Imagine someone who has switched to an electric car but still worries about how much petrol is left in the tank. The technology has changed, but the mindset has not. Much the same is happening today with mobile internet while travelling abroad.
Most modern smartphones already support eSIM technology, allowing users to set up mobile data in just a few taps before departure. Yet many British travellers still rely on expensive roaming when they go abroad, risking a shockingly hefty bill when they return home. Others hope to buy a local SIM card at the airport, wasting time in queues and trying to make sense of unfamiliar mobile plans.
But the game is changing. More and more travellers are choosing to set up their mobile connection before they leave by using a travel eSIM from next-generation providers such as the Swiss company Yesim.
Why travel eSIM is replacing traditional roaming
The biggest advantage of a travel eSIM over traditional international roaming is simple: transparent pricing and complete control over your spending.
With conventional roaming, your home mobile operator sets the rules. It decides how much you pay for your plan, the data limits, and where one pricing zone ends and another begins. As a result, the final bill often comes as an unpleasant surprise. Your only real options are to accept the charges or switch off mobile data altogether.
A travel eSIM works differently — you choose the country or region, the amount of data you need, and how long your plan will last. If you purchase a package such as 10 GB for one month in Europe, you know exactly how much you will pay upfront.
To see how costs compare, consider two ways of staying connected during a one-week trip to the US. One prominent UK mobile plan charges £8 a day whenever you use roaming abroad. Over seven days, that adds up to £56, with the total usually becoming clear only after the trip.
By comparison, a 7-day unlimited data-only plan from Yesim for the United States costs £18.27, which is around a third of the price. Instead of navigating complicated roaming zones, you simply choose four straightforward options: destination, data allowance, duration, and price.
There is another important difference: flexibility. With traditional roaming, you're tied to the plan your mobile provider offers for the entire trip. A travel eSIM, on the other hand, lets you select different plans based on your specific itinerary.
That said, it is only fair to acknowledge one advantage of roaming: it requires no setup. It works straight out of the box as soon as you switch on your phone abroad. A travel eSIM takes just a couple of minutes to configure, but those few minutes can save you dozens of pounds.
Where eSIM ends and travel eSIM begins
It's important to understand the difference between eSIM technology itself and the travel services built around it. Many people assume that if their smartphone supports eSIM, they automatically have access to mobile internet abroad. That's not actually the case. Here's how it really works.
An eSIM is a microchip built into your smartphone. It is supported by every iPhone starting with the iPhone XS, most Google Pixel models, the latest Samsung Galaxy devices, Motorola smartphones, and many mid-range and premium Android phones. With an eSIM, you can remotely install mobile network profiles without using a physical SIM card.
A travel eSIM is built on this technology but expands it into a complete service designed specifically for travellers. It includes a user-friendly mobile app, a catalogue of plans for different destinations, tools for monitoring data usage and spending, and 24/7 customer support.
Five situations where a travel eSIM is the better choice
The advantages of a travel eSIM become most apparent in real travel scenarios. Today, providers offer solutions tailored to specific travel needs rather than a one-size-fits-all plan.
For multi-country trips: If your journey takes you across several countries, there is no need to switch operators or replace SIM cards at every border. A single regional plan is all you need.
For business travel: With a travel eSIM, email, messaging apps, and video calls work from the moment you land.
For digital nomads: Unlimited plans let you work remotely without worrying that your data allowance will run out halfway through an important video call.
For weekend breaks: If you are spending just a couple of days in a neighbouring country, there is little reason to pay for more data than you need. For example, Yesim offers a plan where you pay only for the data you actually use.
For round-the-world journeys: A single global plan can cover dozens of countries across multiple continents, so you can stay connected throughout your journey without having to think about getting connected again.
In each of these situations, you no longer have to adapt to rigid roaming plans. Instead, you can choose the package that best matches your itinerary and the way you use mobile data.
Yesim as an example of a new approach to connectivity
Founded in Switzerland in 2019, Yesim now serves more than 3.5 million users across 200+ destinations. The company recently became the official global eSIM partner of the World Players Super League (WPSL), the world's largest golf tour, which hosts more than 1,800 tournaments every year in over 50 countries.
You can set up your Yesim connection before leaving the UK. Simply check if your smartphone supports eSIM, download the app, install the eSIM profile, and choose a plan. Once you arrive at your destination, all you need to do is activate it.
Alongside local and regional plans, Yesim also offers global prepaid packages. The Global Package covers more than 80 countries, while the Global Plus Package extends coverage to over 140 destinations. These plans are popular with frequent travellers and those who prefer to plan their travel budget.
For people with flexible itineraries or those who do not need constant internet access, the Pay & Fly pay-as-you-go plan may be a better fit. With this option, you buy a single eSIM that works in more than 170 countries and pay only for the data you actually use.
Families travelling together may find the Multiple eSIMs feature particularly useful. It keeps everyone in your group connected without requiring each person to install the Yesim app.
Yesim also works with more than 800 mobile operators worldwide. There is no need to choose between networks or adjust any settings manually, as your smartphone automatically connects to the strongest available signal using Switchless Network technology.
For first-time travel eSIM users, Yesim offers a trial package with 500 MB of data for £0.45, making it easy to test the service with minimal risk. New customers can also use the promo code GETYESIM15 to receive a 15% discount on their first purchase.
When connectivity becomes part of the journey
Today, choosing between traditional roaming and a travel eSIM is less about habit and more about saving money and staying in control of your mobile spending. Why pay more for the same mobile internet service when there is a simpler and more transparent alternative?
"Travellers today are paying much closer attention to their expenses. Airfares, accommodation, and day-to-day travel costs continue to rise, especially during peak season. Reliable and straightforward internet access abroad has become a basic necessity. We believe staying connected while travelling should be easier and more affordable, not more complicated," says Dmitri Verbovski, Founder and CEO of Yesim.
Thanks to providers like Yesim, mobile internet abroad is becoming a predictable part of travel that you can sort in advance, with transparent pricing and no surprise charges when you get home.