Since its return to Russia, the Crimean Peninsula has been under sanctions, which seriously affect the activities of the “Big Four” leading mobile operators operating in the Federation. Therefore, it is very important for guests of the peninsula planning to go on vacation to know whether Megafon works in Crimea, whether they can call home at any time, freely use the Internet, call mobile and landline numbers within the Republic of Crimea. Like other leading mobile network operators, Megafon managed to adapt to the current conditions. Now, in order to freely communicate, send SMS and use mobile Internet on the peninsula, tourists do not need to replace the SIM card of this mobile operator with any other SIM card.
How Megafon works in Crimea
Like the rest of the Big Four, the Megafon network is not officially represented in Crimea. There are no sales salons or offices here. It is impossible to buy a Megafon SIM card on the peninsula. There are no stations or towers owned by this company. This mobile phone provider, like others, rents equipment from local networks. For this reason, its coverage area is the same as that served by other operators. The megaphone has good reception throughout the peninsula. Like all other mobile operators, there may be interruptions in the Internet signal in mountainous areas. Telephone connections in the mountains can also be unstable.
Reviews from tourists about the work of Megafon
- According to reviews from vacationers, it provides high-quality communication services, but their cost is quite high .
- In some settlements of the Crimean Peninsula, mobile communications and the Internet may be unstable . This is due to the fact that services are provided using the equipment of local companies in national roaming conditions.
What to connect when going on vacation to Crimea? MegaFon subscribers in Crimea can continue to use the usual tariff plan, but communication services will be provided according to the basic tariff for Crimea and the city of Sevastopol.
What is the best way to call from a MegaFon number to Crimea? Outgoing calls from the mainland to MegaFon subscribers located on the peninsula are charged in accordance with the user’s basic tariff plan.
Megafon roaming in Crimea
Anyone entering the peninsula with a Megafon SIM card must take into account that intranet roaming will apply here. That is, the cost of calls and traffic will be higher than in your home region. Roaming is enabled automatically. When entering the peninsula, you should be notified of this by an SMS informing you that roaming is enabled. Manual activation may be necessary in rare cases. If for some reason the automation did not work, you need to select one of the available networks in the settings of your mobile device. Most often it will be Win Mobile (K-telecom), Sevtelecom or Krymtelecom. In difficult cases, Megafon call center operators help you connect to roaming; you can contact them at any time.
Conclusion
Roaming in 2021 will not create any special problems for users. The connection will work as in your home region, the only difference is the price. Visit the company’s official website in advance and study all your questions. We recommend that you familiarize yourself with the coverage areas of the Megafon network in Crimea. The network may disappear deep in the mountains of the peninsula, so be prepared for this. Nobody knows when more favorable rates will appear for guests of the Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol. This cannot be done without granting the peninsula official status and recognizing it as Russian territory. To avoid penalties, cellular companies are forced to use equipment from local operators. Despite this, Megafon offers its subscribers the most optimal conditions. Enjoy your stay!
Sources
- https://lk-cabinet.com/help/rouming-megafona-v-krymu/
- https://megafonru.ru/rouming/rouming-megafon-v-krymu-na-year-god
- https://SputnikKino.ru/megafon/opciya-krym.html
- https://spy-land.ru/megafon/internet-v-krymu.html
- https://KakOperator.ru/operators/usloviya-raboty-svyazi-megafon-v-krymu
- https://Krym.in/megafon-v-krymu%F0%9F%93%9E
- https://megafonfun.com/stati/megafon-v-krymu/
- https://operator-mg.com/megafon-v-krymu.html
- https://newtarify.ru/megafon-v-krymu.html
- https://ProOperatorov.ru/tarify-megafon/megafon-v-krymu/
- https://Turist.im/krym/megafon-v-krymu.html
- https://MupSgKsk.ru/megafon/simferopol.html
Which Megafon tariff to choose for a trip to Crimea
The most popular tariffs today are the “Turn On” line (“Choose”, “Watch”, “Chat”, “Premium”, “Write”, “Speak”, etc.). There are other equally interesting lines of tariff plans. But among them there is not a single one designed specifically for traveling to Crimea. However, tourists planning to go on vacation do not necessarily need to change their favorite tariff plan before the trip. Instead, it is recommended to enable the “All Russia” option. But it is important to take into account that even this option on the peninsula operates somewhat differently than in your home or any other region of Russia.
Special tariffs for Crimea
- Coverage area: Crimea and Sevastopol.
- Incoming calls and SMS are free of charge.
- Internet costs 2.2 rubles/MB.
- Calls to any numbers in Russia – 3 rubles/min.
- SMS to Russian numbers – 2 rubles/message.
- SMS to other countries – 5.95 rubles.
It will be even better and more convenient if you connect the “Worry-Free Vacation” or “Worry-Free Vacation Plus” option specially designed for Crimea. They operate only in the territories of the Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol. The cost depends on the chosen option and frequency of use. This happens because the fee is charged only on those days when calls are made within Crimea and from its territory or when the Internet traffic offered by this option was used.
Conditions of the “Worry-Free Vacation” option
- Monthly fee – 159 rubles/day.
- Outgoing calls within Russia – 3 rubles/min.
- Internet – 200 MB. At the end of this volume, the speed is reduced to 128 Kbps.
- Connecting the option is free.
Features of the “Worry-Free Vacation+” option
- Connection does not require payment.
- Subscription fee – 299 rubles/day.
- Calls within Russia – 60 minutes. After the end of the 61st minute, the price of the call is 3 rubles/min.
- Internet – 1 GB. When this amount is used up, the speed will drop to 128 Kbps.
You can enable or disable this service through your personal account on the official website. This can also be done by contacting the operator by dialing the appropriate phone number. This problem can also be solved on the Megafon website in an online chat.
How to make it cheaper:
“Worry-free vacation” from MegaFon is a special option available to subscribers of all active tariff plans. The option has a fixed subscription fee of 33 rubles per day. For this amount the subscriber can:
- make free incoming calls from any city and region of the Russian Federation;
- communicate for free until the first incoming call;
- use mobile Internet at a cheaper price.
Features of the service
- It is provided complete with tariffs and operates on the territory of the Crimean peninsula.
- A subscription fee of 33 rubles/day is charged only when receiving an incoming call - after that, free calls are available until the end of the day.
- Similarly with the Internet - a monthly fee of 99 rubles for 60 MB of traffic is charged the first time you access the network, after which it is valid until the end of the day.
- When Internet traffic is exhausted, a new package is connected automatically. Within one day, a subscriber can receive up to five packages.
You can check the activity of the service in the user’s personal account.
How to pay for communication
The roaming service provided by MegaFon has many advantages and can be considered comfortable. However, due to the lack of stations and representative offices directly on the peninsula, paying for services here is very problematic.
Therefore, MegaFon came up with several non-standard, but convenient ways to pay for services in Crimea:
- The first method: linking a payment card to your mobile phone number and then setting up an auto-replenishment system when the balance is zero. Of course, this must be done before departure. The subscriber is also invited to pay for services directly with a bank card, using payment services that can be found in bank branches and in the personal account of the Megafon website.
- The second method: use the “Promised Payment” service, which provides borrowed funds to pay for services that must be repaid within 3 days. There is also a “Pay whenever you want” service, which provides large amounts of borrowed funds with a long repayment period: until the 26th of each month.
- Third method: using the “Pay for me” service. This service makes it possible to throw a free “beacon” to any subscriber with a request to deposit money into the sender’s account.
Mobile Internet
Unlimited Internet is configured automatically, regardless of what tariff is set on the phone. When entering Crimea, the tariff changes to a special basic version, the operation of which is provided only for its territory. In addition, you can for 99 rubles. connect to a 60 MB Internet traffic package. The “Worry-Free Vacation” and “Worry-Free Vacation+” options offer the purchase of 200 MB and 1 GB of Internet traffic, respectively.
Comparison
Paid incoming calls without the option are 2 rubles per minute, the option offers an unlimited number of days at 33 rubles per day. It turns out that you need to speak for at least 17 minutes, taking into account incoming calls, so that it is at least minimally profitable. In general, “unlimited incoming calls daily” sounds a little strange these days.
Mobile Internet without the option is 2.2 rubles per 1 MB, the option offers 60 MB packages for 99 rubles each. Without the option, 60 MB will cost 132 rubles. On the one hand, 132 rubles is 33% more than 99 rubles. On the other hand, you won't spend exactly 60MB, will you? Without the 99 rubles option it will cost you 45 MB. It turns out that if you spend between 1 and 45 MB, there's no point in Worry-Free Holidays.
Accordingly, I would say the following: the “Carefree Vacation” option allows you to save money in Crimea only in very rare and extremely proven situations. Incoming calls – 0 or more than 17 minutes per day. Mobile Internet – 0, or 46 to 60 MB, or 91 MB per day. In other cases, the “Worry-Free Vacation” option will not be profitable and you will end up spending more.
Let me remind you, just in case, once again: the option was initially enabled on most tariffs.
How to call the Megafon operator from Crimea
To call the operator directly from the territory of Crimea or from any other corner of Russia, a Megafon subscriber can dial any of the free short numbers: 0500 or 0555. Immediately after dialing, the conversation will be interrupted, but after a while the call center employee will call back himself. More often, to communicate with Megafon operators, the hotline 8-800-550-05-00 is used, which operates free of charge throughout Russia. You can call it for free from numbers of any other mobile provider. After dialing the number, you need to switch to tone mode. Select “0” and wait for a conversation with a free operator. In addition, the company’s official website allows you to request online consultation. For those who are abroad of Russia, the number 7-926-111-05-00 is provided.
Megafon, like the rest of the Big Four, is in no hurry to officially enter Crimea. But this telecom operator is constantly improving its services, offering new and improved versions of options and tariffs specifically designed for travel around the Crimean Peninsula. All of them make it easier to communicate with people both within the republic and abroad. Therefore, there is no need to necessarily replace the Megafon SIM card with any of the local network cards that provide cellular communications in Crimea, or to buy a SIM card from MTS, which is more popular on the peninsula.
How to disable the option
To disconnect, clients will need:
- Send a service request to the operator. To do this, dial *105*1037*2# on your phone. After dialing, you need to press the call button.
- You can also disable the service yourself through the self-service center, or rather, in your personal account. The process is simple and visually clear.
- If you cannot deactivate yourself, then you need to contact the operator for help by calling 0500. To do this, you will need the passport data of the SIM card owner. You can also ask to disable the option for employees of company stores. The specialist will also need to provide a document that confirms the identity of the owner of the SIM card.
Customer Reviews
Anastasia: “I went to visit for a week to bask in the Crimean sun. I connected special roaming from Megafon. It didn't turn out to be very cheap, but it picks up the signal well, and for me that was the main thing. It’s simply impossible for me to remain without contact, since the children are at home with their grandmother and I need to call each other at least once a day.”
Yuri: “ There is no point in going to the peninsula without roaming - the money is gone instantly. I once went for a couple of days on business, but then I calculated my expenses and was very surprised. It’s better to let him withdraw 15 rubles per day and calls will not be so expensive (1 minute of conversation is almost 10 rubles, and SMS is about 5 rubles). With roaming it’s both more convenient and more economical.”
Dmitry: “Mobile communications on the peninsula became expensive after it was no longer Ukraine. But if your path lies in the direction of Crimea, then you should connect special Megafon roaming in advance. Special prices apply not only to regular calls and SMS, but also to Internet data transfer. The call quality is average, but it’s better than not being able to call at all.”
What mobile communications work on the peninsula in 2021?
The first feature that catches the eye of guests of the peninsula is the absence of large operators from the Russian Federation. But this fact does not mean at all that local residents and visitors live without communication. There are several operators operating here, whose coverage covers the entire territory of the Republic of Crimea.
On the peninsula you cannot find many large companies familiar to every resident of the Russian Federation: Beeline, Tele-2, Megafon. More precisely, these operators are present there, but with limited capabilities, since they are forced to rent cell towers from local companies. For these reasons, you cannot buy their SIM cards in Crimea, and existing SIM cards imported from Russian regions will work in roaming, which can increase communication costs.
Currently the following operators operate in Crimea:
- "MTS"
- "Win mobile"
- "Wave mobile"
- "Sevmobile"
- "Krymtelecom"
Important! You can buy their SIM cards both in specialized stores and in any Crimean kiosk.
What kind of connection works in Crimea
Of the Russian operators on the Crimean peninsula, only MTS works well. This has already been proven over the years, there is no need to invent anything new. In addition to the fact that “Smart” tariffs offer free calls to MTS and the included Internet package, on other tariffs you can connect additional service packages for traveling in the region you are interested in (Crimea).
There are also their own mobile communication companies in Crimea: Volna, Krymtelecom, Win Mobile (K-Telecom), Sevmobile (works well only in Sevastopol and the surrounding area). These companies are not afraid of sanctions, but for other Russians they are not familiar and do not operate outside the territory of Crimea - you need to buy a separate SIM card.
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