Internet
Yes
Calls
No
SMS
No
4G
Yes
Works only on unlocked eSIM-supported devices — check your phone compatibility before purchase
Most packages do not include calls or SMS
Choose one of three methods:
Scan QR code
Install via 'Quick Install' button
Manual setup through phone settings
Use the package within 3 months from purchase
Local (one country), Regional (multiple countries), Global (many countries)
Not available for Sicily
Uzbekistan is Kazakhstan's close neighbour, and a trip here often comes together in a few days: a flight to Tashkent, a train to Samarkand, a couple of nights in Bukhara. On short trips like these the phone bill can be an unpleasant surprise, because roaming on your home operator usually costs much more than local data. An eSIM takes about five minutes to install at home and starts working after you land, while your regular SIM stays in the phone for calls and bank texts.
You can buy an eSIM for Uzbekistan online right on this page from 3 900 ₸: choose a data plan, pay by card and get the QR code within minutes. An eSIM is a digital SIM card — it installs on your phone with no plastic card and no visit to a phone shop.
The eSIM connects to local mobile networks, so you have data wherever they have coverage — Tashkent and Samarkand and the rest of the country.
Roaming in Uzbekistan with a Kazakh carrier is usually far more expensive, and roaming data runs out fast. With a Funsim eSIM you pay a fixed price for a data package and keep your home SIM in the phone for calls and bank SMS — roaming on it can stay off.
If your phone does not support eSIM, you can buy a regular physical SIM card with data for Uzbekistan at a Funsim point of sale: at Almaty and Shymkent airports, or at our offices in Almaty — 130/1 Abay St and 1 Pozharsky St. Handy if you remember about the internet right before departure.
The main advantage of an eSIM in Uzbekistan is predictability. You know in advance how much data you have and what it costs, you don't have to check roaming rates, and you don't spend the first day of your holiday looking for a phone shop. Funsim plans are data-only, so calls to friends and colleagues are easiest through messengers, and your main SIM handles your usual number. It also matters that an eSIM does not use up a physical slot: you can use two lines at once and, if needed, change plans on the site without going to a phone shop.
Buying a local SIM is possible too, but it is a separate errand: you need to find a point of sale, wait in line and, as a rule, show an ID document. On a short trip those are hours better spent in the city. See the plans above for details and data amounts.
| Criterion | Funsim eSIM | Roaming | Local SIM |
|---|---|---|---|
| When it connects | At home, before the flight, by QR code | Right on arrival | After you find a shop in Uzbekistan |
| Documents | No passport needed to buy | Not needed | Usually a passport is required |
| Cost of data | Fixed, shown before payment | Usually much higher | Depends on the tariff and shop |
| Your main number | Stays on the home SIM | Stays | Needs a second slot or a swap |
| Queues and language | None, everything online | None | Queues possible at the airport and in town |
| Laptop hotspot | Usually available, see plan page | Often limited | Depends on the tariff terms |
It is a big country and connectivity behaves differently along the route: ordinary in the cities, but in deserts and mountains you should plan for weak signal.
The capital, where you need data almost every hour: ordering a taxi from the airport, finding the right metro station, checking a meeting address, paying for a purchase. Coverage is dense in the centre and business districts, so you can message comfortably between neighbourhoods. Plan your data allowance with video calls and maps in mind.
The Registan, the Gur-Emir mausoleum and Shah-i-Zinda are close together, and coverage in these places is fairly dependable. Data helps with tickets, teahouse reviews, translation and finding craft workshops in the old town. In the evening many visitors use maps to find their way back to the hotel.
The compact old town is easy to explore on foot, and a map with saved pins keeps you from getting lost in the lanes around Lyabi-Hauz and the Ark citadel. Signal in the centre is usually steady. Save your list of places beforehand and keep an offline map as a backup in case the signal weakens among narrow buildings.
The walled city in the west of the country, most often reached via Urgench. Inside the walls coverage is usually acceptable, but outside town and on roads between villages it can vary. Download a map of the region beforehand and save the contacts of your guesthouse and driver.
The eastern part of the country with Kokand, Margilan and Fergana is a region of craftsmen and silk. The towns are densely populated, so mobile data is what you would expect. You need it for navigating between towns, ordering taxis and calling drivers, who often do not speak English.
Tamerlane's birthplace lies in the hilly part of Kashkadarya. The mountain pass is scenic, but signal can drop along the way, so save your route offline. In the town itself data is useful for site tickets and finding a guide.
A favourite weekend destination for people from the capital: a lake, cable cars, mountain trails. The network in the valleys can be unstable and on the slopes it may be missing entirely. Data is handy for taxis in both directions and checking the weather, so save the points you need in advance.
The far north-west, where distances are long and settlements are few. Offline maps and a time buffer help here, as signal may vanish for long stretches on the road. In Nukus, data is useful for bookings and for contacting your trip organiser.
A night in a yurt in the desert is a holiday of its own. Signal is unstable and depends on the exact spot, so do not count on video calls. Download maps, music and films beforehand, and use the eSIM on the way there and back.
A southern city near the Afghan border, reached by plane or train for its Buddhist monuments and museum. Signal in the city itself is ordinary, while on the roads between districts it is patchy. Data helps with navigation, taxis and messaging your guide, so save addresses and routes in advance.
Most familiar services work, but locals have their own favourite apps, and some of them are useful to a visitor.
The most familiar app for ordering a taxi in Tashkent and other big cities: the price is shown before the ride and the driver receives the address automatically. It needs data, so it is best to switch on your eSIM right after landing.
Extremely popular in Uzbekistan: people use it to talk to guesthouses, guides, drivers and shops. Many businesses take orders there, and news and events channels are often handier than websites.
A detailed map with businesses, opening hours and reviews, already familiar to people from Kazakhstan. Good for finding cafes, pharmacies, shops and bus stops. The offline mode helps outside the cities.
Both work for routes within cities and between them. Yandex Maps knows local addresses and public transport well, while Google Maps is more familiar to many travellers. Download an offline area before you set off.
The country's most popular payment apps. They link to local cards, so a foreign visitor needs an alternative: cash in sum or a Visa or Mastercard card. It helps to recognise their logos at checkouts.
A large local marketplace with delivery. It can help if you urgently need a charger, an adapter or a souvenir sent to your hotel, but you will need a local address and possibly a local phone number.
Many people understand Russian, but at bazaars and in small towns it is pleasant to be able to translate an Uzbek sign or menu. Download Uzbek and Russian for offline use.
Make sure your phone supports eSIM and is not carrier-locked. Check this in the device settings before you buy.
Choose a local plan for Uzbekistan in the list above and pay online by card. No passport is needed to buy.
Install the eSIM at home by QR code or with the Quick install button. You can enter the details manually if the camera is unavailable. Keep the QR code or the email with the connection details in case you need to reinstall.
Before you leave Almaty, Astana or another city, check that the profile appears in your settings and that your main SIM stays active for calls and texts.
After landing in Tashkent or another city, switch on data for the eSIM line and allow data roaming for that line only. The network should appear within a minute.
If you run out of data before the trip ends, buy an extra package on the site without reinstalling the profile.
Turn off mobile data on your main SIM and leave it on only for the eSIM, so you do not pay for roaming by accident. The main line will still receive calls and texts.
