Sunrise subsidiary Yallo has launched eSIM-based data bundles for getting online in more than 160 travel destinations. The bundles can be purchased directly via the accompanying Yallo Travel eSIM mobile app. In the background, Yallo works with telecom service provider One Global to offer the new travel eSIM.
You must reside in Switzerland to use the offer. Having a Yallo mobile plan is not a requirement for using the Yallo travel eSIM.
What is a travel eSIM?
A travel eSIM offer is a service provided via a digital SIM that is specially designed for use outside of your place of residence. The eSIM is loaded to your phone in addition to your main SIM card. You can use it to get online while traveling. Some travel eSIM offers also include phone call allowances.
You buy the eSIM offer through a mobile app, and the eSIM is then downloaded and installed on your eSIM-capable phone. All modern iPhones support eSIMs, but many Android-powered smartphones do not.
Which bundles are available with the new eSIM offer from Yallo?
The travel eSIM offers from Yallo only include mobile data for getting online. These are one-off bundles, and not a subscription. You buy a single data bundle only. The bundles do not include phone call allowances.
Yallo offers up to seven differently-sized bundles, with the exact selection varying depending on the destination country. The smallest bundle includes one gigabyte of data, and expires after one day. The other bundles are valid for 30 days, and include two, three, five, ten, twenty, or fifty gigabytes of data.
How much do the data bundles for Europe cost?
Data bundles for EU countries are among the cheapest available with the Yallo travel eSIM. A five-gigabyte bundle costs 5.50 francs. A 50-gigabyte bundle costs 31 francs. With the exception of Ireland and Cyprus, the prices are identical for all EU countries.
Surprisingly, bundles for the UK are much more expensive. A five-gigabyte bundle costs 11 francs, and a 20-gigabyte bundle costs 40.50 francs.
How much do data bundles for non-EU Balkan countries cost?
Travel eSIM offers are an interesting alternative for travel to Balkan countries that are not in the European Union. The reason is that nearly all Swiss mobile carriers charge very high fees for roaming in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia. What is more, the roaming allowances included in many Swiss mobile plans normally do not cover those countries and territories.
The cost of Yallo travel eSIM bundles vary broadly between Balkan countries. For example, a 10-gigabyte bundle costs 10 francs for Montenegro, between 11 and 18.50 francs for the other non-EU Balkan countries, and 26 francs for Kosovo.
How much do data bundles for non-European countries cost?
Prices vary hugely depending on which country you will travel to. A 10-gigabyte bundle costs 10 francs for Thailand, 12 francs for Japan, and 15 francs for the US, Australia, or New Zealand. Bundles for other countries can be a lot more expensive. For example, a 10-gigabyte bundle for Costa Rica costs 45 francs. Bundles for certain other countries are even more expensive.
Yallo does not currently offer travel eSIM bundles for popular holiday destinations Cuba, the Maldives, and Namibia.
How do Yallo’s travel eSIM offers compare with Swiss roaming bundles?
The travel eSIM bundles from Yallo are, in many cases, much cheaper than data roaming bundles from Swiss mobile carriers.
For example, Yallo charges 13 francs for a 20-gigabyte travel eSIM bundle for an EU country. The cheapest 20-gigabyte data roaming bundle from a Swiss carrier costs 24.95 francs (M-Tel). Roaming bundles from established Swiss telecom providers are even more expensive. A one-month bundle from Salt costs 29.95 francs. Swisscom offers country-specific bundles for 39.90 francs. Sunrise offers a large 60-gigabyte bundle, but with a price tag of 59.90 francs.
The new travel eSIM offers from Yallo are an interesting option for many Yallo customers. Up until now, Yallo’s data roaming bundles for Europe were limited to an offer with a three-day validity period (15 francs) and one with a 30-day validity period (45 francs).
How does Yallo’s offer compare with other travel eSIM offers?
There are many globally active telecom service providers that offer travel eSIMs. These companies frequently offer their services through established third-party service providers like the SBB/CFF, the airline SWISS, and Swiss mobile carriers like Digital Republic and Galaxus Mobile. Swiss consumers can choose from a broad selection of eSIM offers from many different providers.
A comparison by moneyland.ch shows that Yallo generally compares favorably with the competition. The travel eSIM offers from Yallo are somewhat cheaper or somewhat more expensive than those from specialized travel eSIM providers like Airalo, Nomad, and Ubigi, depending on the destination country.
Conclusion by telecom expert Ralf Beyeler
Sunrise, through its Yallo subsidiary, has become the first major Swiss telecom operator to offer travel eSIMs. But smaller Swiss carriers like Digital Republic and Galaxus Mobile have already offered these for some time now.
In my view, the entry of Sunrise into the market is a clear signal: The company understands that there has to be a cheaper alternative to conventional data roaming.
The Yallo travel eSIM offers are comparable to offers from other travel eSIM providers.
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