Harare - Post Report Question and Answers
Do you have any recommendations regarding mobile phones? Did you keep your home-country plan or use a local provider?
Most non-Zim plans won't work here, so get a local sim. - Jan 2024
Embassy provided SIM and phone. - May 2021
Brought an unlocked phone. Local carriers are 3G speed or so (the phone will say LTE, but its a lie). WhatsApp is ubiquitous. The government shut down the internet for a few days during protests in early 2019. - Feb 2020
Google Fi and similar services do not work here, so get a local SIM. - Feb 2019
Bring an unlocked phone. My husband received a phone from the USG and I received a SIM card. Our sponsor brought it with her to the airport and we were connected instantly. My phone bill is paid at the embassy monthly. I have AT&T and wanted to keep my local number for when I return to America. AT&T was able to suspend my line, and I pay $0.01 a month to keep my line. - Apr 2018
Lots of options. Buy a cheap phone there or bring one that is unlocked. SIM cards are inexpensive and monthly plans are less than $25 per month. - Sep 2017
Bring your phone. Locally you pay double for the same phone at home. Local SIM cards are easy to get. Data on mobile phones is very expensive. - Jul 2017
Bring an unlocked phone and get a SIM card in Zimbabwe.They sell phones locally, but I imagine they would be expensive. - Jul 2017
Bring an unlocked one and get a local sim card. - Apr 2016
Bring an unlocked cell phone to use a local SIM. 3G service covers most of the city, but there are pockets all over the place where edge network takes over. - Jul 2013
Not much point other than SMS. - Dec 2008
They don't work well for calling, mostly we use them for texting you will need one. Bring one with you if easy to do. SIM cards are available on open market. - Sep 2008
