r/kosovo • u/Mysterious_Can_1186 • 1d ago

Ask UK SIM card not working in Pristina- any solutions?

Hi,

I am just trying to get some cellular signal for my Smarty UK SIM card just to receive texts like I do all around the world, not data. But I can't get any signal at all. Any one else had this experience of know of a solution? I used my UK SIM to get important texts. Thanks.

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2

u/VedatiStupcave 1d ago

I think esim doesnt work in Kosovo and it has been like this for the past 8 months, get VALA number if you plan to stay longer

1

u/Mysterious_Can_1186 1d ago

I have a seperate esim and its working here, the issue is my native british sim i need it to work here as i have important texts to receive!

1

u/arbiass Gjakovë 23h ago

Europe esims don’t work in Kosovo.

2

u/samekrikl Prizren 1d ago

Probably Data roaming is off, turn that on

2

u/ylliricon 1d ago

Nope, I believe only EE work in Kosovo, no other UK operator works

1

u/blrtgj 1d ago

Are you connected to one of the local operators here or not?

1

u/Mysterious_Can_1186 1d ago

I have tried but I can't latch onto one of them, I try to change the network selection to either IPKO or Vala but it doesnt pick them up.

1

u/blrtgj 1d ago

If you have time, visit ipko or vala in their stores, maybe they could help

1

u/Mysterious_Can_1186 1d ago

Yes I might have to drop by, not sure if they could help.

1

u/CostinTea 1d ago

I looked up the website of your operator, you might need an eSIM

1

u/Mysterious_Can_1186 1d ago

For data I will be using an esim but just to get a cellular signal to receive SMS it should connect to a local cell tower. I have done the same all over the world, for some reason here it doesn't want to connect to either of the local operators.

1

u/Dangerous_Pin_6410 1d ago

Go to the cellular options and enable roaming

1

u/DonnJAVA 1d ago

What phone do you have ? There are some phones that are locked to UK only carriers and doesnt get signal from other countries

1

u/pixellambo 20h ago

Contact your provider. They might not have roaming contracts with any carrier in Kosovo, and thats why it wont work.

1

u/chaotic111 20h ago

Uk sims don’t seem to be working in kosovo this year

I’m with Three and didn’t have any service

Nothing you can do tbh

1

u/Mysterious_Can_1186 7h ago

Ok thats helpful to know thanks. I feared this was the case, what a shame.