There’s a lot of convenience and flexibility that comes with an eSIM, which is why phone manufacturers and consumers are adopting them more and more: they take seconds to set up, you can switch between them quickly, and you don’t have to swap over any physical cards (or wait for one to arrive in the post).
eSIMs are typically stored and managed via your phone’s operating system, but third-party apps can configure them too. Browser maker Opera has now added eSIM capabilities to its app on Android, and is even throwing in 3GB of free data for the first three days.
It’s perfect if you’re heading abroad in the near future. eSIMs are even more useful when traveling, as you can connect to local networks with minimal hassle — and thanks to Opera’s new offer you’ll be able to get online without paying anything or even entering an email address or payment details.
Too good to be true? I gave it a go to find out — but first, the small print.
Here’s the deal
You can take advantage of this 3GB eSIM deal from Opera if you have a carrier unlocked phone that’s eSIM compatible, and that’s running Android 10 or later — so the vast majority of current handsets are going to qualify. Opera hasn’t suddenly become an eSIM company though: it’s partnering with Holiday.com for this.
The 3GB of free data is available if you live in the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Canada, the United Arab Emirates, Brazil, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, or Poland. As mentioned above you won’t have to enter any personal details, like an email address or your credit card information, to make use of the 3GB of data, and the allowance kicks in as soon as you’re abroad.
Your free 3GB can be used in 47 destinations: Albania, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Montenegro, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Türkiye, the UK, and the US.
If you then decide to go on and buy an eSIM, you can make your purchase and use it in any location covered by Holiday.com (that’s more than 150 countries). Plans are available with 3GB, 5GB, and 10GB of data, and last for 30 days after the first activation. Opera says pricing is typically 33% less than with “other major eSIM providers”, though you should of course do some shopping around before buying.
Like most travel eSIMs, this is a data-only deal. The new eSIM won’t replace your phone number and will work alongside your current eSIM or physical SIM to get you online in foreign climes — and give you access to the web, WhatsApp, Google Maps, and everything else that works with cellular data. The connection will be via 5G if it’s available, otherwise you’ll fall back to the next best thing.
Here’s how it works
While standard eSIMs are stored in phone memory, when it comes to travel eSIMs that focus on data abroad, you typically have to download and install another app from the eSIM provider. That app then handles all aspects of paying for and installing eSIMs, and getting you connected in whatever country you happen to be in.
Opera takes care of all of this for you, and recommends setting up your eSIM at home on a solid Wi-Fi connection. In the Android app, you need to tap your profile picture (bottom right), then eSIM, then follow the instructions. Tap Claim now, and choose your destination country from the list — your allowance is valid for three days after the first connection abroad, and there’s no need to register any of your details.
After choosing your destination, you’ll be taken through the eSIM setup process for your device, which will vary depending on your Android phone maker of choice. On a Pixel, it’s just a couple of simple taps, and your new Opera 3GB eSIM (powered by Holiday.com) then shows up in Settings > Network and Internet > SIMs.
It’s a proper eSIM too, and not just for browsing through Opera: you can use it with Google Chrome, WhatsApp, Instagram, Google Maps, or any app you like. You just need to activate it through your phone’s SIMs menu and through the eSIM menu in Opera, and you’re up and running once you cross the border.
Sadly, I’m not vacationing in the near future, but I did test out the eSIM in the UK. Speeds were actually faster than on my regular O2 SIM, which must be something to do with mast locations, and I could get online across all my apps without issue.
Your mileage may of course vary depending on country and cell network coverage, but I had no problems with setting up or connecting to my free 3GB data plan.
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David Nield