Fixed Line/Mobile and Broadband Services

Hi

Welcome :-)

The 3 main providers are:
Batelco
Zain
Viva

All good - I use Batelco as I like their Data packages for pre paid sim users.

Many use Viva as it's free calls to other viva users (in a certain time frame)

You pay about BD2 for a pre pay sim (you will need your passport) and it is around BD2 - 5 to transfer it to a contract when you get your residency.

Most people remain on Pre Pay as it is cost effective.

Also in Bahrain, if your mobile is stolen and the thief runs up a big bill - you have to pay it. At least on Pre Pay the thief can only use up what credit you have left

Batelco and VIVA have 4G in certain areas if you are into that sort of that thing. VIVA claims to have the fastest mobile broadband network in Bahrain. You can think of Batelco as BT whereas VIVA / Zain is like O2, 3, EE back at home.

I use VIVA (pre-pay) for both mobile and home broadband (post-pay). Their online services is OK - enables you to top up with a Credit Card. You can also top up in many shops and malls as there are kiosks all over the place which enables you to top your account up (not just VIVA but many other operators).

Welcome to Bahrain, Mythril.
brightonguy has summed it up well. Nothing more to add other than that I personally prefer either Batelco and Viva. I am not too happy with the customer service of the other provider.

Thank you all for your responses; as usual, very helpful.

Cheers.

Farhaz wrote:

Welcome to Bahrain, Mythril.
brightonguy has summed it up well. Nothing more to add other than that I personally prefer either Batelco and Viva. I am not too happy with the customer service of the other provider.

What about me????

Viva is good.

And Josnuggles advice about contracts and bills being run up is sound.  You will end up with a bill to pay and if you dont (or dont know about it)possibly a travel ban.

A friend had Zain and found the coverage a bit hopeless and top up seems to be more of a pain.  You can get Viva top up in even the tiniest of cold stores it seems.

Josnuggles wrote:

Farhaz wrote:

Welcome to Bahrain, Mythril.
brightonguy has summed it up well. Nothing more to add other than that I personally prefer either Batelco and Viva. I am not too happy with the customer service of the other provider.

What about me????

Apologies, Josnuggles. It was me being blind.

And the amusing thing is, all the while I was wondering why brightonguy had posted twice.

Have to get my eyes tested.

You are forgiven Farhaz, but only cos it's you

VIVA also has a favourite country add on where you pay a monthly fee of 500 fills a month and you get discounted calls to your selected country for all month long. They have a list of countries you can choose from. Details can be found here: http://www.viva.com.bh/node/124

We also use Viva pre paid and are very happy with it. Thanks Josnuggles for the info about having to pay the bill if your phone is stolen - didn't know that. I was going to change to post paid but I think I'll stick with pre paid now.

Again thanks guys and of course gal (número uno josnuggles), the info regarding pre-paid and having to stump up for bills you may not have run up yourself is very informative.

Thank you.