Picture this: you arrive at an airport, excited to start your next adventure but first you need to find the telecommunications shop to get yourself a local SIM card. You spend the next 20 minutes searching for one and another 20 minutes choosing the plan and activating it on your mobile phone.
That is 40 minutes of your previous travelling time exhausted, and not to mention the lack of choices you get becase, let's face it, you're a tourist and every telecommunication company wants to squeeze as much moolah out of tourists as they can.
One innovation, however, is changing how travellers acquire connectivity - the eSIM, or embedded SIM.
Unlike traditional physical SIM cards, eSIMs are built directly into devices, offering a range of advantages that go beyond convenience. Instead of purchasing a physical SIM card after you arrive at your destination, you could have your mobile internet plan all set up and ready to go before you depart for your holiday.
What's more, you can switch carriers and plans effortlessly through the digital interface on your device. You no longer have to go through the hassle of swapping out the SIM card just because you need to receive calls on a different number.
eSIM service providers such as GigSky and Airalo are also known to provide eSIM plans which are value for money. Just look at the price comparison below.
Airalo
Unnamed local telco
Supposed you are travelling to China for a week or two. While the basic 1GB plan might be cheaper on the local telco, most people are going to want more than 1GB.
The 2GB plan costs around $11.50 from Airalo after conversion, compared to $16 from the local telco.
All it takes for you to get the eSIM plan set up on your mobile phone is simply a quick scan of a QR code and your phone will do the rest.
With merewards, you even get to earn cashback when you purchase your eSIM plans through our links. Check out the offers via the links below.
Earn 12% cashback when you purchase your eSIM at Airalo
Earn 5% cashback when you purchase your eSIM at GigSky
For successful cashback tracking, sign in to merewards and click ‘Buy Now’ in brands’ pages. For more information on cashback, read here.
Cover image by Erik Odiin on Unsplash.