How to Get and Activate Sunrise SIM Cards and eSIM: 2024 Guide for Tourists

William Jones

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Latest update: August 2024

Looking for a reliable SIM card? Look no further than Sunrise! With a Sunrise SIM cards and eSIM, you’ll stay connected wherever you go. Enjoy great coverage, affordable plans, and the freedom to choose what suits your needs. Stay connected effortlessly with a Sunrise SIM card.

I. Overview about Sunrise – What you need to know

Sunrise is a Swiss telecommunications provider based in Zurich, owned by Liberty Global

• Full name: Sunrise LLC
• Founded Year: 2000
• Service: mobile, TV and landline phone and internet services
• Market share: Sunrise’s market share stood at around 28% (6/2023)
• Awards: The Sunrise mobile network is the only mobile network in Switzerland to have been awarded the highest rating of “OUTSTANDING” 8 times in a row ( The connect mobile-network test )

II. Sunrise Coverage in Switzerland

Based on the nPerf map, here’s a breakdown of Sunrise Mobile’s coverage with specific locations:

Sunrise UPC reports a 4G network coverage of 98%. With 3G, the provider can even supply 99% of the Swiss population. Sunrise UPC’s network coverage does not contain any major gaps. According to the Sunrise website, the 5G network is also already available in “1,000 locations” in Switzerland.

Strengths:

• Major Cities: Enjoy strong 4G and growing 5G coverage in Zurich, Geneva, Basel, Bern, Lausanne, Winterthur, St. Gallen, Lucerne.
• Transportation Routes: Reliable signal along major highways like A1, A2, A3, ensuring connectivity during travel.
• Tourist Destinations: Good coverage in popular areas like Interlaken, Lucerne (Lake Lucerne area), Zermatt (Matterhorn region), likely catering to tourists.

Weaknesses:

• High Alps: Coverage might be patchy in villages nestled within high mountain ranges like Zermatt (while the village itself seems covered, surrounding areas might be weaker).
• Remote Valleys: Valleys like Engadin or areas near smaller mountain passes could experience weaker signal compared to more populated regions.

III. Sunrise Speed in Switzerland

Average Download Speed and Upload Speed are 48.5 Mbps and 13.8 Mbps, respectively. Sunrise is improving its speed every day to meet customer needs

With 5G experience, Sunrise provides excellent download speed of 168.6 Mbps in  the second place 

IV. Does Sunrise Have eSIM in Switzerland?

Although Salt Mobile does offer eSIMs, they are currently not available for prepaid customers. 

If you’re planning to travel to Switzerland, it’s worth considering a travel eSIM as they can sometimes be more cost-effective than purchasing a SIM card from Salt Mobile. 

This is especially true if you opt for a Europe-wide eSIM or a global eSIM. 

V. Top Sunrise SIM Cards for Tourists

Sunrise has five data-featured prepaid plans:

Prepaid Budget (combo)

Young Prepaid Start (combo for the youth)

Prepaid Unlimited (combo)

Prepaid Flat (combo)

Prepaid Surf (data)

VI. Where to Buy a Sunrise SIM card?

There will be two main ways to get a Sunrise SIM Card when traveling to Switzerland. 

1. Purchasing a SIM card before you travel 

This option can save you time and hassle. Instead of searching for a local store and going through paperwork, you can easily find online stores that offer SIM cards for travelers. They have different plans to suit your needs, and many of them deliver right to your address.

There are benefits to buying a SIM card before you travel. Firstly, you’ll have a reliable connection during your trip, allowing you to navigate and translate. Online providers offer options tailored to different regions and customer preferences, including data, talk time, and even hotspot data.

Buying from a trusted online operator ensures a secure choice, protecting you from potential hacks and avoiding the risks of connecting to unsafe public Wi-Fi networks.

2. Purchasing a SIM card once you arrive in Switzerland. 

There’s a wide variety available, including subscription plans and prepaid options. Just remember to bring necessary documentation and ensure your cell phone is unlocked for global use.

VII. Where to Buy a Sunrise eSIM card?

One option is the digital SIM card from Gigago, which doesn’t require physical delivery. Just visit their website, select your destination, and receive a QR code for installation and activation.

For Switzerland, Gigago offers multiple data plan options, starting from 1 GB for 3 days with $3.50 . What is great about Gigago’s Switzerland eSIM is that its plans’ costs are diversifying, varying between $3.50 – $128.00 . 

VIII. How to Top-up Sunrise SIM/eSIM

To top up your Sunrise mobile SIM card, you can follow these steps:

• Visit the Sunrise top-up page at this URL: Top up prepaid credit | Sunrise .

• On the top-up page, you will see different options to select the amount you want to top up. Choose the desired amount by clicking on it (eg, CHF 10.-, CHF 20.-, etc.).

• After selecting the amount, enter the mobile number associated with your Sunrise SIM card that you want to refill.

• Click on the “Refill” or “Top up” button to proceed.

• If you are already a Sunrise prepaid customer, you can manage your prepaid number by logging into “My Sunrise” for more options and features.

You can also explore other top-up methods, such as using a credit card, visiting a post office, or using an SBB ticket machine. The instructions for these alternative methods are provided on the top-up page.

IX. FAQs about Sunrise in Switzerland