Dushanbe - Post Report Question and Answers
Do you have any recommendations regarding mobile phones? Did you keep your home-country plan or use a local provider?
Local SIM cards must be registered with the local government within 30 days of arrival, or your phone will be cutoff. We use our U.S. phones primarily and have a separate local phone to use for a Tajik number. - Dec 2025
I used Google Fi, which worked great in Dushanbe and not at all in the far north. I think some people used T-mobile and others just used the Embassy-provided phone. - Aug 2021
Embassy employees and family members can get a local sim card through IRM, and they're cheap and easy to refill using kiosks found around the city. - Apr 2021
I kept my home-country plan. - Jun 2020
Local mobile phones are okay, not great. I use TCell. Call quality can vary and calls cut off automatically after 30 minutes, but it's not very expensive and gets the job done. - Dec 2016
Just use the embassy-issued phone. - Jun 2014
The Embassy provides cell phones. - Mar 2014
The Embassy provides for all employees and EFMs. - Oct 2013
The Embassy will give you a cellphone card, you make the monthly payment for the usage. They are very inexpensive. - Jan 2012
Get one! They are cheap and everyone uses them. I pay about $30/month for lots of talking. Calls to the U.S. are through VOIP and are less than 2 cents a minute. There are lots of providers and the system generally works well. - Jun 2009
You'll probably need one. Everyone has one and it's something of a status symbol. - Jul 2008
