Georgia eSIM

Three operators run the country's networks, and travelers often search for them by name. Magticom, usually written Magti, is the largest and carries the broadest national network, including much of the mountain road system. Silknet, which owns the Geocell brand, is strong in Tbilisi and the larger towns, while Beeline is the smallest and best treated as backup coverage. Which one your plan uses depends on the roaming agreement behind it, and suppliers do not publish that mapping. Mestia and Stepantsminda have coverage, but the valleys beyond are patchy and Tusheti is best treated as offline. The climb to Gergeti and the higher passes on the Military Highway are less reliable, with stretches of road between towns that have no signal. That reflects terrain and where people live rather than any operator map, so save routes and guesthouse details before you drive. Data roaming in Georgia on your home line should stay off, leaving the travel line to carry maps and messages. Cell phone service in Georgia on your normal number still works for calls and bank codes, billed under your carrier's roaming terms. A Georgia plan stops at the border, so a side trip to Armenia or Azerbaijan needs a regional Caucasus plan that lists them.

Before you buy an eSIM for Georgia, check that the handset supports eSIM and is not carrier locked, since a locked phone refuses the profile. Dial star hash 06 hash, and an EID next to the IMEI confirms the phone can take a Georgia plan. The QR code arrives by email after purchase, and installing it on home wifi is the step to finish before you fly. Your plan starts counting when the eSIM first connects to a network in Georgia, not at installation, unless the product detail says otherwise. Validity does not pause if you pop over a border and come back, so choose a length that covers your last day. At Tbilisi airport, switch the new line on, enable data roaming for it, and leave cellular data off on your home line. An eSIM card for Georgia stays on the handset it was installed on, so a phone that dies on a Svaneti trek cannot pass it to a hiking partner. A Georgia prepaid SIM card from Magti or Silknet is the only way to get a Georgian number or pick a network, and it requires identification at the point of sale. A Georgia SIM card bought that way suits a long stay, while an e-SIM for Georgia needs no passport registration and is ready as you leave arrivals.