Read BH Telecom's tariff and eSIM charge together
BH Telecom's April 2026 notice sets Tourist 1 at 20 KM for 40 GB and ten days, and Tourist 2 at 40 KM for 100 GB and 30 days. Both include a small balance for calls and messages, according to the operator. Those are the underlying tourist package prices at the time of checking. Its current tourist eSIM page displays 31.70 KM and 51.70 KM respectively because the eSIM activation adds 11.70 KM. Looking at the tariff announcement alone would understate the amount shown at online checkout.
BH Telecom says the tourist eSIM has a local user number and can be bought in its web shop or at a sales point. The operator explicitly says foreign users can buy through the web shop and use the service after arrival. A physical Ultra Start SIM is sold at its own outlets and at marked kiosks, airports, bus stations and railway stations; the operator does not promise a particular counter will always be open. If you need service immediately from Sarajevo airport, buying the eSIM before departure avoids relying on retail opening hours.
Install and manage an Ultra tourist line
BH Telecom's eSIM instructions say to register or log into its web shop, choose a prepaid package, pay by bank card and receive installation details by email. Keep that email available on a second screen or download it before departure. The eSIM page distinguishes prepaid tourist and Ultra Start packages from postpaid contracts, so choose the prepaid route for a short stay. Check that your phone is unlocked and supports eSIM; Apple says an iPhone using another provider abroad must show No SIM Restrictions in its network-lock settings.
For Tourist 1, BH Telecom gives a balance-check method by dialling *110# and a separate SMS method for the bonus balances. The current tourist page also lists add-ons of 10, 30 and 50 GB with different validity periods. Check the live package page before topping up, because the add-on could outlast or differ from the original tourist allowance. The operator says full-speed data under the tourist packages slows to 64 kbps after the included allowance is used until validity ends. Do not treat that reduced connection as suitable for a time-sensitive train or accommodation booking.
m:tel's tourist eSIM uses an emailed QR document
m:tel advertises a tourist eSIM that can be ordered online with a payment card. Its product instructions say the activation details arrive in an email attachment containing a QR code, PIN and PUK; an internet connection such as Wi-Fi is needed for setup. Enter the email address carefully and retain the PDF. m:tel warns that its QR code activates on only one device, and moving the line to another handset first requires deactivating the current number. Its page also says card purchases of the eSIM package cannot be cancelled through that purchase route.
The operator's mobile service conditions list a passport or foreigner's identity card among documents for a foreign citizen, while allowing additional information needed for identification. They also describe the prepaid certificate, SIM or eSIM activation code as evidence linked to the user's line. That is a reason to keep the activation document after installation, particularly if the phone is lost. The terms do not state that every remote checkout will accept every visitor without further checks, so answer identity requests accurately rather than assuming online payment alone completes registration.
Separate Western Balkan roaming from EU roaming
BH Telecom says its current tourist allowances can be used in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Western Balkan partner countries Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia. Its April notice says an account balance of at least 0.08 KM is needed to use data in those partner countries. This matters on a trip from Sarajevo towards Montenegro or Serbia: keep the balance above the required minimum and confirm that roaming is enabled for the local line. The current offer's wording is broader than an earlier March 2026 notice with different regional allowances, so use the later tariff and live offer when checking what is included.
The European Commission's roaming FAQ says Bosnia and Herzegovina is not in the EU or EEA Roam Like at Home area. Negotiations to extend that area to the Western Balkans were proposed in 2026, but the Commission says there is no completion deadline. A phone plan from Croatia, Slovenia or another EU country therefore needs a specific operator inclusion to avoid an extra bill in Bosnia. Equally, a Bosnian tourist package naming Western Balkan countries is not a promise of EU roaming in Croatia. Check both sides of a cross-border itinerary.
Check the 4G map before the road or rail journey
m:tel publishes separate 2G, 3G and 4G signal maps and marks their page as updated in January 2026. BH Telecom also provides a coverage viewer with GSM, UMTS and LTE layers. Use these for the stretch you will travel, not just for Sarajevo or Banja Luka. Coverage shown by a carrier is an estimate, and valleys, hills and buildings can make the actual connection differ. Save the route and accommodation details before leaving a city, especially if you intend to navigate around Mostar or continue towards the coast.
Keep transport details available offline
Federation Railways publishes domestic ticket terms requiring a named passenger and identity document for collection at the departure station. Its terms explain that a ticket bought online must be collected at the station ticket office before departure. However, the railway's live English home page currently warns that online ticket sales are unavailable due to technical issues. Check the current booking notice before planning around a mobile purchase; having data will not overcome a suspended sales system. Save station names and timetable information on your phone before leaving reliable coverage.
Carry the local emergency numbers
The UK government's Bosnia and Herzegovina travel page lists 122 for police, 123 for fire and 124 for an ambulance. Save all three before travelling and keep a voice-capable way to call. BH Telecom describes its tourist eSIM as having a local user number and a small balance for calls and messages. That differs from a data-only profile: the sources do not establish that an unrelated data-only eSIM can make a normal emergency call. Check its terms and your phone's emergency calling capability rather than assuming a data allowance is enough.
Networks our Bosnia & Herzegovina plans use
These are the operators named on our plans for Bosnia & Herzegovina, taken from the plan data, so the list follows the catalogue.
- BH Mobile4G
- BH Telecom4G
- ERONET4G
- HT-ERONET4G
- m:tel4G