Basics

In Bosnia and Herzegovina three different network operators are active:

  • BH Telecom
  • m:tel (by Telekom Srpske)
  • HT Eronet (by HT Mostar)

This offer is supplemented by MVNOs attached to the providers like haloo and Go! free. Generally BH Telecom is market leader with slightly more than 40%, m:tel has a little less than 40% and the remainig 20% are on Eronet. 99% of the population are covered by 2G networks, 95% by 3G networks and 4G has only just begun and already reaches more than 80% in 2021.

Bosnia and Herzegovina’s telecom’s regulator Regulatorna agencija za komunikacije (RAK) has issued 4G licences to the nation’s trio of mobile network operators (MNOs) in April 2019. The concessions are valid for 15 years and oblige the licence holders to begin offering commercial 4G services within one month of the award. The cellcos are also required to ensure the networks covers 90% of the country’s territory within five years of the award.

In 2019/20 4G/LTE started as one of the last countries in Europe on all three networks. The carriers are free to use bands on 800, 900, 1800 and 2100 MHz (B1, B3, B8 or B20). 5G hasn’t started yet. Over the years different MVNOs started on all three networks, but only haloo on Eronet network survived.

SIM cards don’t require registration in Bosnia and Herzegovina and remain anonymous. You can buy them in many stores, such as post offices, grocery stores, newsstands, service stations, and convenience stores for 4-5 KM. It’s also possible to buy SIM cards at Sarajevo International Airport (Međunarodni Aerodrom Sarajevo). You can top up credit in many local stores or online on the pages of the provider.

Be aware that Bosnia and Herzegovina is neither part of the EU, nor of the wider EEA, where since 2017 new international roaming rules have been enforced. So roaming rates using EU/EEA-issued SIM cards are not regulated and can therefore be much higher. Better use a local or regional SIM card than an EU SIM.

Instead, from July 2021 Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia have become a single roaming area similar to EU rules. From now on you can roam without surcharges in the Western Balkans using a SIM card from these countries, but not in the EU.

BH Telecom

BH Telecom is the leading provider in the country with a 45% share in 2015. 2G is on 900 and 1800 MHz, 3G on 2100 and 900 MHz. First trials with 4G/LTE started in 2014 and the commercial launch was in April 2019. The operator has already covered more than 2/3 of the population.

Ultra

Ultra is the name of their prepaid product. Their Ultra Start Paket is available in their shops (locator) and other outlets like post offices, kiosk and book shops for 5 KM. New customers receive a 1 GB mobile internet traffic bonus (valid for 7 days) and 3 KM credit (valid for 30 days and only for SMS and calls). Different Ultra plans are offered and special tourist plans are sold.

Top-ups are available as electronic voucher from 5 KM or as electronic top-up from 2 KM. Validity depends on top-up amount and is 7-180 days. Check credit with *110#, initial balance for new cards however shows this way: *106*0*1# to check bonus for KM and *106*1*1# to check bonus for MB.

Data feature packages

Default internet is billed with 0.50 KM per MB. These data packages called ‘Instant Buy & Surf’ for high speeds up to 3.6 MBit/s and can be activated on the usual Ultra cards in these varieties:

DataTimePriceActivation
500 MB24 hours1 KM*108*1*0#
2 GB2 days2 KM*108*2*0#
1 GB7 days3 KM*108*3*0#
4 GBSat 0am-Sun 12pm2 KM*108*5*0#
2 GB30 days10 KM*110#
7 GB30 days15 KM*110#

To get to know your data balance, type *108*?*1# where ? stands for the size 1-5 according to activation code.

Alternatively, you can also activate a digressive rate by *105*0*6# and deactivate by *105*0*7#:

  • < 25 MB: 0.50 KM per MB
  • 25 MB – 100 MB: 0.40 KM per MB
  • 100 MB – 250 MB: 0.30 KM per MB
  • 250 MB – 500 MB: 0.20 KM per MB
  • > 500 MB: 0.10 KM per MB

Data-only SIM

Their data-only SIM card is called Ultra Internet for 10 KM. It doesn’t contain voice, only SMS. Ultra Internet has an initial credit of 3 KM for SMS services to mobile and fixed networks of BH Telecom and 5 GB of mobile internet valid for 7 days. To activate, you need to send an empty SMS to 06111080.

For more data, the same packages as shown under data feature packages can be added. This SIM card may not be available anymore.

Roaming

From July 2021 data are valid in all countries of the Western Balkans without surcharges. Nevertheless, they still offer some special roaming packages for these countries which may not be such a good deal anymore. For the Western Balkan countries Albania, Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Serbia they have issued two roaming data packages:

  • Balkan NET 5 days: 300 MB for 5 days: 5 KM, activation: Balkan5
  • Balkan NET 10 days: 1 GB for 10 days: 10 KM, activation: Balkan10

Activation is by texting the keyword to 0611124. For the EU better buy a SIM card there.

Ultra Tourist

Ultra Tourist is a special SIM card for tourists which is sold in three different varieties:

  • Ultra Tourist 1: 15 GB and 5 KM for calls and SMS valid for 10 days: 20 KM
  • Ultra Tourist 2: 30 GB and 10 KM for calls and SMS valid for 30 days: 40 KM
  • Ultra Tourist Group: 100 GB for 15 days: 100 KM

To check balance on the pack, dial *110#. These add-ons can be added to both packs:

  • 5 GB for 10 days: 15 KM, activation: *105*6*1#
  • 15 GB for 30 days: 35 KM, activation: *105*6*3#
  • 25 GB for 30 days: 50 KM, activation: *105*6*5#

More info

m:tel

m:tel owned by Serbian Telekom Srpske is BH Telecom’s biggest rival in the country and the number 2 provider with a 41% share. 2G is on 900 and 1800 MHz, 3G on 2100 and 900 MHz. First trials with 4G/LTE started in 2013, and the commercial launch was in April 2019.

Availability

Frend spoken “friend” used to be the name of their voice & data prepaid product, now renamed to XY Net. Starter are sold at their points of sale in two sizes:

  • with 4KM or 15 GB for 5 days: 4 KM
  • with 10 GB for 15 days: 10 KM

Data feature packages

Data is default at 0.88 KM per MB. Be sure that you are in the XY Net tariff line. You can check and change by *100# or through their app. These packages are available for the XY tariff line :

  • for 1 day: 1 GB (roaming cap: 110 MB): 1 KM
  • for 7 days: 4 GB (roaming cap: 440 MB): 4 KM
  • for 30 days: 4 GB (roaming cap: 1.1 GB): 4 KM

These other plans are available for internet;

  • for 24 hours: 20 GB (roaming cap: 150 MB): 2 KM
  • for 3 days: 30 GB (roaming cap: 320 MB): 3 KM
  • unlimited Facebook and Instagram for 10 days: 2 KM

Max speed is 21 Mbps. For overuse, speed will be throttled to 128 kbps. Activation by *100*1#.

Or these combo packs with data are offered for 30 days:

  • 200 MB, 100 on-net mins and 100 SMS : 12 KM
  • 1 GB, 200 on-net mins, 200 SMS and unlimited Viber: 19 KM

Activation is by *100*1# or through their app

Data only SIM

Mobilni internet na dopunu is the name of their prepaid internet SIM.

You need a special DopunaNET starter pack at 10.78 which includes 10 GB data.

Default rate here is 0.15 KM per MB. These packages can be activated valid for 30 days:

  • 500 MB: 5.85 KM
  • 4 GB: 11.70 KM
  • 10 GB: 17.55 KM

Activation is by code *100*5#

Roaming

From July 2021 roaming in the Western Balkans is included. m:tel dosen’t roam in Kosovo. Note that it’s limited to the caps mentioned above:

Furthermore, these roaming packages are sold:

  • 1 GB for 7 days on all T-Mobile/Telekom networks in Europe and the USA: 5 KM
  • 2 GB for 10 days on all T-Mobile/Telekom networks in Europe and the USA: 10 KM
  • 2 GB for 10 days on all networks in Croatia: 10 KM
  • 2 GB for 10 days on the network of Telekom in Slovenia: 20 KM
  • 2 GB for 10 days on the Turkcell network in Turkey: 10 KM
  • 2 GB for 10 days on all Vodafone networks (Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Netherlands, Turkey, United Kingdom, Ghana, New Zealand, South Africa and Tanzania): 25 KM

Activation is through *100*2# or app.

More info

HT Eronet

HT Eronet by HT Mostar is the smallest provider with only 14% market share. In 2016 national roaming has ended, leaving HT Eronet clients to rely on their own limited infrastructure; 2G is on 900 MHz, 3G on 2100 MHz, 4G/LTE started in May 2019. Better make a network scan before purchase to make sure that you are covered.

Availability

Prepaid SIMs are sold in their shops (list) and in kiosks. If data don’t work, you may need to text ‘GPRS’ to 0633807.

Top-up vouchers are sold at kiosks, filling stations, branches. To top-up enter *123*<voucher PIN>#. To check balance, type *101#.

Data feature packages

!hej is the name of their prepaid voice & data SIM card. Default rate is 0.09-0.15 KM per 100 kB.

They offer three different SIM cards:

  • a regular SIM starter pack for 4 KM
  • a data-only SIM with Internet2Go and 10 GB for 1 KM
  • and the Tourist SIM card with the options shown below for 20 KM

When you activate a data package for the first time within a calendar month, they give you double data for the next 12 months as long as you renew your package.

Different tariffs are offered. These data packages can be added to all tariff lines:

DataTimePriceActivation
10 GB24 hours2 KM*102*1#
4 GB7 days4 KM*144*1#
2 GB30 days10 KM*105*1#

For more data you can add:

  • 500 MB for 5 days: 2 KM: activation: *106*1#
  • 1 GB for 7 days: 3 KM, activation: *108*1#
  • 4 GB for 7 days: 4 KM, activation: *109*1#
  • 10 GB for 24 hours: 2 KM, activation: *105*1#

For unlimited social media and 10 GB for a month for 10 KM you can activate !hej social unlimited by texting SOCIAL to 0637790. Zero-rating inlcudes Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, YouTube, WhatsApp and Tiktok.

There are these monthly options too:

DataVoicePriceActivation
600 MB80 mins10 KMMini
600 MB200 mins15 KMZvoni
3 GB80 mins15 KMGigo
3 GB200 mins20 KMZuba
7 GB80 mins25 KMFaca

To activate text code to 0637790 and check remaining volume by *111*1*2#. Unused data get transferred to the next month only if you purchase another 30 day package before the current one expires.

For more data you can add:

  • 200 MB for 3 KM, activation: Paketi1
  • 600 MB for 5 KM, activation: Paketi2
  • 3 GB for 10 KM, activation: Paketi3
  • 7 GB for 15 KM, activation: Paketi4

Within the first year from activating your !hej number, you will be rewarded with double the data for the first purchase of each month. This means that if you (for instance) purchase 5 GB on the 1st of June, you will get 10 GB of data valid until the 1st of July. But if you decide to purchase another 5 GB plan, let’s say on 25th of June, you will be left over with 5 GB plus what’s left from the previous package you’ve bought, validity being extended to 25th of July.

Data-only SIM

They also sell a prepaid data-only SIM called “!hey internet2GO“. Starter packs are available for 10 KM. Default rate is 0.10 KM per MB. These packages can be added:

  • Internet D: 20 GB for 24 hours – 3 KM, activation: *113*1#
  • Internet M: 4 GB for 30 days – 10 KM, activation: *115*1#
  • Internet L: 12 GB for 30 days – 20 KM, activation: *116*1#
  • Internet XL: 36 GB for 30 days – 50 KM, activation: *117*1#

Check remaining data balance by code *11?*2# where ? stands for the same number in the activation code.

Roaming

From July 2021 roaming in the Western Balkans countries are included without surcharges, but most likely not on the Internet2go plans.

They offer roaming packages for about 40 countries (Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Montenegro, Czech Rep., Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Hong Kong, Croatia, Ireland, Italy, Israel, South Korea, Canada, China, Luxembourg, Hungary, Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, USA, Saudi Arabia, North Macedonia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom and Ukraine)

  • 100 MB for 1 day: 3 KM, activation: *111*3*1#
  • 250 MB for 5 days: 6 KM, activation: *111*3*2#
  • 1 GB for 30 days: 18 KM, activation: 111*3*3#

Tourist SIM

In 2017 they started with their tourist SIM card. It’s a special starter pack available in Eronet shops and other stores for 20 KM. It contains 20 GB data and 30 domestic minutes for 7 days.

Default data is 0.20 KM per MB and you can add these two options:

  • 10 GB for 24 hours: 3 KM
  • 20 GB for 7 days: 20 KM

Activation is by *111# and choose option 1 or 2. It will autorenew if you have enough credit. To stop text Noweeklygb or Nodailygb to 0637790.

More info

haloo (on HT Eronet)

Haloo is a MVNO operating on HT Eronet on 2G, 3G and 4G/LTE. Before purchase make a network scan as it’s the weakest network in the country right now.

Availablity

Their starter packs are available for 4 KM at kiosks and service stations with the same credit pre-loaded. To check your main account balance, enter 101# and press the call button.

Default data rate is 0.50 KM per MB. To activate data, you need to text ‘GPRS’ to 064 450 0001 and check APN (below). When you activate a new haloo SIM, you will receive 600 MB per month as a bonus for the next 6 months.

Data featured packages

They have these packs for data:

DataTimePrice
2 GB24 hours1 KM
21 GB24 hours2 KM
2 GB7 days3 KM
10 GB7 days6 KM
4 GB30 days8 KM
10 GB30 days15 KM

Activation is by *100*3#.

Roaming

Roam like at home is included in Western Balkans states. They offer the same roaming options as HT Eronet above at the same prices, activation: *100*6#.

Tourist SIM

For tourists they offer a haloo Tourist SIM for 20 KM. It includes 20 GB of internet usage, 100 minutes within haloo network, 100 SMS within haloo network and 1 KM on your main account valid for 15 days after activation.

If you have 20 KM on your main account at the moment of expiry, allowances will be reset automatically and a new fee for another 15 days will be charged. If you don’t have enough credit for the tariff charge at the moment of renewal, your Tourist plan will be deactivated and you will be switched to the basic haloo tariff. You can also activate their other options for mobile internet (see above). To check balance, type 100*2#. 

More information

  • Note that some users reported problems using haloo for tethering (mobile WiFi hotspot functionality).
  • APN: web.haloo.ba
  • Website: http://www.haloo.ba
Mobile Internet and communication in Bosnia and Herzegovina for tourists: SIM cards and prices