How to stay connected with phone/internet in Sharm El Sheikh (local SIM vs roaming vs WiFi calling)?

Many travelers buy a local Egyptian SIM card on arrival, put it in one phone, and share internet via WiFi hotspot with the rest of the family. No roaming needed — this approach has worked reliably over 7 trips to Egypt.

There's uncertainty about whether the Max messenger app works over WiFi in Egypt — relevant for travelers who rely on it as their only communication app (e.g. older relatives without other messengers). Worth checking this before departure.

MegaFon roaming in Sharm El Sheikh works great — both incoming and outgoing calls function without issues. For internet, travelers mainly rely on hotel WiFi, but MegaFon mobile data also works well outside the hotel.

MegaFon offers a WiFi calling feature: while in Egypt, calls made over a WiFi connection are billed at home-region rates, with no roaming charges applied.