What do you need to do to have internet abroad?
To have internet abroad, you need a data plan that works outside your country: you can activate your carrier's roaming, buy a physical SIM upon arrival, or install an eSIM before leaving. eSIM is the simplest option because it's activated from your phone, without visiting a store or changing chips.
There's no single correct way to solve it. What changes between options is how much you have to do (find a store, wait in line, call your carrier) and how much is resolved directly from your phone screen before boarding the plane. The rest of this guide explains each path in enough detail for you to choose without guessing.
Why does your carrier's roaming get so expensive?
Roaming works because your carrier has an agreement with a local company in the country you're traveling to: your phone connects to that company's network, but your usual carrier still sends you the bill. The problem is that this agreement often has a cost per megabyte that isn't the same as what you pay in your local plan, and often isn't even clear until the bill arrives.
This explains why it's so common to hear stories of roaming bills far exceeding expectations: it's not that your phone "uses more" data abroad, it's that each megabyte outside your country can cost many times what it costs at home, and apps continue to update in the background even if you're not using them.
The mistake isn't traveling without having decided how you'll get data. The mistake is not deciding until you're already without a signal in the immigration line, with your map not loaded and the hotel chat awaiting confirmation.
How to get internet abroad, step by step?
In practical terms, there are three paths, and they all start with the same question: do you want to resolve it before traveling or upon arrival?
- Before traveling, from your phone: You install an eSIM profile with an international data plan. You do this with Wi-Fi at home, without relying on the airport or finding a signal upon landing.
- Before traveling, with your usual carrier: You check if your current plan includes an option for use outside the country and activate it. You can compare how this works depending on your carrier in this guide about your usual carrier's roaming.
- Upon arrival, at your destination: You buy a local physical SIM at an airport kiosk or store and swap it for yours. It works, but it involves finding the point of sale, waiting in line, and in many countries, showing identification.
For most trips of days or weeks, the first option has the least friction: you don't depend on finding anything upon arrival because it's already resolved before leaving home.
What is an eSIM and why does it solve the problem?
An eSIM is a SIM card that is not physical: instead of a chip that you insert into your phone's slot, it's a digital profile that is installed directly on the phone. It performs the same function as a physical SIM (connecting you to a network and providing you with a data line), but it is installed by scanning a QR code or tapping a link, rather than manipulating a tiny tray with a fingernail or paperclip.
The practical difference for a traveler is this: you can have the data profile for your destination country installed days before your trip, without having left your home, and without touching your usual number's physical SIM. If you want to understand how it works in more technical detail, it's explained in this guide on what an eSIM is.
How do you install an eSIM before traveling?
The process, in most cases, looks like this:
- You purchase the data plan for the country or region you are traveling to.
- You receive a QR code (by email or on an order management page).
- Using Wi-Fi, you open your phone's camera or "Mobile Data" settings and scan the code.
- The profile is installed but still off: it consumes nothing until you activate it.
- Upon landing at your destination, you activate the data for that profile from your phone.
The point most people overlook is the order of steps 3 and 5: installing and activating are not the same. You can install the profile at your leisure at home, using your usual Wi-Fi, several days before traveling, and simply leave it saved. You control the activation (when data consumption begins) separately, usually with a switch in your phone's settings, so there's no risk of using up the plan while you're still packing. The complete process, with screenshots for each model, is in this step-by-step guide for installing an eSIM.
Is your phone compatible with eSIM?
Not all phones have this feature, although it's becoming more common in mid-range and high-end devices from recent years. Before buying any data plan, it's a good idea to confirm two things: that the phone model supports eSIM and that it's not locked by the carrier you bought it from (some carriers lock the phone to their own network for a period, which can prevent installing another company's profile).
The fastest way to confirm this is to check your phone's settings: if there's an option to "Add Data Plan" or "Add eSIM" within the mobile networks menu, it's compatible. There's a more complete list of models and brands in this guide to eSIM-compatible phones.
eSIM, physical SIM, or roaming: which is best in each case?
There's no single answer because it depends on the type of trip. This table summarizes what each option entails in practice:
| Option | What you need to do | When it's ready | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Usual carrier's roaming | Check with your carrier if you have coverage outside the country and activate it | Immediate, but depends on your carrier's coverage and cost | Very short trips with minimal data usage |
| Local physical SIM | Find a point of sale upon arrival and swap the physical chip | After landing, as soon as you find the point of sale and wait in line | Long stays in a single country, with time to resolve it upon arrival |
| International eSIM | Buy and install the profile before leaving, activate upon landing | Minutes, from home, without leaving the airport queue | Most trips of days or weeks, even with multiple countries |
If you want to delve deeper into the difference between eSIM and traditional roaming, there's a dedicated comparison: eSIM vs. roaming.
A real example: internet on a 9-day trip to Peru
To see the theory applied, here's a specific case. Someone travels from Mexico to Peru for nine days: four in Lima and five between Cusco and Machu Picchu. The itinerary includes using maps to get around Lima, messaging to coordinate with the travel group, photos and videos for social media, and some remote work checking email from the hotel.
Before leaving, this person installs the eSIM profile using Wi-Fi at home, two days before the flight. They don't activate it yet. Upon landing in Lima, with the phone in airplane mode, they activate the profile's data from the settings; in less than a minute, they have a signal, without having waited in any lines. For the nine days, they use maps, messaging, and social media without worrying about the cost per megabyte, because the plan was already defined before leaving. Their usual number remains active on the physical SIM, so they can continue to receive calls and SMS verification codes while data goes through the eSIM.
The point that makes the difference in this example is not the technology itself, but the order: everything that depended on being in Mexico (installing the profile, defining the plan) was resolved in Mexico. The only thing left for the destination was to press a button.
How to make your data work in another country without surprises?
Beyond choosing eSIM, physical SIM, or roaming, there's a second decision as important as the first: how much data you'll need. Miscalculating in either direction has a cost, whether it's buying too much or running out halfway through your trip. This table gives an indicative idea of how much each type of usage weighs, excluding high-quality video streaming as constant daily use:
| Activity | Approximate data weight |
|---|---|
| Maps and occasional GPS navigation | Low |
| Text messaging (WhatsApp, SMS via app) | Very low |
| Social media with photos and scrolling | Moderate |
| Video calls | High |
| High-quality video streaming | Very high |
If your trip is mostly maps, messaging, and some social media, a modest plan is usually enough. If you're going to make work video calls every day or watch series on the bus, you need to budget with a margin. The advantage of solving it with eSIM is that, if you run short, you can add more data from your phone without having to find another physical store.
And if at any point something doesn't work as expected (the profile doesn't activate, the phone can't find a signal, or the QR doesn't scan), there's almost always an identifiable cause and a quick solution, compiled in this guide to common eSIM problems.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need Wi-Fi to install an eSIM?
Yes, to install the profile, you need an internet connection, because the phone has to download the network data. That's why it's better to do it before you travel, with your home Wi-Fi, instead of waiting to look for Wi-Fi at the destination airport.
Can I use my usual number and eSIM data at the same time?
Yes. Most compatible phones allow you to keep your usual number's physical SIM active for calls and SMS, while internet data goes through the eSIM profile. You don't need to remove your physical SIM to install an eSIM.
What happens if I run out of data before my trip ends?
You can purchase and activate an additional plan from the same phone, without needing to find a physical store. This is one of the advantages over a local physical SIM, where topping up depends on finding a point of sale.
Does an eSIM work in any country?
It depends on the plan you buy: there are plans for a single country and plans that cover multiple regions. Before purchasing, it's advisable to check that your travel destination is included in the specific plan's coverage.
Do I need to unlock my phone to use an eSIM?
If your phone is locked to a specific carrier's network, you might not be able to install another company's profile until you unlock it. It's advisable to confirm this with your carrier before traveling if you bought the phone with a plan.
Can I buy the eSIM on the same day of the flight?
Yes, technically you can even do it from the airport if Wi-Fi is available there. But it's more relaxed to resolve it in advance, at home, so you don't depend on the airport signal when you're already in a hurry.
What happens with calls and SMS if I don't have the physical SIM in?
If you leave your physical SIM in your phone along with the eSIM (most devices allow this), you will continue to receive calls and SMS from your usual number normally, while data goes through the international profile.
Can I use internet abroad without activating my carrier's roaming?
Yes. If you install an eSIM with an international data plan, you don't need to activate your usual carrier's roaming to have internet: these are two independent paths, and you can choose just one.
In summary
Having internet abroad doesn't depend on getting lucky upon arrival or finding the right store in an unfamiliar airport. It depends on a decision you can calmly make before leaving home: which option to use (eSIM, physical SIM, or roaming) and how much data you'll need according to your itinerary.
If your trip is similar to the example in this article (several days, various activities, not wanting to rely on hotel Wi-Fi), installing an eSIM before leaving is usually the path with the least friction: it's purchased and installed from your phone, activated upon landing, and coexists with your usual number without you having to touch your physical SIM. You can review available plans by destination in the international eSIM collection, which covers over 200 destinations with activation in approximately 1 minute and a 180-day period to activate it from the moment of purchase. If you prefer to start from scratch with a more extensive explanation, this complete guide for traveling with eSIM is also available. And if anything is unclear during the process, 24/7 support is available in all languages via email and WhatsApp.
