How to save on phone and internet in Georgia: a practical guide

Georgia has three mobile operators, and all have shops in Batumi. Each offers monthly packages, daily packages and its own app. The operators’ apps are available in English: you can track usage, add options and pay by card.

How they differ, according to reviews:

• Coverage. Different reviews name different operators as best for coverage, so there is no single answer. In a city like Batumi the difference is usually small, but inside buildings and in the mountains it can be noticeable. If you travel around Georgia often, check coverage along your route.
• Price. Mobile data prices differ between operators, especially with in-app offers. But terms change, so check the operator’s current price table rather than year-old reviews.
• International calls. Here operators differ several times over. If you often call abroad, this is important to check.

The most honest advice: do not believe in one "best" operator for everyone. Check the signal in your flat and on your usual routes. A temporary SIM for a month or an eSIM is enough for that.

A physical SIM remains a simple option. A tourist SIM usually lasts about 15 days, while monthly packages are for 30 days, which is more convenient for a long stay.

eSIM is a built-in SIM: nothing to insert, you just scan a QR code. It suits modern phones (iPhones from the 14 series almost always have it; on Android check your model’s support). Operators’ terms differ and change: with one, an eSIM is easiest to get in an office by QR code; with another, it can be done fully online. Check with the operator in advance and take your passport.

Two SIM cards. If your work needs constant connection, it makes sense to keep two SIMs from different operators so you can switch if one fails. A phone with two SIMs or an eSIM lets you have one number for work and another for internet or travel.

In Georgia home internet is concentrated with two big players, but Batumi also has local providers, and some are cheaper than the big networks. Check whether they are connected in your building.

How to choose:

1. Find out which providers are connected to your building. This decides more than comparing plans.
2. Do not overpay for speed. For working from home, video calls and a couple of TVs, medium speeds are usually enough. According to one review, 30–80 Mbps over fibre is typical in new Batumi buildings. But check the reality of your own building.
3. Look for bundles. If you already use one operator’s mobile service, their home internet is sometimes cheaper. "Internet + TV + mobile" bundles are often better value than paying separately. But ask whether you need TV: paying for channels you do not watch is exactly the unnecessary expense.
4. Find out the cost of connection and equipment. The router may be included, rented or bought separately, and the contract may have a minimum term.
5. Installation. Usually the provider’s technician comes, connects the fibre and sets up the router.

There is also an alternative: a home 5G router with a SIM card. In Batumi residents’ discussions some say it can be faster than cable, but speed drops after a certain volume, and it does not suit every family. It is worth considering if your building has no fibre, but check the package terms in advance.

Small charges go unnoticed, but over a year they add up to a noticeable sum.

• Package auto-renewal. Check in the operator’s app that renewal is not on for packages you no longer need.
• Paid subscriptions and services. Entertainment services, SMS mailings, extra options. Open the list of connected services in the operator’s app.
• App store subscriptions. On iPhone: Settings → your name → Subscriptions. On Android: Google Play → profile → Payments & subscriptions. Free trials that long ago turned paid often stay there.
• Extra SIMs and numbers that keep charging a subscription fee.
• A rented router and set-top boxes that you do not use.

The plan is only part of the cost. Sometimes the biggest item is the phone itself.

• You do not need a new flagship every year. Modern phones last many years, especially with updates.
• If the phone has started draining quickly, a battery replacement is usually cheaper than a new device. Check whether the model still gets updates.
• Before buying, compare specifications, not just the name and price. Check the exact model in the documents.
• Beware of "deals" with a very low price and no warranty or receipt.
• Protect the phone with a case and screen protector: a screen repair costs more than accessories.

• Staying on the base plan without a package.
• Paying for unlimited when 10 gigabytes would do.
• Not checking auto-renewal and subscriptions.
• Buying a faster plan instead of fixing the Wi-Fi.
• Keeping extra SIM cards and numbers.
• Using roaming and ordinary international calls instead of messengers and eSIM.
• Believing figures from reviews without checking the operator’s current table.
• Changing operator without checking the signal in your own flat.

You can check most of this yourself in an evening. But if home internet is still slow, if you need to set up an eSIM or move data to a new phone, or you got lost in the router and Wi-Fi, a technician will help.

I provide home-visit IT help in Batumi: I come to your home, check internet speed and Wi-Fi quality, set up the router and extenders, help sort out eSIM and phone subscriptions and show you how to save data. The choice of plan and operator stays with you: I do not advertise prices or terms.