Should you buy a SIM card in Hurghada in advance or at the destination, and can using an Egyptian SIM cause your phone to be blocked?

From messages by 3 participants in 2 sources · Last activity: 56 days ago

TL;DR

Travelers report that it’s more reliable to buy a SIM card after arriving in Hurghada, since pre-arranged SIMs may not be recognized at the airport. Phone blocking is generally mentioned only for stays over 90 days, so short-term tourists are usually unaffected.

What the community said

Local SIM cards start from around $5 depending on how many gigabytes of data you choose.

from $5

If buying a SIM at the airport, pick any package based on the GB you need and ask the seller to insert it and show you on the spot that the correct data amount has been activated.

Check GB at purchase

The most recent advice is that short-term travelers in Hurghada usually don’t need to worry about their phone being blocked after inserting an Egyptian SIM. Based on traveler reports, this mainly affects people staying in Egypt for more than 90 days.

90 days

Travelers warn that a phone used with a local SIM may be checked again on a future trip to Egypt. However, this concern is discussed mainly in connection with long stays, not a standard holiday package in Hurghada.

Future trip to Egypt

According to traveler experience, arranging a SIM before departure can create unnecessary hassle: you may pay in advance, then arrive in Hurghada and find that staff have no record of the order. The practical takeaway is that it’s more reliable to buy the SIM after arrival.

Buy SIM on arrival in Hurghada