eSIM guides
How travel eSIMs work, how much data you need and how to fix common problems. 6 articles.
- eSIM guides
What is a travel eSIM and how does it work?
A travel eSIM is a data plan for another country that you download to your phone instead of inserting a plastic card. Here is how it works, what it can and cannot do, and how to set one up before you fly.
Updated 8 October 202610 min readBy Cagdas Polat - eSIM guides
eSIM vs roaming vs local SIM: which is better for travel?
There are three common ways to get mobile data abroad. This guide compares a travel eSIM, home roaming and a local SIM on cost, effort, coverage and your phone number, so you can pick the one that suits your trip.
Updated 8 October 20269 min readBy Cagdas Polat - eSIM guides
How much data do I need for a one- or two-week trip?
Most travellers use far less data than they fear on some days and far more on others. This guide gives approximate figures for common apps, worked examples for one and two weeks, and simple ways to stay within your plan.
Updated 8 October 20268 min readBy Cagdas Polat - eSIM guides
Can I keep my WhatsApp number when using a travel eSIM?
Using a travel eSIM for data does not change your WhatsApp number. Your account stays linked to your own number while the eSIM simply supplies the internet connection. Here is how it works and the few things to avoid.
Updated 8 October 20268 min readBy Cagdas Polat - eSIM guides
How to use two SIMs at once: dual SIM explained
Most recent phones can run two lines at once, usually a physical SIM plus an eSIM or two eSIMs. This guide explains how dual SIM works, what its limits are, and how to set it up so your own number and a travel data plan work side by side.
Updated 8 October 20268 min readBy Cagdas Polat - eSIM guides
What to do if your eSIM is not working abroad
Most travel eSIM problems on arrival come down to two settings, and nearly all the rest are fixed by a restart or choosing a network by hand. This checklist works through the causes in order, from most to least likely.
Updated 8 October 20268 min readBy Cagdas Polat
Destination guides
Staying connected on specific trips and routes. 6 articles.
- Destination guides
Europe trip internet guide: one eSIM for many countries
A trip through several European countries raises one practical question: how do you stay online without buying a new SIM at every border? This guide covers regional eSIMs, roaming rules, border crossings and the details that catch travellers out.
Updated 8 October 20268 min readBy Cagdas Polat - Destination guides
Interrail with an eSIM: staying connected on European trains
An Interrail or Eurail trip runs on your phone: the mobile pass, seat reservations, timetables and the hostel you booked an hour ago. This guide covers how to keep that phone online across borders, through tunnels and on long days in transit.
Updated 8 October 20268 min readBy Cagdas Polat - Destination guides
Internet in the Greek islands: ferries, coverage and tips
Island hopping in Greece means ferry apps, changing timetables, beach bars with patchy Wi-Fi and long stretches of open sea. This guide explains what connectivity is really like and how to set up your phone so it keeps up.
Updated 8 October 20268 min readBy Cagdas Polat - Destination guides
Iceland Ring Road connectivity guide
Driving Iceland's Ring Road takes you through long, empty stretches where road conditions and weather matter. This guide explains what mobile coverage to expect, which apps are worth having and how to set up your phone for the drive.
Updated 8 October 20268 min readBy Cagdas Polat - Destination guides
Road trip through the Alps: mobile data in Switzerland and Austria
A drive through the Alps crosses borders, passes and valleys in a single day. Here is how to keep maps, messages and bookings working from Zurich to Innsbruck and beyond, and what to prepare for the places where signal fades.
Updated 8 October 202611 min readBy Cagdas Polat - Destination guides
UK and Ireland: travelling across the border with one phone
Great Britain, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland feel like one trip, but they sit on two sides of a roaming boundary. Here is how to keep a single phone connected, from London to Belfast to Galway.
Updated 8 October 20269 min readBy Cagdas Polat
Travel scenarios
Data set-ups for nomads, teams, families and cruises. 4 articles.
- Travel scenarios
The eSIM set-up for digital nomads in Europe
Working from Lisbon one month and Kraków the next puts different demands on a phone than a two-week holiday. This is a practical data set-up for remote workers moving around Europe, with the trade-offs laid out honestly.
Updated 8 October 20268 min readBy Cagdas Polat - Travel scenarios
Business travel: managing mobile data for your team abroad
Unexpected roaming bills, staff stuck without data at the airport and expense claims for local SIMs are common headaches for anyone running business travel. Here is a practical way to give a team reliable data abroad and keep the costs visible.
Updated 8 October 20268 min readBy Cagdas Polat - Travel scenarios
Travelling with kids: data, hotspot and screen-time tips
Children's tablets, a teenager's phone and two parents' maps and messages all compete for data on a family holiday. Here is how to plan for it, share it sensibly and keep screens under control without paying for more than you need.
Updated 8 October 20268 min readBy Cagdas Polat - Travel scenarios
Cruise travel: mobile data at sea vs in port
On a cruise, your phone moves between two very different worlds: land networks in port and the ship's own maritime network at sea. Knowing the difference is the easiest way to avoid a large bill, and to stay connected where it is affordable.
Updated 8 October 20268 min readBy Cagdas Polat
Phones and safety
Compatibility, hotspots, privacy and security. 3 articles.
- Phones and safety
eSIM-compatible phones: how to check yours
Most recent smartphones support eSIM, but not every model and not every version of a model. Here is how to check your own phone in a minute, what can stop an eSIM-capable phone from working, and what to do if yours does not qualify.
Updated 8 October 20268 min readBy Cagdas Polat - Phones and safety
Is a travel eSIM safe? Privacy and security explained
Installing a data line from a company you have just found online is a reasonable thing to be cautious about. This guide explains what a travel eSIM can and cannot do on your phone, what data is involved, and how to stay safe while using it.
Updated 8 October 20268 min readBy Cagdas Polat - Phones and safety
Hotspot from an eSIM: sharing data with your laptop
Your phone's travel eSIM can usually get a laptop or tablet online too, through the personal hotspot. Here is how to set it up on iPhone and Android, how to stop a laptop eating your data, and what to check when the hotspot will not connect.
Updated 8 October 20268 min readBy Cagdas Polat
Looking for quick answers?
The FAQ answers the common questions in a line or two, and the help centre has install guides for every phone.