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eSIM thread
I thought I'd start a thread to talk about carriers that offer eSIM functionality on Android or iOS. On a lark, I just set up a Ubigi account and paid $5 for 500MB of data. It was surprisingly easy to do and works pretty well. T-mobile downloaded and uploaded at about 20Mbps in my speed test, while Verizon (my main carrier) did 120 down and 20 up.
I'm looking forward to using this in France this summer. What other fun things have you found with eSIM? |
Can you tell us about Ubigi ?
not much on Google about it , Oops found the page , interesting and looks easy to setup as you can use PayPal prices are not bad but not cheap either , let us know how it works out, Thanks |
It worked fine. I'll use them again when I go to France this summer. Much cheaper than Verizon's $10/day roaming.
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Interesting. I've been keeping a Vodafone NL SIM alive for use in Europe -- it is €15 for 2GB, €20 for 3GB in a month (30 days) good all over the EU. And often there is a special where they double the data. My original plan was to move my T-Mobile plan over to the eSIM and put the Vodafone in for data. But T-Mobile seems to be taking forever to release the eSIM for post paid plans (and yes I know if you work the reps you might get it to work). This is a tad more expensive but gives more options should I travel somewhere else. And I don't have to wait for T-Mobile :)
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Originally Posted by TheMadBrewer
(Post 30784597)
Interesting. I've been keeping a Vodafone NL SIM alive for use in Europe -- it is €15 for 2GB, €20 for 3GB in a month (30 days) good all over the EU. And often there is a special where they double the data. My original plan was to move my T-Mobile plan over to the eSIM and put the Vodafone in for data. But T-Mobile seems to be taking forever to release the eSIM for post paid plans (and yes I know if you work the reps you might get it to work). This is a tad more expensive but gives more options should I travel somewhere else. And I don't have to wait for T-Mobile :)
This is very interesting indeed. Curious to see if others offer a competing product in this eSIM space. Regards |
I too like The Mad Brewer have been waiting on t-mobile to get the e-sim on post-paid plans. Leaving at the end of the month wish I could just have my eSim working so I could have my Three sim card in the slot. Or Three had an eSim compatible sim card.
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Anyone have experience wit GigSky eSIM? Pricing is higher than Ubigi, but looks a bit more polished. Also, Ubigi site says 'Data Roaming' setting needs to be set to On, which worries me when traveling internationally - what if Ubigi 'fails' somehow and then my primary account data gets used. With GigSky data roaming is left off (according to their site), as their service is 'local' to the country you are using it in. There always seems to be trade-offs.
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This is a big part of my interest as well. In some countries it is quite easy to get a prepaid SIM, but in others it is a pain. Your reference to Paris made me laugh, as my experience took closer to an hour before I finally had a working SIM. I'd just rather not have to give up that time dealing with a SIM.
Originally Posted by scubadu
(Post 30785393)
... What I like about this concept, assuming its dependable and cost competitive, is I don't have to hassle with waiting in line at an Orange shop in Paris for 20 minutes, then taking another 20 minutes to get the deal done (and having them photocopy my passport, etc.)
Regards |
Originally Posted by PackingIt
(Post 30789092)
This is a big part of my interest as well. In some countries it is quite easy to get a prepaid SIM, but in others it is a pain. Your reference to Paris made me laugh, as my experience took closer to an hour before I finally had a working SIM. I'd just rather not have to give up that time dealing with a SIM.
And in some ways, the whole photocopy your passport thing is actually more annoying/concerning to me than the time, but certainly would just prefer to hit the ground running, no fuss no muss. Regards |
Originally Posted by PackingIt
(Post 30789080)
Anyone have experience wit GigSky eSIM? Pricing is higher than Ubigi, but looks a bit more polished. Also, Ubigi site says 'Data Roaming' setting needs to be set to On, which worries me when traveling internationally - what if Ubigi 'fails' somehow and then my primary account data gets used. With GigSky data roaming is left off (according to their site), as their service is 'local' to the country you are using it in. There always seems to be trade-offs.
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The only issue I see of the top with GigSky is the plan's terms are a bit short -- 15 days for 2GB plan. That would probably be enough but occasionally my trips are a bit longer: 16-18 days or even 3 full weeks. I could use my T-Mobile plan for the extra days and be OK, but it would be nice if the plan lasted longer.
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For trips that long, it may still be worth it to you to just get a local SIM.
Originally Posted by TheMadBrewer
(Post 30790577)
The only issue I see of the top with GigSky is the plan's terms are a bit short -- 15 days for 2GB plan. That would probably be enough but occasionally my trips are a bit longer: 16-18 days or even 3 full weeks. I could use my T-Mobile plan for the extra days and be OK, but it would be nice if the plan lasted longer.
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Thanks for the info! I’ve also been impressed at how quickly they’ve responded to my CS emails. I obviously want to pay as little as possible for data when traveling, but also want confidence that it will work when needed and as advertised. When traveling, be it for pleasure or work, I don’t want to be worrying about this aspect of the trip.
Originally Posted by BonViveur
(Post 30789911)
I tried GigSky in December in Korea and Japan. My home plan allows 2GB a month in other countries but that doesn’t last me through a 2-3 week trip. It is possible to buy a SIM in Japan, plus one in Korea, but you have to go to a shop, set it up, etc, plus your home number won’t work while you’re using a different SIM, so GigSky was worth a try, as I love the idea of always having my home SIM available while travelling. It’s not a bargain, but it was definitely worth it for me to have internet as soon as I landed in Seoul and again in Osaka. The Gigsky setup was quick and easy, it basically does itself. I used the eSIM until the data ran out, then switched to my home SIM. Worked perfectly and I’ll definitely do it again for trips around this length. |
Originally Posted by PackingIt
(Post 30791360)
For trips that long, it may still be worth it to you to just get a local SIM. |
I'd be interested in Thai AIS Sim2Fly roaming sim within Asia & AU if it were a little easier to top up SIM2FLY the best-value roaming SIM for everyone! They currently only setup eSIM in store and top up can be tricky outside Thailand for non-Thai residents. They also offer a "Global" 15 GB/1 year for ~ $90 USD = $ 6 per GB. It might be an interesting option for those who can't get/don't want ProjectFi/T-Mobile and want to minimize some of the local sim signup hassles. Same plan is available with a physical sim.
Are there any other non-US local sims with better roaming packages than global roaming providers? |
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