Pristina - Post Report Question and Answers
Do you have any recommendations regarding mobile phones? Did you keep your home-country plan or use a local provider?
It is a pain to use the local mobile company, in my opinion. If you buy a SIM card at the airport and put money on it, it is used up almost immediately. You need to go to the center to the main IPKO store (with your passport!) and sign up for a plan. You can put money on your phone for your plan at the Shell station (and probably other gas stations -- but not at grocery stores and nowhere in Albi Mall.) We also have a US VOIP number that has made life easier for business and personal logistics. - Aug 2021
Embassy provides phones, but if you bring your own you can use Vala or Ipko. You need to go into one of their stores or a gas station every month to add money to your account (10 euro is average per month) - Jul 2019
Kosovo still does not have an own country code and uses either numbers from Monaco or Slovenia. - Nov 2016
Currently there are two major providers: IPKO and Vala. I use IPKO and have a pay-as-you-go plan that works reasonably well. Make sure that the plan you choose can be used outside of Kosovo if you plan to travel. And, of course, know what the charges are. - Jun 2016
You can buy a local sim and add money as needed. - May 2016
If you don't get one through work, go local. Prices are low. - Aug 2015
Unlock yours and buy a local sim card. 3G is slowly making its way to Pristina (IPKO I believe, but not Vala). Almost every place you visit will have free wifi. Just ask for the password and you'll get it with a smile. - Jun 2014
At the time of our stay, the telecom service in Kosovo was limited in that if we drove over the border to Serbia, it would not work. So we needed to buy SIM cards from the VIP company in Serbia. Otherwise, the SIM cards we got in Kosovo would work in all other bordering countries, but with roaming. - Apr 2013
Service is good and not too pricey. - Sep 2012
