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How to Get WiFi in Greece for Your Holidays
23 July 2024
pocket wifi
Joseph Philipson
While Greece is famous for its history, with sites like the Acropolis in Athens and remote and untouched beaches on its many islands, travelers can still enjoy modern amenities like a reliable and fast internet connection. However, it’s important to note that the internet connection in some remote areas may not be as reliable as in urban centers.
While you can enjoy sites thousands of years old in Greece, an internet connection can help you get around with access to maps, make hotel or restaurant reservations, and even back up the photos you take on your vacation.
The Best Ways of Getting WiFi in Greece
There are many ways to get WiFi in Greece, such as simply accessing the internet using a mobile data connection.
The various connection solutions for travelers have pros and cons and a cost. While pocket WiFi from Hippocketwifi offers the best solution for most travelers, let’s examine each so you can make an informed decision.
Pocket WiFi
Pocket WiFi is a dedicated device that connects to a mobile network and produces a WiFi connection for your other devices to connect to the internet.
The most popular providers for this kind of solution in Greece include Hippocketwifi, MioWiFi, TravelWifi, and Rentnconnect.
You can rent a device just for Greece or get pocket WiFi for across Europe.
Pros
When turned on, these small and portable devices connect to the mobile data connection, providing a reliable and fast internet connection. They’re perfect for groups, families, or anyone wanting to access the internet via a smartphone, tablet, or laptop computer (even simultaneously).
They’re perfect for groups, families, or anyone wanting to access the internet via a smartphone, tablet, or laptop computer (even simultaneously).
Cons
There might be better solutions than these for solo travelers or those traveling light, as it’s an extra device you have to carry and keep charged. However, they’re very light, typically smaller than a smartphone, and will mostly work all day on a single charge.
Cost
The cost of pocket WiFi is quite low.
Hippocketwifi’s prices start at €3.90 for longer rental periods. Ten days of rental in Europe cost €5.90 per day, with a 1GB daily limit.
TravelWiFi offers multiple options from a daily 1GB limit for €8.25 per day to 10GB daily limits for €12.25 per day.
MioWiFi charges €8 per day for unlimited internet access for up to 5 devices.
Rentnconnect costs €7.49 per day with €20 shipping for two weeks of rental.
MyWebspot costs €9.50 per day for an unlimited 4G connection.
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SIM Cards
The SIM card is the tiny card in your smartphone or mobile device. This allows the device to make calls, send messages, and access the internet.
The one currently in your phone will be linked to your phone number and domestic provider. You can buy prepaid SIM cards when traveling to Greece.
There are 3 carriers in Greece, each with reseller subsidiaries offering prepaid travel SIM cards. These providers are Cosmote, Frog Mobile, and Tazamobile.
Pros
A prepaid travel SIM card is an easy way to get a data connection in Greece. You can pick up prepaid SIMs from the carriers’ official stores or street distributors at metro stations.
Cons
If your phone doesn’t have two SIM card slots using a prepaid SIM, you’ll be unreachable for calls and messages on your everyday number.
Similarly, suppose your domestic network carrier has locked your phone to a single network. In that case, you won’t be able to use a prepaid SIM.
As these connections are through a smartphone antenna, they’re typically slower and less reliable. This can be problematic in areas with poor coverage. In this case, you should opt for a pocket WiFi device.
Cost
Cosmote SIM cards can be bought at official stores and metro station kiosks. The SIM top-ups start at €1.50 for 6GB over 24 hours and go up to 6GB over 30 days for €5 with various other top-up packages in between. There are also unlimited data packages for 7 days for €6.50 and other unlimited late-night data usage or weekend packages.
With Tazamobile, you can buy a SIM card with 500MB and 100 local minutes. After that, you can top up your data balance with 1GB over 24 hours for €1 up to 7GB over 25 days for €10.50.
The pricing structures for prepaid SIM options are needlessly complicated and not very cost-effective compared to pocket WiFi.
eSIM
An eSIM is a more modern SIM card that uses integrated circuity within a smartphone to act as a SIM card.
Smartphones with eSIM compatibility can configure eSIMs using settings from network providers rather than inserting and removing SIM cards.
This means travelers to Greece can buy their data connection solution and configure it on their phone before they arrive.
Pros
This solution (for compatible phones) is easier and more convenient than a SIM card.
Cons
Since an eSIM connection is still through a smartphone, it’ll be slower and less reliable than a pocket WiFi connection.
It’s also not great for tethering to other devices like tablets or laptops. This will make the connection even slower and rapidly drain your device’s battery. Tethering is the process of using your smartphone’s internet connection to provide internet access to other devices. It can significantly reduce the speed and reliability of your connection.
Cost
Popular eSIM solutions for travelers in Greece include Airalo, Holafly, and Greece’s domestic providers like Cosmote and Wind.
Airalo offers the Meraki Mobile eSIM card range starting at $5 for 1GB over 7 days up to 3GB over 30 days for $12.
Holafly offers unlimited data for $6 per day.
Cosmote and Wind ranges between $5 for 3GB over 5 days and $35 for 40GB over 5 days.
Data Roaming International Plan
Data roaming is an internet connection your domestic carrier provides through a partner network in Greece.
You can contract a data roaming plan before you travel to Greece or wait until you land (not recommended) to see what your domestic carrier will offer you.
Pros
Data roaming is convenient. Unlike the other solutions, you don’t need another SIM or device. Other than that, however, there’s little to say about data roaming services.
Cons
Data roaming is usually through a partner network and is slower and less reliable.
The data roaming charges are rarely a good deal, and unplanned data roaming will leave a horrible taste in any traveler’s mouth.
If you don’t have another solution before you land in Greece, turn off your smartphone’s data connection to avoid horrible charges from your domestic carrier.
Cost
The cost depends on your domestic network carrier and can be very high. Look into the price before you purchase an international data roaming plan.
Use Free WiFi
If you don’t get pocket WiFi or another solution before you land in Greece, you can always use free public WiFi connections in local businesses like cafés and restaurants or in the airport.
Pros
Without any other solution, free WiFi can help you out a lot, and it’s free.
Cons
There are many risks to using public WiFi networks, and popular networks are susceptible to cyber attacks, data theft, and other risks.
These networks can also be slow and unreliable, especially in places where many people use them simultaneously.
Cost
These networks are free but may only be for paying customers, particularly local businesses.
How to Choose the Best WiFi Option for Your Greece Trip
Pocket WiFi is usually the best solution, especially for groups, families, or anyone with more than one internet-ready device.
However, to make the right decision, consider the following factors.
Usage
Your browsing habits will dictate which kind of internet connection is right for you. Business users may want to favor unlimited 5G connections, which offer faster connection speeds, which are great for video calls and sending large files.
However, the average internet user may only need a 4G connection, which is easily fast enough for standard browsing.
Rental Duration
Most solutions get cheaper over time, but pocket WiFi comes into its own over longer rental periods. Most SIM and eSIM solutions are useful for up to a month, but if you’re traveling for longer than that, pocket WiFi can be rented for nearly up to a year (360 days for Hippocketwifi).
Data Limit
SIM cards have a staggering number of top-up configurations, so you’ll need to work out exactly how much data you typically use before choosing the right option.
Look into your phone’s settings to see your typical data use. Most pocket WiFi solutions provide limited and unlimited solutions. If you’ll be close to the limit, the unlimited options are rarely much more expensive.
Connectivity
If you plan to visit any of Greece’s rural destinations where connections may be spotty, like the traditional stone villages of Zaogri, the Pelion Peninsula, or Metsovo, a dedicated pocket WiFi device will provide the fastest and stablest connections. Renting a pocket WiFi in Greece will cover you more of the country than any other solution.
These devices have more advanced antennae than your typical smartphone, so they perform much better in places where a mobile connection would otherwise be poor.
Ultimately, pocket WiFi offers the best connection and convenience for most travelers, and Hippocketwifi provides the most cost-effective solution on the market in Greece.
