With summer fast approaching, many are planning to travel abroad – and if you’re one of them, having an eSIM for international travel is a game-changer, meaning you don’t have to worry about extra roaming charges or hidden costs.
Many international travelers admit they would prefer to use an eSIM had they known about it, and providers such as aloSIM are working towards increasing consumer awareness by creating easy-to-use apps and having a dedicated customer support team.
One of the key features that sets aloSIM apart from its key contenders is access to an international phone number. With every data package purchased through aloSIM, users get an international phone number through aloSIM’s sister app, Hushed.
With new eSIMs entering the market left and right, I spoke to aloSIM CEO Justin Shimoon about how the company is distinguishing itself from competitors and the evolving landscape of the eSIM market amid ongoing economic uncertainty.
- What inspired the creation of aloSIM, and how has the product evolved since its inception?
As a Canadian who loves to travel, I was frustrated that I was getting charged daily carrier roaming fees – those flat-rate plans that are anywhere from $15 to $25 a day, every day, added to your next phone bill.
With our flagship product, Hushed, we prioritized the importance of people having the freedom to call and text on their terms, affordably. So we knew we wanted to get into the eSIM space and give consumers the same freedom when it comes to mobile data.
We launched aloSIM on the App Store and Google Play in June of 2022, and we’ve seen explosive growth over the last three years. Our team is always building new features to improve the product.
We iterate quickly with the goal to deliver the best customer experience possible-provide amazing ease of use, great connection speeds, and help save our customers money.
To that extent, we partnered with Apple early on to make the install process on iOS devices seamless- no scanning QR codes or manually adjusting settings— just one click and the eSIM is installed. Android is lagging a bit behind in allowing developers to provide the same functionality, but we’re closely following the development there.
- With established VPN brands like NordVPN and ExpressVPN entering the eSIM market, how does aloSIM position itself to compete as a dedicated eSIM provider?
Four or five years ago, practically no one knew what an eSIM was – but as more people understand the technology and start to feel comfortable with it, more players are joining the space.
We welcome the competition because we’re all working to educate travelers on the benefits of using an eSIM for mobile data on vacation and spread the word. A rising tide lifts all boats.
We’re confident in our ability to keep delivering a solid, easy-to-use eSIM app that appeals to people who are new to the technology.
Our customer support team is praised daily in our reviews because we take the time to patiently help anyone who needs assistance, and there’s always going to be a deep appreciation for a product that stands by what it promises.
We’re also coming at this from a private communications angle. Hushed has been providing our customers with a private and secure option for calling and texting for 15 years now, and eSIM in itself is a form of unbundling your connection from your regular carrier, or upgrading it by not using the same insecure Wi-Fi as everyone else in a crowded and hectic airport.
By using eSIM, you’re already one small step ahead in terms of establishing a more secure environment – but we’re not stopping there. We understand the privacy space deeply, and we will continue to iterate and innovate with new features and products. We’re dedicated to providing privacy options to our customers.
- aloSIM’s sister app, Hushed, offers private phone numbers. How do aloSIM and Hushed complement each other to enhance user communication needs?
Hushed has more than 30 million downloads, and it continues to be a top-grossing app providing private phone numbers for calling and texting.
When we launched aloSIM, we knew we wanted to show the world how the two products could be used together. Hushed requires Wi-Fi or mobile data, and aloSIM provides a fast data connection – when you put them together, you have the perfect low-cost travel solution.
Last year, we started offering a free international phone number from Hushed with every aloSIM data purchase. Our customers immediately saw the benefit of being able to fully toggle off their primary SIM while traveling internationally – no risk of any charges on their next phone bill – and using the combination of aloSIM and Hushed to stay connected. It’s been very popular.
- We’ve seen a surge in demand in the eSIM industry. What factors do you believe are driving this increased interest among consumers and businesses?
Cost, absolutely. Consumers are frustrated with high mobile bills, and they’re looking for ways to get local internet without paying $15 or $20 every single day.
Travelers hate the uncertainty that comes with using their phones in another country. Like ‘How much will I be charged? Am I setting everything correctly? Should I just keep it on Airplane Mode?’
Historically, there hasn’t been a lot of education on how to use your phone correctly. (We actually built a simple walkthrough to help travelers with this, even if they don’t plan on using an eSIM.)
With regard to business usage, our customers were telling us they were using aloSIM for work travel, as well as personal travel. However, they had to pay out-of-pocket for their mobile data and submit their aloSIM receipts to their companies for reimbursement, which wasn’t ideal. So we built aloSIM+ For Business as a free portal for companies to add funds and invite employees to access them when they need international mobile data.
We’re proud to have Fortune 500 and Fortune 100 companies using aloSIM+ For Business, and some of them are saving tens of thousands of dollars annually on corporate travel expenses. They love the service, and it’s completely free for them to use.
Employees use the aloSIM app to select any data packages they need, and at checkout, their purchases are automatically deducted from their company’s aloSIM+ For Business account. Admins can set spending caps, if needed, and see reports on the data employees are purchasing with the shared funds.
- Connectivity issues can be a concern for eSIM users. How does aloSIM address challenges related to lag or unstable internet connections to ensure consistent service quality?
We partner with the best networks in all 200+ countries where we provide mobile data, and we’re choosy about getting the right fit.
If our customers report slow speeds or poor connections in a particular spot, we’ll often add a new network to the lineup to ensure we have stronger coverage there. We don’t optimize our networks based on cost – it’s always based on latency and speed, and we push to offer mostly 5G networks for the fastest connections.
We’re also one of the only players in the eSIM space with a full money-back guarantee. If someone has a bad experience with one of our data packages, we want to hear about it and make things right. Our customer service is second to none, and we have many five-star reviews reflecting that.
- What measures are in place to handle network congestion or outages, especially for users traveling in remote areas?
Having multiple network partners in each country is paramount. If one network gets congested or goes down suddenly, our customers are automatically connected to a different network, usually without even noticing. This is something a traditional SIM card can’t offer since those are tied to a single network.
- Even though the demand for eSIMs is on the rise, some global consumers still have misconceptions about this technology. What initiatives is aloSIM undertaking to educate potential users about the benefits and ease of adopting eSIM technology?
We really pride ourselves on being a user-friendly eSIM app. It should not matter if you’re technically savvy or consider yourself a beginner. Our team spends hours every week just reviewing the process and trying to see everything from the perspective of someone who’s never heard of an eSIM.
Many of our customers are in their 70s and beyond, and they tell us how much they appreciate our clear instructions, written for real people. You don’t need to be tech-savvy to use aloSIM, and we believe this sets us apart from our competitors. Clarity, simplicity, and friendly support when you need it.
- With rising geopolitical tensions and the possibility of tariffs affecting global tech imports, do you foresee any impact on the eSIM industry, particularly a rise in operational costs or slow technology adoption?
We’re closely monitoring the tariffs to see if they will have an adverse effect on consumer spending, e.g., through inflation or unemployment, and therefore fewer people travelling.
We believe we’re well-positioned to provide the cost-conscious consumer with a great alternative to the traditional carrier plans, and save them money while they are travelling.
We’re moving into our busiest time of the year, and we’re working on some exciting projects behind the scenes. We’re looking forward to a strong summer season.
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udita.choudhary@futurenet.com (Udita Choudhary)
