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People here seem to quickly react by recommending their favorite travel eSIM provider. I'd propose what I find to be a bit more useful, a website that compares

People here seem to quickly react by recommending their favorite travel eSIM provider. I'd propose what I find to be a bit more useful, a website that compares a bunch of different travel eSIM providers: https://esimdb.com https://esimdb.com No affiliation from my side. I find it nice to know I always have many options.

brnt 3y ago
First plan I check is no longer offered though. Second is more expensive. I guess these things tend to go out of date fast...
kotaKat 3y ago
I'll throw this in as well -- https://esim.me/ https://esim.me/ It's not an "eSIM" per se, but it's a physical SIM card that has the eSIM module onboard. This lets your physical devices use eSIM providers. One weird thing they do though is a strange licensing model where you can buy the physical card locked to one specific phone, one specific brand of phones, or any phone, plus a set number of eSIM slots. The Omni/15 is the "best" of them all. You DO need an Android device to be able to set the active carrier; however, once the active eSIM slot is set you can pull the SIM and put it in something else and use that selected carrier.
- YoumuChan 3y ago
  It is just an standard eUICC card with an issuer certificate, which means you need issuer's app to access low-level eUICC functions on a rootless Android. This is how esim.me enforces the subscription. This also means, you can use any LPA implementation to manage and install profiles on your own! Some examples: https://github.com/Truphone/LPAdesktop https://github.com/Truphone/LPAdesktop Needs a smart card reader and a pc to work https://github.com/estkme-group/lpac https://github.com/estkme-group/lpac Could either use a smart card reader or an actual modem with AT-support https://gitea.angry.im/PeterCxy/OpenEUICC https://gitea.angry.im/PeterCxy/OpenEUICC Needs a root on Android Furthermore, I believe you could manage it via Windows settings if your window laptop has a WWAN card.
  - kotaKat 3y ago
    What eUICC physical cards are people grabbing for this?
    - joecool1029 3y ago
      I can confirm esim.me works for it, it's just expensive for one of them. This service does not require an IMEI pairing to the EID because at least in the US it's using T-Mobile (at&t has a device whitelist and verizon requires a valid IMEI/EID in their database).
      - schrmh 3y ago
        That's interesting cause on a a bigger german website we are trying to figure out how to get that firsty thing working with removable eUICCs since Feb the 16th. The only person that reported there that eSIM.me is working for them used a smartphone with a built-in eUICC for "looking at the app and receiving activation code" and after that put in the eSIM.me into a Galaxy S10. Everybody else that wrote something about working or not working — no matter if they use products from eSIM.me, 5ber or sysmocom — wrote that it isn't working for them. Even when installing the profile with the static activation code from within the APK — that can be found when using apktool on the APK and a bit of grep — I wasn't able to get a data connection with the profile deployed to the sysmoEUICC1-C2G. Btw. firsty seems to use Vodafone here. However, firsty support answered today that they "are looking into support for these use cases, so stay tuned!"
        tcmaps 3y ago
        myDealz? :) You can spoof the app to "detect" a compatible device on a rooted phone by hooking bv.b class and returning true in frida or XPosed
  - joecool1029 3y ago
    > https://gitea.angry.im/PeterCxy/OpenEUICC https://gitea.angry.im/PeterCxy/OpenEUICC Needs a root on Android It usually needs to be priv-app installed, which means you have to build it in with the rom or add it with a Magisk module (don't use the one on github though it's horribly out of date, if you must... make sure your device is in light theme mode or you won't see the QR code and confirm buttons).
- riedel 3y ago
  Unfortunately it does not work with firsty, but it works like a charm with arbitrary esims while travelling. I last used it in Japan but also sometimes across Europe if I need extra data. I am super happy. Also with their support!
- kefyras 3y ago
  What's up with KYC "in accordance with German and European regulations" to use it? A number of EU member states don't require any id/registration for prepaid (e)SIMs. How is that any of their concern if you're buying a profile from a 3rd party?
4ad 3y ago
Most eSIM providers are just resellers, what I care about a travel eSIM is: 1. is it a reseller, if yes, from whom? 2. does it have local breakout in the target country? 3. what network does it use in the target country? 4. is it data-only? 5. does it allow tethering? 6. can I pay with Apple Pay? 7. can I use it without an account? Very, very few eSIM services fulfil the second criteria above, and no comparison website I know off lists all the others. Without LBO, an eSIM is worthless to me. Thus far, I have only found Truphone and bne to have LBO (at least where I travel to). I would love to hear about more options. No LBO no buy!
- holidayesim 3y ago
  [dead]
- AlexAndScripts 3y ago
  What is local breakout?
  - 4ad 3y ago
    It means routing data to the Internet directly through the network the user is using rather than going to the operator's network. When normal roaming, even though you use some local network, all the trafic gets tunnelled out from the local network to your own network provider, to the internet, and then back. So if you're from, say, France, and you visit Australia, all your traffic gets tunned back and forth to France. This is bad. Most eSIM providers work like this, usually tunneling through Israel or Poland. With LBO you get direct Internet access just like you would with a local SIM. Basically you need LBO to avoid a VPN connection to some random far away country.
    - AlexAndScripts 3y ago
      Thanks for the explanation, that's really useful. I'll keep it in mind when travelling. I'm curious, why Israel and Poland? Are a lot of eSIM providers from there?
- dataflow 3y ago
deleted 3y ago
[deleted]
ossguy 3y ago
Does it show eSIM providers that explicitly do not provide phone numbers? In particular, ones whose eSIM does not list any phone number that the OS can see (many "data-only" plans still have a phone number the OS can see/use). The closest I found on eSIMDB was a "Hide data only plans (no Voice / SMS)" option, but that's sort of the opposite. I'd like to see "Hide plans that have a phone number" for example. Mainly I ask because Apple-using friends of mine have told me that it's impossible to remove (e)SIM phone numbers from the iMessage database. There is apparently no setting to use to prevent Apple from making a (e)SIM phone number an option for iMessage, so it's important to have (e)SIMs that provide no phone number at all, to ensure that iMessage can't get confused about which identifiers the user actually wants available.

brnt 3y ago

First plan I check is no longer offered though. Second is more expensive. I guess these things tend to go out of date fast...

kotaKat 3y ago

I'll throw this in as well -- https://esim.me/ https://esim.me/ It's not an "eSIM" per se, but it's a physical SIM card that has the eSIM module onboard. This lets your physical devices use eSIM providers. One weird thing they do though is a strange licensing model where you can buy the physical card locked to one specific phone, one specific brand of phones, or any phone, plus a set number of eSIM slots. The Omni/15 is the "best" of them all. You DO need an Android device to be able to set the active carrier; however, once the active eSIM slot is set you can pull the SIM and put it in something else and use that selected carrier.

YoumuChan 3y ago
It is just an standard eUICC card with an issuer certificate, which means you need issuer's app to access low-level eUICC functions on a rootless Android. This is how esim.me enforces the subscription. This also means, you can use any LPA implementation to manage and install profiles on your own! Some examples: https://github.com/Truphone/LPAdesktop https://github.com/Truphone/LPAdesktop Needs a smart card reader and a pc to work https://github.com/estkme-group/lpac https://github.com/estkme-group/lpac Could either use a smart card reader or an actual modem with AT-support https://gitea.angry.im/PeterCxy/OpenEUICC https://gitea.angry.im/PeterCxy/OpenEUICC Needs a root on Android Furthermore, I believe you could manage it via Windows settings if your window laptop has a WWAN card.
- kotaKat 3y ago
  What eUICC physical cards are people grabbing for this?
  - joecool1029 3y ago
    I can confirm esim.me works for it, it's just expensive for one of them. This service does not require an IMEI pairing to the EID because at least in the US it's using T-Mobile (at&t has a device whitelist and verizon requires a valid IMEI/EID in their database).
    - schrmh 3y ago
      That's interesting cause on a a bigger german website we are trying to figure out how to get that firsty thing working with removable eUICCs since Feb the 16th. The only person that reported there that eSIM.me is working for them used a smartphone with a built-in eUICC for "looking at the app and receiving activation code" and after that put in the eSIM.me into a Galaxy S10. Everybody else that wrote something about working or not working — no matter if they use products from eSIM.me, 5ber or sysmocom — wrote that it isn't working for them. Even when installing the profile with the static activation code from within the APK — that can be found when using apktool on the APK and a bit of grep — I wasn't able to get a data connection with the profile deployed to the sysmoEUICC1-C2G. Btw. firsty seems to use Vodafone here. However, firsty support answered today that they "are looking into support for these use cases, so stay tuned!"
      - tcmaps 3y ago
        myDealz? :) You can spoof the app to "detect" a compatible device on a rooted phone by hooking bv.b class and returning true in frida or XPosed
- joecool1029 3y ago
  > https://gitea.angry.im/PeterCxy/OpenEUICC https://gitea.angry.im/PeterCxy/OpenEUICC Needs a root on Android It usually needs to be priv-app installed, which means you have to build it in with the rom or add it with a Magisk module (don't use the one on github though it's horribly out of date, if you must... make sure your device is in light theme mode or you won't see the QR code and confirm buttons).
riedel 3y ago
Unfortunately it does not work with firsty, but it works like a charm with arbitrary esims while travelling. I last used it in Japan but also sometimes across Europe if I need extra data. I am super happy. Also with their support!
kefyras 3y ago
What's up with KYC "in accordance with German and European regulations" to use it? A number of EU member states don't require any id/registration for prepaid (e)SIMs. How is that any of their concern if you're buying a profile from a 3rd party?

4ad 3y ago

Most eSIM providers are just resellers, what I care about a travel eSIM is: 1. is it a reseller, if yes, from whom? 2. does it have local breakout in the target country? 3. what network does it use in the target country? 4. is it data-only? 5. does it allow tethering? 6. can I pay with Apple Pay? 7. can I use it without an account? Very, very few eSIM services fulfil the second criteria above, and no comparison website I know off lists all the others. Without LBO, an eSIM is worthless to me. Thus far, I have only found Truphone and bne to have LBO (at least where I travel to). I would love to hear about more options. No LBO no buy!

holidayesim 3y ago
[dead]
AlexAndScripts 3y ago
What is local breakout?
- 4ad 3y ago
  It means routing data to the Internet directly through the network the user is using rather than going to the operator's network. When normal roaming, even though you use some local network, all the trafic gets tunnelled out from the local network to your own network provider, to the internet, and then back. So if you're from, say, France, and you visit Australia, all your traffic gets tunned back and forth to France. This is bad. Most eSIM providers work like this, usually tunneling through Israel or Poland. With LBO you get direct Internet access just like you would with a local SIM. Basically you need LBO to avoid a VPN connection to some random far away country.
  - AlexAndScripts 3y ago
    Thanks for the explanation, that's really useful. I'll keep it in mind when travelling. I'm curious, why Israel and Poland? Are a lot of eSIM providers from there?
dataflow 3y ago

deleted 3y ago

[deleted]

ossguy 3y ago

Does it show eSIM providers that explicitly do not provide phone numbers? In particular, ones whose eSIM does not list any phone number that the OS can see (many "data-only" plans still have a phone number the OS can see/use). The closest I found on eSIMDB was a "Hide data only plans (no Voice / SMS)" option, but that's sort of the opposite. I'd like to see "Hide plans that have a phone number" for example. Mainly I ask because Apple-using friends of mine have told me that it's impossible to remove (e)SIM phone numbers from the iMessage database. There is apparently no setting to use to prevent Apple from making a (e)SIM phone number an option for iMessage, so it's important to have (e)SIMs that provide no phone number at all, to ensure that iMessage can't get confused about which identifiers the user actually wants available.