If you aren't already taking advantage of your smartphone's multiple eSIM capabilities to save on international roaming charges, it's time to change that. As countless travel vlogs reveal, digital nomads have long known the secret to cheap mobile internet. However, many business travelers still pay for their mobile access to e-mail and other Internet services abroad. According to research, enabling an international travel eSIM on your smartphone can significantly reduce data roaming charges. Engineering Division.
For example, if a customer uses a domestic data plan abroad, they may incur network access charges of more than $8 per day. But what subscribers may not realize is that they can instead activate an international travel eSIM and seamlessly switch to a data provider that offers more competitive roaming rates at their destination.
Of course, one way to avoid expensive data roaming charges is to simply turn off data roaming on your phone. But it comes at a huge cost. You'll miss out on all the benefits the internet brings to international travel. With real-time maps and travel tips at your fingertips, getting around is much easier. And if you're a business traveler, mobile data is available so you can stay in touch with colleagues and customers while on the go.
How to activate an eSIM for international travel
The good news is that international travel eSIMs are not only much more affordable than using a domestic data plan abroad, but they're also easier to set up. In fact, it may be as simple as scanning his QR code using your smartphone's camera and applying a few device settings.
There are now many international travel eSIM providers to choose from (see example list below), and users can choose travel eSIM plans for products that cover individual countries, groups of destinations, or even the world. Plans are competitively priced by duration, such as 5, 10, 15, or 30 days, and by the amount of data the customer expects to use.
Additionally, if users underestimate their mobile data roaming needs, it is easy to replenish and purchase additional capacity. Travel eSIM customers can log into their account and access a dashboard that shows how much data they have consumed so far, how much remains, and when it expires.
Examples of international travel eSIM providers –
After you add an eSIM to your mobile device, you need to activate it. This requires internet access. Travelers typically take advantage of free Wi-Fi at destinations such as airports. However, activating your travel eSIM while connected to a trusted router the day before your trip eliminates the need to search for an access point and avoids security concerns when using free Wi-Fi.
Naturally, the smartphone reports that it cannot connect to the target cellular network (since the user is at home and the mobile network partner is only active at the destination). However, your travel eSIM will be activated and you will be able to connect to your local mobile data provider as soon as you arrive. The only downside to doing this is that your plan will run depending on the start date you choose.
Make sure your phone is unlocked
If your smartphone is tied to a specific carrier, you may run into issues when trying to set up an eSIM for international travel. However, it is easy to check if your device is unlocked. On iPhone,[設定]>[一般]>[バージョン情報]Move to[ネットワーク プロバイダー ロック]Scroll down to the panel containing the information.
Before purchasing an international eSIM, make sure there are no SIM restrictions in your network provider lock box. Also, if your device is carrier locked, you will need to contact your mobile network provider to remove his SIM restriction.
Once your new eSIM appears in the list by scanning the QR code using your smartphone's camera or entering the respective code manually, you are ready for the final setup step.
You may find it useful to leave your default voice line as “primary” (original device SIM), which allows you to receive SMS alerts from your bank. However, please note that even if you select this option, you may still incur charges from your domestic provider to make and receive calls.
When looking at data roaming, it's important to turn this option off on your “primary” SIM and turn it on on your newly added international travel eSIM. This means your smartphone will default to using your more affordable travel eSIM line for data usage, saving you money on using your primary SIM.
If a user has selected a primary SIM for voice and regular SMS and a travel eSIM for data roaming, they will notice that there are two signal strength bars.
Once you get used to using an international travel eSIM, there's no going back to expensive data roaming charges. Also, devices like Apple's iPhone only allow you to use two SIMs at a time, but you can enroll up to eight SIMs on your device.
Business travelers can simply switch on and off the installed eSIM during various journeys. Once you remove your eSIM, you will need to scan a new QR code to continue using its data roaming services. And if you're planning on sharing your data roaming allowance with others, it's worth paying attention to their terms and conditions, as some travel eSIMs allow tethering while others don't.