Greenland is the world’s largest island, an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark, and one of the genuinely hardest places on earth to get a travel SIM for. There is exactly one mobile operator — TELE-POST, trading as Tusass — and the vast majority of international travel eSIMs simply do not cover Greenland at all. Where they do, the price is steep. Be honest with yourself before the trip: in most cases the local Tusass tourist SIM is not just the best option, it is effectively the only reliable one.
Networks & coverage
Tusass (TELE-POST) runs the entire network. Coverage follows the settlements: the towns of Nuuk, Ilulissat, Sisimiut, Qaqortoq and the other inhabited coastal communities get 4G LTE, and Nuuk has the most modern service. Between towns there is essentially nothing — Greenland has no roads connecting settlements, and the ice sheet and open tundra have no coverage. On boat trips, hikes and ice-cap excursions you should expect to be completely offline. Plan for that, not against it.
eSIM or physical SIM?
This is the rare destination where we steer travellers toward a local physical SIM over a global eSIM. Tusass sells a “Hello Greenland” tourist product as both a physical SIM and an eSIM, with a local number, data, calls and SMS — and because Tusass is the only network, it gives you the best coverage available. The handful of third-party eSIMs that list Greenland all resell the Tusass network at a markup and are noticeably pricier. If your phone supports eSIM, the Tusass eSIM is convenient; otherwise the physical SIM, bought in Nuuk or online beforehand, is the dependable choice.
Data, calls & messaging
The Tusass “Hello Greenland” plan includes data plus local calls and SMS, which is genuinely useful here because you may need to phone tour operators or guesthouses in areas where app-based calling is shaky. Data is expensive by European standards and capacity is limited, so treat it as a precious resource — download offline maps and key documents before you leave town.
How much data do you need?
Counter-intuitively, you will use less mobile data in Greenland than almost anywhere, because so much of the country has no signal at all and many hotels offer Wi-Fi. A 5 GB tourist plan covers a typical multi-day trip of messaging and light browsing in town. Tusass also sells an unlimited option for heavier users. Do not overbuy data you cannot use in the field — buy enough for the towns, and accept that the wilderness is offline.