A lot of northwest residents often travel to Finland for shopping and on vacation. On such trips, the normal Internet would not be in the way for calls to SIP / Skype (friends ask me to bring them something tasty from the stores, and they can show them a window on Skype), and google maps with an online translator are very useful.

On my first trip to Lappeenranta, I attended to mobile Internet. In Finland, a contract system has been developed, so for visitors only the “Prepaid” remains (that is, the prepaid payment system, which is just very developed here). There are three options with pre-paid in Finland:

1. DNA Dataprepaid , from the DNA operator. Gives a certain amount of traffic for 180 days at a speed of 21 Mbps
2. SaunalahtiPREPAID , from operator Elisa. Unlimited at speeds of up to 4 Mbps with payment by day or by packages for several days.
3. Sonera Easy Prepaid unlimited for 1.9 € / day. With speed it’s not very clear.

Because I travel to Finland periodically and I don’t need special speeds, I was interested in Saunalahti.

SaunalahtiPREPAID allows you to use mobile Internet at speeds up to 4 Mbps. for 1.9 € / day.

Purchase.

You can buy SaunalahtiPREPAID packages in very many stores in Finland, in Prisma supermarkets , at gas stations, in Elisa stores , in R-Kioski shops , etc.

No documents are required for the purchase. The package price is 6.9 €, all this amount will be on the account.

The package looks like this:


Inside the standard set: a SIM card and instructions. On the package itself and in the instructions there is information in Russian, but very general.


The number is valid for 3 months from the date of first use and 12 months from the date of the last replenishment of the account.

Activation and configuration.

Activation as such is not needed. After the purchase, you can immediately insert it into your phone and start making calls and / or going online. When you turn it on for the first time, Internet settings will come to the phone, etc., if the settings have not arrived or are needed again, you must send an ELISA SMS message to number 18588 . In order for info messages to arrive in English, it is better to immediately send an ENGLISH SMS message to 18258 .

The PIN code (like PIN2) is standard 1234 .
PUK codes are written on the SIM card holder (just like ours), your phone number ( Puhelinnumero ) is also written on the SIM card holder.

To access the Internet you need to use APN- internet
Login and password no.

Refill.

To replenish the account, payment cards with a face value of 10, 20 or 30 € are used.


There is a protective layer on the map under which the code is located. For payment you need to send an SMS message of type Load digital code to number 18258 (or by USSD request * 101 * digital code # ). You will receive a message about the successful transfer of funds.


You can also replenish your account via the Internet on the Saunalahti website , where you need to enter a phone number and indicate the required amount, at the same time you can connect any packet of traffic, SMS or voice minutes.

It seems that you can replenish the account in the stores of the operator Elisa, but I did not check.

You can find out the current account status with a USSD request* 100 # . If the account balance becomes less than 5 €, then after each call an SMS will be received about this.

Tariffs.

Well, the most interesting thing is the tariffs.

Tariffs for 3G Internet.

Full information on Internet tariffs can be found on the Saunalahti website .

If you need a day of mobile Internet, then just go online and the tariff will be 1.5 € / Mb, but not more than 1.9 € / day. In other words, for 1.9 € / day you get unlimited Internet at speeds up to 4 Mbit / s.

If you eat for more than 3 days, it is better to connect some kind of package. To connect the package, you need to send the appropriate SMS to 15020 . Packages are designed for different speeds and times. The package is valid only for the specified time and is not automatically renewed. You can order a new package before the end of the current one, but its action will begin immediately after ordering.

Packages at speeds up to 384 Kbps .

• Monthly package - 6.8 € (for an order send an SMS with the text DATA384 to 15020 )
• 6-month package - 29.8 € (for an order send an SMS with the text DATA6KK to 15020 )

Packages at speeds up to 1 Mbps .

• Monthly package - 14.8 € (for an order send an SMS with the text DATAMEGA to 15020 )

Packages at speeds up to 4 Mbps .

• Weekly package - 6.9 € (for an order send an SMS with the text DATA7 to 15020 )
• Monthly package - 24.8 € (for an order send an SMS with the text DATA31 to 15020 )

You can check the current packages by sending an SMS with the text STATUS to the number 15020.

Telephony tariffs.

Full information on tariffs for calls, long distance and roaming can be found on the Saunalahti website .

Outgoing calls to cellular and landline phones throughout Finland, video calls, as well as SMS at 0.066 € / min / sms.

You can order a monthly package for unlimited calls on the Elisa network (including Saunalahti and Kolumbus) for 6.9 € (to order, send an SMS with the text PUHE to 15020 ).

You can order a package of 300 SMS for a month for 6.9 €, but you can connect this package only through the Saunalahti payment interface .

Roaming

Saunalahti pre-work also works in roaming in many countries (unfortunately, it doesn’t work in Russia), moreover, Internet roaming tariffs will give odds to our OPPS. In most European countries, 1mb of data will cost 0.861 € (i.e. approximately 36 rubles).

Using.

I have been using this package for over a year now. The coverage is excellent, the connection is also up to par. You can safely go shopping and chat on Skype with excellent quality, in St. Petersburg this is far from possible everywhere.

I recently traveled to Helsinki for a week, plugged in a 7-day package, stuck a SIM card in an unlocked 3G modem from Beeline (ZTE MF190), and all week I had Internet everywhere - on the road, in shops, in walks and in a hotel. The router distributed the Internet to 2 phones and iPad. I periodically measured the speed, the average - 2.5Mbit / s for input and 3Mbit / s for upload.


Here's a combination of the TP-LINK TL-MR3020 3G router , modem and 10000mAh batteryprovided mobile Internet throughout my trip. It is convenient to carry in a waist bag or in a bag with a laptop. The battery lasts about 2.5-3 days.

All the stable internet in Finland!

UPD. Added a link to the page with a prideyd from Sonera.