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How to switch to a Norwegian phone number

Frazer Norwell
Frazer Norwell - [email protected]
How to switch to a Norwegian phone number
These are your options if you want to switch to a Norwegian number. Pictured is somebody using their phone to photograph a mountain top in Norway. Photo by Hans M on Unsplash "

If you are sick of roaming charges or forking out for international calls and are ready to take the plunge and get a Norwegian number, there are a few things to know first.

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Changing to a local number code, in this instance +47, is a small change that can feel like a massive part of adapting to life in Norway.

It could also be necessary to avoid high roaming charges for international calls and messages. Less importantly, but perhaps just as satisfying, it will also save you all the faff and fiddling about of finding the country code of your current number when filling in forms online.

If you're ready to switch to a Norwegian number, there are two options available to you.

Kontantkort (pay-as-you-go)

This is the most straightforward way to get a Norwegian mobile phone number. You can buy a pay-as-you-go sim at phone shops, in convenience stores, or you can order one online.

If you order online, some providers will need you to have either or both BankID, a form of electronic ID, and a Norwegian Identification Number, either D-number or fødelsnummer (an identity number issued to people who intend on staying in Norway more than six months).

READ ALSO: What are the best banks for foreigners in Norway?

If you don't have access to either, you can do it in person, but you will need a passport to verify your identity to register the sim.

Options include TelenorTeliaMyCallChillimobil and Lycamobile. McCall's and Lycamobile's websites are available in English.

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You can top up online or you can buy vouchers from convenience stores. However, compared to a contract, a pay-as-you-go solution is less cost-effective and has more limited options when it comes to data.

Although, if you aren't able to get a phone contract, then a top-up solution may do temporarily until you are eligible for a monthly plan.

Abonnement (monthly plan) 

For many, a monthly plan is a much better option. Options range from fixed-term contracts to rolling sim-only plans.

To get a phone contract, you'll typically need a Norwegian ID number and bank account. If you are ordering a plan online, you'll typically need BankID or Vipps, a mobile payment service, to verify your identity. Unfortunately, many banks will not issue a BankID if you only have a D-number. So this means you may need to go into a store to set up a monthly plan.

Different providers may also ask to see previous payslips to prove you can pay for the plan. For example, some may request as much as a year's worth of payslips, and others may only ask for three months.

Some providers, such as MyCall, will allow you to verify your identity in one of their stores if you don't have a D-number or fødelsnummer. They have stores in Oslo and Strømmen, north of Oslo. If you do order a plan online, then the sim card will be sent to the address you have registered in the national population register, so you will need to make sure this is up to date.

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One of the benefits of taking out a phone contract in Norway is building a credit score in the country, which will come in handy if you want to apply for a loan or mortgage in the future.

READ MORE: How to build up a good credit score in Norway 

If you cannot meet any of these requirements, then there is always the possibility of your partner or similar taking out a contract for you. Although, this comes with the drawback of not building a credit history for yourself.

You can use comparison sites such as tek.no to compare deals. Many foreign residents in Norway favour MyCall as calls to the EU, USA, Canada and the UK are included in most of the plans it offers.

Have you got any recommendations for a sim provider in Norway? Leave them in the comments below and we may publish an article in the future on the best providers for foreign residents.

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