Troubleshooting5 min readChecked 22 Oct 2026
Why your eSIM is slow abroad, and how to fix it
Short answer
Most slow or dead eSIMs come back in two minutes. Check the eSIM line carries your data and has Data Roaming on, switch Airplane Mode on and off, then pick another local network by hand. If it is still slow, you have probably used your high-speed data.
You need
- Your phone
- Two minutes
- Wi-Fi, if you need to contact the provider
Try these first, in this order
They fix most cases. Each takes under a minute.
- 1
Is the eSIM carrying your data?
If mobile data is still set to your home line, the eSIM does nothing.
SettingsCellularCellular DataTravel
- 2
Is Data Roaming on for the eSIM?
A travel eSIM always counts as roaming. Without this switch: bars, but no internet.
SettingsCellularTravelData Roaming
- 3
Airplane Mode on, wait ten seconds, off
This makes the phone search again and often lands it on a better network or cell.
- 4
Restart the phone
It clears a stuck connection more often than you would think.
- 5
Pick another network by hand
Most travel eSIMs can use two or three local networks. If one is busy, the next is often much faster. See how below.
Find your symptom
Tap the one that matches what you see.
No signal at all, or “No Service”
Why it happens
The eSIM line is off, or the phone has not found a network the eSIM may use.
What to do
- 1Check the Travel line is turned on in your SIM settings.
- 2Turn on Data Roaming for it.
- 3Turn off automatic network selection and pick a local network from the list.
- 4In the countryside, the eSIM's partner network may have no mast nearby. Try again in town.
Signal bars, but no internet
Why it happens
Almost always a setting: data on the wrong line, roaming off, or a missing APN.
What to do
- 1Set mobile data to the eSIM line.
- 2Turn on Data Roaming for the eSIM line.
- 3Check the APN matches the one in your provider's email (usually filled in by itself).
- 4Turn off any VPN or private relay for a moment to test.
Slow everywhere, all day
Why it happens
You are on a slow network or technology, or you have used the high-speed part of your plan.
What to do
- 1Check how much data is left in the provider's app.
- 2Make sure 4G or 5G is allowed (Voice & Data on iPhone, Preferred network type on Android).
- 3Pick another network by hand.
Fine in the morning, slow every evening
Why it happens
The network is busy when everyone streams after dinner. Travel eSIMs often get lower priority than local customers.
What to do
- 1Switch to another network by hand for the evening.
- 2Download maps, shows and playlists over hotel Wi-Fi.
Worked for days, then stopped
Why it happens
The data or the days ran out. Plans end at the exact hour they started, not at midnight.
What to do
- 1Check the remaining data and end date in the provider's app.
- 2Top up, or buy a new plan over Wi-Fi.
Hotspot is slow or does not work
Why it happens
Some plans block or slow down sharing your connection.
What to do
- 1Check “hotspot allowed” in the plan details before you buy.
- 2If it is allowed, restart the hotspot after changing network.
How to change network by hand
Your phone sticks to the first network it finds, even when a better one is right there.
iPhone
- 1
Turn off Automatic
Wait for the list of networks to load. It can take a minute.
SettingsCellularTravelNetwork Selection
- 2
Pick another network
Grey names are not allowed for your eSIM. Try the next one if a network will not connect.
Android
- 1
Turn off automatic selection
Names differ by brand. On Samsung: Connections, Mobile networks, Network operators.
SettingsNetwork & internetSIMsTravelAutomatically select network
- 2
Pick another network
If none connects, turn automatic selection back on.
Still stuck? Contact the provider
Write from Wi-Fi with these four things, so they can fix it in one reply instead of five.
- 1Where you are (city and country)
- 2The network name your phone shows
- 3A screenshot of the eSIM line's settings
- 4What you already tried from this page