Indian SIM card for Travel in the North - Ease & Coverage.

As to my latest experience a few weeks ago now you need to come with someone who will give his/her Aadhar card and finger print. Finally in a Vodafone shop they were very helpful and got around it with a phone number of a reference person (hotel staff) as was required last year. It was then activated within minutes.

finger print??!! lol :)

Sounds like a real Ball-Ache......I have a guy (driver) picking me up from the Airport in Delhi, maybe I can use him as my reference?
I'll get in touch with him and see what he has to say on the matter.

Did you have good coverage with Vodaphone? - Where were you travelling?

If he goes with you yes but when you buy a sim in Delhi you'll have roaming everywhere else. And you'll probably have to pay him for his time.
I was very happy with Vodafone but only used it in West Bengal and Bihar. I was also cyclin, from Bangladesh to Nepal by the way. Beware of trucks and buses and avoid highways as much as possible...

Getting a sim card in Delhi airport won't be a problem. They'll copy your ID, but it won't be activated until after 9 PM that day. I recommend Airtel if you are moving around. Data plans are super cheap. SIM card is valid for 90 days.
Once you cross into Jammu / Kashmir, your SIM won't work. The government is only allowing SIM cards for Aadhaar card holders (residents). Circumventing the rules there won't be easy. I've heard, but not confirmed, that you can get a SIM from the airport in Srinigar (skeptical).

If he goes with you yes but when you buy a sim in Delhi you'll have roaming everywhere else. And you'll probably have to pay him for his time.
I was very happy with Vodafone but only used it in West Bengal and Bihar. I was also cyclin, from Bangladesh to Nepal by the way. Beware of trucks and buses and avoid highways as much as possible...

I'm already paying him for his time and service he's picking me up from the airport and driving me and my bike to Shimla :)

Thanks for the tips - this will be my 4th trip to India and I've been riding bikes for 30 years :) cheers!

Thanks for your reply - Good Info - Cheers!!

I have had Airtel sim-cards since years, and they have generally been very good. But this last winter my Airtel suddenly stopped working. In Bombay I went to an Airtel office to find out what had happened. Much to my surprise they told me Airtel had cancelled the sim since I 'had not used it in a long time'. That was ridiculous, I had indeed used it every day. Not for making telephone calls but for making use of the data traffic, which I had paid for, and kept topping up.

So I'd say beware of Airtel! If you still do get one, make sure to make a regular call every once in a while. Else Airtel will simply cancel your sim. Without warning, and without telling you!

Thanks albin_3

Have you ridden in the North at all??