My Experience Using eSIM Plus in Turkey: Is It Worth Switching to eSIM?

The strangest moments in my travels never began on the plane or even at passport control, but immediately after leaving the airport. It’s like you’re already in a new country, there’s a different language, a different air, a vacation or a work trip ahead, but instead of calmly going to the city, you’re standing in the middle of the terminal and looking for internet access.

Before the next trip, I decided that there had to be an easier way. Without plastic SIM cards, mobile phone shops, and endless searches for Wi-Fi after boarding. That’s how I decided to try eSIM Plus for the first time.

What is eSIM and How Does it Work?

To be honest, I used to imagine eSIM as something from the category of features that only tech bloggers use. It seemed like it would take a long time to figure out the settings, connectivity, and compatibility. But at some point, it became clear: this has long been common for travel.

It turned out that eSIM is a digital SIM card built directly into the phone. That is, no physical SIM card that you can lose at the airport or accidentally leave in your jacket pocket after changing your SIM. Instead, you just buy a data plan online, get a QR code, and add it as a new line in your smartphone settings.

I was surprised by how quickly everything connected. In just a few minutes, the Internet is ready to work. Moreover, the main SIM card stays active in the phone. This was especially convenient for me: bank notifications, Telegram, and work accounts continued to work as usual.

What is eSIM Plus?

With eSIM Plus, everything turned out to be pretty straightforward — without the extra steps and confusion I’m used to with travel SIM cards. On the platform, you can select either a specific country or a regional package. This is convenient if the route is not limited to one point: today you’re in one country, in a couple of days you are in another, and you do not need to solve the issue with the Internet every time.

The whole process is completely online. Payment, plan selection, and a QR code for activation appears immediately. You just add it to your phone’s settings, and the new line is ready to work. No visits to stores, no queues, and no attempts to explain to the seller that you need the Internet “without difficult conditions.”

There are also global plans, which are especially helpful on longer trips when the route is not pre-scheduled by day. You can connect the package once and not return to this issue in each new country.

How to Install and Activate eSIM Plus

In the case of eSIM Plus, the installation process is quite simple:

Step 1: Choose a plan

First, you need to log in to eSIM Plus and select the appropriate package. This can be done by country or by region at once, for example, if you plan several transfers or a trip to different cities. Each tariff has a data volume and expiration date, and it is important to estimate in advance how much Internet you will really need. After the selection, everything is standard — online payment, without additional steps.

Step 2: Install eSIM

Immediately after the purchase, a QR code for activation appears in your personal account. You don’t need to forward it somewhere or wait for it separately — it’s available immediately. Next, everything is done in the phone settings: Mobile settings → Add eSIM → Scan the QR code from eSIM Plus.

Step 3: Activate and start mobile data

After the eSIM is added, it must be enabled as a line. In the settings, eSIM Plus is selected as the source of mobile data. You also need to enable data roaming — without this, the Internet in another country will not work. Usually, the network connects automatically within a minute or two after landing, and the phone immediately starts working through a local partner operator.

As a result, the whole process boils down to three steps: buy a tariff → scan a QR code → turn on the line.

My Experience of Using eSIM Plus While Traveling

I tested eSIM Plus during a trip to Turkey — the route was simple: a few days in Istanbul, then Antalya and a couple of short trips along the coast.

In Istanbul, it all started at Sabiha Airport. This time, the phone already had internet access. Without making any unnecessary attempts to connect to the airport Wi-Fi, I immediately ordered a car and went to the exit, while people were still picking up the signal at the walls.

Everything worked smoothly in the city. Maps were opened immediately, Telegram didn’t lag, and routes were built without delay. I made a couple of video calls — on the Galata Bridge, the second time in a cafe. The connection was fine, although uploading photos was sometimes slightly slower, especially in busy areas.

During the trip to Antalya, the speed difference became more noticeable, but it was quite expected. The Internet was stable in the city center, and in tourist areas, it sometimes dropped to regular LTE.

Once I worked from a small cafe in Antalya: I connected my laptop via hotspot, sent files, and calmly joined a conference call. Everything went smoothly.

The Result of the Trip with eSIM Plus

After the entire trip around Turkey, from arriving in Istanbul to moving around Antalya, it became clear that eSIM Plus primarily removes unnecessary hassle with mobile internet.

At the airport, the connection appeared immediately, without searching for Wi-Fi and buying a local SIM. During the trip, the internet simply worked: navigation, instant messengers, calls, and work through a hotspot did not require any additional settings. In some places, the speed dropped to LTE or the network could disappear for a short time, but it looked like the usual behavior of mobile communications, without major issues.

The main result of the test is that the Internet stopped being a separate task during travel. Once everything is set up in advance, you can just use it along the route.