Gulf 4 countries

Staying connected in Gulf 4 countries

The Gulf 4 countries plan is for itineraries through the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia: business travellers moving between Dubai, Doha and Riyadh, Umrah pilgrims in Mecca and Medina who stop in Dubai on the way home, or longer stopovers in Doha. November to March is the most comfortable period; summer is extremely hot, so most of your time will be spent indoors, in malls and hotels.

You will rely on data most for booking rides across sprawling cities, showing QR booking codes and checking daily schedules that shift during Ramadan.

Coverage and networks

This plan covers the destinations listed below, as published in the plan information (4 in total). Check every stop on your route against the table before buying.

Bahrain and Oman are not in this plan; see the Bahrain or Oman pages if you are adding them.

Signal and speed depend on where you are, your device and network conditions, and can differ between plans.

Choosing a data allowance

eSIM plans for Gulf 4 countries currently last 1 to 30 days and come in these types:

• Daily data (500MB, 1GB, 2GB and 3GB per day): suits a steady routine. Check when the daily allowance resets and what happens once it is used.
• Total data (3GB to 50GB): one allowance for the whole trip, handy when some days are heavier than others.
• Unlimited: always read the fair-use policy; after a set amount, speed may be reduced.

Suggestions for this trip

• A 10 or 15-day Umrah trip: 1GB a day is enough for maps, messaging and short video calls home; hotel Wi-Fi near the holy mosques is often crowded, so having your own data gives you more control.
• A 3 to 5-day business trip with many video meetings: 2GB or 3GB a day; for a month-long stay, consider 30GB or 50GB of total data.

Count your arrival and departure days. Before paying, check the exact plan for when validity starts, how days are counted, and whether hotspot, calls or SMS are included; these differ between plans.

Before you go

• Ride-hailing: Careem and Uber are widely used in the UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
• App calls: In the UAE, voice and video calls over WhatsApp, FaceTime and similar apps are usually blocked while messaging works; the other three countries are less restrictive on this.
• Umrah: The Nusuk app is used to book time slots for certain areas of the two holy mosques; install it and sign in before you travel.
• Payments: Cards and phone wallets are widely accepted in all four countries; keep a little cash for traditional souks.
• eSIM setup: Before buying, make sure your phone supports eSIM and is not carrier-locked. Install the eSIM before you fly, on a stable Wi-Fi connection, following the instructions sent with your plan.
• On arrival: Set the travel eSIM as your mobile data line and follow its roaming instructions. Turn off data roaming on your home SIM to avoid unexpected charges.