Phones, Internet, and mail in Mauritius

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Updated by Anne-Lise Mty on 26 September, 2024

Connecting to a landline, a mobile network, or the Internet will be one of the first things you do when you settle abroad. Whether to communicate daily with your relatives living locally or abroad or to work remotely, choosing a secure and reliable network is important.  

In Mauritius, you will benefit from a modern and easily accessible network, supported by one telephone service provider (my.t), 3 mobile service providers (my.t - Emtel - Chili), and 11 Internet service providers (the main ones being My.T - Emtel and Chili).

Telephone and Internet usage in Mauritius

Here is what the latest report from DataReportal tells us.

Landlines

The number of landline subscriptions is trending downward. The latest report shows a 2.0% decrease in 2020 in the number of landlines, from 478,700 in 2020 to 469,100 in 2021.

Mobile phones

There were 1.95 million mobile connections in Mauritius in early 2023, a 1.2% increase (23,000) between 2022 and 2023. This is 153.3% of the total population in January 2022.

Internet

As of January 2023, Mauritius had a total of 878.7 thousand Internet users, indicating an Internet penetration rate of 67.6% of the country's total population. This statistic, based on an analysis by Kepios, reflects the extent to which the Internet is accessed and utilized by individuals in Mauritius. According to the report, the average mobile internet connection speed via cellular networks was 21.97 Mbps, compared to 26.53 Mbps for fixed internet.

Phone service providers in Mauritius

Landline

The telephone network in Mauritius is provided by Mauritius Telecom (my.t).

National and international communications are good. In general, houses, apartments and commercial premises have a line already installed. If not, an application must be made to the nearest branch, either in person or online.

The connection is usually made within 15 days to 3 weeks.

The installation costs for a landline (excluding VAT) are as follows:

 

Domestic line

Professional line

Refundable security deposit

Rs 1,000

Rs 2,000

New line

Rs 2,300

Rs 2,500

Landline transfer

Rs 1,500

Rs 2,500

Line extension

Rs 1,500

Rs 1,500

Renewal of internal cables

Rs 1,500

Rs 1,500

Re-routing of the down conductor

Rs 1,500

Rs 1,500

Moving the telephone installation from one room or office to another

Rs 1,500

Rs 1,500

Monthly rental of the line

Rs 90

  

If the installation of the landline is done outside office hours, an additional Rs 500 will be charged. This amount is added to the first invoice issued for the new line.

A security deposit is also required as follows: Rs 5,000 for foreign nationals and Rs 2,000 for professionals. The rental of the machine (optional) costs Rs 1,000, while the monthly subscription costs Rs 90 for individuals and Rs 225 for professionals.

Good to know:

The hours considered as out of office hours are as follows:

Monday–Friday 4:30 p.m.–6:30 p.m

Saturday and public holidays 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m

To subscribe, you will need to produce the following documents:

  • An application form for installation;
  • A passport;
  • Proof of address.

Mobile network

Three providers share the mobile phone market in Mauritius: Emtel, my.t Mobile and Chili (Mahanagar Telephone Mauritius Ltd).

All of them offer monthly plans as well as prepaid cards, which are very popular among Mauritians.

You will find official stores of these suppliers in large shopping malls and downtown or simply online:

The different providers and mobile phone packages in Mauritius

My.t Mobile

Billing is per minute an comprises the following:

  • Calls to my.t mobile (Prepaid and postpaid);
  • Calls to my.t landline / other landline operators (except for special numbers such as 301xxxx, 302xxxx, etc.);
  • Calls to other mobile operators;
  • SMS.

Rent a my.t mobile line

Two options are available: prepaid (purchase of credit as you use it) and postpaid (monthly).

Prepaid plan

It all starts with the purchase of a my.t Prepay SIM card, which costs Rs 100 (VAT included) and contains:

  • Rs 87 of free credit;
  • 15 GB weekly unlimited at 2.14 GB/day for 7 days;
  • 150 SMS.

The next step is to activate the my.t SIM card by calling 124 from the SIM card and following the instructions of the voice assistant.

Recharge a prepaid my.t Mobile account

To recharge a prepaid account, there are several options:

Scratch cards:

  • Buy a my.t mobile scratch card to reveal the 14-digit number;
  • Call 124;
  • Choose option 1 by pressing 1 to recharge the account;
  • Enter the 14-digit code of the scratch card;
  • Receive an SMS indicating the new credit level and the validity of the account;
  • Or dial *124*+ the 14-digit scratch card code followed by #;
  • Receive a flash SMS indicating the new balance and validity of the account;
  • Receive another SMS indicating the new credit level and validity of your account.

Recharge at the ATMs of SBM, MCB, MPCB and Bank One:

  • Insert the debit or credit card in the ATM;
  • Enter the PIN code of the debit or credit card;
  • Select the account;
  • Select transaction type (Recharge);
  • Select amount;
  • Enter cell phone number;
  • Confirm cell phone number;
  • Receive an SMS indicating the new credit level and the validity of the account.

Recharge by SMS (SBM and MCB):

You must have a bank account with SBM or MCB and be registered for this service with the bank.

To recharge:

  • Send a "topup" SMS to 8726 for SBM if the recharge amount has already been decided at the time of the request, e.g., Rs 100. For MCB, send the amount to 8700;
  • Or to recharge with a different denomination, send the SMS "topup xxx" to 8726 for SBM, where xxx is the denomination of the credit (Rs50, Rs 100 and Rs 300).

Some retailers can top up mobile phones with credit through my.t's E-voucher system:

  • Find a retailer who offers this service;
  • Choose the amount of the E-voucher (between Rs 10 and Rs 5,000);
  • Make sure you wait for the retailer to proceed with the recharge and for the confirmatory SMS before leaving the store.

Postpaid plan

Go to any Telecom Shop and present proof of address and your passport and/or Resident Permit.

Postpay 2100:

  • No data limit;
  • Unlimited SMS and calls to all mobile operators and local landlines;
  • Free Deezer.

Postpay 1100:

  • 250 GB of data;
  • Unlimited SMS;
  • 700 minutes of calls to my.t mobile and landlines;
  • 200 minutes of calls to other mobile operators;
  • Free Deezer.

Postpay 600:

  • 30 GB of unlimited data;
  • Unlimited SMS;
  • 400 minutes of calls to my.t mobile and fixed lines;
  • 50 minutes of calls to other mobile operators;
  • Free Deezer.

Emtel

Emtel Two payment plans are available: prepaid (purchase of credit as you use it) and postpaid (monthly).

To rent an Emtel mobile line, you must go to an Emtel store and present proof of address and your residence permit and/ or passport.

You can choose between several prepaid packages:

As for Emtel's postpaid formulas:

Getting an Emtel mobile line

Get a prepaid line

Buy a prepaid starter pack, which includes the purchase of a SIM card - Rs 100. The provider includes:

  • Free initial credit - Rs 87;
  • Free local SMS - Unlimited for 7 days;
  • Free data - 3GB per day for 7 days;
  • Caller tune - 1 caller tune + 1-month subscription to personalized caller tune service;
  • Missed Call Alert - Free.

Recharge a prepaid Emtel Mobile account

Emtel allows prepaid number holders to recharge their phone credit online through Emtel Epin, Emtel Scratch Cards, ATM Recharge (at ATMs), and SMS Topup.

5G Network expansion:

Emtel is actively increasing its 5G coverage across Mauritius, with a goal of achieving complete 5G coverage by 2024.

To link up with Emtel's 5G mobile network, you must ensure the following 4 prerequisites are met:

  • Possess a 5G-enabled device paired with an activated 5G SIM card;
  • Activate the 5G settings on your phone;
  • Be in an area covered by Emtel's 5G network;
  • Subscribe to and activate a 5G plan on your account.

Rent a postpaid line

Download, print, and fill out the Emtel Postpaid application form to save time when registering at the showroom.

Go to one of Emtel's showrooms and present a national ID card or Residence Permit and/or passport, a recent proof of address (not older than 3 months), and preferably the bank details of the mobile line holder. The provider includes:

  • RBT registration - Free (for 30 days);
  • Free Data (MB) - 750MB (valid for 30 days);
  • Caller tune - 1 caller tune;
  • Missed Call Alert - Free;
  • Unlimited Facebook - Free (for 30 days).

Chili

What you need to know by subscribing to Chili is that there is:

  • No activation fee (one time only - VAT excluded);
  • No possibility of monthly subscription.

Call charges are as follows:

  • To MTML (Mahanagar Telephone Mauritius Limited) / CHiLi number - Rs 1.15 /min;
  • To other networks (mobile/ fixed) - Rs 2.30 /min;
  • To Rodrigues - Rs 3.60 /min;
  • SMS - Rs 0.50;
  • Additional benefits: 20 GB data for 7 days, and 200 SMS.

The packages

The operator offers the following packages:

Postpaid plan

Chili is present through many agencies and resellers throughout the island. Get in touch with one of them to buy a Chili SIM card or a recharge coupon to top up your mobile credit.

For a first-time purchase:

  • Show your ID if it's a prepaid plan;
  • Show your ID and proof of address if it's a monthly plan (postpaid).

Recharge a Chili Mobile account

Chili sells scratch cards to top up your mobile numbers. These cards are available at retail partners and at the following rates:

  • Rs. 25 - Validity period 30 days;
  • Rs. 50 - Validity period : 50 days;
  • Rs. 100 - Validity period: 90 days;
  • Rs. 300 - Validity period: 150 days;
  • Rs. 500 - Validity period 180 days.

They are simple to use; just:

  • Scratch the designated area on the recharge card to reveal the 13-digit PIN code;
  • Dial *111* and enter the 13-digit PIN code.

Important :

To subscribe to a monthly plan with one of these operators, go directly to the authorized store of the provider of your choice by presenting an ID or your residence permit/passport and proof of address less than 3 months old.

Internet in Mauritius

There are currently 5 internet providers operating in Mauritius: Emtel, my.t, Bharat Telecom, Chili, and Canal+. My.t, however, is the market leader.

The average fixed internet connection speed peaked at 19.69 Mbps at the end of January 2022, with an increase of 1.80 Mbps, or 10.1%, during the same period.

As for WiFi spots, they are available in many public places: shopping malls, some fast food chains, the airport, etc.

Internet service providers in Mauritius

my.t

My.t offers TV + Internet packages. Several packages are available:

  • 50Mbps - 60 TV channels;
  • 100Mbps - 60 TV channels - Wifi repeater;
  • 500Mbps and TV - 60 TV channels - Wifi repeater;
  • 1Gbps - More than a 100 - Wifi repeater - Unlimited local calls from one my.t landline to another;
  • TV à la carte - subscribe to the channel of your choice from the selection offered by the provider.

All details are on the online brochure of my.t.

Concerning the internet connection via my.t, you must first check the eligibility of your line to the optical fiber by calling 8902. If it is eligible, you can proceed online or by going to a branch of the provider with your residence permit/passport, proof of address and possibly authorization from your landlord if the line is not in your name.

If you apply online, there are 2 possibilities:

For both options, you must apply online:

  • If you have a phone line, you will need to provide your landline/customer/mobile phone number and follow the procedure;
  • If you do not have a phone line, you will need to enter your cell phone number and follow the procedure.

Emtel

For internet connection, the Emtel offers Airbox Airbox 5G.

The formulas available are:

  • Prepaid Airbox Internet Packs - Rs 1049 - Rs 1149
  • Prepaid Internet & Voice Packs - Rs 1249 - Rs 1449

Regarding internet connection via Emtel Airbox, go to an Emtel or Canal+ agency to subscribe with one of the Emtel agents present and providing:

  • Your identity card or passport/residence permit;
  • A recent proof of address;
  • Mobile phone number of another contact.

Bharat Telecom

The operator specializing in optical fiber offers 2 types of packages: unlimited offers and offers "Internet for a purpose", i.e., whose use is for a specific purpose, education, security and recreation, to discover here.

The unlimited offers are the following:

  • Turbo - 5 Mbps - Rs 699 / month;
  • Ultimate - 10 Mbps - Rs 799 / month;
  • Extreme - 20 Mbps - Rs 1,219 / month. “Internet for a purpose” offers
  • Education - Rs 300 / month;
  • Security - Rs 400 / month;
  • Entertainment - Rs 550 / month.

The Streaming Package to be combined with a Home Connect offer is:

  • Streaming Package;
  • Download: 7 Mbps; Upload: 2 Mbps; Quota: 300 GB;
  • Price: Rs 550 incl. VAT.

For internet connection through Bharat Telecom, 2 offers are available:

  • Offer 1 - 12-month contract: refundable security deposit of Rs 1,000;
  • Offer 2 - open-ended contract: refundable security deposit of Rs 1,000 and Rs 1,150 (incl. VAT) for the installation fee.

Please note that once the installation request is approved, a technical team will schedule an appointment for the installation. The appointment time is 2 to 3 weeks, which may vary depending on natural factors or factors beyond the control of the supplier.

Important:

To date, the following areas are served by Bharat Telecom: Bananes - Beau Bassin - BelleRose - Castel - Camp Fouquereaux - Chebel - Cluny - Curepipe - Eau Coulée - Ébène - Floréal - Forest Side - Highlands - Hermitage - La Rosa - Mare d'Albert - Mesnil - Midlands - Mont Fertile - New Grove - Nouvelle France - Plaisance - Phoenix - Palma - Plaine Magnien - Petit Camp - Pinewood - Quatre Bornes - Rose-Hill - Rose Belle - Union Park - Vacoas.

Chili

The operator offers 3 types of internet connections:

  • The C-Wingle USB connection key - Rs 1,500 (VAT included):
  • 2-way connectivity, 3G and Wi-Fi;
  • Provides data and SMS services;
  • Connects directly to the PC or laptop;
  • Also connects up to 10 Wi-Fi-enabled devices.

LC-Wingle USB dongle with power adapter - Rs 1,675 (incl. VAT):

  • 2-way connectivity, Ethernet port and Wi-Fi;
  • Data, Voice and SMS services;
  • Connects 2 Ethernet ports and up to 32 Wi-Fi devices;
  • Voice service enabled: connect a phone and make calls.

Good to know:

Once you have exceeded the allocated usage limit, the data speed is limited to 256 Kbps.

Useful links:

Mauritius Telecom

EMTEL

Chili

Emergency numbers in Mauritius

Samu: 114

Fire and Rescue service: 115

Coast Guard: 212 2747

Police: 112 / 999

Line Barracks: 208 1212

Tourist Police: 213 1740

Electricity: 130

Water: 170

Child Protection Unit: 113

Crime Prevention Unit: 148

INFORMATION

Mauritius Meteorological Services: 686 1031

Telephone directory: 150

Tourist Information: 152

Flights: 89 65

Road traffic: 203 1251

We do our best to provide accurate and up to date information. However, if you have noticed any inaccuracies in this article, please let us know in the comments section below.