Before you start

Unlocked handset
Passport
Residence permit or valid visa
An Addis address

Step-by-step

1
Register a SIM at an operator shop
Ethio Telecom has the widest coverage; Safaricom Ethiopia is the second operator and worth holding as a backup. Registration requires identification, and foreigners need a passport and immigration document.
In personWho: YouNominal
2
Hold two networks if you work online
A second SIM on the other operator is cheap insurance against a single-network problem. It does not protect against a nationwide disruption, but it covers the more common local one.
In personWho: You
3
Register for Telebirr
Ethio Telecom's wallet is the dominant everyday payment method and is tied to your registered line.
Mobile appWho: You
4
Arrange home internet
Fixed broadband and fibre are available across Bole, Kazanchis, Old Airport and the newer condominium developments. Ask what already reaches the building before signing a lease.
In personWho: You
5
Build a fallback working pattern
Keep work offline-capable where you can, tell clients honestly that multi-day disruption is possible, and know where you would go — a hotel business centre, a colleague's office — if home connectivity fails.
OnlineWho: You

Documents you’ll need

Passport
Residence permit or visa
Addis Ababa address

Things most newcomers don’t know

Ethiopia's record of internet disruption is a planning fact, and it deserves plain treatment.

Ethiopia has among the most documented histories of internet and mobile-data shutdowns in Africa, both national and regional. Most weeks nothing happens. But if your income depends on connectivity, a realistic plan — two networks, offline-capable work, an honest conversation with clients about the possibility — costs almost nothing and removes the worst outcome. Treat it as you would any infrastructure risk.

Source: internet connectivity monitoring for Ethiopia

The telecoms monopoly ended, and that matters practically.

Ethio Telecom was the sole operator for decades until Safaricom Ethiopia was licensed and launched. Coverage and service still differ substantially between them, so the second SIM is not a formality — it is genuine redundancy on the more common kinds of outage, and competition has improved what you can buy.

Source: Ethiopian telecoms liberalisation

Telebirr is embedded in daily life far beyond what you would guess.

Bills, transport, small merchants and person-to-person payments run through it. People who plan to live on international cards find surprisingly little works. Register it in your first week — it is tied to your registered line, so it comes after the SIM but should come before almost everything else.

Source: Ethiopian mobile money market structure

Ask what internet already reaches the building before you sign.

Fixed broadband coverage in Addis is good in the newer developments and inconsistent in older housing, and a new installation can take weeks. In a city where connectivity is already the thing you are managing around, starting from a building that has none is a self-inflicted problem.

Source: community-reported

Common mistakes to avoid

Relying on a single network when your income depends on connectivity.
Planning to live on international cards without registering for Telebirr.
Signing a lease without checking what broadband already reaches the building.
Promising clients availability you cannot guarantee during a disruption.
Attempting SIM registration without a passport and immigration document.

Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.

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