Starting immediately, Galaxus Mobile is offering dedicated travel eSIMs. Customers with Galaxus Mobile plans can now purchase a suitable travel eSIM via the Galaxus Mobile cockpit.
Galaxus Mobile is offering travel eSIMs for around 200 different countries. In addition to the country-specific offers, there are also six eSIM offers that cover entire regions with multiple countries.
What is a travel eSIM?
A travel eSIM is a digital SIM card that includes mobile services specifically geared to travel in certain countries or regions. Typically, you install a travel eSIM as a secondary SIM, while keeping your primary SIM as well. You use the travel eSIM to get online while in foreign countries. Some travel eSIMs also include phone call allowances.
The eSIM is purchased online and loaded directly to your eSIM-compatible device. Apple’s iPhone is one example of an eSIM-compatible device. Many Android-powered devices do not support eSIMs.
Which bundles does Galaxus Mobile offer?
For most countries, Galaxus Mobile offers five different bundles. The smallest bundle has one gigabyte of data, and is valid for a period of seven days. The other bundles are valid for 30 days.
Galaxus Mobile’s travel eSIM offers for Austria and Portugal are the cheapest. For many popular European travel destinations, the travel eSIM offers with one, three, or five gigabytes cost less than 10 francs, while those with 10 or 20 gigabytes cost less than 20 francs.
Alternatively, Galaxus Mobile also has travel eSIM offers that cover entire regions, with offers for Africa, Asia, Australia and New Zealand, Central America, Europe, the Middle East, and North America. The Europe travel eSIM offer can be used in 34 European countries – but does not include the UK. The regional travel eSIM offers are somewhat more expensive than the country-specific offers.
Are phone calls included?
The travel eSIM offers from Galaxus Mobile only include mobile data for using the Internet. They do not include phone call allowances.
Digitec Galaxus AG is the contractual partner, and also provides the customer service. But in the background, Galaxus Mobile works with the company eSIM Go to provide the service.
How do the travel eSIM offers compare with Swiss roaming offers?
In many cases, the travel eSIM offers from Galaxus Mobile work out cheaper than using data roaming bundles from Swiss mobile carriers. For example, for travel in Spain, Galaxus Mobile charges 15.50 francs for a travel eSIM with 20 gigabytes of data and a validity period of two weeks.
The cheapest roaming bundle for 20 gigabytes of mobile data in Spain costs 24.95 francs – and is offered by M-Tel. The established carriers are more expensive than that, with Salt charging 29.95 francs, and Swisscom charging 39.90 francs for its country-specific bundle. Sunrise customers have to pay 59.90 francs, but the bundle they get for that price includes 60 gigabytes of data.
It is worth mentioning, though, that the roaming bundles from M-Tel, Salt, and Sunrise can be used in many other countries in addition to Spain. The validity periods are also important. Many roaming data bundles offered by Swiss carriers have a one-year validity period. The travel eSIM offers from Galaxus Mobile expire after either seven or 30 days.
How do the Galaxus offers compare with other travel eSIMs?
There are already many specialized travel eSIM service providers that offer their products internationally. Swiss travelers can buy and use these international eSIM offers for travel.
A moneyland.ch comparison shows that Galaxus Mobile competes favorably with offers from major travel eSIM service providers. Depending on the travel destination, Galaxus Mobile may be cheaper or more expensive than service providers like Airalo, Nomad, and Ubigi.
Conclusion by telecom expert Ralf Beyeler
Following in the footsteps of Digital Republic, Galaxus Mobile has become the second Swiss carrier to begin offering travel eSIMs as an alternative to roaming bundles. Unlike Digital Republic, Galaxus Mobile also offers travel eSIMs for EU countries – a development that is shaking up the Swiss mobile roaming market.
In addition to the affordable pricing, the offer from Galaxus Mobile has the added advantage that Digitec Galaxus AG provides the customer service itself. That means customers can interact with an established Swiss company, which is not the case with international travel eSIM providers. That is an advantage for consumers who have reservations about using foreign carriers.
The disadvantage is that only existing Galaxus Mobile customers can purchase these travel eSIMs.
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