Question 1

What is an eSIM?

Accepted Answer

An eSIM is a SIM card built into your phone as software instead of plastic. You install a plan by scanning a QR code, and it works alongside the physical SIM you already have. Nothing is shipped to you and there is nothing to swap at the airport.

Question 2

How does a PingRoam eSIM work, start to finish?

Accepted Answer

You buy a plan for your destination on pingroam.com, open My eSIMs, and scan the QR code while on Wi-Fi before you fly. When you land, you switch mobile data to the travel line and it connects to a local partner network. Your home number stays on your physical SIM the whole time.

Question 3

Which countries can I buy a plan for?

Accepted Answer

PingRoam lists plans for over 200 countries and territories, plus regional bundles that cover several countries under one plan. Turkey is not a sales destination. The live catalog on each destination page is authoritative — it is read from our API at page load, not hardcoded.

Question 4

Whose network will I actually be on?

Accepted Answer

PingRoam is a software platform, not a mobile network operator, and holds no telecom licence. Connectivity is delivered by licensed partners who hold agreements with local carriers in each country. The specific network your plan connects to depends on that partner and the country, and your phone will show it once the line is active.

Question 5

Will an eSIM work on my phone?

Accepted Answer

Most phones released from 2018 onward support eSIM, but there are real exceptions — iPhones bought in mainland China have no eSIM hardware at all, and some Galaxy and Pixel regional variants shipped without it. Dial *#06# and look for an EID next to the IMEI. Our device compatibility page lists 49 model groups with the exceptions called out.

Question 6

My phone supports eSIM but the install was rejected. Why?

Accepted Answer

Almost always carrier locking, which is separate from hardware support. A phone bought on a contract can be locked to the carrier that sold it, and a locked phone refuses third-party eSIM profiles even though it has an EID. Contact the carrier that sold you the phone and ask them to unlock it.

Question 7

Can I keep my normal number while using a travel eSIM?

Accepted Answer

Yes, and this is the normal way to use one. Your physical SIM stays active for calls and bank verification texts on your usual number, while the travel eSIM carries mobile data. Turn data roaming off on the home line so it cannot run up charges in the background.

Question 8

Can I move my eSIM to another phone?

Accepted Answer

Usually not. Most travel eSIM profiles are locked to the device they were installed on and cannot be transferred once activated. Install the profile on the phone you are actually travelling with, and if you change phones mid-trip you will generally need a new plan.

Question 9

How can I pay?

Accepted Answer

Credit and debit cards, and cryptocurrency. Both are available on the website only. Prices are shown in USD at checkout; your bank converts to your own currency at its own rate and may add a foreign transaction fee.

Question 10

Who appears on my card statement?

Accepted Answer

Whop, which is our Merchant of Record. Whop processes the card payment and handles the transaction on our behalf, so the charge shows as Whop rather than PingRoam. Card details are handled by Whop and are never stored on PingRoam servers.

Question 11

Can I buy a plan inside the mobile app?

Accepted Answer

No. The PingRoam app is a free companion for viewing your eSIMs, showing QR codes, checking usage and contacting support. It contains no in-app purchases. All plan purchases happen on pingroam.com in a browser.

Question 12

Can I buy a plan after I have already landed?

Accepted Answer

Yes, as long as you can get online to complete checkout and install the profile — hotel, café or airport Wi-Fi is enough. Buying before you fly is smoother, because you arrive with data already working instead of hunting for a network to set it up on.

Question 13

How much data should I buy?

Accepted Answer

For maps, messaging and occasional browsing, 1–3 GB covers a long weekend for most people and 5–10 GB covers a week. Video streaming and hotspot use change that quickly. Plans start at $2.30, so starting smaller and topping up is usually cheaper than over-buying.

Question 14

How do I install the eSIM?

Accepted Answer

After purchase, open My eSIMs on pingroam.com and display the QR code, then scan it from your phone's cellular settings — on iPhone, Settings → Cellular → Add eSIM; on Android, Settings → Network → SIMs → Add eSIM. If you cannot scan a code on the same device, enter the SM-DP+ address and activation code manually instead.

Question 15

Should I install before I leave or after I arrive?

Accepted Answer

Install before you leave, while you are on Wi-Fi at home. Installing a profile requires an internet connection, which is exactly what you will not have when you step off the plane. You can install the profile early and leave the line switched off until you land.

Question 16

When does my plan's validity start counting?

Accepted Answer

For most plans the validity period starts when the eSIM first connects to a network at your destination, not when you buy it or install the profile. That means you can install days in advance without losing time. Check the plan card before purchase, because a few plans start counting at activation.

Question 17

The QR code will not scan or the install fails. What now?

Accepted Answer

Work through these in order: confirm the phone is not carrier-locked, confirm you are on a stable Wi-Fi connection, confirm the phone has not already used this profile once, and try the manual SM-DP+ entry instead of the camera. Our troubleshooting guide covers the specific error messages. If none of it works, email support@pingroam.com with the error text.

Question 18

Can I share the connection as a hotspot?

Accepted Answer

On most plans yes, and your phone's personal hotspot works normally. Some partner plans restrict tethering, and a few apply a fair-use speed cap after a threshold. The plan card notes any restriction before you buy. Hotspot use consumes data much faster than phone use, so size the plan accordingly.

Question 19

Can I make calls and send texts on the travel eSIM?

Accepted Answer

PingRoam plans are data-only, so they do not come with a phone number for regular calls or SMS. Calls and messages work over data through WhatsApp, FaceTime, Signal or similar. Keep your physical SIM active if you need to receive bank one-time-password texts on your own number.

Question 20

What happens if I use all my data?

Accepted Answer

The connection stops rather than billing you for overage — there are no surprise charges. Depending on the plan you can either top it up or buy a new one, both from My eSIMs. Do that over hotel or café Wi-Fi, since you will not have mobile data at that moment.

Question 21

What happens when the plan expires?

Accepted Answer

The line stops carrying data at the end of the validity period and unused data does not roll over. The profile can stay installed on your phone harmlessly, or you can delete it from your cellular settings. Deleting an expired profile does not affect your physical SIM.

Question 22

Can I get a refund?

Accepted Answer

An eSIM that has never been installed or activated can be refunded, and you can request it yourself from Orders. Once a profile has been installed or has connected to a network it has been provisioned upstream and generally cannot be refunded. Some plans come from providers that cannot cancel unused profiles at all, and those are marked as non-refundable before you pay.

Question 23

How do I reach a human?

Accepted Answer

Email support@pingroam.com, or use Settings → Support on the website or in the app. The same team that answers tickets also writes and maintains the guides on this site, so a question about an installation step goes to the person who wrote that step.

Question 24

What data does PingRoam hold about me?

Accepted Answer

Your account details, order history and eSIM usage figures needed to run the service. Card details are held by Whop, not by us. You can export or delete your data from Settings, and our subprocessors page lists every third party that handles any of it.

FAQ

The basics

Your phone

Buying a plan

Installing

While you travel

Orders & support

FAQ