I really like nerding out on the shortly evolving world of journey eSIM information plans. That’s why I used to be excited when the French cellular firm Bouygues launched their new My European eSIM pay as you go information plan which goals to compete with eSIM plans provided by rival French cellular supplier Orange. Let’s leap straight into my Bouygues My European eSIM Evaluation to see how this new pay as you go information plan performs.
Bouygues ‘My European eSIM’ Overview
Bouygues Telecom is likely one of the largest cellular firms in France and the Bouygues My European eSIM is a pay as you go information plan that’s geared toward short-term guests and vacationers. After trying on the plan specs, I think the Bouygues My European eSIM is Bouygues’ try and tackle the very talked-about Orange Vacation Europe eSIM.
And there’s so much to love in regards to the Bouygues My European eSIM so let’s take a better look…
Bouygues My European eSIM Information Plan Specs
- Worth: $44.90/€39.90
- Information Allowance: 30 GB of 4G Web
- Validity Interval: 30 Days
- Calls: Unlimted in Europe (€25 credit score for worldwide calls)
- SMS/Texts: Unlimted in Europe
- Information Tethering: Allowed
- Protection Space: Aland Islands, Andorra, Austria, Azores, Balearic Islands, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canary Islands, Corfu, Crete, Croatia, Cyclades, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Estonia, Faroe Islands, Finland, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Guernsey, Hungary, Eire, Jersey, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madeira, Malta, Man (Isle of), Northern Eire, Norway, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Rhodes Island, Romania, Sardinia, Scotland, Sicily, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Vatican, Wales, Wight (Isle of).
Highlights Of The Bouygues My European eSIM
There are some things I actually like in regards to the Bouygues My European eSIM—particularly when compares with the equally priced Orange Vacation Europe eSIM.
30GB OF Cell Information
First, the My European eSIM comes customary with 30GB of cellular information—which is likely one of the highest information packages you’ll discover with these visitor-focused information plans. Most vacationers will use about 1GB-3GB of knowledge a day with customary utilization so that you’ll have loads of information in your travels by way of Europe. And, in contrast to the Orange Vacation plan, My European eSIM is legitimate for 30 days as an alternative of 14 days. This can be a enormous profit for these folks on prolonged visits.
European Cellphone Quantity
The following main spotlight of the Bouygues My European eSIM is that it comes with a European telephone quantity that features limitless calls and texts to Europe. As an added bonus, it additionally comes with a credit score for €25 credit score for worldwide calls. Having a European telephone quantity can turn out to be useful for calling eating places, resorts, Airbnb hosts, and so on. Do observe that Switzerland isn’t included so the service received’t work there.
Cell Sizzling Spot / Information Tethering
The My European eSIM permits information tethering so you possibly can’t use your telephone as a cellular hotspot—many eSIM information plans block tethering so this can be a good bonus.
My Expertise Utilizing The Bouygues My European eSIM
I examined the Bouygues My European eSIM on a visit to Italy. I bought the plan from SimOptions for $44.90 and so they immediately ship me a affirmation e-mail with a QR code that may be scanned to put in/activate the information plan.
I waited to activate my eSIM plan as soon as I arrived in Europe however in line with Bouygues, the plan received’t activate till you’re really in Europe.
My iPhone robotically acknowledged the brand new eSIM and the service activated itself as quickly as I initiated the activation. The method took about 3 minutes.
NOTE: The plan ought to robotically set up and activate while you’re in France however you may need to activate the eSIM manually in your telephone’s settings when you’re outdoors of France.
DATA SPEED, COVERAGE, AND OVERALL PERFORMANCE
Bouygues is a significant cellular provider however it’s smaller than its rival Orange so I used to be interested in their precise protection and information speeds.
Total, my service was nice. I had a quick 4G connection practically at all times and it was uncommon to have gradual speeds. I’ve learn from different evaluations that Bouygues’ service may be slower and have extra restricted protection outdoors main cities so Orange’s extra widespread protection space may be a greater possibility when you’ll be visiting extra rural areas.
Throughout my journey, I principally used my telephone to entry Google Maps/Google, Reddit, Instagram, and e-mail. I did a bit of Spotify streaming however tried to restrict streaming because it makes use of lots of information. I additionally used my telephone as a cellular hotspot a handful of occasions and web speeds had been at all times quick. Once more, I restricted my cellular hotspot utilization to preserve information utilization.
Bouygues eSIM Instalaion and Activation
Putting in and activating your Bouygues eSIM needs to be pretty easy as a result of they make the method user-friendly… however typically settings should be tweaked to get the service working.
Step One: Purchase The Service And Look For The Affirmation E mail
Begin by buying your plan at SimOptions (Bouygues’ official on-line retailer of eSIM plans). You’ll be despatched an e-mail affirmation that incorporates a QR code and different activation particulars.
Step Two: Scan The QR Code In Your Affirmation E mail
Use your telephone to scan the QR code in your affirmation e-mail and this can begin the eSIM set up course of.
The e-mail will even embody handbook set up particulars however the QR code is a better methodology.
NOTE: You’ll want an web connection to put in your eSIM so it’s greatest to do that earlier than you permit or when you will have wifi.
Step Three: Comply with On-Display screen Activation Directions
The QR code will launch your telephone’s automated eSIM set up and activation course of—your eSIM will activate instantly if you’re in Europe and when you’re overseas the eSIM received’t activate till you’re really in Europe so you possibly can scan your QR code from anyplace on the earth earlier than your arrival in Europe with out your supply beginning.
Merely observe the onscreen prompts and it’ll information you thru the steps. Nonetheless, when you’re having points then you definately may need to test your telephone’s settings.
TIP: You’ll be able to subsequently load and scan your QR code from anyplace on the earth nicely earlier than your arrival in Europe with out your supply beginning.
NOTE: Bouygues is a French firm so customers have famous that the eSIM robotically prompts when activated in France however it’s a must to manually change the settings when activated outdoors France. So preserve that in thoughts.
iPhone:
- In “Settings” choose “Mobile Information”.
- Choose “Add a mobile package deal”.
- Scan the QR code and register the eSIM.
Android:
- Go to “Settings” after which choose “Connections”.
- Choose “SIM card supervisor”.
- Choose “Add a Cell plan”, then “Add by way of QR Code”.
- Scan the QR Code and register the eSIM.
- Choose “OK” on the finish of the profile obtain.
Troubleshooting Steps
Within the occasion that you simply encounter any network-related difficulties, please proceed by following the steps outlined under:
- Allow Information Roaming
- Set Community to Automated
- Select 4G/LTE as Most well-liked Community Kind
Bouygues My European eSIM Alternate options
Whereas I’m an enormous fan of the Bouygues plan, there are a couple of different pay as you go eSIM information plans price testing—let’s check out my favourite eSIM plans:
Holafly Limitless Information eSIM With Europe Calling
- Costs For Limitless Information (Examine Holafly for particulars)
- 10 Days: $34
- 15 Days: $47
- 20 Days: $54
- 30 Days: $64
- 60 Days: $84
- 90 Days: $99
- Service Pace: 5G/4G/LTE
- Calls protection: 60 minutes of credit score for calls to/from Europe—besides Iceland, Norway, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Ukraine, and Turkey. Comes with an Austrian telephone quantity.
- SMS: None
- Tethering: No
- Information service works all over the place within the EU
Holafly is a brand new Spain-based eSIM supplier that I beforehand used whereas in Europe and had an incredible expertise.
Not like different cellular information firms, Holafly provides you limitless information and an area telephone quantity with 60 minutes of credit score for making/receiving calls from European numbers. I additionally like how Holafly’s plans are available durations from 5 to 90 days—so that you don’t need to over/underbuy in your explicit journey.
Holafly isn’t an precise cellular provider however they hire bandwidth from native cellular supplier networks—the one draw back is that you simply’re extra more likely to get much less precedence on the native community throughout peak utilization occasions.
Holafly doesn’t enable information tethering usually so that you received’t be capable to use your telephone as a cellular hotspot.
ORANGE HOLIDAY EUROPE ESIM
- Worth: $49.90 (Examine SimOptions for particulars)
- Information: 20GB (they often provide you with 30GB of knowledge)
- Service Pace: 4G/LTE
- Calls: Limitless inside Europe and 120 min outdoors of Europe.
- Texts/SMS: Limitless inside Europe and 1000 outdoors of Europe.
- Credit score validity: 14 day
- Information Tethering: Allowed
- Usable on any system (telephones, tablets, hotspots…)
- This eSIM plan comes with a French telephone quantity that may nonetheless be used anyplace in Europe
- Service works all over the place within the EU
The Orange Vacation Europe eSIM information plan is a well-liked full-featured eSIM plan that’s similar to the Bouygues eSIM—together with worldwide voice calling and texts and it permits you to use your telephone as a cellular hotspot.
This plan comes with 20GB of knowledge however Orange typically runs a particular the place they provide you an additional 10GB—however even 20GB needs to be loads of information for many customers. Orange can be one of many largest cellular firms in Europe so that you’ll at all times get nice protection and excessive information speeds.
The potential draw back to the Orange Vacation Europe eSIM is that it’s solely legitimate for 14 days as soon as activated so it’s not nice for longer visits.
Total, I believe the Bouygues is a greater deal since you get extra information and it’s legitimate for 30 days. However Orange in all probability has higher protection outdoors main cities/cities.
ORANGE HOLIDAY ZEN ESIM
- Worth: $29.90 (Examine SimOptions for particulars)
- Information: 15GB
- Service Pace: 4G/LTE
- Calls: Limitless inside Europe and 30 min outdoors of Europe.
- Texts/SMS: Limitless inside Europe and 200 outdoors of Europe.
- Credit score validity: 14 day
- Information tethering allowed
- Usable on any system (telephones, tablets, hotspots…)
- This eSIM card comes with a French telephone quantity
The Orange Vacation Zen plan is similar to the Orange Vacation Europe plan however it has much less information and it’s cheaper. This can be a nice possibility for customers who don’t use lots of information.
O2 GO CARD ESIM
- Worth: $24.90 (Examine SimOptions for particulars)
- Information: 10GB
- Service Pace: 4G/LTE
- Calls: Contains $2 of credit score to make calls inside Europe
- Texts/SMS: Contains $2 of credit score to ship/obtain texts inside Europe
- Credit score validity: 30 day
- This eSIM card comes with a Czech telephone quantity
The O2 Go Card Plan is on the O2 cellular community (the most important cellular community within the UK) so the service high quality will probably be good.
And whereas it’s barely cheaper than the Orange Vacation Zen plan, you get much less cellular information and also you don’t get the advantage of any worldwide calls/texts—you additionally get a really restricted quantity of EU calls/texts.
SMART COMFORT X ESIM
- Worth: $17.90 (Examine SimOptions for particulars)
- Information: 5GB
- Service Pace: 4G/LTE
- Calls: None
- Texts/SMS: None
- Credit score validity: 30 day
The Sensible Consolation X eSIM is a finances data-only eSIM plan possibility that offers you 5GB of knowledge however no calls or texts (you possibly can nonetheless ship iMessage when you’re sending messages between iPhones and make calls/texts by way of WhatsApp, and so on).
Sensible Consolation X eSIM can be what’s thought-about an “worldwide eSIM” so it’s not backed by a particular information supplier (i.e Orange, O2, and so on.). Meaning it would connect with a particular accomplice supplier in every nation—for instance, France (Bouygues), Germany (O2), Italy (WIND), Spain (Telefonica), and so on.
Due to its restricted information limits, the Sensible Consolation X eSIM plan is greatest for gentle information customers.
Closing Ideas About The Bouygues My European eSIM
There’s a lot to love about this Bouygues eSIM. It’s in all probability the most suitable choice for vacationers who desire a pay as you go information plan with a European telephone quantity. It edges out the same Orange Vacation Europe eSIM due to its larger information allowance, longer validity interval, and barely cheaper worth.
Bouygues additionally affords a couple of cheaper alternate options that include much less information which can be price testing. All of the Bouygues plans can be found at SimOptions.
MORE EUROPE TRAVEL TIPS FROM THE SAVVY BACKPACKER
Try different useful articles I’ve written about visiting Europe on a finances:
James Feess is the creator of The Savvy Backpacker and the writer of the guide “The Savvy Backpacker’s Information To Europe On A Funds”. He is been running a blog about finances journey in Europe since 2010.
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