If you want to surf the Internet abroad, you often buy an expensive data package from your telecom provider. There are cheaper options too. Imagine going on a real adventure this summer and leaving your smartphone at home. Finally switching off and enjoying the freedom. Unimaginable? Then you’re like most people. Traveling without internet has become unthinkable for many people. And so the same question comes up before every trip abroad: How do I stay online during the holidays without spending a fortune?
If internet use abroad is not already included in your mobile phone subscription, there used to be two options: either you bought a data package from your Swiss telecom provider for a lot of money, or you looked for a SIM card from a foreign provider in the country you were traveling to. In recent years, however, a third option has become established: the so-called travel e-SIM. But is it really cheaper in all cases? Who can use it? And what are the disadvantages? The most important questions at a glance:
The E-SIM is the latest generation of SIM cards. E-SIM stands for “Embedded SIM” and means that the chip is integrated directly into the device. There is no need to insert a classic physical SIM card. An E-SIM is activated and managed digitally via an app or by scanning a QR code. Depending on the device, multiple SIM cards are possible (dual SIM). For example, a physical SIM and an e-SIM can be used at the same time. In the settings, you can specify which SIM card should be used for which services – calls, messages, mobile data.
If you are travelling abroad for your holidays, you can buy a suitable e-SIM for the country you are travelling to. This includes roaming credit. In many cases, using the internet abroad with an e-SIM is cheaper than using the data packages offered by Swiss telephone providers. You can find a suitable e-SIM provider and the desired data volume with a quick Google search. After the purchase, you will be sent a QR code that you must scan with the device on which you want to activate the credit. You can then add the e-SIM in the settings of your device; on the iPhone, this is possible under “Mobile Network”.
Numerous international providers sell travel e-SIM cards, including Airalo, Yesim and Better Roaming. The number of offers and options is so large that it is not possible to provide a complete overview. There are significant differences depending on the type and location of use. For example, if you need 5 gigabytes of data for your summer vacation in Europe, you will pay significantly less with the e-SIM providers than with the Swiss telecom companies. However, you will also have to use up the credit within a few days. For large amounts of data of 10 gigabytes or more, the differences become relative again, and the Swiss telephone providers are sometimes cheaper than the e-SIM providers. It is therefore worth considering in advance what you want to use the Internet for abroad.
André Bähler is head of politics and economics at the Consumer Protection Foundation. He says: “Those who have WiFi available and limit particularly data-intensive applications such as TV, streaming services and videos can get by well with smaller data volumes.” When choosing a mobile phone subscription, many consumers place the most importance on the price-performance ratio in Switzerland. Tariffs abroad are only a secondary priority, which has a corresponding effect on the offer. This is different for e-SIM providers. André Bähler from the Consumer Protection Foundation says: “In order to attract customers at all, they have to offer cheaper prices than the established telecom companies.”
Swisscom, Salt and Sunrise explain the price differences with better network quality, among other things. Swisscom writes: “We guarantee quality through the nearest available network. In contrast to us, travel e-SIM providers often work with fewer partners and have less reliable coverage.” According to Sunrise, the international e-SIM offers are also in a legal grey area: Switzerland’s telecommunications law stipulates that a person must identify themselves with an ID card if they want to register a SIM card. This step is not necessary with e-SIM providers.
E-SIM cards can be used on smartphones, tablets and laptops. The key is that the device is E-SIM compatible. Newer models, such as the iPhone 13 and later from Apple, also support setting up an E-SIM as a second line. This means that you can use the Internet abroad via an E-SIM while remaining reachable via your own number. The credit from travel e-SIM providers is often only valid for a few days, and unused data expires after this period. The data packages from Swiss telecom providers, on the other hand, must be valid for 365 days by law. Any remaining amounts can therefore still be used during a later stay abroad. Many subscriptions in Switzerland also already include a certain amount of roaming data credit. Most offers also only include mobile data, meaning that making calls and sending text messages is only possible via a web-based application such as WhatsApp or Facetime. If you want a separate number for telephony in addition to the roaming package, you will pay more.
In most cases, it is by far the cheapest option to buy a physical SIM card when you are abroad. And this has another advantage: to find the kiosks that still sell SIM cards, you automatically explore the holiday resort and at best come into contact with a few locals. An analogue experience that no data package in the world can replace.