Some think that Kiribati is one island. Instead, it consists of 33 coral atolls in the Central Pacific.
Tarawa has plenty of lagoons to explore, and Kiritimati is known for fly-fishing and scuba diving. Tabuaeran is a remote island with plenty of white-sand beaches, and Caroline Island has beautiful coral reefs to be seen. You will not be bored when in Kiribati.
What you may not want to do is to roam with your provider in Kiribati. Roaming can be expensive in many cases, which is why seasoned travelers prefer to buy local SIM cards in Kiribati.
In this article, I will go over everything you need to know about buying a SIM card in Kiribati. Let's get started.
Original publication: 24th of January 2020. Last updated: 15th of January 2024.
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Telecom Provider in Kiribati
Kiribati has 1 telecom provider, which is ATHKL (also known as ATH). ATHKL used only to have a 2G network, but they now have 3G and 4G/LTE networks.
SIM Card Registration Regulations in Kiribati
Like most countries in Oceania, you do not have to show your passport when buying a SIM card in Kiribati.
There is not much more to say about Kiribati, so let’s see what ATHKL has to offer to us.
ATHKL
ATHKL is the sole operator in Kiribati. The network is linked to a satellite, which often means slow speeds for high prices. In 2020, a new submarine cable called Southern Cross Next Cable is expected to be laid down and should allow for faster speeds and lower prices.
Nevertheless, speeds are decent enough that you can watch YouTube videos and make VoIP calls without any problems.
Some other island nations will charge you much more than ATHKL does while providing slower speeds, so ATH is doing a good job already, and I expect their network to be even better soon.
SIM Card Price – ATHKL
For 5 AUD ($3.45), you can buy an ATHKL SIM card that comes with no perks. SIM cards can be bought in ATHKL’s main office in Tarawa. Recharge cards are sold from 5 AUD to 50 AUD.
- Find out how much SIM cards cost in every country, including data-only SIM cards and tourist SIM cards, offered by each mobile operator + information about starter benefits (lookup tool)
The following data packages can be bought:
- 2 AUD: 1 GB from 12 AM to 6 AM (one time)
- 2 AUD: 200 MB for 24 hours
- 4 AUD: 600 MB for 24 hours
- 5 AUD: 450 MB for 7 days
- 6 AUD: 800 MB for 7 days
- 7 AUD: 1 GB for 7 days
- 20 AUD: 2.8 GB for 30 days
- 30 AUD: 4 GB for 30 days
ATHLK also sells a data-only SIM card for its mobile hotspot (pocket WIFI), which will cost you 49 AUD. Regular data packs are much cheaper than the data-only ones, which is why I would not recommend getting it.
Data pack prices range from 5 AUD for 150 MB (for 6 days) to 50 AUD for 6 GB (for 30 days). They also sell a 4G/LTE router for 79 AUD. The monthly packages for that device range from 100 AUD for 10 GB to 400 AUD for 40 GB.
Let’s say you want 40 GB. You would have to buy the 30 AUD 4 GB ten times, which would cost you 300 AUD, while for the 4G/LTE router, you would pay 400 AUD + 79 AUD for the router, making it a total of 479 AUD. You could buy the 30 AUD 4 GB package 6 more times for an extra 24 GB.
The Best Way to Stay Connected When Traveling in Kiribati
Getting a SIM card from ATHKL would be your only when considering a Kiribati SIM card.
Local Prepaid SIM Cards in Other Oceanian Countries
Visiting other countries in Oceania? Check out my Oceania SIM card buying guide, covering other Oceanian nations, such as:
Going to other places around the world? Then you should also check out my sim card buying guides for other destinations around the world.