Travel notes
Practical guides for staying online abroad, written by the people who build Wigoo.
Glossary
How to install and activate an eSIM on iPhone and Android
One tap on iPhone, a QR code from another screen, or a code pasted on Android. Then the settings that make it actually work, and why you install it at home before you fly.
What are network bands?
Bands are the frequencies a phone and a network have to agree on. Why the same model behaves differently abroad, and how to check yours before you fly.
What is 5G standalone (SA) and non-standalone (NSA)?
Most 5G is still 4G underneath. Here is the difference between standalone and non-standalone, and why a travel eSIM often gets 4G where locals get 5G.
What is a carrier lock?
A carrier lock ties a phone to one operator and is the most common reason a travel eSIM will not connect. Here is how to check, and how to get it removed.
What is a day pass eSIM?
A day pass charges per day instead of per gigabyte, with a full speed allowance that resets each morning. When it costs less than a data plan, and when more.
What is an eSIM top-up?
A top-up adds data to the eSIM already on your phone instead of installing a new one. Here is why that matters, and when it is not possible.
What is an eUICC?
The eUICC is the chip soldered into your phone that can be rewritten over the air. How it relates to eSIM, EID and iSIM, and why a profile cannot be copied.
What is an MVNO?
An MVNO sells mobile service on someone else's network. Here is what that means for coverage and priority, and where travel eSIM providers sit in the chain.
What is wifi calling?
Wifi calling places calls on your normal number over any wifi connection, which is why it is the cheapest thing you can turn on before a trip. Here is the catch.
What are APN settings?
An APN is the doorway between your phone and the internet on a mobile network. Here is what it does, when you need to set one by hand, and why a wrong APN looks like no signal.
What is a fair use policy (FUP)?
A fair use policy is the limit hiding behind the word unlimited. What it caps, how to read one before buying, and what happens when you cross it.
What is an EID on a phone?
The EID is the 32 digit identifier of the eSIM chip in your phone. How to find it, why an operator asks for it, and how it differs from the ICCID and the IMEI.
What is an eSIM profile?
An eSIM profile is the data that turns the chip in your phone into a working SIM. What it contains, how many a phone holds, and why deleting one is permanent.
What is an ICCID?
An ICCID is the 19 or 20 digit serial number of a SIM, physical or eSIM. Here is what it identifies, where to find it on your phone, and why support asks for it.
What is an IMEI number?
The IMEI is the 15 digit identity of your phone itself. Here is how to find it, what networks use it for, and why a dual SIM phone has two.
What is an LPA string?
LPA:1$... is what an eSIM QR code actually contains. Here is how to read the three parts, when to type it by hand, and why it usually works only once.
What is an SM-DP+ address?
SM-DP+ is the server that holds your eSIM profile until your phone asks for it. Where the address comes from, and what it means when installation fails.
What is data roaming?
Data roaming is using mobile data on a network that is not your own. Here is what it costs, and why a travel eSIM needs it switched on while your home line needs it off.
What is dual SIM?
Dual SIM means two lines in one phone, which is what lets you keep your number while using a travel eSIM. Here is how it works and what the two lines can do at once.
What is tethering?
Tethering shares your phone's mobile data with a laptop or tablet. Here is how to turn it on, why it is sometimes blocked, and what it does to your allowance.
What is VoLTE?
VoLTE carries calls over the 4G network instead of 2G or 3G. Here is why it stopped being optional, and what it has to do with travelling.
What is an eSIM, and how do you use one abroad?
An eSIM is a SIM card built into your phone: you download it instead of inserting it. What changes from a plastic SIM, how to check your phone, and how to use one on a trip.
The basics
Buy a travel eSIM with an AI assistant: ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and shopping agents
AI assistants now plan trips and buy for people. How to get a travel eSIM through ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Copilot, Meta's Muse or a browser agent: what each one can do, how agents pay, what to check before paying, and how Wigoo sells to assistants.
Where EU roaming does not apply: Switzerland, the UK, Turkey, the Balkans and Andorra
Roam like at home covers the 27 EU countries plus Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Ukraine and Moldova. Switzerland, the UK, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, Turkey and the Western Balkans are not covered. The country by country list, checked against the European Commission's own pages.
Practical guides
Buy an eSIM for someone else: a parent, a friend, a client
You pay, they install. Send the eSIM straight to their email or to yours and forward the link. How to check their phone first, how they install it without you, and how an AI assistant or a travel agency can do the same.
Buy a travel eSIM without an account: step by step
On Wigoo an email and a payment are enough. Open the plan, type the email, choose Continue without the code and pay: the QR code appears on the page and in your inbox. What you get, what you skip, and how to sign in later.
Connect Wigoo to Claude or ChatGPT: the eSIM connector, step by step
Add the Wigoo MCP server to Claude, Claude Code or ChatGPT and ask for an eSIM in plain words: real plans, prices in your currency and a link that opens the right plan. Free, no key, two minutes.
What to pack for New York in December
The weather in numbers, why the wind matters more than the temperature, and the short list of things that actually change the trip. Including the one most people get wrong.
How to pay for the New York subway as a visitor
MetroCard is gone. You tap a contactless card or your phone, the fare is $2.90, and a weekly cap stops you paying more than $34. Here is what that means in practice.
Getting your phone online when you land at JFK
The first twenty minutes after a transatlantic flight, in order: what to switch on, what the airport wifi is like, and why buying a SIM at the airport is the expensive option.
Can I delete an eSIM and reinstall it? Read this before you tap delete
A travel eSIM usually installs once, so deleting it is usually permanent. What to turn off instead, what happens to the data you have left, and how to clear the eSIM from an old iPhone.
eSIM not working on iPad: what an iPad can and cannot do
Only Wi-Fi + Cellular iPads have an eSIM, the plan is data only, and the QR code has to be scanned by the iPad itself. How to check your model and set it up.
No network abroad even though roaming is on: what to check
The status bar is empty, says SOS, or keeps searching. That is not a data problem, it is the phone failing to register at all. The six causes, in order.
WhatsApp or iMessage not working abroad: the six things to check
WhatsApp and iMessage run on data, not on a phone signal, and they stay tied to your usual number. Why they stop abroad, and what to change on iPhone and Android.
Does an eSIM drain your battery?
The profile itself costs nothing. A second active line costs a little, and roaming on a weak signal costs a lot. What is worth turning off, and what the evidence actually says.
eSIM installed but no service: what to check, in order
The eSIM is in the list and the phone says No Service, SOS, or searching. The seven causes, on iPhone and Android, from the one that is almost always it to the one that means the phone cannot connect at all.
eSIM keeps disconnecting: why it drops and how to stop it
No service, then service, then nothing again. The five reasons a travel eSIM keeps dropping, and the three fixes that work most often, on iPhone and Samsung.
eSIM not showing up in settings: where it went and how to find it
The eSIM was installed and now it is not in the list, or it never appeared at all. Where the phone actually keeps it, on iPhone and Android, and which of these cases can be recovered.
eSIM QR code not working: why it fails and what to do
The code will not scan, the download fails, or the phone says the plan cannot be added. What each failure means, including the two cases where the honest answer is that it cannot work.
Why is my internet so slow abroad?
Speed on a travel eSIM comes from the partner network, the daily allowance, the cell above your head and where your data leaves the country. What you can change, and what nobody can.
Can a travel eSIM receive SMS? No, and how to get your codes abroad
Wigoo plans are data only: no phone number, so no SMS and no calls. How to keep receiving bank codes, WhatsApp verification and other texts while you travel.
Buying a local SIM at the airport: what it takes, country by country
Passport checks, biometric registration, queues and shops that are closed at night. What actually happens when you land and try to buy a SIM.
Data roaming is on but there is no internet: how to fix it
The eSIM is installed, roaming is on, and still nothing loads. The five settings that cause it, on iPhone and Android, in the order to check them.
Crossing a border by land with an eSIM: what happens to your data
Bus from Thailand to Laos, train from Turkey to Georgia, car from Poland to Ukraine. When your eSIM switches network, when it stops working, and what to buy instead.
Setting up an eSIM for someone else: parents, kids and school trips
How to prepare a phone that is not yours before a trip, what to write down for them, and how to help from home when something goes wrong.
Three months abroad: travel eSIM or a local SIM?
For an Erasmus term, a long work posting or a season away, a travel eSIM stops being the obvious answer. Where the line is, honestly.
Working from a laptop abroad: how long an eSIM really lasts as a hotspot
Tethering eats data far faster than a phone does. Realistic numbers for a working day, what to turn off first, and when a day pass beats a fixed plan.
New iPhone, eSIM not working: what changed and what to check
Every September a new iPhone arrives and travel eSIMs seem to break. What actually happens when you transfer a phone, and how to move or reinstall a travel plan.
An eSIM on a cruise: what works in port, what does not at sea
At sea your phone finds the ship's satellite network, which is charged like nothing else. How to use an eSIM for the ports and avoid the bill from the open water.
Will a travel eSIM work on my Apple Watch or Galaxy Watch?
Cellular watches use a different kind of eSIM, tied to your carrier plan. What works abroad, what does not, and how to stay reachable on your wrist.
Your phone breaks mid trip: what happens to the eSIM inside it
An eSIM cannot be moved like a plastic SIM. What you can recover if your phone is lost, stolen or replaced abroad, and how to avoid losing the plan.
How much data do your apps really use on a trip?
Maps, WhatsApp, Instagram, video calls and streaming, with realistic numbers per hour, and how many gigabytes a normal week abroad actually needs.
Eight hours in an airport: is a one day eSIM worth it?
Airport Wi-Fi is free in most big hubs, but not always simple. When a short eSIM plan is worth buying for a layover, and when the terminal network is enough.
Two countries, one trip: regional plan or two separate eSIMs?
Japan and Korea, Turkey and Georgia, the UAE and Oman. How to decide between one regional plan and two country plans, and what changes at the border.
Destinations
eSIM for New York: what to know before you fly
Which US networks a travel eSIM uses, what coverage is really like in Manhattan and the subway, and why you should install before you leave rather than on arrival.
New York Christmas markets: which ones are worth the trip
Bryant Park, Union Square, Columbus Circle and Grand Central, with what each is good for, when they open and close, and which one to skip if you only have one evening.
New York in December: what to know before you book
What December in New York is actually like: the cold, the crowds, what is free, what needs booking weeks ahead, and the dates that decide when to go.
Rockefeller Center Christmas tree 2026: dates, crowds and the best time to go
The 2026 tree arrives on 7 November and is lit on Wednesday 2 December. Here is what the lighting night is really like, and why most people should skip it.
Times Square on New Year's Eve: the rules nobody tells you
No bags, no alcohol, no bathrooms, and you arrive in the afternoon for a midnight event. What standing in Times Square on 31 December actually involves.
Is there phone signal in Petra, Wadi Rum and the rest of Jordan?
Network measurements show Zain dense in Amman, Aqaba and the Dead Sea hotels, 4G at the Petra entrance and no measurements in the Siq or at the Monastery. Wadi Rum has only a handful. Place by place.
Is there phone signal in Tunisia, from Djerba to the Sahara?
Network measurements show Ooredoo 5G in the Tunis medina, Sidi Bou Said, Djerba, Tozeur, Douz and Tataouine, 4G at Ksar Ghilane, and thin data around Matmata and Chenini. Place by place.
Is there phone signal on Acatenango volcano? Barely, at base camp
On the Acatenango hike you can sometimes send a text from base camp on Claro or Tigo, and not much more. What to prepare offline for the overnight climb facing Fuego.
Is there phone signal at Angkor Wat?
Angkor Wat, Bayon and Ta Prohm have good mobile service. Towards Banteay Srei, Beng Mealea and Koh Ker it thins out, and Metfone reaches furthest. Plus current Angkor Pass prices.
Is there cell service in Arches and Canyonlands?
Arches has signal at the Visitor Center, Balanced Rock and the top of Delicate Arch, not at The Windows or Devils Garden. Canyonlands has a little at Island in the Sky and none in The Needles.
Is there cell service on the Icefields Parkway and in Banff?
Banff and Jasper towns are covered, but Parks Canada says the Icefields Parkway has no cell coverage, and Moraine Lake has none at the lake. Where the emergency phones are.
Is there cell service in Big Bend? Chisos Basin on Verizon, and little else
Big Bend has fairly reliable service in the Chisos Basin (Verizon only) and near Panther Junction, and long stretches of none. Free Wi-Fi at every visitor center. The Chisos Basin closure was cancelled.
Is there phone signal at Mount Bromo and Ijen crater?
At Bromo, yes on Telkomsel, Indosat and XL, from Cemoro Lawang to the crater rim. At Ijen, Telkomsel reaches the crater rim while the others are patchy. Based on network measurements from September 2026.
The Buddhist circuit by phone: Lumbini, Bodh Gaya, Sarnath and Kushinagar
A pilgrimage across India and Nepal means two networks and a land border at Sunauli. How to stay connected on both sides, and the phone rule at the Mahabodhi Temple.
Phone signal and eSIM on the Camino de Santiago
Where the signal drops on the Camino Francés, Portugués and del Norte, the Pyrenees stage with no coverage, and who actually needs an eSIM, ahead of the 2027 Holy Year.
Google, WhatsApp and Instagram in China with a travel eSIM
Our China plans route data through Hong Kong, so Google, WhatsApp and Instagram open without a VPN. What works, what still does not (ChatGPT, hotel Wi-Fi) and how to pay and navigate.
Is there cell service in Death Valley? Only at Furnace Creek and Stovepipe Wells
Death Valley has slow, limited service at Furnace Creek and Stovepipe Wells on third-party towers that need roaming on, and none elsewhere. 24-hour Wi-Fi at the Furnace Creek Visitor Center.
December in Ghana and Nigeria: staying connected for Detty December
December in GH runs from 1 December 2026 to 3 January 2027. What visitors need for a SIM in Ghana and Nigeria, which networks our eSIM uses, and the honest ranking of Glo in Nigeria.
Is there phone signal in Hurghada, Sharm, on a Nile cruise and in the desert?
Good 4G in the Red Sea resorts and in Luxor and Aswan, on and off on Nile cruises, and none in the White Desert away from the roads. Plus what we know about WhatsApp calls in Egypt.
Egypt's phone tax in 2026: what tourists need to know
Since 21 January 2026, phones brought into Egypt pay a fee once used on a local SIM. Tourists get 90 days free, and a foreign SIM in roaming pays nothing.
Is there phone signal at Everest Base Camp? Village by village
Mobile data works from Lukla to Namche, fades after Dingboche, and at Everest Base Camp itself there is almost none. Which network lasts longest, and where Everest Link Wi-Fi takes over.
Is there phone signal in the Galápagos? In town yes, at sea no
Puerto Ayora, Puerto Baquerizo Moreno and parts of Isabela have mobile signal, with Claro rated best. On cruises the signal ends at the port, and Starlink Wi-Fi is now common on boats.
Is there cell service in Glacier National Park?
Glacier has calls and texts near West Glacier and Apgar, good signal from St. Mary a few miles up Going-to-the-Sun Road, and none at Logan Pass, Many Glacier or Two Medicine. No cell service at the lodges.
Is there cell service at the Grand Canyon? The rim yes, the trails no
Verizon and AT&T cover Grand Canyon Village on the South Rim, but the signal is gone about half a mile down the trail. Where the emergency phones are, and the 2026 North Rim closures.
Grand Magal of Touba 2027: which network holds up in the crowd
The Magal is expected around 23 July 2027. The regulator's tests at the 2026 Magal ranked Orange first, Yas second and Expresso far behind. What that means for the diaspora travelling home.
Is there cell service in the Great Smoky Mountains? Mostly no
The National Park Service says cell service in the Great Smoky Mountains is extremely limited and mostly non-existent, with none in Cades Cove or Cataloochee. Service is in Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Cherokee.
WhatsApp and FaceTime calls in the UAE, Qatar and Oman with a travel eSIM
Local networks in the Gulf restrict internet calls. Our plans there route data through Europe or Singapore, which is why calls usually work, but not by guarantee. What to expect, country by country.
Is there phone signal on a Ha Long Bay cruise?
Near shore and on the main routes, mostly yes, with Viettel the most consistent. Deep among the karsts some named spots still have none, though new towers went up in 2026.
eSIM for Hajj 2027: staying connected in Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah
Hajj 2027 is expected in mid May, with Arafah Day around 15 May. How much data pilgrims really use, what the Nusuk card needs from your phone, and how to stay reachable in the crowd.
Is there phone signal on Iceland's Ring Road and in the Highlands?
Reliable on the busy Ring Road and South Coast, weaker between settlements, and not to be relied on in the Highlands. What to set up before you drive, including the SafeTravel app.
Does a Japan eSIM work in Hokkaido, Okinawa, the mountains and on the Shinkansen?
Japan's 5G reaches 98.6% of the population and 99.9% in Okinawa, and every Shinkansen tunnel is covered. The exceptions: high mountains, and Shiretoko.
eSIM for Japan with a phone number? What tourists can get, and when they need one
Travel eSIMs for Japan, ours included, are data only. When a Japanese number really matters (taxis, restaurant bookings, LINE), what works without one, and where to get a real number if you must.
Is there cell service in Joshua Tree? Almost none inside the park
The National Park Service says very few areas of Joshua Tree have coverage: service is in the surrounding towns. Free Wi-Fi at the visitor centers and an emergency phone at Intersection Rock.
Is there phone signal on Kilimanjaro? Not on every network
Kilimanjaro has had internet at Horombo, Kibo and even Uhuru Peak since 2022, but on TTCL's network. On Airtel, which our eSIM uses, there are no measurements above the gates. What that means for your climb.
Kumbh Mela 2027 in Nashik: dates, crowds and staying connected
The Nashik-Trimbakeshwar Simhastha Kumbh opens on 31 October 2026, with the main bathing days in August and September 2027. What foreigners need for a SIM, and how to stay reachable.
Lourdes and Fátima: staying connected on a Marian pilgrimage
Fátima welcomed 6.5 million pilgrims in 2025 and Lourdes around 3.4 to 4 million. Key dates, the official sanctuary app, and who needs an eSIM on a trip through France and Portugal.
Can tourists use M-Pesa in Kenya? Yes, with a Safaricom line
M-Pesa needs a Safaricom SIM registered with your passport, usually at a Safaricom shop. A data-only travel eSIM does not give you M-Pesa. How to set both up for a Kenya trip.
Is there phone signal at Machu Picchu and on the Inca Trail?
Aguas Calientes has reliable 4G, the citadel is patchy, and the Inca Trail loses signal after the first morning. What to expect on each part, and on which network.
Is there phone signal in the Masai Mara, Amboseli and Tsavo?
Good 4G near the Mara gates and main camps, patchy in much of the reserve and at the river crossings. Reliable around Amboseli's Ol Tukai, mixed in Tsavo. What to expect on a Kenya safari.
Medjugorje and roaming: Bosnia is outside the EU, and your phone knows it
Bosnia and Herzegovina is not in EU roaming, so a pilgrimage to Medjugorje can cost more on the phone bill than expected. What operators charge, and how to stay connected for less.
Is there phone signal in Merzouga and the Sahara desert camps?
Orange has 4G in Merzouga and Hassilabied villages and at the western edge of the Erg Chebbi dunes. In camps deep in the dunes, coverage is not confirmed. What to expect for a desert night.
Is there phone signal at Milford Sound?
Generally no: limited coverage after Te Anau and none in the sound itself. Where the emergency phones are on the Milford Road, and what to prepare before you drive in.
SIM card at Marrakech or Casablanca airport, or an eSIM? An honest comparison
Moroccan SIM cards at the airport are cheap per gigabyte and often free as a card. What they cost, the passport rule, and when a travel eSIM is still worth it.
Is there phone signal in Morocco's medinas, the Atlas and the desert?
Network measurements show 5G in Marrakech and Essaouira, 4G+ in Chefchaouen and Imlil, and gaps in the upper Dades gorge and at the Toubkal summit. Where Orange Maroc reaches, place by place.
Is there phone signal on Mount Fuji? Yes, even at the summit
docomo and au publish 5G at the summit of Mount Fuji and 4G on all four trails during the climbing season. What that means with a travel eSIM, plus the free Wi-Fi at the huts.
Is there phone signal at the Salar de Uyuni?
Tigo lists 4G in Uyuni town and Colchani, at the edge of the salt flat. Out on the salar, at Incahuasi and on the Lipez circuit to Laguna Colorada, there is no confirmed Tigo coverage.
Is there cell service in Sequoia and Kings Canyon?
AT&T near the Sequoia entrance, Verizon at Grant Grove and Lodgepole, and no service at all in Cedar Grove and Mineral King, according to the National Park Service. Free Wi-Fi at two visitor centers.
Is there phone signal in the Serengeti and Ngorongoro?
On Airtel, network measurements show 4G around Seronera, at Naabi Hill gate and near Kogatende in the north. Ngorongoro has no Airtel measurements. What to expect on safari.
Phone signal on the Shikoku 88 pilgrimage and the Kumano Kodo
Most of the Kumano Kodo Nakahechi is covered by docomo and au, with a known gap between markers 43 and 55. On Shikoku's 1,200 km, docomo reaches furthest. What to prepare offline.
Is there phone signal on the Tongariro Alpine Crossing?
On One NZ, moderate 4G on the climb from Soda Springs to South Crater and on the descent towards Ketetahi, and none at Emerald Lakes, Central Crater and Blue Lake. From One NZ's own coverage map.
Is there phone signal in Torres del Paine? Almost none on the W
About 95% of the W and O treks have no reception, and the few spots with signal are on Entel. What that means with a travel eSIM, and the free WhatsApp at the Vértice refugios.
Cell service in US national parks: park by park
Where you get signal in 16 US national parks, from Yellowstone's villages to Joshua Tree's almost total silence, based on what the National Park Service publishes. With the free Wi-Fi spots in each park.
Is there cell service in Yellowstone? In the villages, yes
Yellowstone has cell service around Mammoth, Old Faithful, Grant Village, Lake and Canyon, often overloaded in summer, and none on the roads between them. Verizon is rated most reliable, AT&T strongest at Canyon.
Is there cell service in Yosemite? Area by area
Yosemite Valley has AT&T and Verizon LTE, Glacier Point only AT&T, Tuolumne almost nothing. What the National Park Service publishes, and what that means with a travel eSIM.
Is there cell service in Zion National Park?
Zion has cell service at the park entrances and patchy coverage inside, with large areas of none on many trails. Free Wi-Fi at the Zion Canyon Visitor Center and the Human History Museum.
Arbaeen in Iraq: how to stay connected on the walk to Karbala
Millions of pilgrims, roads between Najaf and Karbala, and a network under enormous load. What an eSIM can and cannot do, and what to prepare offline.
Going home for the summer with a European SIM: what it costs outside the EU
Morocco, Turkey, Albania, Serbia, Egypt. Inside the EU roaming is included, but the countries the diaspora goes home to are not, and the bill shows it.
Staying connected in Makkah and Madinah during Ramadan
In the last ten nights the holy cities hold enormous crowds, and every network feels it. What to download before you go, and how to stay reachable.
eSIM for Japan: how to stay online from the moment you land
Which networks you connect to, how much data you really need, and how to set up an eSIM for Japan before you leave home.
eSIM for Umrah: staying connected in Makkah and Madinah
Why you need data during Umrah, which network you connect to in Saudi Arabia, how much data to take and how to set up an eSIM before you fly.
Roaming, carrier by carrier
Singtel, StarHub, M1 and SIMBA roaming: what it costs abroad and how to pay less
Roaming plans from Singtel, StarHub, M1 and SIMBA, read on their official sites and compared with a travel eSIM, for Malaysia, Thailand, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Europe and the US.
e& and du roaming: what it costs abroad and how to pay less
The postpaid roaming packs of e& and du, read on their official websites, compared with a travel eSIM for India, Pakistan, the Philippines, the UK, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Turkey.
Roaming from the UAE to Egypt: e& and du packs or an eSIM
Going to Cairo or the Red Sea from Dubai? du's weekly bundles give 10 GB for 100 AED, e&'s give 2.5 GB for 250 AED. The comparison with a travel eSIM, and a word on Egypt's phone tax.
Roaming from the UAE to India: e& and du packs or an eSIM
Going home to India from Dubai or Abu Dhabi? du's weekly bundles give 10 GB for 100 AED, e&'s give 2.5 GB for 250 AED. The comparison with a travel eSIM on Airtel.
Roaming from the UAE to Pakistan: e& and du packs or an eSIM
Visiting family in Pakistan from Dubai or Sharjah? du's weekly bundles give 5 GB for 70 AED, e&'s give 2.5 GB for 250 AED. The comparison with a travel eSIM on Jazz.
Roaming from the UAE to the Philippines: e& and du packs or an eSIM
Flying home to the Philippines from Dubai? du's weekly bundles give 10 GB for 100 AED, e&'s give 2.5 GB for 250 AED. The comparison with a travel eSIM on Globe and Smart.
Umrah from the UAE: e& and du Umrah packs or an eSIM
For Umrah from Dubai or Abu Dhabi, e& and du both sell Umrah and GCC packs: 15 GB for 150 AED on e&, 10 GB for 99 AED on du. The comparison with a travel eSIM on STC 5G.
Roaming from the UAE to Turkey: e& and du packs or an eSIM
Heading to Istanbul from Dubai? du's weekly bundles give 10 GB for 100 AED, e&'s give 2.5 GB for 250 AED. The comparison with a travel eSIM on Vodafone and Türk Telekom.
Roaming from the UAE to the UK: e& and du packs or an eSIM
Travelling to London from Dubai? du's weekly bundles give 10 GB for 100 AED, e&'s give 2.5 GB for 250 AED. The comparison with a Europe eSIM that also covers the UK.
Comparisons
Wigoo vs Airalo: prices, unlimited plans and cashback compared
Side by side prices for Japan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, France and the USA, plus what each offers on unlimited data, top-ups and rewards.
Wigoo vs Holafly: fixed data or unlimited, which costs less?
Holafly sells only unlimited plans, Wigoo sells both. We compared prices for Japan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, France and the USA to see which fits your trip.
Wigoo vs Nomad eSIM: prices and plans compared
Prices for Japan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, France and the USA side by side, including Nomad's sale prices and unlimited plans.
Wigoo vs Saily: prices and features compared
Prices for Japan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, France and the USA side by side, plus unlimited plans, top-ups and rewards.
Wigoo vs Ubigi: prices and plans compared
Prices for Japan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, France and the USA side by side, plus unlimited plans, top-ups and rewards.
For travel businesses
How to become a travel agent: the realistic version
The realistic version: what you need, what you do not, what the first year earns, and the three decisions that matter more than everything else combined.
How to calculate travel agent commission
Worked examples with real numbers: what is commissionable, how a host split changes the figure, and why the amount you are paid is always less than the percentage suggests.
Do you need a travel agent license? Seller of travel registration in the US
There is no general travel agent license in the US. Four states register sellers of travel, and the rules follow your client rather than your address. Here is what each one requires.
What is a host agency?
A host agency holds the accreditation and lets independent agents book under it, splitting the commission. Here is how the splits and fees work, and what to check before signing.
How much does roaming actually cost your company? The method, in four buckets
Twelve months of mobile invoices, four kinds of charge separated, a count of travellers and trips, and one number: cost per traveller per trip. With a worked example and the assumptions written out.
How to give employees eSIMs: the rollout, the four decisions, and what breaks
The company pays, the employee installs on their own phone. What a manager sets before the first trip, what the app says when a purchase is outside the rules, and the three failure modes worth planning for.
Can my employer see my phone usage on a company paid eSIM?
On a Wigoo company account the employer sees spend, destinations and who. It does not see data consumption, and it never sees browsing, location or message content. Why the line is there, and how a company phone differs.
Business eSIM explained: two different products with the same name
One is a carrier line with a company phone number on it. The other is data for a trip, with no number, no calls and no SMS. Which one your company actually needs, and what each one does not do.
Competing with online travel agencies: an honest account of what they do better
What an OTA beats you at, what it structurally cannot do, and what to say to a client who asks why they should not just book online. With the market figures and their sources.
How much data do you need for a work trip?
The business travel version of the question: Teams, Zoom, screen sharing, a VPN and a tethered laptop. Per hour figures from Microsoft and Zoom's own documentation, and a per day number for three kinds of traveller.
Can I add an eSIM to my work phone? Why the button is missing, and what to ask IT
Four different things stop an eSIM going onto a company phone: a supervised device with the restriction on, a carrier lock, an Android or Knox policy, and a full slot. How to tell which, with the vendor documentation.
Roaming bill shock on a work trip: the five real causes, and the setting that stops each one
A country outside the zone, a ship or aircraft network, a laptop syncing on the hotspot, a pass that expired mid trip, and a second line left on data. What each one costs, and who ends up paying.
Selling cruises as a travel agent: the commission, and what the fare takes back
How cruise commission is calculated, how much of a fare can be non commissionable, tour conductor credits and group amenity points, the attachments that pay, and what breaks at final payment.
Travel agency cash flow: why profitable agencies run out of money
Deposits, final payment dates, when each supplier type actually pays commission, chargebacks and commission recalls, and the working capital a growing agency needs. Sourced, with dates.
Corporate travel policy and duty of care: how a small agency wins a company account
What a travel policy contains, how approvals should work, what duty of care means in practice, and what an agency can honestly promise about tracking travellers and answering out of hours.
How to get clients as a travel agent: what actually brings enquiries
Where a travel agency's clients really come from, what to do first if you are starting out, and the marketing ideas that are worth the time. Practical, no growth hacking.
Group travel booking: deadlines, rooming lists and where the margin goes
How group bookings really work for an agent: minimum sizes, deposits and cut-off dates, rooming lists, free places and the six places a group quietly loses money. With supplier terms quoted and dated.
How travel agents make money: commissions, fees and what is left over
Suppliers pay the commission, clients pay the fees, and roughly 10% of a booking reaches the agency before splits. Where the money comes from today, with the sources and dates.
What to send clients before they travel: a pre departure checklist
The message an agency sends a few days before departure: documents and visas, check-in times, baggage, transfers, emergency numbers, cards abroad and getting online. A checklist you can copy.
Travel agency ancillary revenue: what else you can sell to a client who has already booked
Insurance, transfers, excursions, car hire, service fees and connectivity. Which add-ons pay, what the published rates are, and how to offer them without turning into a salesperson.
How to keep travel clients: the year between two trips
Repeat bookings come from what you do in the months when nobody is travelling. Notes, three messages that work, what a travel newsletter should contain, and loyalty that does not cost you your commission.
What it costs to run a travel agency: the bills in order of size
Startup costs, accreditation and bonding, software, card fees and the overheads nobody invoices you for. Published figures with their sources, and an honest list of the prices no vendor will tell you.
Travel agency marketing that a small agency can actually keep up
Reviews, a complete local profile, photos from real trips, and a posting rhythm you can hold for a year. Plus what to do the day a bad review arrives.
Travel agency software: what a small agency needs, and what it gets sold
The real categories, from GDS access to mid office, CRM, quoting and itinerary builders. Published prices where the vendor publishes them, the ones that are quote-only, and an honest answer on free software.
Travel agent commission rates, product by product
Published rates for air, hotels, cruises, tours, car hire and insurance, what the effective rate is after non-commissionable components, and why your own rate differs.
The travel quote that gets a yes: what to put in it and when to follow up
What goes into a travel proposal, how many options to offer, how to present the price, and what to do when a client goes quiet. Practical, with the pre-contractual information the law already asks you for.