When traveling to Ireland, tourists will definitely need their phone for necessities such as translation, maps or for entertainment and web surfing needs. This article will provide all the information tourists need to know to be able to use cell phone in Ireland as well as valuable tips for tourists to use cell phones more effectively. Let’s explore together!
In this article
In Ireland, the mobile phone compatibility, frequencies, and networks primarily depend on the type of technology used:
2G: GSM 900MHz
3G: UMTS 900 MHz and 2100 MHz
4G/LTE: Bands 1 (2100 MHz), 3 (1800 MHz), 7 (2600 MHz), 20 (800 MHz), and 40 (2300 MHz)
Travelers have to check if their mobile phone is compatible with the frequency bands used in Ireland or with the mobile phone company you plan to use in Ireland:
All Frequencies of Ireland
| Technology | Bands |
| Bands 5G | n78 (3500) |
| Bands 4G | B3 (1800), B20 (800) |
| Bands 3G | B1 (2100), B8 (900) |
| Bands 2G | B3 (1800), B8 (900) |
The easiest way to use your cell phone in Ireland is to add an international data plan to your current mobile service. You can contact your carrier by phone or online to upgrade your account. They have agreements with Irish carriers, so your phone should connect automatically.
However, there are some downsides. The costs can be very high, and the service may not be great. You might experience slow internet speeds and limited data. For example, some plans charge $15 per day for just 100MB of data at slower speeds. Making calls can still be expensive, around $1 per minute, and texts can cost up to $0.25 per message. So yeah, it’s pretty exorbitant…
For tourists visiting Ireland, there are several options available to connect to the internet using cellphones. Here are some options:
Yes, absolutely. Almost all your local/domestic network will work in Ireland, but the downside is that roaming charges are very high.This is the most expensive option of all. And if you don’t strictly control your usage habits/needs, you will have to pay a lot of money at the end of the trip.
Below we will show you advantages and disadvantages of 2 SIM types: eSIMs and Physical SIM Cards:
| | eSIMs | Physical SIM Cards |
| Pros | – Convenience: No need to physically insert or remove SIM card – Flexibility: Easy to switch between different providers, and plans using device settings. | – Widespread compatibility with most devices – Widely available and easy to purchase |
| Cons | – Device compatibility: Some older devices may not haveeSIM support. – Activation process: May require additional steps activation compared to physical SIM cards. | – Risk of losing or damaging physical SIM cards – Limited flexibility to switch between providers and plans |
► Our recommendation: From the comparison table above, we advise that if you have a compatible device which supports eSIMs, use eSIMs for convenience.
If you want to have a fluent trip without any messy or sophisticated process, you can buy eSIMs before your departure, in your home country on Gigago website. We provide:
For Ireland, Gigago offers multiple data plan options, starting from 1 GB for 3 days with $3.50 . What is great about Gigago’s Ireland eSIM is that its plans’ costs are diversifying, varying between $3.50 – $125.98 . Thus, it does not matter how Internet users you are and how long your trip is in Ireland, there is always an option for you with Gigago.
Here are some tips for using your mobile phone in Ireland:
The coverage and network quality in Ireland are generally good, especially in urban areas. However, coverage may vary in more remote or rural locations.
If your existing SIM card has international roaming enabled, you should be able to use it in Ireland. However, be aware that roaming charges can be high.
If your phone is locked to a specific network, you’ll need to contact your service provider to unlock it before using an Irish SIM card. Alternatively, you can purchase an unlocked phone or a SIM-free phone that works with any SIM card.
It can be said that the telecommunications network infrastructure in this country is very developed. Therefore, using a cell phone in Ireland is quite easy and it can be said that most phones today are adapted to the frequencies in Ireland. Use eSIM so your phone can connect to the Internet and become useful for your trip to Ireland
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