Buying a SIM Card or eSIM in Belize

Picture Belize, and images of palm trees, golden beaches and a turquoise sea likely come to mind.

Picture it again, and you might hear the tune of a reggae song or the syrupy taste of rum punch. It’s a place to relax, to unwind, to disconnect.

If you do need to stay connected in the country, though, it’s definitely possible. It’s not super-cheap, but it won’t break the bank either. Here’s what you need to know, whether you’re using a local SIM or a travel eSIM.

Belize’s telecom industry is the domain of one company: BTL (Belize Telemedia Limited). Until 2003, it had an exclusive license to operate in the country. Your only choice for a prepaid SIM card was DigiCell, the cellular division of the company.

These days there is another option (Smart!), but its services are still limited. There’s a lack of both coverage and authorized agents for topping up or helping with problems.

You’ll see this as soon as you arrive. Every other door will have a sign for DigiCell top-up services, whereas only a handful will have it for Smart!

DigiCell, therefore, is the way to go.

If you thought options were limited when it came to physical SIM cards, there are even fewer when it comes to travel eSIMs. Of the companies worth recommending, only Airalo offers service there, and only with small, comparatively expensive packs.

If your phone doesn’t take physical SIMs, or you have to be connected immediately and only need a bit of data to get you through, it’s a viable option. Otherwise, just go with a physical SIM.

Like most travel eSIMs, it’s data-only: you don’t get a local number. I use apps for everything from communication to transport these days, so the lack of a local number very rarely matters to me, but you might have different needs.

If you’re new to eSIMs, they offer big benefits to travelers in terms of how quickly, easily, and (often) cheaply you can get connected when you arrive in a new country. Most recent phones support them, and you can read all about them here.

DigiCell SIM cards are widely available all over the country: official stores, gas stations, convenience stores, electronic repair shops, you name it.

I saw signs for DigiCell services and top-up on virtually every door around Belize, and every single business responded affirmatively when I asked if they sold SIM cards.

I ended up purchasing my SIM card from an electronics repair shop in San Ignacio, out of sheer convenience (my bus left me right next door). The buying process was simple.

I asked for the card, double-checking it would provide me with a nano SIM for my iPhone. The seller, in turn, showed me several cards for me to pick the number. Easy peasy.

Or so I thought. I went back to my hostel, inserted the card, and then proceeded to top up with the prepaid credit that came included in the starter package.

Every time I tried to call the service, however, it would tell me the number had been disconnected due to unpaid bills. I was befuddled. How could my bill be unpaid, if I’d never had one?

As it turns out, my line hadn’t been disconnected, it had just never been activated. What I never learned when I purchased my card was I needed to officially register my account in order for it to work.

As activation can’t be done online, I headed to a BTL store (available in most cities, including San Ignacio) with my passport. After giving my hostel’s address and answering a couple of security questions, I was all registered.

Digicell

The SIM card costs BZ$20 (USD$10) plus tax, and comes with BZ$10 in credit. A variety of bundles are available, some only with data, some with calls and texts as well. You can find the full list here.

The best of an unexciting bunch is probably the L (large) all-in-one bundle, which comes with 1.5GB of data, 90 minutes of domestic calls, and unlimited texts, for BZ$12. It lasts for ten days. You’ll need to add a bit of extra credit to buy it, though.

If you only want data, you have more choices, including:

• BZ$1 for 130MB for six hours (XS)
• BZ$2.50 for 330MB for 24 hours (S)
• BZ$5 for 680MB for three days (M)
• BZ$12 for 1700MB for a week (L)
• BZ$20 for 3GB for 15 days (L+)
• BZ$35 for 5.5GB for 30 days (XL)
• BZ$45 for 7.5GB for a month. (XXL)

In order to get the plans, you need to text DATA [plan name] to the number 400. For example, if you wanted 3GB valid for 15 days, you’d text DATA L+. The cost will be deducted from your credit, and your phone will start receiving data.

A tourist SIM card is also available from any DigiCell outlet. It expires after 21 days, but the call, text, and data allowance only lasts for 10 days. For your $20 USD (BZ$40), you get 25GB of data, 500 domestic minutes/texts, and 50 international minutes/texts.

If you’ll only be in the country for 10 days or less, it’s not a bad option. You can add one of the other packs afterward (until the SIM expires after three weeks): if that doesn’t suit your travel plans, just go for one of the standard SIMs and bundles to start with.

Airalo

As I said earlier, there’s really not much on offer when it comes to travel eSIMs. Airalo is the only decent company offering one, and it’s pretty expensive for what it is.

Topping Up

Digicell

The easiest way to top up is to purchase a prepaid card, which you can find in convenience stores all over the country. Cards are available for between BZ$5 and BZ$50.

There are other options available. You can top up in person at an official BTL store, or purchase a secure e-Pin to top up via text. I’d only recommend that if you’re planning to stay in Belize for several months, though.

DigiCell’s website doesn’t offer online top-up directly, but links out to some third-party sites that do. e-Top Up and Ding are the two options, and you can use Visa or MasterCard.

They allow international cards, though not without problems. In my case, my bank in Spain blocked the activity. That made it an unsuitable option for me, though you might be able to use them.

Another option is via the eCreditBelize app (available for iOS and Android), which lets you top up using your PayPal account. I used this option with no glitches, though the credit took a full day to appear on my account.

Despite Belize’s changing landscapes and modest infrastructure, voice coverage was pretty stable throughout my stay.

From San Ignacio to Belize City to Caye Caulker to Corozal, service stayed at four or five bars. I made calls pretty consistently to information services just to check that it worked, with no problems.

Data was a different story. Despite my phone showing at least 3G service all over the country, I was completely unable to use it. At first I thought it was exclusive to San Ignacio, but after the situation remained unchanged in Belize City and Caye Caulker, I checked with customer service.

If you’ve traveled to the tropics before, you’ll be aware of the concept of rainy season. Belize, as a tropical country, has two distinct seasons: dry, from November to May, and rainy, from June to October.

August and September are particularly temperamental, with hurricanes and tropical storms wreaking havoc on an annual basis, on a scale from mild annoyance to true devastation.

In the weeks prior to my trip, a major hurricane hit Belize. Fortunately there were no deaths or extreme damage. Infrastructure was affected, however, and BTL issued a statement a few days later about trying to restore service as fast as possible.

In the meantime, mobile data was off, as the customer service representative told me. Moral of this story: if your Belize trip falls in rainy season, keep in mind mobile service might be spotty,  or downright lacking in some cases.

In any case, always check prior whether any hurricanes are on their way, and what to do in case they hit during your trip. Stay safe!

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Check out our guides to SIM cards and eSIMs in 65+ other countries here.