Providers
The three main mobile operators in Luxembourg are Post Luxembourg, Tango Luxembourg and Orange.
Post Luxembourg is the biggest provider and offers the best coverage throughout the country, but their plans are also the most expensive. Tango Luxembourg is a popular alternative. Their packages are cheaper and good-value for money, but they are also quite basic and only offer 2G and 3G data options.
Orange offers very good 2G, 3G and 4G coverage in the whole country (second only to Post Luxembourg). It is a particularly good option if you already use the network in your home country: Orange can give you a code to unlock your phone so you can simply switch your current Orange SIM card to an Orange Luxembourg one.
There are also a number of smaller operators that are worth looking into as they tend to offer cheaper rates and deals.
All providers offer a range of packages and tariffs as either a prepaid SIM card or a billed contract.
Prepaid SIM card
Prepaid SIM cards are contract-less so offer great flexibility. You can top up your minutes, texts and data, and also cancel the SIM, whenever you want.
It’s very easy to get a Prepaid SIM and can be a good option when you first arrive as you do not need to have a permanent address in Luxembourg or provide bank account details. You can get one from a phone shop or at the airport. You simply need to show a form of ID, such as your passport or ID card. For the SIM card to work in your phone, you need to make sure your phone is unlocked.
Billed contract
A billed contract is a package that includes a set amount of data, texts and calls per month. You pay for the package monthly and usually sign for a minimum of 12 months. To get a billed contract, you will need:
- ID (passport/ID card)
- proof of address in Luxembourg (utility bills, rental contract...)
- bank account details
- an unlocked phone
You can also purchase a phone with a billed contract. If you want to buy a new phone in Luxembourg, this way is usually cheaper than buying a phone separately, but bear in mind that these contracts are for a minimum of 24 months and you have to pay a big cancellation fee if you want to end it early.
EU roaming
Thanks to the EU ‘roam like at home’ scheme, if you have a SIM card from another EU member country, you can use it in Luxembourg without paying additional roaming. This is great when you first arrive arrive but is not a long-term solution. When your mobile provider discovers you are using your phone abroad permanently, they might charge you extra roaming charges. These charges are capped but they will make it more expensive than getting a new SIM card in Luxembourg.