What\u2019s an eSIM?<\/h2>\n
\nFirst, let\u2019s refresh our memory (or learn for the first time) what an eSIM \u2014 embedded SIM \u2014 is, and how it differs from traditional physical SIM cards.<\/p>\n
Every cell phone has one or more slots for mini, micro, or nano-SIM cards. This small piece of plastic with contacts and a chip \u2014 essentially a microcomputer \u2014 stores GSM identification keys, which the given network uses to identify the subscriber. The SIM card can also store your contacts, SMS messages, lists of incoming, outgoing, and missed calls, as well as pre-installed carrier apps. However, the memory capacity of SIM cards is usually small, which limits their functionality.<\/p>\n
But why not extract the chip from the plastic and install it into the phone directly? That\u2019s exactly how eSIMs emerged in 2016. The data identifying the subscriber is no longer hardwired into the SIM card\u2019s chip during manufacturing. Instead, it\u2019s transmitted by the carrier to the subscriber in encrypted form and written to the eSIM on their device. Thanks to its larger memory capacity, an eSIM can store multiple carrier profiles, so you can have several virtual SIMs in your phone at once.<\/p>\n
This doesn\u2019t mean they\u2019ll all work simultaneously, though. Most often, you can store multiple profiles and switch between them, but the upside is you don\u2019t have to fiddle with swapping tiny pieces of plastic and risk losing them. Depending on the smartphone, one or more profiles can be active simultaneously.<\/p>\n
What almost all modern smartphones allow you to do is choose which SIM to use for voice calls and text messages, and which for data. And this is one of the main advantages of eSIMs. To avoid huge roaming bills for mobile internet, you install Kaspersky eSIM Store<\/a>\u00a0on your smartphone, select your travel country or region, the plan type \u2014 either with a time limit or non-expiring \u2014 and the amount of data you need, then buy and activate the eSIM. If you buy the eSIM in advance, you can choose not to activate it immediately but schedule the desired activation date.<\/p>\n Installing and activating the eSIM takes a few minutes, and you can do it either in your destination country or at home. You\u2019ll need a stable internet connection for this, so we recommend doing it beforehand. When you arrive at your destination, the eSIM will automatically connect to a local carrier \u2014 but don\u2019t forget to enable roaming and switch data-transmission to the eSIM in your phone\u2019s settings, following the instructions provided.<\/p>\n eSIMs acquired from Kaspersky eSIM Store<\/a>\u00a0don\u2019t support voice calls \u2014 only data transmission. However, your regular SIM card stays in your phone, meaning you\u2019ll still receive text messages and incoming calls. You don\u2019t necessarily have to answer them while roaming, but you can always call back through messaging apps without breaking the bank on roaming. Now that\u2019s handy!<\/p>\n You can find out if your smartphone supports eSIM on the Kaspersky eSIM Store<\/a>\u00a0website.\n<\/p>\n \nLet\u2019s talk about some of the not-so-obvious advantages of Kaspersky eSIM Store<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n \nUnlike traditional SIM cards, activating an eSIM requires neither an ID\/passport, nor verification through local government services. Payment can be made in the mobile app or on the secure website<\/a>. Thus, your personal and banking details won\u2019t leak from some local SIM card stand.\n<\/p>\n \nWhen you first use it, you\u2019ll need to register on the website or in the app. But if you already have a My Kaspersky<\/a>\u00a0account, just link that, and you\u2019ll be logged in automatically. In your personal account on the website or in the app, you can track your mobile data usage in real time, receive notifications when you\u2019re about to run out of data, and instantly top up your eSIM with any amount of data you need.<\/p>\n You can track your mobile data usage in real time and instantly top up your eSIM<\/p><\/div>\n In some countries, a Smart Top-up<\/strong> feature is available. When your data balance drops below 100MB, we\u2019ll automatically boost your eSIM with the same amount of gigabytes that you purchased earlier and extend your plan\u2019s validity. That way, you won\u2019t be caught off guard by a sudden loss of connectivity.\n<\/p>\n \nOur wide selection of plans allows you to find the perfect fit. You can choose (i) a Local<\/strong> plan \u2014 valid in one of the 177 available countries and territories, (ii) one of nine Regional<\/strong> plans, or (iii) the Global<\/strong> plan \u2014 valid in 122 countries worldwide.<\/p>\n In the Kaspersky eSIM Store, you can choose between Local and Regional plans<\/p><\/div>\n Next, you can select the type of plan (Expiring<\/strong> or Non-expiring<\/strong>), specify how much data you need, and pay for it with your bank card in just a few clicks.<\/p>\n With Expiring<\/strong> plans, you need to use all your data within a fixed period, which is 30 days for most plans. With Non-expiring<\/strong> plans, your mobile data remains assigned to your account indefinitely. Even if you\u2019ve bought too much data and haven\u2019t been able to use it all up, or if you had to cut your trip short for some reason, you can use the remainder on your next journey to the same region.<\/p>\n With Expiring plans, you need to use all the data within a specific period; with Non-expiring plans, your data will wait patiently for your next journey<\/p><\/div>\n \nConveniently, you can activate your eSIM immediately upon purchase \u2014 for example, if you\u2019re already abroad \u2014 or postpone its activation to a specific date. By default, the eSIM starts working at the moment of purchase, and for Expiring<\/strong> plans, the validity period begins at that time too. However, if you like to plan and get everything ready in advance, you can buy a data plan ahead of time from home. At checkout, select the Schedule activation<\/strong> option, and specify your trip\u2019s start date. If your plans change, you can alter the activation date even after purchase.\n<\/p>\n \nThe issue with most travel eSIMs is that they\u2019re effectively single-use. You buy it, install it, use it, and that\u2019s it. You have to delete the eSIM from your phone and get a new one for your next trip. With Kaspersky eSIM Store<\/a>, you buy the eSIM once, install it on your smartphone, and then connect different data plans to it as needed. Still, there\u2019s nothing stopping you from buying more than one eSIM. For example, you could get one for each family member traveling with you. This way, you can monitor each person\u2019s data usage in a single personal account (and remind your teens to go easy on the social media if they\u2019re burning through their data too quickly!). Or, if you have an eSIM with remaining data on a Non-expiring<\/strong> plan for a specific country or region, but you\u2019re heading to a different part of the world, you can simply purchase another eSIM for your new destination. If you frequently travel to the same few countries, it\u2019s more cost-effective to set up multiple eSIMs, one for each country, and use a Non-expiring<\/strong> plan on each. That way, you won\u2019t lose a single byte. Kaspersky eSIM Store<\/a>\u00a0provides all the flexibility you need for eSIM juggling.\n<\/p>\n \nLet\u2019s start with something we\u2019ve covered in previous articles: when in a foreign country, it\u2019s much safer to use mobile internet than to connect to public Wi-Fi, and here\u2019s why<\/a>. However, buying a local SIM card isn\u2019t as easy as it seems. You need to find a mobile operator\u2019s store (or a booth selling SIMs), navigate a dizzying array of plans often described in the local language, and make sure they\u2019re not trying to push unnecessary services on you. Moreover, in most countries, you have to give the seller a copy of your passport to buy a SIM card. Are you sure you want to share your passport (and also maybe bank card details) with a stranger? And let\u2019s not forget the difficulties of tracking remaining data and topping up local SIM cards.<\/p>\n That\u2019s why using an eSIM \u2014 which doesn\u2019t require a passport to purchase, offers clear and transparent pricing, comes with no hidden fees or unwanted add-ons, and processes payments through a secure connection \u2014 is really the smartest way to go. To further enhance your gadgets\u2019 security while traveling, our robust protection<\/a>\u00a0will shield you from viruses, secure online payments, and warn you about connecting to unsafe networks. And for Android smartphone owners, it can even help locate a lost or stolen phone.<\/p>\n And Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection<\/a>, included with a Kaspersky Premium<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>subscription, or available separately, will encrypt your internet traffic \u2014 preventing interception, and helping you connect to banking sites, government services, or streaming platforms in your home country as if you never left it.<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" We’ve launched the Kaspersky eSIM Store \u2014 an easy way to buy and activate eSIM cards, giving you instant cellular internet access in over 150 countries and regions worldwide.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2706,"featured_media":24185,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,9],"tags":[2088,2008,2839,2601,43,499,97,949,321,633,677,174],"class_list":{"0":"post-24182","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-products","8":"category-tips","9":"tag-tips","10":"tag-esim","11":"tag-kaspersky-esim-store","12":"tag-kaspersky-premium","13":"tag-privacy","14":"tag-products-2","15":"tag-security-2","16":"tag-sim-cards","17":"tag-technology","18":"tag-travel","19":"tag-vpn","20":"tag-wi-fi"},"hreflang":[{"hreflang":"en-ae","url":"https:\/\/me-en.kaspersky.com\/blog\/kaspersky-esim-store\/24182\/"},{"hreflang":"en-gb","url":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.co.uk\/blog\/kaspersky-esim-store\/29063\/"},{"hreflang":"ru","url":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.ru\/blog\/kaspersky-esim-store\/39893\/"},{"hreflang":"tr","url":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com.tr\/blog\/kaspersky-esim-store\/13442\/"},{"hreflang":"x-default","url":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com\/blog\/kaspersky-esim-store\/53634\/"},{"hreflang":"fr","url":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.fr\/blog\/kaspersky-esim-store\/22861\/"},{"hreflang":"pt-br","url":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com.br\/blog\/kaspersky-esim-store\/23882\/"},{"hreflang":"de","url":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.de\/blog\/kaspersky-esim-store\/32301\/"},{"hreflang":"ja","url":"https:\/\/blog.kaspersky.co.jp\/kaspersky-esim-store\/37529\/"},{"hreflang":"en-au","url":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.com.au\/blog\/kaspersky-esim-store\/34995\/"},{"hreflang":"en-za","url":"https:\/\/www.kaspersky.co.za\/blog\/kaspersky-esim-store\/34632\/"}],"acf":[],"banners":"","maintag":{"url":"https:\/\/me-en.kaspersky.com\/blog\/tag\/travel\/","name":"travel"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/me-en.kaspersky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24182","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/me-en.kaspersky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/me-en.kaspersky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/me-en.kaspersky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2706"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/me-en.kaspersky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24182"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/me-en.kaspersky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24182\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24196,"href":"https:\/\/me-en.kaspersky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24182\/revisions\/24196"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/me-en.kaspersky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/24185"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/me-en.kaspersky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24182"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/me-en.kaspersky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24182"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/me-en.kaspersky.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24182"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Benefits of the Kaspersky eSIM Store<\/h2>\n
Privacy<\/h3>\n
Unified account<\/h3>\n
<\/a>
Value<\/h3>\n
<\/a>
<\/a>
Planning<\/h3>\n
Rollover and flexibility<\/h3>\n
Security<\/h3>\n