Changing countries with a travel eSIM can still mean installing a new profile on your phone. Airalo has announced a change intended to eliminate this step: a single eSIM could work across several destinations, while users buy or top up the plans they need. Calls and texts, however, are part of the announced change only for one specific plan; it does not automatically turn every data plan into a conventional mobile line.
One installation that stays, plans that change
An eSIM is a digital SIM card built into a phone or added to it as a profile. With the traditional travel model, the profile may be specific to a country or region: before a new trip, users sometimes have to install another one. Airalo’s announced ‘universal eSIM’ aims to separate the installation from the plan. The profile would remain on the device; travellers would then choose data suited to their destination, for example Japan or Morocco.
Airalo announced that the rollout would begin on 9 November 2026 and take place over a planned period of twelve months. The transition is therefore expected to happen gradually, rather than immediately switching all accounts to the new system. Existing customers can continue using their current eSIMs during this period. The company has not specified the order in which users will be migrated or how each profile already installed will be handled.
The practical benefit is most apparent for people visiting several destinations in succession: fewer profiles to add and manage, and no need to repeat the installation for every trip. This does not mean that a single plan includes data that can be used everywhere. Plans remain tied to destinations or coverage zones, and choosing a package is still necessary.
Calls and texts: a plan to distinguish from data
Voice calls and texts are mentioned for Airalo’s global plan, according to Android Police. This should be distinguished from local or regional plans, which are not all presented as including calls and texts. An eSIM can provide an internet connection without necessarily assigning a mobile number that can be used to make calls over the conventional telephone network.
This distinction matters when choosing a plan. With an eSIM dedicated to data, you can generally use apps such as WhatsApp or Signal to make calls or send messages over the internet, provided you have a connection and the people you are contacting use the service. This is not the same as a conventional mobile call or a text sent to the recipient’s phone number. To choose the global plan mentioned, you will need to check the number provided, the rates, the allowances included and the countries in which calls and texts are available. These terms determine whether it can meet the same needs as a regular mobile line.
The mention of ‘calls and texts’ is therefore not enough to conclude that all travellers will be able to contact any number in every country covered. Before setting off, check the terms of the specific plan: destinations, data allowance, validity period and, if you need conventional telephony, the terms that apply to calls and messages.
The core network, behind the scenes
Airalo attributes this change to its own ‘core network’. In telecommunications, the core network refers to the systems that manage, among other things, the routing of connections and their relationship with local mobile networks. For users, the stated aim is to keep a single profile while changing plans and destinations.
The company also links this infrastructure to other possibilities, such as topping up a plan without Wi-Fi or testing the connection before departure. These are announced features, not guarantees of identical results in every country. Quality will depend in particular on the local networks available, coverage and the terms of the plan chosen. Any improvements in latency or stability mentioned in connection with the new network will need to be judged in practice; they do not automatically follow from keeping a single eSIM.
Airalo is not the first company in the sector to offer a profile that can be reused across several destinations. Travolution notes that companies such as Ubigi already take a comparable approach, while Airalo’s announced innovation lies in its own rollout and the gradual migration of its customers. For travellers, the useful criterion will therefore not be just the number of installations, but the combination of coverage, cost, top-ups and the features actually included in the plan.
When preparing for a trip, it is therefore best to separate two decisions: check that your phone and account have access to the new reusable profile, then choose the plan suited to your stay. A one-time installation simplifies one task; coverage, rates and included features still need to be compared for each destination.
References
- Airalo is finally catching up with the competition with this update to its travel eSIMs — Frandroid
- Airalo plans to offer a permanent eSIM — Travolution
- Airalo's single-install eSIM could be a game changer for frequent travelers — Android Police
A smartphone. Illustrative photo, separate from the Airalo app.
