Internet connectivity is generally very good in the Maldives. One might have thought that with so many tiny islands scattered far and wide across hundreds of miles of ocean, internet access would be challenging in the Maldives. However, 99% of the Maldives has internet coverage – which is no mean feat for a territory that is 99% water.
You can expect to find the same high speeds across almost all of the country as you would in any of the world’s major cities. Coverage is particularly good on inhabited islands and you’ll find that you can get a good connection even if you’re browsing the internet on your phone while traveling by boat between islands.
The local internet service providers use the latest technology to keep everybody connected and are constantly creating new competitive packages and gadgets. So there are all kinds of options for accessing the internet in the Maldives, wherever you are located. Let’s take a look at some of the most popular ones.
Home internet is essential for your vacation villa, whether you need to stay on top of your emails or are just planning on kicking back while watching Netflix in the evenings. It can be quickly and easily installed in your vacation villa even before you move in. You can request home internet to the installed in your Maldives vacation villa via your concierge dashboard.
Options include fiber optic, fixed cable, ADSL and portable hotspots. However, internet service providers will inform you which one is most suitable for your location.
There are many home internet providers in the Maldives to choose from, offering different types of connections. The main providers are the country’s two big telecom companies, Ooredoo and Dhiraagu. You’ll find the quality is basically the same, except Ooredoo’s inhabited island speed/coverage is better than its resort island speed/coverage.
There are also other newer internet service providers including VSAT and ROL.
If you want to save money on roaming while you’re in the Maldives you can buy a local SIM card from Ooredoo or Dhiraagu to access cheap and reliable 4G LTE data technology. Both companies offer prepaid and postpaid tariffs. You need to show your passport as ID to buy a SIM card (as required in most countries).
You can buy a SIM card at the International Airport from the offices of Dhiraagu and Ooredoo. There are also Dhiraagu and Ooredoo outlets on many of the larger inhabited islands. A full list of outlets is available on their respective websites.
Ooredoo offers a portable 4G wireless router starting at 10GB of data for 459 MVR/month, that, as the name suggests, you can take anywhere with you. Dhiraagu also offers a similar option – a semi-portable 4G wireless router (which you can plug in anywhere) starting at 25GB of data for 499 MVR/month. The drawback of the latter is the wires.
The Maldives’ two telecoms companies offer paid-for Wi-Fi hotspots in many locations around the topical nation. As an alternative, you’ll find that many cafes around the country offer free Wi-Fi access for customers.
If you’re visiting a resort island, you will always be able to find internet access somewhere there, but there may be a charge to use it. Generally speaking, the higher end resorts provide free internet access everywhere, and the more affordable resorts tend to charge for internet access – or they may have free Wi-Fi but it is only available in the reception area. A few resorts still even offer a library, where guests can use a computer to get online.
Internet speeds can be a bit slower on resort islands compared to inhabited islands, particularly with Ooredoo, as previously mentioned. That is because some resorts don’t have a cellular base station (or they only have a very small tower which is hidden from the sight for aesthetic purposes).
If you’d like to find out more, get in touch today via our concierge portal to ask us how we can help get you online in the Maldives.
Home internet is essential for your vacation villa, whether you need to stay on top of your emails or are just planning on kicking back while watching Netflix in the evenings. It can be quickly and easily installed in your vacation villa even before you move in. You can request home internet to the installed in your Maldives vacation villa via your concierge dashboard.
Options include fiber optic, fixed cable, ADSL and portable hotspots. However, internet service providers will inform you which one is most suitable for your location.
There are many home internet providers in the Maldives to choose from, offering different types of connections. The main providers are the country’s two big telecom companies, Ooredoo and Dhiraagu. You’ll find the quality is basically the same, except Ooredoo’s inhabited island speed/coverage is better than its resort island speed/coverage.
There are also other newer internet service providers including VSAT and ROL.
If you want to save money on roaming while you’re in the Maldives you can buy a local SIM card from Ooredoo or Dhiraagu to access cheap and reliable 4G LTE data technology. Both companies offer prepaid and postpaid tariffs. You need to show your passport as ID to buy a SIM card (as required in most countries).
You can buy a SIM card at the International Airport from the offices of Dhiraagu and Ooredoo. There are also Dhiraagu and Ooredoo outlets on many of the larger inhabited islands. A full list of outlets is available on their respective websites.
Ooredoo offers a portable 4G wireless router starting at 10GB of data for 459 MVR/month, that, as the name suggests, you can take anywhere with you. Dhiraagu also offers a similar option – a semi-portable 4G wireless router (which you can plug in anywhere) starting at 25GB of data for 499 MVR/month. The drawback of the latter is the wires.
The Maldives’ two telecoms companies offer paid-for Wi-Fi hotspots in many locations around the topical nation. As an alternative, you’ll find that many cafes around the country offer free Wi-Fi access for customers.
If you’re visiting a resort island, you will always be able to find internet access somewhere there, but there may be a charge to use it. Generally speaking, the higher end resorts provide free internet access everywhere, and the more affordable resorts tend to charge for internet access – or they may have free Wi-Fi but it is only available in the reception area. A few resorts still even offer a library, where guests can use a computer to get online.
Internet speeds can be a bit slower on resort islands compared to inhabited islands, particularly with Ooredoo, as previously mentioned. That is because some resorts don’t have a cellular base station (or they only have a very small tower which is hidden from the sight for aesthetic purposes).
If you’d like to find out more, get in touch today via our concierge portal to ask us how we can help get you online in the Maldives.
Meerubahuruge Aage (2F), Henveiru, Male, Maldives 20077
150 Spear St. San Francisco, CA 94105, USA
