The main mobile phone companies in Sweden are Telia, Telenor, Tele2 and 3 Sverige. Each of these companies offers a variety of packages aimed to suit different needs. Some deals even offer attractive rates on international calls. You can shop around at any of these companies’ high street stores and speak to a salesperson, who will advise you on what to go for. If you often go to Denmark, 3 Sverige might be a good option as the 3 network is combined for the two countries and you will not pay additional charges in and from Denmark.
Prepaid or contract?
The first decision you need to make when looking for a Swedish mobile number is whether you want a prepaid SIM or a contract.
Pay-as-you-go: With prepaid phones you have maximum flexibility. Top up cards for Swedish pay-as-you-go SIM cards can easily be purchased at any high street store, most newsagents and some supermarkets.
Contract: The other option available is to sign a contract. As well as delaying payment until the end of the month, the benefits of a contract are lower calling rates (quite significantly in some cases) and better deals on new phones. Be sure to read all the other conditions such as the monthly costs, connection fees and your monthly allowance. Most contracts also tend to be for a fixed period of time, so this might not be the best option if you only intend to stay in Sweden for only a couple of months.
Using a foreign SIM card in Sweden
If you want to keep your existing mobile number and bring it with you to Sweden, you should first check with your operator as to whether you will get coverage in Sweden. This should not be a problem in the bigger cities, but you should make sure nonetheless.
Using a foreign SIM card in Sweden will probably result in extremely high roaming fees, unless you have a specific rate in place. Again, you should definitely consult your home operator in order to avoid receiving a shocking telephone bill.
Another option is to bring an unlocked mobile phone to Sweden and purchase a SIM card locally. Alternatively you can purchase a disposable mobile phone when you arrive in Sweden. This will be basic, but can be a cost-effective way to communicate.
Emergency numbers
In case of emergencies always dial 112, which is the single number for the police, firemen and ambulance.
Here are the Swedish numbers you need to know:
- Emergency - 112
- 24h non-emergency health information – 1177
- 24h police non-emergency number – 114 14
- Children helpline – 116 111