i used holafly in japan last month. the speed was decent, but once i hit a remote area, it slowed down quite a bit. switched to iroamly, and it worked perfectly - no issues at all.
This video is fantastic! I’m going to America in 3 months and started researching cheaper ways to be able to use my phone. Someone mentioned esims and I’d never heard of this. After doing a little further research I found your video! I will definitely be saving this video and using it to help me set up my eSIM card for me and my wife when we go! Thank you!
Hey! Really pleased you found the video useful, and thanks for sharing your feedback about Holafly. Glad you experience was excellent!! Let me know if you need anything, thanks! ^Jonny
Thanks for the detailed review!, with HolaFly can you add the eSim before traveling to the destination?, i.e, buy the eSim in advance from home, activate a day or two before the travel date and have it ready when arriving at the destination?
Yes, buy the eSIM before you leave and activate it before you travel and on a stable internet connection. Once you activate your eSIM and data roaming is turned on, it will begin. ^J
I have used Holafly several times - in the USA (Florida) and in Asia (Hong Kong and in Taipei) before and it was fine. This year we are to person traveling in Asia for two months. We noticed that we have more problems with Holafly “Asia” this year. In Hong Kong it was no problems. We bought Holafly Hong Kong. But in Taiwan (we bought Holafly Asia) we noticed a big difference from an iPhone 13 Pro and an iPhone 14 Pro Max. We were using the same apps on both phones the whole time. Had the same settings on the phone. All the background updates were off on both. But the iPhone 14 Pro Max was throttled and not the other phone. And when we comparing how much GB the phones had used in the period - it was quite similar. Both phones had often bad connection in the city - and it wasn’t necessarily the same connection bars on both phones at the same time on the same spot. And our using habits are the same in both Hong Kong and Taiwan.
I used this for a recent trip to Spain/France/Italy. Worked great! One problem, couldn't get my primary to be active in the background without my Verizon wanting to activate my International plan. Curious if I did something wrong in the setup/switch between the 2 sims?
I don't have Verizon, so I'm really unable to help but I did find this Reddit thread that may be useful: www.reddit.com/r/verizon/comments/13lxa5p/how_to_make_sure_travel_pass_doesnt_activate/ - Thanks. ^Jonny
@@Monitodotcom thanks Jonny! On my last trip I turned the Verizon sim off completely and only occasionally activated so that Reddit article helped and confirmed something I wasn’t sure about. Appreciate it!
Hi there, based on your very informative video, i purchased two regional Holafly eSims for Asia to cover Singapore & Bali. My question is concerning activation of the eSim. On one of your videos, you indicated that once the eSim is activated (even if your not in Asia or unable to connect to any Regional GSM Networks) the countdown begins. Other youtubers have indicated that once the eSim is activated, the countdown begins once the eSim has established contact with the GSM Regional Networks (Asia in his case). Clarification would be most welcome. Thanks
Let's say that im going overseas on 21st so i install the esim(5day validity) on 20th but chose my primary sim first for mobile data then when i reach my destination i switch my mobile data to holafly only then the 5day validity for that esim starts right?
According to Holafly, their eSIMs begin once activated and data roaming is switched on. So you could go through the activation process, but keep Mobile Data set to your Primary SIM, and once you are ready to begin the validity period, switch data roaming on your eSIM and off on your Primary. ^Jonny
I just tried booking this France plan but it looks like they do not offer phone numbers anymore and therefore no sms or cell service :( Is then another eSIM company that does offer phone plans while there? I have metropcs and they unfortunately do not offer international plans
Yeah sadly they've removed calls and SMS, I've had a quick look around and I can't find an eSIM specifically for France that comes with calls and texts. However, SIM Local have a European regional eSIM that covers France and has calls and texts (www.simlocal.com/plan-selection/france). But it's costly. ^Jonny
I just checked our comparison engine (www.monito.com/esim) and eSIM.net has this one (www.esim.net/esim-france) for $23 - is that any good for you? ^Jonny
That's a great question and I'm mad and sorry I didn't address this in the video. I remember even during my testing thinking the same thing. Basically you check this and other information about your eSIM online and via the app. ^Jonny
I would suggest keeping it inactive while you don't want to use it, just in case the validity/life period begins. Try to activate your eSIM as late as possible. ^Jonny
That’s not a crazy question, that’s actually a very good question. There are specific eSIMs for cruises. GigSky have them go check out my latest video about it, you can also get 100MB for free to install and test before topping up. One warning, cruise data can be more expensive 😅 ^Jonny
I'm not sure I understand your question, but you can just do the steps in reverse. Basically, delete the Holafly eSIM once you're finished with it, make sure Mobile Data/Cellular is set to your primary SIM and that you've toggled Turn This Line and Data Roaming to on for your primary. ^Jonny
Was this demonstration done on an iPhone? I am just trying to figure this out for my 18 year old who is travelling alone. Is mobile date the same as cellular data?
I’m traveling to NYC in a week. I purchased my Holafly eSim. Can I install it now and activate after reaching? I’m confused, when scanning QR code it says activation. Great video!! Please help :)
I would suggest you don't activate it yet, wait till you are about to head to NYC before activating. This is because the eSIM may go live as soon as it's activated and thus expire before you even get to New York. ^Jonny
Thanks Derrick, I apologise for my naivety I never even thought to consider that megabytes is obviously storage space and not internet speed.. I fear this is a mistake I've made quite a lot, but from here on out I shall do better! All the best. ^Jonny
From my experience the customer service chat always let me wait for hours and not been read or any response. sending customer service email is slightly more responses but still need to wait for quite some time😭
Hey Ning. I'm sorry to hear that, may I ask where you're based? Or what your native language is? I'm wondering if that has anything to do with it because I've always had such responsive and helpful support. ^Jonny
Hello , hum yeah that’s also what I was wondering, I’m currently based in Taiwan and wondering if there’s like time zone gaps or something like that , but I finally received their response after maybe 4 hrs wait, and then the conversation between staff was smooth , so I guess maybe too many people waiting in line to be assisted?🥹
It says no sms,,,,i am assuming that is not the case for apple's imessage (blue bubble) . As well, i use my extra esim compatible iphone outside the country and it does not have its own number or sim card....i assume i can simply use holafly's given number Thnx
Biggest downside of Holafly for me is that you cannot use most of their esims (at least the ones I have looked at) as hotspots for your laptop. Makes them less suitable for a "digital nomad" such as myself who prefers not using cafe or other public wifi for work. .
Yup, that's a big downside, I couldn't agree more. Strangely, there are some that do allow tethering, for example Andorra, although I have no idea why! ^Jonny
i used holafly in japan last month. the speed was decent, but once i hit a remote area, it slowed down quite a bit. switched to iroamly, and it worked perfectly - no issues at all.
This video is fantastic! I’m going to America in 3 months and started researching cheaper ways to be able to use my phone. Someone mentioned esims and I’d never heard of this. After doing a little further research I found your video! I will definitely be saving this video and using it to help me set up my eSIM card for me and my wife when we go! Thank you!
Going to France next week, this video was what i needed!… thanks!! (used Holafly last year and was excellent!!!)
Hey! Really pleased you found the video useful, and thanks for sharing your feedback about Holafly. Glad you experience was excellent!! Let me know if you need anything, thanks! ^Jonny
Thanks for the detailed review!, with HolaFly can you add the eSim before traveling to the destination?, i.e, buy the eSim in advance from home, activate a day or two before the travel date and have it ready when arriving at the destination?
Yes, buy the eSIM before you leave and activate it before you travel and on a stable internet connection. Once you activate your eSIM and data roaming is turned on, it will begin. ^J
I have used Holafly several times - in the USA (Florida) and in Asia (Hong Kong and in Taipei) before and it was fine. This year we are to person traveling in Asia for two months. We noticed that we have more problems with Holafly “Asia” this year. In Hong Kong it was no problems. We bought Holafly Hong Kong. But in Taiwan (we bought Holafly Asia) we noticed a big difference from an iPhone 13 Pro and an iPhone 14 Pro Max. We were using the same apps on both phones the whole time. Had the same settings on the phone. All the background updates were off on both. But the iPhone 14 Pro Max was throttled and not the other phone. And when we comparing how much GB the phones had used in the period - it was quite similar.
Both phones had often bad connection in the city - and it wasn’t necessarily the same connection bars on both phones at the same time on the same spot.
And our using habits are the same in both Hong Kong and Taiwan.
Thank you for sharing! ^Jonny
I used this for a recent trip to Spain/France/Italy. Worked great! One problem, couldn't get my primary to be active in the background without my Verizon wanting to activate my International plan. Curious if I did something wrong in the setup/switch between the 2 sims?
I don't have Verizon, so I'm really unable to help but I did find this Reddit thread that may be useful: www.reddit.com/r/verizon/comments/13lxa5p/how_to_make_sure_travel_pass_doesnt_activate/ - Thanks. ^Jonny
@@Monitodotcom thanks Jonny! On my last trip I turned the Verizon sim off completely and only occasionally activated so that Reddit article helped and confirmed something I wasn’t sure about. Appreciate it!
No worries! Glad to have been some help. Let me know if I can do anything in the future. ^J
Hi there, based on your very informative video, i purchased two regional Holafly eSims for Asia to cover Singapore & Bali. My question is concerning activation of the eSim. On one of your videos, you indicated that once the eSim is activated (even if your not in Asia or unable to connect to any Regional GSM Networks) the countdown begins. Other youtubers have indicated that once the eSim is activated, the countdown begins once the eSim has established contact with the GSM Regional Networks (Asia in his case). Clarification would be most welcome. Thanks
Hello can I setup before I fly out or wait until I get in the country to activate?
With Holafly I would recommend setting it up and activating as late as possible as the plan may begin as soon as it is installed. ^Jonny
Thank you, this was the question I was about to ask 🤙
Let's say that im going overseas on 21st so i install the esim(5day validity) on 20th but chose my primary sim first for mobile data then when i reach my destination i switch my mobile data to holafly only then the 5day validity for that esim starts right?
According to Holafly, their eSIMs begin once activated and data roaming is switched on. So you could go through the activation process, but keep Mobile Data set to your Primary SIM, and once you are ready to begin the validity period, switch data roaming on your eSIM and off on your Primary. ^Jonny
Hi, to receive and do calls, do i need to have roaming activated on my regular sim?
No you don't. ^Jonny
So helpful!!! Thank you so much!
You're so welcome! ^Jonny
I just tried booking this France plan but it looks like they do not offer phone numbers anymore and therefore no sms or cell service :( Is then another eSIM company that does offer phone plans while there? I have metropcs and they unfortunately do not offer international plans
yeah video is outdated now a bit
Yeah sadly they've removed calls and SMS, I've had a quick look around and I can't find an eSIM specifically for France that comes with calls and texts. However, SIM Local have a European regional eSIM that covers France and has calls and texts (www.simlocal.com/plan-selection/france). But it's costly. ^Jonny
I just checked our comparison engine (www.monito.com/esim) and eSIM.net has this one (www.esim.net/esim-france) for $23 - is that any good for you? ^Jonny
Is it possible to track the remaining number of days?
That's a great question and I'm mad and sorry I didn't address this in the video. I remember even during my testing thinking the same thing. Basically you check this and other information about your eSIM online and via the app. ^Jonny
What happens if u activate before you go away? Will it just change network when u do go on holiday. Thanks
I would suggest keeping it inactive while you don't want to use it, just in case the validity/life period begins. Try to activate your eSIM as late as possible. ^Jonny
Crazy question 🙋🏽♀️. Will this work while being on a cruise ?
That’s not a crazy question, that’s actually a very good question. There are specific eSIMs for cruises. GigSky have them go check out my latest video about it, you can also get 100MB for free to install and test before topping up. One warning, cruise data can be more expensive 😅 ^Jonny
Excellent, thanks
You are welcome!
Is there a video to show us how to set the phone back to original status, before setting up holafly sim?😊
I'm not sure I understand your question, but you can just do the steps in reverse. Basically, delete the Holafly eSIM once you're finished with it, make sure Mobile Data/Cellular is set to your primary SIM and that you've toggled Turn This Line and Data Roaming to on for your primary. ^Jonny
Was this demonstration done on an iPhone? I am just trying to figure this out for my 18 year old who is travelling alone. Is mobile date the same as cellular data?
Hey! Yes this is a European iPhone so the word cellular is replaced with mobile. Let me know if you have any further questions. ^Jonny
I was all set to buy a Holafly sim for the US, but 7mb download speeds is horrendous. I'd rather pay double for a US carrier sim.
Going to turkey soon. Thanks for the rewiev!
You're welcome! Let me know how it goes, be curious to hear your feedback. ^Jonny
I’m traveling to NYC in a week. I purchased my Holafly eSim. Can I install it now and activate after reaching? I’m confused, when scanning QR code it says activation. Great video!! Please help :)
I would suggest you don't activate it yet, wait till you are about to head to NYC before activating. This is because the eSIM may go live as soon as it's activated and thus expire before you even get to New York. ^Jonny
Never knew about esims great for turkey
Great video. Very informative and not a fast pace. One suggestion, it's Mbps is Megabits per second and not Megabytes per second😀
Thanks Derrick, I apologise for my naivety I never even thought to consider that megabytes is obviously storage space and not internet speed.. I fear this is a mistake I've made quite a lot, but from here on out I shall do better! All the best. ^Jonny
Can I used there internet on an airplane ✈️ in flight mode while flying?
From my experience the customer service chat always let me wait for hours and not been read or any response. sending customer service email is slightly more responses but still need to wait for quite some time😭
Hey Ning. I'm sorry to hear that, may I ask where you're based? Or what your native language is? I'm wondering if that has anything to do with it because I've always had such responsive and helpful support. ^Jonny
Hello , hum yeah that’s also what I was wondering, I’m currently based in Taiwan and wondering if there’s like time zone gaps or something like that , but I finally received their response after maybe 4 hrs wait, and then the conversation between staff was smooth , so I guess maybe too many people waiting in line to be assisted?🥹
It says no sms,,,,i am assuming that is not the case for apple's imessage (blue bubble) . As well, i use my extra esim compatible iphone outside the country and it does not have its own number or sim card....i assume i can simply use holafly's given number Thnx
No it isn't the case for iMessage as it works differently to SMS, along with FaceTime it just needs WiFi or data connectivity to work. ^Jonny
Damit I have an iPhone 8 that not compatible is it ? 😢
Sadly not, maybe time to upgrade? You'd only need to get a 10. ^Jonny
Has anyone used this for Sri Lanka??
Biggest downside of Holafly for me is that you cannot use most of their esims (at least the ones I have looked at) as hotspots for your laptop. Makes them less suitable for a "digital nomad" such as myself who prefers not using cafe or other public wifi for work. .
Yup, that's a big downside, I couldn't agree more. Strangely, there are some that do allow tethering, for example Andorra, although I have no idea why! ^Jonny
Holafly in Dubai sucks. Etisalat is way better
Sorry to hear that, can you tell me more about why it sucked? ^Jonny
Dinheiro jogado fora ! Kkkkk nao valei um centavo