Telekom (formerly Cosmote), Nova, and Vodafone are the three Greece mobile network operators, providing fairly fast internet (a median mobile download speed of 145.06 Mbps in June 2026, according to the Speedtest Global Index). There are both traditional SIM cards and eSIMs for travelers like Ohayu.com. It lets you connect to the local networks without a physical card.
But which one to choose? Let’s talk about it in more detail.
Greek mobile market overview
Greece isn’t just a country of ancient ruins, turquoise seas, and olive groves. It’s a nation with a fairly modern telecom infrastructure. If you’re planning a trip, a long stay, or even remote work, reliable mobile communication will be your indispensable assistant.
According to Speedtest Global Index data from June 2026, Greece ranked 28th in the world for mobile internet speed.
The median mobile speeds were 145.06 Mbps for downloads and 15.74 Mbps for uploads. At the same time, the latency was 20 ms.
Communication level
Mobile communications are at a fairly high level, especially when it comes to 4G coverage. Most settlements, roads between cities, and tourist areas have a stable signal. In large cities – Athens, Thessaloniki, Piraeus – 4G coverage is strong, and 5G is widely available.
Telekom (formerly Cosmote), Vodafone, and Nova (formerly WIND) continue to expand their 5G networks.
The situation is slightly different on the islands. Communications function well on Crete, Rhodes, Corfu, and Santorini, but in more remote or less touristy areas, there may be areas with weak signals. In the mountainous areas of the Peloponnese or on small islands, connectivity is sometimes unstable, especially outside populated areas.
Major Greece mobile operators
Three major players dominate the Greek telecom market.
- Telekom (formerly Cosmote) is the coverage and speed leader: it had the best Coverage Experience in Opensignal’s March 2026 report and the fastest average download speed in SpeedGeo’s April 2025 – March 2026 ranking.
- Vodafone is a strong player with international support; it won Reliability Experience and Time on Network in Opensignal’s March 2026 report.
- Nova is the third operator, with a developed network in cities.
eSIM technology
eSIM is a digital SIM card built into your phone that is used instead of the classic physical SIM card. When you choose a package from Ohayu, you can connect to supported local provider networks and get mobile internet in Greece or other countries.
There are multiple advantages of eSIM.
- Fast installation via QR code.
- No need to change your number.
- No need to buy a physical SIM card.
- Getting connected to mobile networks abroad in a chosen country, or on a multi-country trip (you can get connected in 120+ countries if you choose the Global plan).
The 3 Greece mobile operators
The Greek telecommunications market is divided between Telekom (formerly Cosmote), Vodafone Greece, and Nova. Each has a wide audience, but what sets them apart?
Telekom (formerly Cosmote)
Telekom is one of the largest Greece mobile operators. It belongs to the telecommunications big player OTE Group (part of Deutsche Telekom), which replaced the Cosmote brand with Telekom in September 2026.
The provider had the best Coverage Experience in Opensignal’s March 2026 report. The population has access to stable 4G, and 5G zones cover large cities, some islands, and resorts. If you plan to go to the mountains, live in a small village, or explore the remote beaches of Crete, it may have a signal where other operators do not.
The operator has a fairly flexible top-up system – via the app, website, ATMs, or in branded stores.
According to SpeedGeo data for April 2025 – March 2026 (when the brand was still Cosmote), it was the fastest mobile network in Greece, with an average download speed of 114.1 Mb/s. The latency was 69.8 ms.
Vodafone
Vodafone is well known all over the world, and in Greece, the company retains its status as one of the strongest operators.
Vodafone has good coverage in cities and popular tourist areas such as Athens, Thessaloniki, Larissa, Heraklion, Rhodes, and Corfu. 4G is standard, and 5G is widely available in cities. However, compared to Telekom, the connection may be weaker in some remote areas.
Vodafone offers a range of prepaid plans. According to SpeedGeo data for April 2025 – March 2026, its average download speed was 84.9 Mb/s, with a latency of 41.7 ms – the lowest of the three operators.
Nova
WIND Hellas joined forces with Nova in 2023. Now there is a single Nova brand, but the essence remains unchanged.
Nova has a well-developed network in cities and suburbs. 4G is stable in most popular locations, and 5G covers most of the population. In remote islands and mountainous regions, the connection is sometimes weaker, but in populated ones it is sufficient for communicating with friends and family.
The provider is working to improve coverage. It invests in infrastructure and expands its coverage areas. The brand offers prepaid SIM cards.
According to SpeedGeo data for April 2025 – March 2026, the operator’s average download speed was 63.0 Mb/s with a latency of 45 ms. This is the lowest download speed among Greece mobile operators, but high enough to travel comfortably around the country.
Comparison of Greece mobile operators
Now let’s examine the mobile operators in Greece. Let’s look at Opensignal’s March 2026 analysis, based on data collected from October to December 2025, when Telekom still used the Cosmote brand.
It shows a clear distribution of forces among Greece mobile operators. Cosmote won 10 awards (nine outright and one joint), including Consistent Quality (77.3%) and Coverage Experience (8.4 points on a 10-point scale). Vodafone won six awards, including Reliability Experience (902 points on a 100-1000 scale, ahead of Nova’s 889) and Time on Network (its users had a signal 98.3% of the time, compared with 96.8% for Cosmote). Nova came a close second in Reliability Experience.
Let’s sum up
In Opensignal’s March 2026 report, Telekom (then Cosmote) won the most awards, including coverage and consistent quality, Vodafone led in reliability and time on network, and Nova came close to Vodafone in reliability. With the advantages of each player, subscribers can select the connection that best meets their requirements, be they speed, coverage, or consistent quality.
Ohayu is a solid travel option if you require flexible connectivity without a physical SIM card because of its fast eSIM installation.
