How to use an eSIM to have internet when traveling (and avoid roaming) • Tecnoblog

Planning an international trip usually involves a large number of stresses beyond purchasing tickets, such as accommodation, transport and, currently, connectivity.

In these cases, local 4G or 5G usually do not work, and what remains is the dependence on public (and often insecure) Wi-Fi networks at the airport and other parts of the city to be able to request transport via an app or simply notify the family that you have arrived safely.

As a solution to this problem, services like Yesim use eSIM technology — an embedded chip that already equips most modern smartphones — to allow travelers to purchase international data plans before even leaving home, ensuring immediate connection upon landing.

What is an eSIM?

The SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) is the component that stores the user’s identity and connects the smartphone to an operator’s network. For decades, it was a plastic card that needed to be inserted into a drawer — and that got smaller and smaller, from the standard to the so-called Nano-SIM.

Eventually, the eSIM (or embedded SIM) emerged as the next step in this evolution: the same component started to be integrated directly into the smartphone’s hardware, soldered on the factory motherboard or embedded in the SoC.

With the new feature, instead of exchanging a plastic card, the user now downloads an “eSIM profile”. This profile is a software package with an operator’s settings, which is digitally installed on this embedded chip.

The big advantage is that smartphones with eSIM can store multiple profiles at the same time. Therefore, a traveler can keep their main number in Brazil and, simultaneously, activate a data profile to use abroad, switching between them in the device settings.

For years, solutions for having internet abroad were limited and inconvenient. For users with a good data plan, one option is to activate the Brazilian operator’s international roaming, which generally results in high-cost bills. Another option is to look for a local telephone store and deal with the bureaucracy to buy and activate a chip.

However, through apps like Yesim, travelers can choose a plan for more than 200 destinations, without needing new contracts or documents.

Upon arriving at your destination, the service automatically connects to the best 4G or 5G network available, thanks to partnerships with more than 800 local operators.

The technology is already a reality in most modern smartphones, including recent models of iPhone, Samsung, Motorola, Xiaomi and other brands. You can check your device’s compatibility with Yesim through the website.

Configuring Yesim

The process is done through the application. First, download the Yesim app and choose the most suitable destination and data plan. The installation of the eSIM profile is done directly through the app, and this profile remains on the device, free of charge, while the user is in Brazil.

After landing at your destination, the activation process is manual and takes just a few seconds:

• Access your smartphone’s Settings
• Enter “Cellular” or “Mobile Networks”
• Activate Yesim profile as the main line for mobile data
• Enable the Data Roaming option (which is free on Yesim plans)

Connection to the local network, including 4G and 5G, is immediate. It is important to note that the Brazilian operator profile does not need to be removed or deactivated; Modern smartphones allow both profiles (Brazilian for voice and Yesim for data) to work simultaneously.

Upon returning to Brazil, the user simply reverses the process in the settings, deactivating the Yesim profile and setting the Brazilian line as the data default again.

Is Yesim safe?

Data security is one of the concerns that a traveler must have when traveling, and depending on public Wi-Fi networks at the destination is putting yourself as an easy target for data interception.

In the case of eSIM, the technology itself already offers a layer of security, as profiles are protected by bank-grade encryption (GSMA RSP standard).

In addition, Yesim also allows the acquisition of virtual telephone numbers in some markets, useful for those who need to register for local services without having to expose their personal number in Brazil.

Yesim’s plans

Finally, you need to size your data plan. How much internet is enough for you? It depends on the travel profile, and, to help with this choice, the company’s website has a tool that calculates a recommended plan based on the activities the user intends to carry out (such as time spent using GPS or social networks).

The main plans are:

• Plans by country or region: focused on a single destination (such as Japan or the USA) or an entire region (such as Europe or the Americas). In these cases, the user can opt for unlimited data packages (contracted for a fixed number of days) or prepaid (with a defined data volume, such as 10 GB or 20 GB).
• Global Package: a prepaid plan that covers more than 80 countries.
• Global Plus Package: a similar prepaid plan, but which expands coverage to more than 140 countries.
• Pay & Fly: the “pay for what you use” modality, with coverage in more than 170 countries, in which the user only pays for the data they consume, with no hidden fees.

Yesim also offers a 500 MB trial package for US$0.60 for those who want to try the service.

New users can use the promotional code GETYESIM15 to receive 15% off your first order. Check out all the plans and how the service works on Yesim’s official website.