Nova SIM Cards and eSIM: Detailed Guides for Tourists

Every year millions of tourists flock to Greece, making it a top tourist destination. You can travel within Greece on a local SIM card, which gives you texting, calling and mobile data at low prices. Nova is one of the country’s leading mobile phone operators. This article will introduce tourists in Greece to Nova Greece SIM cards and eSIM.

1. Quick facts about Nova Greece

Nova Greece Telecom is a telecommunications company in Greek. It provides mobile and fixed-line telephone, internet access and television services previously known as WIND. The second-largest telecommunications company in Greece after Cosmote. Nova Greece was established in 1998, and it has been active in Greece since 2001.

Quick facts about Nova Greece Telecom:

• Nova Greece has over 2.5 million mobile customers and over 1 million fixed-line customers.
• Nova Greece is the biggest pay-TV provider in Greece with about 800,000 subscribers.
• Nova Greece provides various mobile and fixed-line broadband plans, with speeds up to 1Gbps.
• Nova Greece also plays an important role in the Greek sports market, running several television channels and radio stations on which sports are broadcast live.

As Greece’s leading telecommunications services provider Nova Greece strives to give its customers the best experience possible. The company spends a great deal on network infrastructure and new technologies, and its products and services are tailored to fit the needs of customers.

2. Nova Greece Coverage and Speed in Greece

Based in Greece, Nova is one of the largest telecommunications providers there. They provide mobile and internet service to most of the country with plans to expand their network coverage and increase speeds for customers.

2.1. Nova coverage in Greece

Nova, Cosmote and Vodafone are the three main mobile network operators in Greece. Opensignal’s July 2023 Mobile Network Experience Report for Greece states that Nova has the best overall coverage in the country, achieving a score of 97.1 %. In other words, Nova customers are more likely to get a signal than customers of Cosmote or Vodafone.

Here is a table summarizing Nova’s coverage in Greece:

2.2. Nova speed

According to Opensignal’s July 2023 Mobile Network Experience Report for Greece, Nova has the fastest 5G download speeds in the country, with an average speed of 183.4Mbps. This is 67.9Mbps (58.8%) faster than second-placed Vodafone. 

Here is a table summarizing Nova’s speeds in Greece:

Overall, Nova has the fastest 5G download speeds in Greece, and good 4G download and upload speeds.

3. Nova connectivity options for travelers to Greece

Nova offers two main connectivity options for tourists visiting Greece:

All options give you instant access to Nova’s network during your Greece trip.

4. Best Nova SIM cards for tourists & cost

In general, Nova Greece offers low costs for tourists. With reliable network quality across Greece, they are a leading choice for many visitors.

Overall, Nova Greece provides excellent value with low costs for tourists. Their network quality is reliable across Greece making them a top pick for many visitors.

5. Does Nova Greece support eSIM?

eSIM is not yet supported by Nova Greece as of October 2023. But they are reportedly planning to institute this feature very soon.

When traveling in Greece, if you want to use Nova network, you need to buy an eSIM from one of the third-party providers. A number of suppliers provide eSIMs for Greece, such as greeceesim.com.

You can buy your eSIM on the Web and send it to your phone. After the downloading of your eSIM, you can activate it and start using it in Greece.

It should be noted that not all phones are eSIM enabled. You can find out if your phone is capable of eSIM here, Greece eSIM Compatible Devices List.

6. Where can you buy a Nova Greece SIM card and eSIM?

With Nova Greece’s extensive nationwide coverage, customers have several convenient options for obtaining a Nova Greece SIM card or eSIM to stay connected while traveling throughout Greece.

6.1 Where to buy Nova SIM Card for Greece

As Nova is one of the largest networks in Greece, you can easily find Nova SIM cards in many locations across the country.

Some top places to buy Nova SIM Card in Greece are:

• Nova stores in airports and cities
• Retail chains like Public, MediaMarkt, Cosmos Mobile
• Newsstands, small grocery shops
• Hotels and rental services

Prices start from 9 USD. You may need to show a passport for activation. Top-up vouchers are available everywhere.

6.2 Where to buy Nova Greece eSIM

You cannot buy Nova eSIM right now, consider a third provider like greeceesim.com.  This is a provider that partners with T-Mobile, Vodafone, and Nova and supports eSIM activation for data plans in Greece.

7. How to activate Nova Greece SIM/eSIM

Activating your Nova SIM card is very easy:

• Unpack SIM and insert it into the phone
• Power on the device and the Nova logo will appear
• Go to Settings > Network operators
• Wait for it to find and select Nova automatically
• You may need to enter a PIN if prompted
• A welcome text from Nova will confirm the activation
• Go to the Nova website or app to buy a data pack

There is no possibility to receive an SMS, that provides information or offers in English.

8. Nova Greece Call & SMS rates

Nova prepaid SIM cards allow you to make calls and send texts during your Greece visit. Rates are:

Please note that these rates are for Nova postpaid customers. Nova prepaid customers may have different rates.

9. Useful USSD codes for Nova Greece SIM/eSIM

Nova has many USSD codes that allow you to check balances and activate services by dialing special numbers:

• Call: 1268 if you are a card subscriber.
• Via Nova Account: Open the Nova App/Web. Choose the connection you want to see the balance and click on ” Accounts”. In the “Recent Accounts” section, click on the first Account. In the “Account Summary” section, click on Account. The monthly fixed amount is clearly indicated in its own field.

Dial these USSD codes directly in your phone dial pad. Your Nova SIM card balance and plan details will be displayed.

10. How to top-up Nova Greece SIM/eSIM

When your data or credits run low, you can easily recharge your Nova SIM card/eSIM using:

• Nova website/app – You can manage your account and top-up with the F2G App available for Windows, Android, and iOS phones. The App also works in English.
• Vouchers – Buy top-up vouchers from shops, kiosks, etc. Scratch to reveal recharge PIN.
• ATMs – You can recharge at Alpha Bank ATMs across Greece.
• POS terminals – Pay at checkout counters to instantly add credit.

When topping up, you can choose a data pack, calling minutes, SMS bundles, or just general account credits. The minimum amount is €5.

11. FAQs about Nova in Greece

12. Final words

For tourists going to Greece, a Nova SIM card or Greece eSIM are good choices for gaining connectivity. Widespread, quick, cheap and easy to activate, Nova is a convenient option for keeping in touch all around Greece. On arrival, pick up a Nova Greece SIM card or preorder an eSIM before the trip. Enjoy seamless connectivity with Nova!