While most networks – including Vodafone – let you roam abroad using your standard SIM card, this can often be expensive, with inclusive roaming sometimes limited to high-end plans if it’s offered at all. But a travel eSIM can be a cheaper alternative, and this is something Vodafone now offers.
This eSIM – which you can purchase from travel.Vodafone.com – works like most other travel eSIMs, in that it gives you an allowance of date for a period of time, that you can use in one or more countries.
But this doesn’t replace your main SIM card, and you don’t need to be a Vodafone customer to use it – it basically just temporarily switches your data service over to the eSIM, while your phone number remains the same as ever.
With the Vodafone travel eSIM you can select either a specific country or a region, and then choose a data allowance (with options ranging from 1GB to 150GB), and a duration (topping out at 90 days) – though note that not every destination offers every option.
Low prices and simple setup
Prices start as low as £3.50 for Europe, £5.50 for North America, £7 for the Middle East, and £8.50 Africa, and once you’ve chosen a plan, Vodafone will send you a QR code that you can activate once you arrive in your destination, to get your eSIM up and running.
So it’s a smooth, simple process, and the Vodafone travel eSIM also supports tethering, meaning you can use it to get other devices online. Right now, Vodafone’s travel eSIM works in 206 destinations worldwide, and you can get 5G connectivity with it in 98 countries.
Vodafone isn’t alone in offering such a service – there are numerous other travel eSIM companies, including big names like Ubigi and Airalo, but this is the first major UK network to get in on the act.
In some ways, it makes sense for a network to enter the travel eSIM market, but on the other hand, this could end up lessening people’s desire for Vodafone’s premium plans that come with roaming included. Still, either way, having more travel data options is undoubtedly good news for consumers.
