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Mobile phones are very popular in Budapest and the reception is quite good throughout the city. Cell phones are easy to purchase and readily available at reasonable costs. In order to buy a phone, you must provide you residence permit and an address card at the local providers.

Providers

Major providers in Budapest:

• T-Mobile - The largest provider that provides the best service in the area.
• Pannon GSM - The second largest provider with good voice quality and prices.
• Vodafone - Offers the best rates but worse signal than the providers mentioned.
• Telenor - Another known provider in Hungary.

Pay As You Go

Pay as you go SIM cards are available in Hungary. Many tourists or students staying in Hungary opt for this over a contact.

You can set up a pay as you go account and receive the SIM card at any of the aforementioned cell phone providers. To get a SIM card all you need is a form of ID and an address.

Contracts

Most people go with pay as you go phones since it is much simpler and contracts can last a certain amount of time and have fees attached for canceling. Contracts deals usually come with a new phone. Contracts require a form of ID, an address, and utility bill.

There are some basic points you need to consider for choosing the right deal.

• Personal Use: Evaluate how much you use the phone, when, where you are calling, how often you use short message services (SMS), if you use the phone abroad, etc.
• Coverage: Most important if you live in a remote place or regularly using the mobile while traveling in the countryside as most companies offer decent coverage.
• Fees & Rates: Each operator offers several different plans and options. Investigate the plans carefully and evaluate your needs.