How it works
An eSIM is a SIM card that is already inside your phone. All we do is send you what goes on it.
The three steps
Choose your destination and plan
Pick the country and how many GB you need. Pay by card, Apple Pay, or Google Pay.
Get it by email straight away
You receive an email with your QR code and instructions for your phone model. Nothing to post, nothing to wait for.
Switch it on when you arrive
Install it at home over Wi-Fi before you leave. When you land, turn on mobile data and you are online.
Before you travel and when you arrive
At home, on Wi-Fi
Before you travel
- Install the eSIM as soon as you get the email.
- You need Wi-Fi to install it, because the eSIM downloads over the internet.
- Installing it uses no data and doesn’t start the plan.
At the airport
When you arrive
- Turn your phone on and switch on mobile data for the Glowi line.
- Turn on data roaming for that line (it’s normal and costs nothing extra).
- Your plan starts counting when the eSIM first connects to a network in your destination country.
Install it before you travel, not after. Installing an eSIM needs an internet connection. If you wait until you land and there is no Wi-Fi at the airport, you will not be able to install it.
You keep your number
Your phone uses two lines at once: your usual one for calls and texts, and the Glowi one for data only. WhatsApp, Telegram and your other apps keep working with your usual number, now on Glowi data.
WhatsApp stays the same. Same number, same chats.
Your bank’s text messages still arrive. Your usual line stays active.
No surprise bills. Your data abroad runs on Glowi, which you have already paid for.
Receiving calls and texts on your usual line outside the EU may cost money, depending on your mobile provider. Check with them before you travel.
Will it work on my phone?
iPhone
Settings → General → About. If you see “EID”, your iPhone supports eSIM.
Android
Settings → Connections → SIM manager. If there is an option to add an eSIM, your phone supports it.
Your phone also needs to be unlocked.
How to install it, step by step
You install it by scanning a QR code from your phone’s settings. It takes a couple of minutes and you can do it at home on Wi-Fi.
What a data eSIM does not include
No phone number. You cannot receive calls or texts on the Glowi line.
It does not replace your SIM. It works alongside it; your usual line stays where it is.
No calls over the mobile network. You can still call over WhatsApp, FaceTime or any other app.
Frequently asked questions
What happens if I run out of data?
Your eSIM stops connecting, but it stays installed on your phone. If your plan can be topped up, go to My eSIM and tap “Add data”: the data and days are added instantly, with nothing to install. If it can’t, buy another plan for the same destination and install it as a new eSIM, with its own QR code.
When does my plan start?
Your plan starts counting when the eSIM first connects to a network in your destination country. Installing it at home does not start it.
Can I install it before I travel?
Yes, and we recommend it. You can install it at home on Wi-Fi without it starting to count down.
Do I need to remove my current SIM?
No. Both lines work side by side on your phone: yours for calls and texts, Glowi’s for data.
Does it matter which country I buy it from?
No. The eSIM depends on your destination, not on your nationality or where you buy it.
Can I share the data with another device?
Yes, you can use your phone as a hotspot.
What if my phone is not compatible?
Write to us before you buy and we will check it with you. If you have already bought it and cannot install it, we will refund you.
I installed it but have no internet when I arrive. What should I do?
Check that mobile data and data roaming are switched on for the Glowi line. If it still does not work, write to us: a real person will reply.