By now, we’ve tested latency, jitter, and packet loss. We’ve stress-tested eSIMs under real work conditions. But there’s one more layer to peel back — and it’s where things get messy:

Do “global” eSIMs actually deliver consistent performance around the world — or is “global” just a buzzword?

Because while most gIobal eSIM providers list 100+ countries, what really matters is how well they roam — how stable they are when you land somewhere new, whether you get full 4G/5G access, and if they can keep you connected during border crossings or local handoffs.

This part of the Latency Report digs into the real roaming experience — not just coverage maps, but performance, prioritization, and consistency.

The Global Plan Illusion

Let’s be clear: most “global eSIM” plans rely on partnerships with mobile network operators (MNOs) or MVNOs in each country. But just being technically connected to a network doesn’t mean the experience is usable.

In fact, during roaming:

• You often get lower-priority access
• You might be locked out of 5G
• Your eSIM might connect only to the slowest local partner
• You could face slow switching between towers — or full signal loss when crossing a border

In short: not all coverage is equal.

The Field Test: What We Looked At

For this roaming reality check, we tested several leading global eSIM plans:

• Airalo Discover Global
• Nomad Global
• GigSky Global
• Airhub Global
• Yesim Global Plus

We monitored how each performed across three areas:

1. Initial connection stability after arriving in a new country
2. Network type availability (4G/5G or fallback to 3G)
3. Roaming prioritization (does performance drop during congestion?)
4. Border transitions — how quickly does the eSIM switch to a local network?
5. Battery impact from prolonged roaming or weak tower switching

We tested across 12 countries:

• Europe: Spain, Croatia, Greece, Albania
• Asia: Japan, India, Turkey
• South America: Colombia, Peru
• Middle East/Africa: UAE, Morocco
• North America: U.S.

Key Findings

1. Not All Networks Are Treated Equally

In Spain and Croatia, nearly all eSIMs are connected to major carriers like Orange or Hrvatski Telekom. However, Nomad and Airalo’s global plans showed slower speeds and less consistent handovers in some locations during testing, likely due to deprioritized access or partner limitations.

Ubigi and Airhub connected more consistently — in several tests, their global plans latched onto top-tier networks faster and stayed on 4G LTE during congestion.

2. 5G Isn’t Really Global Yet

Several global plans advertise 5G access. But in India, Turkey, and Morocco, no 5G networks were available on any of the tested eSIMs — despite local SIMs showing 5G availability. This isn’t false advertising — it’s a limitation of roaming agreements.

In Japan and the UAE, only Yesim and Airhub were able to access 5G — but even then, the benefit was mostly in download speed, not latency. For video conferencing or cloud sync, 4G with strong signal and prioritization performed better.

3. Border Crossing Is Still a Pain Point

In the EU, transitions between countries (e.g. Spain → France → Croatia) were generally smooth. But once we tested Greece → Albania or Croatia → Bosnia, things got bumpy.

Most global eSIMs experienced a 2–5 minute signal loss or failed to auto-switch, requiring manual APN reconfiguration or reboots. In contrast, regional or country-specific eSIMs made the switch almost instantly.

This matters for travelers who frequently cross borders — especially in the Balkans or Southeast Asia, where short regional hops are common.

4. Battery Drain Was Noticeably Higher on Some Global Plans

During roaming, devices continuously search for the strongest signal. We observed noticeably higher battery consumption — in some cases up to 20–25% more — especially with eSIMs that frequently switched towers or failed to lock onto strong local signals.

The most efficient performers? eSIM roaming performance

• Ubigi, which locks into stable connections faster
• Airhub, which had fewer handovers across multiple regions

Real Roaming vs. The Marketing Map

Here’s what global coverage actually means in practice:

What to Watch Out For

• Marketing language like “Available in 130+ countries” doesn’t guarantee 4G/5G access or performance.
• Global plans are often deprioritized vs. local or regional eSIMs.
• Frequent travelers crossing borders (especially in regions like the Balkans, Andes, or Southeast Asia) may experience signal loss or delays unless using a more dynamic regional plan.

What’s Coming Next: The Roaming Experience Score

We’re now rolling out a new Roaming Experience Score inside the Alertify Latency Dashboard, which will rate each global eSIM based on:

• Signal stability after arrival
• Tower switch speed and reliability
• Network prioritization level
• Border performance
• Battery efficiency during roaming

Because coverage isn’t enough — it’s the quality of roaming that matters most to professionals on the move.

Final Thoughts about eSIM Roaming Performance

This isn’t about bashing global eSIM plans — they’re incredibly useful, flexible, and often convenient. But they’re not all equal, and “global” doesn’t mean flawless performance everywhere. eSIM roaming performance

For remote professionals, creators, or long-term travelers, it’s time to go deepver:

• Look beyond coverage maps
• Ask about prioritization
• Choose plans that work where (and how) you work

The Alertify Latency Report exists to cut through the marketing fog and give you a real picture of mobile connectivity that supports your lifestyle — not just your travel itinerary.