Travel, whether it be for business or leisure, has always been a well-loved part of life. But one thing about travelling that doesn’t get our hearts racing is the sight of our phone bills afterwards! Chances are you’ll be forced to use your cellular data at some point on your trip. Unless your current cell provider offers an amazing package on using your internet abroad, you’ll be looking at some hefty roaming charges. Fortunately, eSIM technology is finally here, offering a solution for travellers and their internet needs! Not heard of an eSIM? Here’s why you should consider this new technology as your internet travel solution!

What Is eSIM Technology?

An eSIM is an electronic SIM card. This means that you won’t need a physical SIM card to access your data packages – a great solution for travellers or anyone looking to avoid those pesky little SIM cards. eSIMs work completely electronically, so you can find the best package for you and get it almost instantly, without the need to insert a new SIM into your device. While physical SIM cards aren’t necessarily a problem, they don’t offer the same advantages as eSIM technology.

How Are eSIMs A Solution For Travellers?

Say Goodbye To High Roaming Fees

If you’re planning on travelling a lot, eSIM technology will be a lifesaver for you. Travelling to the EU costs Britons £573 million in holiday roaming charges every year! Now thanks to Brexit, network providers have begin to add EU roaming charges. EE is bringing back the roaming charges, charging £2 a day to your bill for using your data abroad! It looks like O2 is also following suit, too. O2 will be charging customers £3.50 for every 1GB extra of the 25GB capped allowance used in the EU. Luckily for us Brits, we can avoid these roaming charges with eSIM technology! Backpackers and travellers looking to venture into multiple countries will benefit the most from an eSIM, as you can switch SIM packages easily. You can keep changing your eSIM as you travel your way through your destinations to keep your roaming charges to a minimum. However, you can only have a maximum of five eSIMs per device, so be cautious about which eSIM packages you select.

Always Stay Connected

There’s nothing worse than those first few minutes (or hours) when you enter a new country and can’t access the internet. Some travellers will turn off their data or remove their SIM card until they can purchase a new one at their travel destination. While this helps ease those roaming charges, it can leave you stuck without a connection until you find a local store that sells SIM packages. With an eSIM, you can switch your cell package instantly. This is a perfect solution for travellers looking to dodge those no-internet moments.

Better Signal Within An Instant

Losing signal while you’re exploring a new city or country isn’t ideal. Your phone receives signals from cell towers, and depending on which network provider you’re using, your signal strength can fluctuate or even drop off. As eSIMs are all electronic, you can switch between packages much easier than your standard SIM card. Instead of having to painfully search for your SIM card ejector tool or fiddle around with tiny micro-SIM cards, you can simply head into the settings on your device and switch! This feature is a great travel solution for those that like to have the best possible connection at all times. If you have multiple eSIM packages, you can flick through them and use the one that shows the best signal for your current location. This means no more poor connections no matter where you travel to!

No Waiting Or Planning

Travellers have so many things to plan, you don’t want to add more planning to your list. By using eSIM technology, you can cut out any unnecessary planning and waiting. For those that don’t have time to plan what data packages to use, you can do it on the fly. You can purchase and activate eSIMs online, making it easy for you to grab a SIM package on the go. This also means you skip any waiting times. When you order a physical SIM card, you have to wait around to receive it by post. We already know that eSIMs are electronic, so once you buy one, you can activate it straight away – no waiting involved! Travellers can now spend more time planning their travels rather than planning their data packages.

Do Your Bit For The Environment

Did you know Britain contributes an estimated 1.7 million tonnes of plastic annually? While SIM cards are recyclable, most individuals avoid putting them in the recycling bin. This is because SIM cards can hold sensitive personal information, so some don’t trust that their SIM won’t fall into the wrong hands. Instead of recycling them, people will cut them up and throw them in the trash, or even incinerate them – both not so great for the environment. To do your bit for the environment, you can get an eSIM! As eSIMs are electronic, you won’t have to worry about disposing of them properly and you won’t be adding to the mass levels of plastic pollution. Want to know more about eSIM technology? Find out some interesting facts in our ‘the truth about eSIM technology’ blog