a year or longer, contract may be a better deal because you will pay less for the phone (some can even be free). Your option ranges between 1, 2 or even 3 years contract. The only downside is that your phone will be locked by the provider and you can’t change your subscription till the contract ends.
3. Choosing a Service Provider
Now that you have a mobile phone, choosing a provider is your next challenge. Just a heads-up, this is not an easy feat to do! More often than not, you would want to try a few on your own before you can decide a favorite. Up to this moments, even the committee members are still debating which provider is better (i.e. call rate, value-for-money, signal coverage, internet speed, internet quota, well you know the drill). Popular choices you may want to check out: KPN (Dutch national operator, best coverage, most expensive rates); T-mobile (attractive phone contracts, good coverage); Vodafone (good coverage better than T-mobile, but surcharge for 4G) or Lebara (cheapest rate & free sim, poor coverage).