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Hi again.

Assuming you already have mobile phones, then the simplest and cheapest option on day 1 is just to get a pay as you go SIM card (you can buy them in the Arrivals Hall at Schiphol) for a few Euro.

Then, when you start work, your boss may give you a Company phone, or perhaps your company-supplier offers staff and family discounts.

My daughter initially worked for one of their network providers (KPN) in their call centre when she first moved back, she does not rate them very highly for mobile services alone, but says that if you combine their mobile with the TV package, it's quite a good deal - she's still with them now.

If you want to make calls back to SA, then Internet calls using Skype, or Face Time etc are absolutely the way to go.

Hope this helps.

Cynic
Expat Team

I would advise really cheap and it's uses the T-mobile network.
T-mobile works fine in the Netherlands. I use Simpel since a couple of months and pay 10 euros for 4 gb data, unlimited calls and 500 text messages.

If you want unlimited data you can try affordable and it's on the stable KPN network.

Another option is also really cheap and it's uses the KPN network.
It's the only one provider that has English an Polish language option on their website.

I hope this helps a bit.

Lycamobile

- they are cheap (don't advertise)
- very cheap Holland Bundle XS (€ 10,- / month = unlimited calls/sms + 5 MB)
- personal friendly klantenservice
- free voicemail listen.
- prepaid; so no abonnement!

I used Lycamobile when I first arrived but now I'm using Youfone. Both uses KPN network I think but Youfone is definitely much faster. You need to have iDeal for Youfone though.

And you can make the combination of call and data based on your usage with Youfone, for example I barely call but use data a lot so my package is 50min +10GB for 12EUR a month (signed up during a promotion) and can be canceled monthly, if you sign up for 1 or 2 year it would be 1/2 EUR cheaper even. Check on their website and wait for a promotion to sign up, they have promotion quite often. If any of your friends/colleagues is using this too ask them for a referral code, I think they can earn a rebate and you have reduction on the sign up fee as well.

If you need TV/ home internet subscription too remember to check on those bundles which you usually find a deal.

PaxNL wrote:

Hi,

I'd like to hear from others who have relocated, on how and why you chose the mobile network / contract  you did, and if you are happy with your choice (now presumably down the line)?

I am investigating which cellular provider to go with, based on (no specific order):
-Coverage (in the Netherlands, as well as remainder of Europe)
-Charges / perks (roaming charges)
-Ease of communication
-Contract duration
-Which is more important (voice call time / messages / data)?
-Do all providers support data voice calling?
-Specials currently running (feel free to post current specials running in this topic, down the line, where other can find it).

I have found the comparison site below, which I found quite handy.

    ! N.B. !
    this link is to compare an abonnement!! (contract with phone)

Me, myself, prefer a Sim-Only, a monthly prepaid simcard.
also i have different providers:
- mobilephone provider Lycamobile,
- T.V. is KPN digitenne,
- and internet Tele2.
Why different providers?
Well, if something goes wrong (payment-block or technical error-issue or ...) then i am not complete cut off when i only use 1 company but still reachable. 

This topic is getting ‘interesting’ again as technologies change, some disappear and new ones come along.  I’ve used Lebara for quite a few years now - poor customer service but cheap and efficient.  Calls/data in almost all of Europe included; there was always Skype available where not.  Or short term additional eSIMs for more exotic trips.

Now Skype is about to disappear (q2 2025) and I have an iPhone 16 with no physical SIM card slot.  Lebara is rolling out eSIM compatibility country by country (Switzerland and Australia some time ago, the UK a few weeks ago) but if you ask Lebara customer service what the NL timeline is …. well management haven’t bothered to tell them so they don’t know. 

Conclusion:  Make sure you have easy number transferability from whatever provider you choose as whatever/however you optimize today may change totally at some unexpected point in the future and no longer suit your needs.

Colin

Ben.nl provides affordable esim

its working on the network of Odido but its cheaper than Odido

When I moved here a few years back, I got a Lebara pre-paid SIM and then converted that number over to KPN. I think the number of phone calls I make in a given month is in the single digits, but data service seems to work pretty well in NL/rest of the EU. I think I pay €35/mo.

They have a plan where I can get data-only in the US and Canada when traveling and have used that in the past. There was a time where my home internet was down and I tethered off my phone. KPN has a maximum amount on a given day but I can extend that by 2GB multiple times, which worked for the few days my home internet wasn't working.

You might be able to find cheaper service but at least at this point I'm pretty happy with the service given it's less than half what I was paying for service in the US.

I know a lot of people will mention Lyca, and Simyo is another.  Most of these pony on the back of the KPN network.  They're only slightly cheaper, I think, and if you're prepaid, you're going to have secondary "rights" on the network, plus may incur horrible charges if you go over data alotments.

I've just gotten a KPN contract, as it works out to a similar cost, allows me to get discounts when I setup home internet, and I don't have to worry about extra data charges or slow networks.  I don't have major plans for travel, though EU roaming laws will apply, so should be pretty well covered.