Azercell eSIM — coverage, plans & network
Azerbaijan
Key highlights
- Azerbaijan's largest network and first GSM operator (1996), with 5G pilots in Baku
- Tourist tariffs: 30 GB for 39 AZN, 60 GB for 59 AZN, 120 GB for 79 AZN, 30 days
- The first SIM-to-eSIM replacement is free; a duplicate QR code costs 5 AZN
- AviaeSIM plans use the Azercell network with no passport or IMEI registration
About the operator
Azercell is Azerbaijan's largest mobile operator. Launched in 1996 as the country's first GSM network, it holds roughly half of the market and was the first to switch on 5G, with pilot sites around Fountain Square in central Baku. It is state-controlled today through AzInTelecom.
Visitors meet Azercell at Heydar Aliyev airport and in every Baku shopping street, and its Tourist tariffs are aimed squarely at them: 30, 60 or 120 GB with minutes for 39–79 AZN, activated with a passport at an Azercell Exclusive office or dealer. Two local rules matter — lines are registered to a passport, and a foreign phone used with a local SIM for more than 30 days must have its IMEI registered for a fee.
AviaeSIM's prepaid travel eSIM on the Azercell network is delivered online and sidesteps both: buy before the flight, receive the QR code by email, install at home and connect in Baku, Gabala or Sheki with no office visit and no IMEI registration.
- Founded
- 1996
- Headquarters
- Azerbaijan
- Network
- 3G, 4G, 5G (pilot)
How to get the official Azercell eSIM: price, QR code, registration
Azercell issues eSIMs two ways. Online, at azercellim.com, anyone can activate an eSIM without visiting an office — but the identity check runs through SIMA, Azerbaijan's face-recognition electronic signature, which visitors do not have. Offline, an Azercell customer service centre or official dealer issues it against an ID document; the first replacement of a SIM by an eSIM is free, a second or later duplicate costs 5 AZN, and the QR code appears on the screen of the device used for the purchase and can be used up to five times within 12 months. Visitors normally take a Tourist tariff instead: 30 GB plus 100 minutes for 39 AZN, 60 GB plus 200 minutes for 59 AZN or 120 GB plus 300 minutes for 79 AZN, each valid 30 days, with the SIM or eSIM included free, activated with a foreign passport at an Azercell Exclusive office or dealer. The phone's IMEI must be registered on the government portal if it stays on a local SIM beyond 30 days.
AviaeSIM's prepaid travel eSIM on the Azercell network needs neither SIMA nor an office: buy online, receive the QR code by email and connect when you land in Baku.
Azercell local SIM vs AviaeSIM
| Azercell Tourist SIM / eSIM | AviaeSIM travel eSIM (Azercell network) | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per GB | Tourist packs: 39 AZN / 30 GB, 59 AZN / 60 GB, 79 AZN / 120 GB — about 0.65–1.30 AZN per GB, 30 days | Plans for Azerbaijan from see the plans above; the price per GB is on each plan card |
| Activation | At an Azercell Exclusive office or dealer; QR code shown on screen (online activation needs SIMA) | QR code by email; installed in the phone's settings in about two minutes |
| Passport registration | Required — foreign passport at the office; IMEI registration after 30 days | None; no passport, no IMEI registration |
| Validity | 30 days per Tourist pack; the number itself is valid 30 days | Fixed validity per plan, counted from the first connection in Azerbaijan |
| Support | Azercell Exclusive offices, the app and call centre | AviaeSIM support by email, before and during the trip |
| Best for | Month-long stays and heavy data use | Short trips — connected on landing, no office, no paperwork |
Checked 20 September 2026 on azercell.com; the IMEI rule for stays over 30 days comes from travel guides — confirm before relying on it.
Network & technology
Azercell runs 2G, 3G and 4G/LTE across Azerbaijan, with 5G pilot coverage in the centre of Baku, and its 4G has been recognised as the highest-quality network in the country. Coverage is dense in Baku and the Absheron peninsula and follows the main roads to Ganja, Gabala, Sheki and Lankaran; the Caucasus villages are thinner.
Reputation & market position
Azercell competes with Bakcell and Nar and has kept the largest subscriber base since the 1990s; for visitors it is the operator with the clearest tourist offer and an office at the airport. The counterweight is bureaucracy: passport registration for every line and the IMEI rule for phones that stay longer than a month.
Pros
- Largest coverage in Azerbaijan and the first 5G sites
- Generous tourist packs — 30 GB with 100 minutes for 39 AZN
- eSIM free with a tourist pack; the QR code is shown on screen and reusable five times in 12 months
Cons
- Passport registration at an Azercell Exclusive office or dealer
- Foreign phones used more than 30 days need paid IMEI registration
- Online eSIM activation requires SIMA, the Azerbaijani electronic signature
Available plans
No plans on this network right now. See what is on sale today on the country page for your destination.
Countries covered
Get your from AviaeSIM — instant QR activation, no roaming fees.
How to activate
- 1Choose your destination and a plan on the Azercell network
- 2Pay and receive your eSIM QR code by email
- 3Scan the QR code in your phone's settings to install it
- 4Turn on data roaming for the eSIM when you arrive
Frequently asked questions
How much does an Azercell eSIM cost?
Within a Tourist tariff the SIM or eSIM is free — you pay for the pack: 39 AZN for 30 GB, 59 AZN for 60 GB or 79 AZN for 120 GB, each valid 30 days. For existing customers the first replacement of a SIM by an eSIM is free and a later duplicate costs 5 AZN. AviaeSIM's Azerbaijan plans show one price in USD at checkout.
Can a tourist activate an Azercell eSIM online?
Not in practice. Azercell's online activation at azercellim.com verifies identity through SIMA, the Azerbaijani electronic signature, which foreign visitors do not hold, so tourists get their Tourist-tariff eSIM at an Azercell Exclusive office or dealer with a passport. AviaeSIM's eSIM on the Azercell network is bought online and emailed as a QR code.
How do I get the Azercell eSIM QR code?
Azercell shows the QR code on the screen of the device used for the purchase, and it stays valid for five installations within 12 months — useful if you change phones. Scan it under Settings → Mobile Data → Add eSIM. An AviaeSIM QR code arrives in your confirmation email and installs the same way.
Do I need to register my phone's IMEI to use an Azercell eSIM?
Only for longer stays: a foreign phone used with a local Azercell line for more than 30 days must have its IMEI registered on the government portal, with a fee that depends on the model. Short visits and travel eSIMs such as AviaeSIM's are not affected, according to the guides we checked — confirm with Azercell if you plan to stay longer.
Does the Azercell eSIM work outside Baku?
Azercell has the largest footprint in Azerbaijan — dense 4G in Baku and Absheron and along the roads to Ganja, Gabala, Sheki and Lankaran, thinner in the mountain villages, with 5G pilots in central Baku. Any plan on the Azercell network, AviaeSIM's included, shares that coverage; the Tourist packs do not work while roaming abroad.
Useful links
Other operators
Information updated: 2026-09