A few words about eSIM technology – Airalo

A while back, we learned about Airalo. Before our trip to Israel, a friend mentioned that she no longer purchases SIM cards in the places she travels to. Instead, she has switched to using eSIM technology. In this post, we will discuss the advantages of this solution. We will also share our thoughts after testing it in several countries.

What is eSIM and What Are Its Pros and Cons?

Essentially, an eSIM is a virtual SIM card that can be easily installed on our phone. And there is no need to remove our primary SIM card. Of course, our device must support this service. The list of compatible phone models can be found HERE.

The benefits of eSIM include convenience, quick installation, and the ability to revert to it at any time, which is especially useful for frequent travelers to a specific country. We will elaborate on this later, particularly regarding our experience with eSIM in Thailand.

The main drawback of eSIM, based on our experience, is the potential for users to not fully understand how to utilize the service. We will provide more in-depth guidance on installation and configuration in a future tutorial.

What Does eSIM Offer Us?

Well, the answer to this question is “it depends.” More specifically, it depends on the operator providing the eSIM service. Here’s what we encountered during our travels with Airalo’s eSIM:

In Israel, the operator provided LTE Internet but did not allow for hotspot sharing.

In Saudi Arabia and the UK, we had both Internet access and the ability to share our connection via hotspot.

However, the Thai operator offered us the most features, providing a phone number and allowing our eSIM in Thailand to function exactly like our Polish number. This meant we could access the Internet, share our connection, make calls, and receive calls. Additionally, at the time of writing this post, our Thai number remains active. This means we will be able to continue using it upon returning to Thailand. We will simply need to purchase a new plan from the operator.

What is Airalo and Why Should You Use It?

Airalo is essentially a store for eSIMs. With Airalo, we don’t have to scour the internet for an operator that offers eSIM in the country we are visiting. All we need to do is download and install the app on our smartphone. While comfortably seated on the plane, waiting to take off for our vacation, we can purchase eSIMs using a straightforward country search feature. After purchasing, we install the eSIM and activate it once we arrive at our destination—voila! It’s ready to go!

What if we’re embarking on a months-long backpacking trip across Southeast Asia or setting off on a Euro Trip? No problem! Airalo not only allows us to buy a plan from an operator in a specific country. It also offers eSIMs that work across a whole region. This way, when we cross the borders from Thailand to Cambodia, our Internet won’t suddenly stop working, allowing us to stay constantly connected to the world.

So, if you’re planning to travel outside the European Union and want to stay in touch with loved ones, we highly recommend Airalo, which we have been using for quite some time. To download and install the app, just click HERE. Additionally, if you enter the referral code: ADRIAN6665, you’ll receive $3 off your first purchase from the Airalo store!

And now – as we promised – a small guide from us regarding the installation and configuration of eSim from Airalo.

1. Contact your domestic operator and request to disable data roaming services outside the EU. This is a very important step, and we highly recommend taking it. Only by doing this can we protect ourselves from potential internet costs abroad that our domestic operator might impose in case of incorrect eSim configuration.

2. Click the link HERE to download Airalo.

3. In the referral code field, enter: ADRIAN6665, so you will receive 3 USD on your first order.

4. Use the search function to find the country you are interested in.

5. Choose the package you are interested in and make your purchase.
   

6.  Install the eSIM, but do not activate it. You will activate it only when you are abroad.

7. The installation and activation wizard for the eSIM from Airalo will guide you through the entire process step by step.

8. After installing and activating, do not forget to turn off data roaming on your main SIM card. To do this, go to your phone’s settings, and in the “Mobile Networks” menu, you will find the necessary options.9. First, make sure that the newly installed eSIM is active; if not, enable it. Also, activate data roaming. You can also change the label of the eSIM card.

   10. We return to the main menu and enter Mobile Data.

   11. We change to the newly installed and activated eSIM. We can also change voice calls if the local operator allows us to do so.

   12. Make sure that your main number’s data roaming is turned off! That’s all you need to do to safely use eSIM. And do not worry about removing and inserting a new SIM card. 🙂

       This post was created in collaboration with Airalo.

🛌 Do you need accomodation? You can find the best offers at booking.com

🌐 Stay connected with your loved ones with Airalo! By entering the special referral code: ADRIAN6665, you’ll receive a $3 discount on your first order, and our TUTORIAL will help you with the eSim installation!

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