Cell Phones

You will need a Jordanian cell phone number while in-country.

You can easily buy a Jordanian SIM card with a plan for around 10 JOD/month. The most common companies are Zain, Umniah, and Orange, and the SIM cards and scratch-off minute cards can be purchased at any phone or electronics store in the city. You can use your phone, or buy one in-country.

Used cell phones can be purchased for 15-25 JD, and the line costs in the neighborhood of 5 JD.  Students must then purchase credit, which is added to their phone and may be used to make calls. You can also check with your cellphone company to see if you can use your cellphone in Jordan.

 

Calling the United States

If your family plans to call you while you are in Jordan, please remind them that Amman is seven hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time.  For example, if someone is calling from New York at 7:00 a.m., it will be 2:00 p.m. in Irbid.  It is a good idea to write to those most likely to call you and tell them around which hours you can most frequently be reached. The international calling code is 011.  The country code for Jordan is 962.  The city code for Amman is 6.

 

Zain SIM Cards

The cell company of choice in Jordan is Zain as it has the best coverage and prepaid packages — other providers include Orange and Umniah.

If you’re flying into Amman, it’s a pretty simple process to take care of your mobile needs right in the airport. On the main floor by the exits is a Zain shop. There might not be a lot of English happening, but it’s not too tricky to sort it out (and a bystander will probably come to assist in the typical, friendly Jordanian way). This way, you can check your e-mail while making your way to the city.

You may need to provide your passport to get a SIM card in Jordan, and you will require an unlocked phone. If you don’t have an unlocked phone, you can also have your phone unlocked in many general mobile stores if you don’t mind losing your warranty.