Before you start

An unlocked handset; eSIM is supported by both operators
An Emirates ID for a postpaid line or a home internet contract; a passport is enough for a visitor SIM
A salary certificate, commonly requested for postpaid
An attested tenancy contract for a home internet installation

Step-by-step

1
Get a prepaid or visitor line on arrival
A tourist or prepaid SIM can be issued against your passport at the airport or an operator shop within minutes, giving you a working number for bank one-time codes and ride-hailing while your Emirates ID is processed.
In personWho: YouMinutes
2
Register biometrically against your Emirates ID
UAE SIM registration is biometric and tied to your identity. Buy from an official operator shop or an authorised outlet so the line is registered correctly to you — a line registered to someone else can be cut off without warning.
In personWho: You
3
Move to postpaid once the Emirates ID is issued
Postpaid plans are better value for a resident and usually need the Emirates ID plus a salary certificate. Both operators sell bundles combining mobile, home internet and TV.
In personWho: You
4
Find out which operator serves your building before you lease it
e& and du have divided residential fibre coverage between them building by building. You generally cannot choose. If home internet speed or a specific bundle matters to you, ask the landlord or the building management which operator is installed, and confirm it with the operator's coverage checker.
OnlineWho: You
5
Order the connection with your attested tenancy contract
Home internet installation requires proof of the tenancy, which in Sharjah means the municipality-attested contract. This is one of several downstream things that the attestation unlocks, which is why it should be your first errand after signing.
OnlineWho: YouDays to about two weeks for an installation slot

Documents you’ll need

Emirates ID for postpaid and home internet
Passport for a visitor or prepaid line
Salary certificate, commonly requested for postpaid
Attested Sharjah tenancy contract for a home installation

Things most newcomers don’t know

Your building picks your internet provider, not you.

e& and du have historically split residential fibre coverage between buildings rather than competing within them, so at most Sharjah addresses only one of them can actually connect you. If you work from home, treat 'which operator serves this building' as a lease question on a par with parking — you cannot switch afterwards.

Source: UAE residential fibre coverage practice

The municipality attestation is the gate to your utilities and your internet.

In Sharjah the attested tenancy contract is what SEWA and the telecom operators require before they will connect anything. An unattested contract is not merely informal — it leaves you without electricity, water or internet. Get the attestation done in the first days, not the first month.

Source: Sharjah Municipality tenancy attestation requirements

SIM registration is biometric and identity-linked, so buy from an official outlet.

The line is registered to your biometrics and your Emirates ID. A SIM sold informally and registered to a third party can be disconnected without notice, and reclaiming the number is difficult. The few dirhams saved at an unofficial shop are not worth losing a number that your bank sends one-time codes to.

Source: UAE Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority registration rules

Voice calls over some internet apps remain restricted, which shapes how you keep in touch.

The UAE regulates voice and video calling over the internet, and several popular apps' calling features are unavailable or unreliable on local networks even where messaging works. Newcomers plan to call family free over an app they have always used and find it does not connect. Check which services actually work before you rely on one.

Source: UAE telecommunications regulation; community-reported

Common mistakes to avoid

Signing a lease without checking which operator can actually connect the building.
Buying a SIM from an unofficial outlet and having it registered to somebody else.
Trying to order home internet before the tenancy contract has been attested by the municipality.
Assuming a favourite calling app will work on a UAE network.
Staying on an expensive prepaid tourist bundle for months after the Emirates ID has been issued.

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