Buy a prepaid SIM card

If you have an unlocked mobile phone handset, you can buy a SIM card at The Phone House, a mobile handset shop chain. Your handset will then become a prepaid mobile phone. (See here for where to buy a new handset.)

As of September 2007, the cheapest prepaid SIM card is Comviq Knock-Out. The price of a card is 49 krona. The minimum top-up fee is 125 krona. And the call rate is 0.69 krona per minute. Comviq is Tele2's brand name for its mobile service. Other mobile carriers in Sweden include Telia, Telenor, and 3. The price comparison chart is available at The Phone House stores (just grab a free booklet).

You can top up the fee at a till of any supermarkets and Pressbyrån branches (station kiosks). In the case of Comviq Knock-Out, by paying 125 krona, you will receive a receipt with the code (säkerhetskoden). Then call *110*xxxxx# (insert the code number in place of xxxxx). Nobody will answer, but a message appears on the handset screen, and 125 krona will be automatically charged to your account. To check the balance, call *111#. Again nobody will answer, but a message appears on the handset screen, telling you how much you still have.

If you are a heavy mobile phone user, you may prefer subscribing to a monthly payment plan. Wait until you get the ID card, which could be three months later.