It’s important when traveling Asia to know about costs and convenient purchasing locations for the best Asian SIM card, ensuring seamless connectivity.
Planning to visit Asia soon? Staying connected to the Internet is important if you want to have a rewarding and convenient trip! Prepaid Asia SIM card with data plans help you stay in touch with loved ones and share your adventures. Wondering if you should get one? Gigago will cover Asian SIM card types, costs, and best plans in the following article guide.
In this article
Yes, definitely. There are various options available for staying connected while traveling in Asia, including roaming, free WiFi, pocket WiFi, and SIM/eSIM cards. Each method has its own advantages and disadvantages, but the most popular is still using a SIM card. Some of the most prominent reasons why you should buy a SIM card when going to Asia:
Pro Tips:
SIM cards in Asia are available in two types: prepaid physical travel SIM cards and travel eSIM. Each type offers distinct features that cater to the specific requirements of tourists, whether they need only internet connectivity or a combination of calling and texting services.
Currently there are 2 types of physical prepaid Asia SIM Card for tourists.
Prepaid Asia travel eSIM is a modern technology SIM that can be purchased and activated 100% online, allowing tourists to use 2 SIMs at the same time. Thanks to that, you can maintain contact via the phone number you are using, and at the same time connect to the network via eSIM.
However, not all mobile phones are compatible with eSIM technology, so you need to check if your device supports eSIM. Similar to physical SIM, eSIM also has 2 types: eSIM only data and eSIM data + call and text to meet the diverse needs of travelers.
To better understand prepaid physical SIM cards and prepaid Asia travel eSIMs, travelers can follow the following comparison table:
| Prepaid physical Asia SIM card | Prepaid eSIM for Asia | |
| Pros | – Good price – There are many diverse packages, suitable for each customer’s needs. – Easy to buy at many different locations. – High compatibility with any unlocked device. – Simple installation and activation process. | – You can easily buy eSIM through online sites. – Customers can use 2 SIM cards at the same time, reducing the risk of losing the main SIM. – Switch quickly between providers. |
| Cons | – When purchasing a prepaid physical SIM, visitors must purchase and activate it directly at the store. – Visitors may have difficulty communicating with store staff because of language barriers. – The physical SIM card may be lost or damaged, causing connection interruption. | – Some devices do not support eSIM technology. – When activating eSIM, travelers need to ensure a stable internet connection. |
Pro Tips:
The best Asia SIM card plans for travelers offer convenient and cost-effective solutions for staying connected while traveling in Asia. Below are detailed information about packages and prices in some countries of interest to many travelers.
This is one of the leading phone companies in China. In addition to operating in its home country, this network also provides prepaid SIM cards for tourists with coverage in many Asian countries such as Hong Kong, Macao, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand.
With a China Mobile SIM card, you can find data plans ranging from 1.5GB – 4GB with 4G/3G network, depending on the coverage in the destination country. These packages last 7, 8 or 10 days and range in price from $10 – $60.
SK Telecom is one of the largest phone companies in Korea, offering a diverse range of products. SK Telecom’s SIM card plans come with unlimited local data at up to 10 Mbps. Moreover, the product also includes unlimited calls to local numbers from the 5-day option onwards.
When purchasing a Japan NTT SIM card, you will find 8, 20 and 30 day plans with 3GB, 6GB and 9GB of high-speed navigation respectively. Regarding the cost of the packages, they are also reasonable, ranging from $20 – $70. You must remember that your phone must be able to operate on LTE band 1 to use it.
Note: The price and plan can be changed over time. Contact the mobile operator to get the most updated information
There are four different methods to purchase an Asia SIM card designed specifically for travelers. Below, Gigago will outline the advantages and disadvantages of each option, allowing you to make the most informed and convenient decision to buy a SIM card based on your needs.
Purchasing a SIM card online ahead of your trip is a convenient choice for travelers. You just need to search for a suitable SIM provider and network package without providing personal information (name, address, phone number,…) to place an order.
The outstanding advantage of this method is that when visitors come to Asia, they already have data to access the Internet. However, this option is quite expensive for short trips. Furthermore, travelers cannot change packages while traveling.
If you choose to purchase a SIM card at the airport in Asia, it is recommended to research information about the network operators in advance. Upon arrival, you can easily locate the kiosk of the selected network operator by referring to the map or guide board.
The benefit of purchasing a SIM card at the airport is that you can obtain it instantly, without the need to wait for shipping. Additionally, the staff at the airport are typically proficient in English, avoiding any language barriers.
However, it’s important to note that SIM card prices at the airport are generally higher compared to outside stores, and there may be limited plan options available. Additionally, visitors are typically required to present their passport when purchasing a SIM card.
Apart from the aforementioned options, visitors can also purchase SIM cards in various cities across Asia. SIM cards are often available at locations such as convenience stores, shopping malls, train stations, and official stores of mobile operators.
However, visitors might encounter challenges when purchasing SIM cards at city locations due to language barriers. Staff members may have difficulty answering customer questions during the selection of service packages and the SIM activation process.
Purchasing an eSIM online is a straightforward process, allowing visitors to choose between international SIM suppliers or Asia SIM suppliers. With an eSIM, visitors can conveniently maintain contact using their existing phone number.
However, it is important for visitors to carefully review the eSIM provider’s terms and return policy before making a purchase. Also, don’t forget to verify whether your device supports eSIM connection or not.
A 1GB data plan is generally sufficient to fulfill basic usage needs for tourists during a one-day experience in Asia. This includes tasks such as communication, accessing social networking applications, browsing the internet, and streaming music.
Pro Tips:
Prepaid eSIM is a flexible and cost-effective mobile solution for travelers who need an internet connection in Asia. Compared to data roaming or pocket Wi-fi services, eSIM has many service packages at more reasonable prices.
In particular, this option helps visitors have a stable connection anywhere and without interrupting communication with the old phone number, something that public Wi-fi or physical Sim cards cannot do.
If tourists want to buy a Asia eSIM, they can refer to the options at Gigago. With a convenient 100% online process, customers will receive the eSIM via email and activate it with a QR code, connecting immediately upon landing.
For Asia, Gigago offers multiple data plan options, starting from 1GB for 5 days with $6.90 . What is great about Gigago’s Asia eSIM is that its plans’ costs are diversifying, varying between $6.90 – $72.00 . Thus, it does not matter how Internet users you are and how long your trip is in [country], there is always an option for you with Gigago.
eSIM Gigago is 100% free of data roaming costs, providing call and texting services via applications. Gigago’s staff is always ready to support guests 24/7 via chat or email.
Visitors have 3 major mobile networks to choose from to buy SIMs in Asia: China Mobile, SK Telecom and NTT Japan. Each network operator has diverse services, competitive prices, and attractive incentives. Below are some evaluation criteria to help you understand better.
China Mobile is the largest wireless carrier in China. Nham This carrier provides 3G, 4G, 5G mobile voice and multimedia services through mobile telecommunications networks across many Asian countries. Especially in 2023, China Mobile is ranked 25th in Forbes’ Global 2000.
SK Telecom is the largest wireless telecommunications operator in Korea with 27,019 million subscribers in 2017. Currently this network provides 3G, 4G, 5G Internet services in many countries such as Vietnam, Japan, China. In 2023, SK Telecom ranked first for the fastest average download speed in Korea at 192.67 Mbps.
NTT is the fourth largest telecommunications company in the world by revenue, as well as the third largest publicly traded company in Japan. In 2023, the company was ranked 56th in Forbes Global 2000. One of the main services of this carrier is to provide 3G, 4G, 5G SIM card options for tourists coming to Asia.
| Criteria | China Mobile | SK Telecom | Japan NTT |
| Coverage | Best | Best | Great |
| Speed | Super Fast | Fast | Fast |
| Price | Reasonable | Cheap | Reasonable |
| eSIM available | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Travelers can easily purchase and activate Asia Prepaid SIM Cards or eSIM with just a few simple steps. This provides them with a convenient solution for staying connected while traveling in Asia. Below is a general guide to assist you further.
Once you have purchased an Asia SIM card, follow these steps to use it:
To use an eSIM in the Asia, you can refer to the following steps:
Yes. You can buy an Asia SIM card at international airports, mobile provider stores, convenience stores, or online.
Yes, you can share data with others using a SIM card. Simply activate data transfer on your phone to enable data sharing.
If you are visiting Asia for tourism, a data eSIM comes highly recommended. It lets you keep your own number for important calls and use apps to stay in touch with family and friends.
If you have any problems with your digital SIM card or need support, you can contact your SIM card provider’s customer service for help. They will assist you regardless of your location or time.
In conclusion, purchasing an Asia SIM card and eSIM is highly recommended for travelers. Hopefully from the above article, you have saved useful information and please visit Gigago to check out the latest packages with preferential prices for your upcoming trip.
Knowing how to use cell phone in Asia is crucial to stay connected and have the best tele-communication experience while traveling to one or several Asia countries.
