The long-awaited 2024 Paris Olympics begin on July 26. Whether you're a sports lover looking to follow your favorite athletes from the ground, or you're heading to the French capital for work reasons, a well-connected smartphone is likely to be among your top priorities.
Let's face it. Limitations on data roaming are annoying when traveling abroad. Worse still, they might even end up costing you a lot of money if you're not careful. As with any other EU country, visitors who travel to France from outside the European block will incur extra roaming charges for using their mobile data. The fees applied to calls or texts are even higher.
This is where the best eSIM services come in. They make it easy to create a secure internet connection while traveling, keep you connected throughout your stay, and manage costs effectively. Keep reading as I'll walk you through everything you need to know to get you started.
eSIM: what is it and why should you use one
eSIMs are small chips fixed inside modern phones that eliminate the need to use a traditional physical card. These digital SIM cards connect your device to an antenna that works with whichever network you choose.
These services are especially popular among travelers as they allow you to keep calling, texting, and accessing the internet from your mobile device as you normally do when you are in your home country meaning, as we mentioned earlier, you can save money while in Paris.
If you're traveling to Paris for the 2024 Olympics, I also suggest getting a virtual private network (VPN) app to boost your digital life during your stay. Check out my top 4 reasons to get one.
This is because mobile operators apply roaming fees to calls, texts, and data usage when you browse outside your home network's geographical coverage area. These charges are generally significantly higher than domestic rates, leaving you with an unexpectedly high bill at the end of your stay.
Think also about convenience. Getting an eSIM for the 2024 Olympics is definitely an easier option than purchasing a physical card once you're in the capital. These services generally offer better deals, in fact, with many short-term plans available. An eSIM can also hold multiple carrier profiles at once, meaning greater flexibility. Plus, do you really want to go through the hassle of subscribing to a French mobile operator?
Lastly, using an eSIM will improve your overall browsing experience during your stay. This means forgetting about roaming limitations or the need to find a stable public Wi-Fi. Your online security will also benefit from avoiding shared internet networks, as these can put your data at risk when you are not using the best VPN services.
How to choose 2024 Olympics eSIM
Before getting into the gritty and nitty of signing up for the right eSIM, you should ensure your device actually supports one. Most modern phones do, but I recommend double-checking the mobile settings beforehand.
The second step is finding a service that offers data plans for the location you're heading to. In this case, you need a reliable eSIM for Europe as you're going to France.
Plan flexibility, pricing, and customer support are all important factors you should look into to ensure that you get the best deal according to your specific needs.
This is why I recommend looking into Saily, the newly launched eSIM brand from Nord Security. The provider behind TechRadar's top-rated VPN service, NordVPN, developed its eSIM to give travelers a cheaper way to securely browse the internet when abroad.
Saily covers over 150 countries/territories and offers up to four different plans you can opt for, ranging from 1GB to 20GB for either one week or 30 days and costing as little as $1.99. What's more, TechRadar readers can get 5% off on all packages - just use the code Techradar5 to get the exclusive deal.
You can also get up to 20GB of free mobile data on Saily when you purchase a 2-year NordVPN plan, which might be just the right option to double down on convenient online security by getting a reliable travel VPN.
