SIM Cards & Cell Phones
The Office of Student Life strongly recommends that students have a local Israeli SIM card. This will allow our staff to contact you more easily in case of an emergency, and will allow you to contact us and local emergency services just as easily. A local number will also be more convenient to communicate with people in Israel when it isn’t an emergency!
Disclaimer: We do not officially partner with any companies and have no financial agreements with them.
This list is provided as a service to students; you are free to choose from the many companies that exist in Israel.
Please get in touch with us if you have any questions, or need assistance!
Providers for Local Customers
These companies usually have lower prices, and physical locations for you to pick up SIM cards. They might not have English-speaking customer service or experience working with visitors to Israel.
Golan Telecom
- Monthly plans range from NIS 24 – 99.
- Order SIM cards online or at a store.
- Cards will be delivered by the Israel Postal Company within a few days.
HOT Mobile
- Monthly plans range from NIS 35 – 45.
- Order SIM cards online or at a store.
- Cards will be delivered by courier within three business days.
Providers for International Customers
These companies may be slightly more expensive, but they cater specifically to short- and long-term international visitors. They usually don’t have local offices, but they do have English-speaking customer support.
019 Mobile
- Biweekly plans are US$ 11; monthly plans are US$ 30.
- Order SIM cards online.
- Sim cards are delivered to Ben Gurion airport for free.
TalknSave
- Short-term (one-week to three-month) plans range from US$ 39.97 to US$ 157.50. Details are available online.
- Long-term (monthly) plans range from US$ 19.97 to US$ 59.97. Details are available online.
- SIM card delivery to the United States is free for students.
- SIM cards can also be delivered to the Office of Student Life in the Boyar Building.
Israel Phones
- Short-term (one- to six-month) plans range from US$ 32-79. Details are available online.
- Long-term (monthly) plans are NIS 99. Details are available online.
- SIM cards are delivered to Ben Gurion Airport for free, or to an address in the US for $15.
- SIM cards can also be delivered to the Office of Student Life in the Boyar Building.
Tips
- Incoming calls are free of charge; you pay only for outgoing calls.
- If you bring an unlocked smartphone, you can purchase a SIM card for it.
- If you need to purchase a phone, most companies offer an inexpensive, basic model for about NIS 400.
Internet
If you are living in the Scopus Student Village, you will have free Wi-Fi service. However, if you are living in the Resnik or Idelson dorms, or if you are living off-campus, you’ll need to set up internet service. To do this, you may have to contact two types of providers: tashtit (infrastructure) and sapak (Internet Service Provider, or ISP). You may need to contact a different company for each service. (Note: 800 contact numbers are international; other numbers are local within Israel.)
Tashtit: Infrastructure for Your Internet
Currently, there are two providers for infrastructure (tashtit) in Israel: Bezeq, which is the same company that offers landline phone services, and HOT, which is primarily a company for cable TV. Bezeq should not be confused with Bezeq International, which is a sapak (ISP).
Contacts
Sapakim: Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
Israel is among the most advanced countries in the world when it comes to internet connectivity. The following is a list of the main ISPs. Every ISP offers a number of different packages; ask about the various plans, and choose the one that is best suited to your needs.
Tips
- ISPs in particular are willing to negotiate, so don’t hesitate to bargain.
- When the service commitment period is about to end, give your ISP a call and ask for an additional special price period. Otherwise, you will begin to pay a fixed rate that will be above your current rate.
- Some ISPs can also arrange the tashtit for you – sometimes at a slightly lower price.
- Your ISP will provide you with a free email address. However, it is recommended that you use a web-based email account (such as Gmail), so that it will be easier to change your provider at a later date.
Contacts
The list below shows the different internet service providers. Each one offers various plans, so make sure to choose the plan that best suits your needs:
- Bezeq International: 1 800 014 014
- Netvision: 1 800 017 017
- Partner: *5474 or +972 74 705 4054
- 012: *2330 or +972 72 200 3600
Student Mail
Please pass along your new address to anyone who might send you mail. Students residing in the Scopus Student Village can use this address:
[Your Name]
Scopus Student Village
2 Lohamei Hagetaot St.
Building ___, Floor ___, Apt. ___, Room ___
9788002 Jerusalem, Israel
