Will my cell phone work in Iceland?

Yes, you'll be able to use your cell phone in most of Iceland's main cities and towns. Remote and isolated areas may have inferior reception. If you wish to stay connected for the majority of your trip, it may be wise to purchase a prepaid SIM card, which will likely be the cheapest way to use your phone during your stay.

You could also activate global roaming when you're in Iceland; however, be sure to check with your service provider to find out about any fees you may incur when using this option, as sometimes this can be expensive.

Buying a SIM card in Iceland

To avoid excessive roaming charges, it is possible to buy a local SIM card. Iceland has three cell phone providers – Siminn, Vodafone and Nova – with Siminn providing the best coverage across the country, especially outside of urban areas.

SIM cards can be purchased from Keflavik Airport on arrival at kiosks or convenience stores, or in Reykjavik city at places like the Kringlan mall. Local SIM cards can be used on most unlocked phones from Europe, Asia and Australia and some unlocked phones from North America. A 10GB prepaid data plan will set you back around USD 20.

If you are an EU citizen, you may be able to use your current plan in Iceland, depending on who your cell phone plan is with – your service provider will be able to provide more details.

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