Back in 2010, I spent two months backpacking through Indonesia. I didn't travel with my cell phone.All I had was someone I could trust. Lonely Planet guidebook I asked for recommendations, stopped at Internet cafes from time to time, and emailed my parents with location updates.
It's 2024 and I don't understand how you could travel without the internet at your fingertips at all times. Roaming while abroad is non-negotiable. Listing the reasons would keep me here all day. However, roaming can also be expensive if you're not careful.
No matter where you're from or where you're traveling to, having internet access without being hit with scary fees is a travel necessity, and ideally something you should consider before setting off on your trip .
Carriers know how important it is to stay connected while traveling, and most carriers have some kind of roaming agreement that you can take advantage of. But what if your network's roaming service doesn't meet your destination's data requirements, or is simply too expensive?
In the end, we found a very simple and practical solution: eSIM. This is his SIM card in electronic form embedded in your phone, allowing you to switch carriers and data plans without the hassle of removing and replacing a physical SIM card. As a result, you can associate multiple SIM cards to your phone at once, making it easy to switch plans and carriers while traveling.
Previously, when landing in a new country, you would choose a Mi-Fi device with a local pay-as-you-go SIM card. This allows me to keep my phone number and access the internet even when I'm out and about during the day. However, this is a cumbersome solution and usually requires finding a place to buy his SIM card as soon as he gets off a long flight and remembering to charge his Mi-Fi every night.
I switched to eSIM as a last resort and will never go back.I'm based in the UK and my operator is Giffgaff Only limited roaming is allowed in some European countries. Last year, as I was planning a trip to the US and Canada, I was reaching for my trusty Mi-Fi again and remembered something I had heard about eSIM roaming operators.
I had a vague understanding of eSIM technology as I have been attending cell phone events for many years, but until this trip I had never considered using eSIM technology for personal travel. . It's not uncommon to lack awareness of how eSIM technology can benefit you while traveling. Only 37% of Americans have heard of eSIM, and only 8% have used an eSIM roaming provider, according to a survey scheduled to be released this month by technology analysis firm CCS Insight.
One of the biggest challenges for eSIM providers is that most people still don't know that eSIM exists as an option, says Kester Mann, director of CCS Insight. Even if they've heard of it, non-technically savvy customers may be hesitant to read the installation instructions. Plus, I often add something else to my to-do list before a long vacation (though you can also do it when you arrive).
Another hurdle is that many of the names in eSIM games are new, Mann said. “People are probably a little nervous about signing up with a company they've never heard of and maybe don't have an established reputation.”
How I used Airalo's eSIM for travel
There are many roaming eSIM providers available, all of which offer competitive data bundle rates and different benefits in different regions. More providers may emerge in the near future, but for now, some of the biggest providers include Airhub, EasySim, Holafly, and Airalo.
All the necessary steps are in Airalo's app.
In my research, I didn't find much that could tell these apart, so I decided to give it a try. Airaro This is because the countries we support are diverse. Installing an eSIM and getting it up and running isn't a completely smooth process, but by carefully following Airalo's step-by-step instructions within the app, I was able to get it right the first time.
Different countries require different eSIMs, so you can install multiple eSIMs on your phone at the same time. After you install your first eSIM, adding more eSIMs is even more intuitive. All from within the Airalo app.
For a trip in late 2023, I activated two eSIMs, one for the US and one for Canada, each with 20GB of data for $42 and 3GB of data for $15. When I returned to Canada this year, I was happy to discover that by simply reactivating the eSIM I had installed, I could upload additional pay-as-you-go credits to see my trip through to the end. .
When I arrived in Canada from the US, I switched my primary data plan to the preinstalled Canadian eSIM in my iPhone's settings, so I was ready to go. It went so smoothly that I decided to buy him an eSIM for my trip to Barcelona to attend Mobile His World Congress in March. My UK plan allows me to use 5GB of data while roaming in Spain, but after spending an intensive week at a conference I realized this wasn't enough. He spent $12 on a 10GB eSIM instead, which was still a bargain even though he had to top it up during the week.
Like me, most people who have tried eSIM roaming have had a good experience, Mann says. But he advises doing your research and comparing rates from local providers before you travel to make sure it makes sense for you. Opting for an eSIM may be especially good if you're traveling to “more remote destinations that aren't typically covered by carrier roaming packages,” he added.
Which mobile phones have eSIM functionality?
Another important thing to keep in mind when considering an eSIM for roaming is to check if your phone has an eSIM available. Not all phones are currently compatible with eSIM, but if you have an iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR, or any Apple phone from 2019 onwards, you can take advantage of this technology. can. Some phones from Samsung, Motorola, and Google also have eSIM compatibility, but you'll need to look at your model individually if you're not sure.
What I've found in my eSIM journey so far is that this is a fairly low-risk technology to experiment with. It is affordable, flexible and temporary. If you find better terms with another provider later, you can easily switch.
According to CCS Insight, the market is currently booming, with approximately 700 million people worldwide owning an eSIM-enabled device, and as many as 10% of people in some countries purchasing an eSIM before traveling. That's what it means. If you are traveling abroad this summer to Europe, Asia, or even across the border to Mexico or Canada, please join us.
