HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR
Madagascar, also known as the Republic of Madagascar, an island country is situated in the Indian Ocean. The population is a mixture of African and Indonesian comprising the population number to 27.64 by the end of 2020. This includes the middle class, rich, super-rich, and poor as well.
Getting a SIM Card in Madagascar: Orange, Telma, and Airtel
Madagascar has three main mobile network operators: Orange, Telma, and Airtel. All three providers offer a wide range of prepaid and postpaid data plans, as well as international roaming options. SIM cards can be purchased from authorized dealers throughout the country, including airports, supermarkets, and convenience stores.
Orange
Orange is the largest mobile network operator in Madagascar, with over 6 million subscribers. They offer a wide range of prepaid and postpaid data plans, as well as international roaming options. SIM cards can be purchased from Orange stores, authorized dealers, and online.
Telma
Telma is the second largest mobile network operator in Madagascar, with over 4 million subscribers. They offer a wide range of prepaid and postpaid data plans, as well as international roaming options. SIM cards can be purchased from Telma stores, authorized dealers, and online.
Airtel
Airtel is the third largest mobile network operator in Madagascar, with over 3 million subscribers. They offer a wide range of prepaid and postpaid data plans, as well as international roaming options. SIM cards can be purchased from Airtel stores, authorized dealers, and online.
Requirements to Purchase a SIM Card
To purchase a SIM card in Madagascar, you will need to present a valid passport. You will also need to pay a small fee, typically around 1,000 Ar (approximately $0.25 USD).
Activating Your SIM Card
Once you have purchased a SIM card, you will need to activate it. You can do this by following the instructions on the back of the SIM card packaging. You may also need to contact the customer service of the provider you have chosen.
Purchasing Data
Once your SIM card is activated, you can purchase data by using scratch cards or through mobile banking. Scratch cards can be purchased from authorized dealers throughout the country. Mobile banking can be done through the provider’s mobile app or website.
Which Provider Should I Choose?
The best provider for you will depend on your individual needs and preferences. Here is a table summarizing the key differences between the three providers:
| Provider | Coverage | Data Plans | Customer Service |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orange | Widest coverage | Wide range of plans | Good |
| Telma | Strong coverage in urban areas | Wide range of plans | Good |
| Airtel | Strong coverage in rural areas | More affordable plans | Good |
INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS
These are the top five internet service providers of Madagascar as are many others.
- Airtel
- Telma (by Telecom Malagasy)
- Orange
- Bip (by Blueline)
- Blueline
The most popular data packages by the top two internet service providers are as follows:
AIRTEL DATA PACKAGES
Airtel is popular in Madagascar just like in other popular countries. It offers a wide range of data package options starting from 5MB to 100MB which comes with a designated validity pack and fixed prices. The range of packages for consumers is as follows:
VALIDITY OF ONE DAY
- 5MB costs you around 200 Ar with activation *114*41#
- 25MB would cost you 600 Ar with activation *114*47#
- 50MB comes at 1000 Ar with activation *114*4#
- 125MB costs you 2000 Ar with activation *114*48#
VALIDITY OF SEVEN DAYS
- 125MB for seven days would be 3000 Ar with activation *114*6#
- 275MB would cost you a flat 6000 Ar with the activation *114*8#
- 500MB will come at 10000 Ar only with the activation *114*9#
VALIDITY OF 30 DAYS (WIDELY POPULAR)
- 2GB data pack is of 30000 Ar with activation *114*49#
- 6GB data pack is of 80000 Ar with the activation *114*14#
- 10GB data pack would cost a consumer around 120000 Ar with the activation *114*15#
- 100GB data pack is of 199000 Ar with the activation *114*20#
TELMA ( BY TELECOM MALAGASY)
The Telma provides the data packages starting from 10MB but also provides the night bonuses. The structure of the various packages are as follows:
VALIDITY OF ONE DAY AND ONE NIGHT
- 10 MB for one day comes at a price of 100 Ar with activation *322*67# and 40MB for one-night bonus comes at a price of 100 Ar with the activation *322*61#
- 50MB for one day comes at an offer price of 1000 Ar with the activation *322*6#
VALIDITY FOR SEVEN DAYS
- 100MB with 50MB as a night bonus would cost you 3000 Ar at activation *322*70#
- 250MB with 100MB as a night bonus is of 6000 Ar with activation *322*71#
- 500MB with 250MB of a night bonus is of 10000 Ar with activation *322*72#
- 1GB does not come with the night bonus and costs 12500 Ar with activation *322*73#
VALIDITY OF 30 DAYS
- 250MB is of 10000 Ar with activation *322*7#
- 500MB is of 15000 Ar with activation *322*80#
- 1GB is of 25000 Ar with activation *322*8#
- 3GB is of 50000 Ar with activation *322*12#
- 5GB is of 75000 Ar with activation *322*13#
- 8GB is of 99000 Ar with activation *322*14#
- 10GB is of 125000 Ar with activation *322*9#
- 20GB is of 149000 Ar with activation *322*10#
- 30GB is of 175000 Ar with activation *322*11#
- 50GB is of 195000 Ar with activation *322*15#
- 125GB is of 429000 Ar with activation *322*150#
Only 2.2-2.6% of people of the total population use the internet service provided by the service providers. This number is increasing gradually and will definitely hike in the coming future.
Airtel Data Packages
| Volume | Validity | Price | Activation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 MB | 1 day | 200 Ar | *114*41# |
| 25 MB | 600 Ar | *114*47# | |
| 50 MB | 1 000 Ar | *114*4# | |
| 125 MB | 2 000 Ar | *114*48# | |
| 125 MB | 7 days | 3 000 Ar | *114*6# |
| 275 MB | 6 000 Ar | *114*8# | |
| 500 MB | 10 000 Ar | *114*9# | |
| 2 GB | 30 days | 30 000 Ar | *114*49# |
| 6 GB | 80 000 Ar | *114*14# | |
| 10 GB | 120 000 Ar | *114*15# | |
| 100 GB | 199 000 Ar | *114*20# |
Telma (by Telecom Malagasy) Data Packages
| Volume | Night Bonus | Validity | Price | Activation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 MB | 10 MB | 1 day | 100 Ar | *322*67# |
| 40 MB | 1 night | 100 Ar | *322*61# | |
| 50 MB | 1 day | 1 000 Ar | *322*6# | |
| 100 MB | 50 MB | 7 days | 3 000 Ar | *322*70# |
| 250 MB | 100 MB | 6 000 Ar | *322*71# | |
| 500 MB | 250 MB | 10 000 Ar | *322*72# | |
| 1 GB | 12 500 Ar | *322*73# | ||
| 250 MB | 30 days | 10 000 Ar | *322*7# | |
| 500 MB | 15 000 Ar | *322*80# | ||
| 1 GB | 25 000 Ar | *322*8# | ||
| 3 GB | 50 000 Ar | *322*12# | ||
| 5 GB | 75 000 Ar | *322*13# | ||
| 8 GB | 99 000 Ar | *322*14# | ||
| 10 GB | 125 000 Ar | *322*9# | ||
| 20 GB | 149 000 Ar | *322*10# | ||
| 30 GB | 175 000 Ar | *322*11# | ||
| 50 GB | 195 000 Ar | *322*15# | ||
| 125 GB | 429 000 Ar | *322*150# | ||
| 250 MBpermonth | 3 months | 30 000 Ar | *322*81# | |
| 6 months | 60 000 Ar | *322*82# | ||
| 9 months | 90 000 Ar | *322*86# | ||
| 12 months | 110 000 Ar | *322*83# |
Orange Data Packages
| Volume | Validity | Price |
|---|---|---|
| 10 MB | 1 day | 200 Ar |
| 20 MB | 500 Ar | |
| 50 MB | 1 000 Ar | |
| 100 MB | 3 days | 3 000 Ar |
| 250 MB | 5 days | 7 200 Ar |
| 500 MB | 7 days | 13 500 Ar |
| 1 GB | 21 days | 34 500 Ar |
| 3 GB | 30 days | 77 500 Ar |
| 5 GB | 97 000 Ar | |
| 8 GB | 148 500 Ar | |
| 10 GB | 175 000 Ar | |
| 20 GB | 45 days | 220 000 Ar |
| 30 GB | 60 days | 245 000 Ar |
| 50 GB | 275 000 Ar |
bip (by Blueline) Data Packages
| Volume | Validity | Price | Activation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 MB | 1 day | 100 Ar | *340*100# |
| 50 MB | 2 days | 1 000 Ar | *340*1000# |
| 100 MB | 7 days | 2 500 Ar | *340*2500# |
| 250 MB | 7 days | 5 000 A | *340*5000# |
| 500 MB | 7 days | 10 000 Ar | *340*10000# |
| 1 GB | 7 days | 35 000 Ar | *340*35000# |
| 3 GB | 30 days | 50 000 Ar | *340*50000# |
| 5 GB | 30 days | 75 000 Ar | *340*75000# |
| 10 GB | 30 days | 120 000 Ar | *340*120000# |
Blueline Data Packages
| Data | Validity | Price | Activation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 MB | 2 days | 1 000 Ar | *139*1# |
| 100 MB | 7 days | 2 500 Ar | *139*2# |
| 250 MB | 7 days | 5 000 Ar | *139*5# |
| 1 GB | 7 days | 15 000 Ar | *139*9# |
| 1 GB | 30 days | 35 000 Ar | *139*10# |
| 3 GB | 30 days | 60 000 Ar | *139*11# |
| 5 GB | 30 days | 75 000 Ar | ? |
| 10 GB | 30 days | 120 000 Ar | *139*12# |
References:
https://mindofahitchhiker.com/getting-a-sim-card-in-madagascar-orange-telma-and-airtel/
https://abrokenbackpack.com/madagascar-sim-cards/