Morocco has three operators sharing the market. Coverage is excellent in Tangier across all three. 5G launched commercially in late 2024 in major cities. Fibre is now standard in central neighbourhoods.
Mobile SIM — buying & topping up
Bring your unlocked phone. SIMs are sold at airports, official shops and corner kiosks. You'll need your passport (mandatory since 2014).
Top-up via scratchcard at any tobacconist, the operator's app, or with a Moroccan bank card. Plans are typically 30 days, must be reactivated.
Prices: 100 MAD/month for ~20 GB + unlimited national calls. Tourist starter pack 50 MAD = 5 GB + 30 min international.
The three operators
- Maroc Telecom (IAM) — biggest network, best rural coverage, owns most of the fibre infrastructure. App: MyMaroc Telecom. The default for most expats.
- Orange Maroc — strong 4G/5G in cities, best for international roaming if you also have an Orange line in France/Spain. App: Orange et Moi.
- Inwi — youngest operator, aggressive pricing, excellent for data. Best mobile data plans for power users. App: Inwi.
Home internet — fibre, ADSL, 4G/5G box
Fibre (FTTH) — available in most of Tangier (Iberia, Marshan, Centre Ville, Malabata, parts of Cap Spartel). Speeds 100/200/500 Mbps and 1 Gbps. Maroc Telecom and Inwi are the main providers; Orange resells partly.
Typical prices: 200 Mbps unlimited 299 MAD/month, 500 Mbps 399 MAD, 1 Gbps 599 MAD.
ADSL — fading, but still in older buildings. 20–50 Mbps, 199–249 MAD/month.
4G/5G box — for villas without fibre or short-term lets. 100–200 GB/month, 299–399 MAD. Speeds 50–200 Mbps real-world.
Setup — what to expect
Bring your passport, carte de séjour (if resident) and rental contract or property deed to the operator's shop (Boulevard Pasteur and Tanger City Mall have all three side by side). Installation typically scheduled within 5–10 days for fibre, same-day for 4G boxes.
Bills can be paid by direct debit (RIB), monthly by app, or in cash at any operator shop or corner store.
What about VPNs and VoIP?
VoIP (WhatsApp video calls, Telegram calls, Skype) is officially restricted but works most of the time. A VPN — NordVPN, Surfshark, ProtonVPN — solves any blocking issues and is widely used. Install before arrival in case the VPN's website is blocked at sign-up time.
eSIM
Maroc Telecom and Orange started selling eSIM in 2024. Activation is in-shop only with passport — no remote provisioning yet. Travel-only eSIMs (Airalo, Holafly) work fine for short stays.
FAQ
- Which operator has the best 5G in Tangier?
- Maroc Telecom and Orange have rolled out 5G in central Tangier and Malabata. Inwi is catching up. All three deliver real-world speeds of 200–500 Mbps where available.
- Can I keep my foreign number while in Morocco?
- Yes — use your phone's dual-SIM or eSIM feature: foreign number for verifications, Moroccan SIM for data and local calls. Roaming on EU plans is expensive (€2–4/min).
- Is the internet censored?
- Most websites work. VoIP services have intermittent issues, hence the VPN advice. No general censorship of news or social media.
- Is the dialling code +212?
- Yes. Mobile numbers start with +212 6 or +212 7; landlines with +212 5. Drop the leading 0 when calling from abroad.