I briefly looked into this a few months ago but it seemed a lot more trouble than it was worth for the fortnight that I was there. From what I could see it involved filling out several forms and providing multiple documents.
I can only speak for West Bengal where I found wifi available in enough restaurants and hotels to get by. It's worth noting that they pronounce it 'Whiffy'.
Yes: getting a local SIM in India is a prolonged bureaucratic process that can take as long as three weeks. And even once you have got the thing, they can take a good few days to activate it.
Pity that roaming charges are outrageous...
The other option is to buy a SIM that is already registered to someone and working. Doing so is of course illegal, and there is a risk that the SIM might stop working at any point. However, this solution has worked well for several of my friends. Many small shopkeepers can sell you a working SIM>
Yes: getting a local SIM in India is a prolonged bureaucratic process that can take as long as three weeks. And even once you have got the thing, they can take a good few days to activate it.
Pity that roaming charges are outrageous...
The other option is to buy a SIM that is already registered to someone and working. Doing so is of course illegal, and there is a risk that the SIM might stop working at any point. However, this solution has worked well for several of my friends. Many small shopkeepers can sell you a working SIM>
As suggested your local guide could help, if he remains with you during your stay then any problems withthe sim he will solve.
A friend obtained mine for me, calls to the UK were very cheap.
Replies
I briefly looked into this a few months ago but it seemed a lot more trouble than it was worth for the fortnight that I was there. From what I could see it involved filling out several forms and providing multiple documents.
I can only speak for West Bengal where I found wifi available in enough restaurants and hotels to get by. It's worth noting that they pronounce it 'Whiffy'.
Pity that roaming charges are outrageous...
The other option is to buy a SIM that is already registered to someone and working. Doing so is of course illegal, and there is a risk that the SIM might stop working at any point. However, this solution has worked well for several of my friends. Many small shopkeepers can sell you a working SIM>
Your guide may well know someone who can sell an active SIM.
And in India, nothing is too much trouble so long as you can pay for it.
As suggested your local guide could help, if he remains with you during your stay then any problems withthe sim he will solve.
A friend obtained mine for me, calls to the UK were very cheap.
Remember to haggle :rotfl:
C