Glossary
Travel eSIM terms
Short definitions so checkout and install feel less mysterious.
- APN
- APN (Access Point Name) settings tell the phone how to reach a carrier’s data network. Most modern travel eSIMs configure APN automatically when the profile installs. Manual APN edits are rarely…
- Data roaming
- Data roaming is internet access abroad through your home carrier’s partner network — not voice calls, just mobile data. Billing is often per day, per MB, or under a fair-use cap that throttles…
- Dual SIM
- Dual-SIM phones can keep two lines active — typically one physical SIM and one eSIM, or two eSIMs on newer models. Travelers use this to keep a home number for SMS while a travel eSIM supplies data.
- eSIM
- An eSIM (embedded SIM) is a digital SIM profile your phone downloads and stores. Instead of inserting a plastic card, you install a travel plan over Wi‑Fi, then enable the line when you need mobile…
- Fair use policy (FUP)
- A fair use policy (FUP) limits how long you stay at full speed on an “unlimited” plan. After the daily high-speed allowance, the network throttles rather than cutting you off. This keeps prepaid…
- Hotspot / tethering
- Hotspot (tethering) shares your phone’s mobile data with a laptop, tablet, or another phone. Some travel eSIM plans allow it freely; others restrict or count hotspot toward a smaller allowance.…
- IMEI
- IMEI is a unique device identity number used by networks and manufacturers. You can find it in phone settings or by dialing *#06#. Carriers and eSIM vendors may ask for IMEI when troubleshooting…
- Unlimited travel eSIM
- “Unlimited” on a travel eSIM almost never means infinite full-speed data. Industry practice is a fair-use model: each day you get a high-speed allowance (often around 1 GB), then speed drops while…