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PaxNL wrote:

Hi,

I'd like to hear from others who have relocated, on how and why you chose the mobile network / contract  you did, and if you are happy with your choice (now presumably down the line)?

I am investigating which cellular provider to go with, based on (no specific order):
-Coverage (in the Netherlands, as well as remainder of Europe)
-Charges / perks (roaming charges)
-Ease of communication
-Contract duration
-Which is more important (voice call time / messages / data)?
-Do all providers support data voice calling?
-Specials currently running (feel free to post current specials running in this topic, down the line, where other can find it).

I have found the comparison site below, which I found quite handy.

    ! N.B. !
    this link is to compare an abonnement!! (contract with phone)

Me, myself, prefer a Sim-Only, a monthly prepaid simcard.
also i have different providers:
- mobilephone provider Lycamobile,
- T.V. is KPN digitenne,
- and internet Tele2.
Why different providers?
Well, if something goes wrong (payment-block or technical error-issue or ...) then i am not complete cut off when i only use 1 company but still reachable. 

This topic is getting ‘interesting’ again as technologies change, some disappear and new ones come along.  I’ve used Lebara for quite a few years now - poor customer service but cheap and efficient.  Calls/data in almost all of Europe included; there was always Skype available where not.  Or short term additional eSIMs for more exotic trips.

Now Skype is about to disappear (q2 2025) and I have an iPhone 16 with no physical SIM card slot.  Lebara is rolling out eSIM compatibility country by country (Switzerland and Australia some time ago, the UK a few weeks ago) but if you ask Lebara customer service what the NL timeline is …. well management haven’t bothered to tell them so they don’t know. 

Conclusion:  Make sure you have easy number transferability from whatever provider you choose as whatever/however you optimize today may change totally at some unexpected point in the future and no longer suit your needs.

Colin

Ben.nl provides affordable esim

its working on the network of Odido but its cheaper than Odido

When I moved here a few years back, I got a Lebara pre-paid SIM and then converted that number over to KPN. I think the number of phone calls I make in a given month is in the single digits, but data service seems to work pretty well in NL/rest of the EU. I think I pay €35/mo.

They have a plan where I can get data-only in the US and Canada when traveling and have used that in the past. There was a time where my home internet was down and I tethered off my phone. KPN has a maximum amount on a given day but I can extend that by 2GB multiple times, which worked for the few days my home internet wasn't working.

You might be able to find cheaper service but at least at this point I'm pretty happy with the service given it's less than half what I was paying for service in the US.

I know a lot of people will mention Lyca, and Simyo is another.  Most of these pony on the back of the KPN network.  They're only slightly cheaper, I think, and if you're prepaid, you're going to have secondary "rights" on the network, plus may incur horrible charges if you go over data alotments.

I've just gotten a KPN contract, as it works out to a similar cost, allows me to get discounts when I setup home internet, and I don't have to worry about extra data charges or slow networks.  I don't have major plans for travel, though EU roaming laws will apply, so should be pretty well covered.