In this article, I will focus on how Airalo Giza Mobile eSIM works in Egypt. Many tourists visit Egypt every summer. As a kid, I always loved reading about Egyptian history and gods. The Cheops pyramid, the only remaining Wonder of the world, has been on my bucket list for a long time.
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I had the pleasure of spending several days in Cairo and had the opportunity to visit many places. While exploring Cairo, I tested a few eSIM cards from different sellers. All eSIM reviews are available here.
All eSIM reviews are available here. I also tried other eSIM products in Egypt. You can find more information in these articles:
Reviews: Travel eSIM for Egypt
Read on to learn more about my experience with the Airalo Giza Mobile Travel eSIM. More about eSIM technology and other companies is in this article. In this blogpost, you will find advice on choosing a suitable product for a trip abroad. All eSIM reviews are available here.
Airalo Discount Code
If you use my Airalo code SANDRA4293 you can get $3 off or 15% discount (link to the discount here) on your first eSIM.
If you already have an existing account you can get 10% discount on eSIMs US$10+ using this link.
Airalo Applications
Airalo has apps where you can buy new plans or track the usage of your existing plans. Below are the links where you can download them:
For Google Play click here.
For Apple Store click here.
Airalo offering for Egypt
Airalo offers eSIM products that are divided into three groups. The first group is for one specific country, called Local eSIMs. The second group is for a whole continent, called Regional eSIMs, and can be used in multiple countries within that region. The last group consists of eSIM products that can be used globally, called Global eSIMs.
I found on the Airalo website these three types of products for Egypt.
Airalo Giza Mobile eSIM
The first product is the Airalo Giza Mobile eSIM, which was explicitly designed for use in Egypt. The offer includes packages ranging from 1 GB, valid for 7 days, to 10 GB, valid for 30 days.
Airalo Hello Africa eSIM
The second product is Airalo Eurolink, which can be used in 34 countries on the African continent. These include Algeria, Benin, Botswana, Burkina, Faso, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Republic of South Africa, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Kenya, Republic of Congo, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi , Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Central African Republic, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda and Zambia.
Airalo offers two variants of “Global eSIMs”. The first one is Airalo Discover eSIM, which offers data only. It varies from 1 to 20 GB. These data eSIMs can be used in 124 countries.
The second variant is Airalo Discover eSIM, which contains data, voice calls, and SMS. The plans include voice calls (from 10 minutes up to 200 minutes), SMS (from 10 SMS up to 200 SMS), and mobile data (from 1 GB to 20 GB). These eSIM cards come with the Austrian phone number +43. These data eSIMs could be used in 125 countries.
Price
I noticed that Airalo had five Giza Mobile eSIM data plans available. These data plans varied in the amount of mobile data they offered, ranging from 1GB for $7 to 10GB for $44. The packages also had different validity periods, ranging from 7 to 30 days.
What phones support eSIM?
With this technology’s growing popularity, more and more phones and tablets are on the market that support it. When buying a phone, you should ask the seller if the phone supports eSIM. Airalo regularly updates the list of supported devices, so it is better to check their official support page.
Mobile operators in Egypt and connection type
Egypt has three mobile operators: Etisalat, Orange, and Vodafone. The eSIM I bought could only be used in the Orange network. Keep in mind that there are areas in the country with no mobile signal coverage. Before purchasing, I suggest checking nperf.com to confirm coverage in your area.
Connection type
In the technical information for this data package, Airalo mentions support for LTE networks. However, network coverage depends on location, as the maps above indicate. Many areas do not receive signal coverage at all.
eSIM Activation
The data package’s activation and validity period starts when the eSIM is connected to one of the supported networks, in this case, Orange.
My Airalo Giza Mobile eSIM experience
My Airalo eSIM
After purchasing a data plan for $7, I received 1GB of data with a validity period of 7 days. However, I have a discount code that can reduce the price to $4 (see above). This data plan was ideal for my usage as I mainly used the data for photo sharing and light Internet browsing.
When installing the eSIM on my phone, I made sure to do it while connected to the home wifi. Having an Internet connection during the eSIM installation is important, and using wifi is recommended for a smoother process.
I found the installation process to be quite straightforward. Using the Airalo app on my Android phone, I selected the “Install eSIM” option, and the system handled the rest automatically. Alternatively, I could have scanned the QR code received via email or manually set the SMDP server address as the third option. Overall, the installation went smoothly.
Network registration
After landing at Cairo airport, I enabled the Airalo Giza Mobile eSIM in the phone settings. The eSIM was registered to the Orange network within two minutes. After enabling mobile data, the 4G icon appeared.
Functionality
As I stood in line at passport control for an eternity, I was grateful to have internet access. Despite being stuck in the slowest line, I made the most of my time by scrolling through Instagram and reading articles online.
Later, as my ride from the airport progressed, I noticed my phone signal switched from 4G to 4G+. During the ride, I tracked our route and explored the surroundings on the map.
Throughout the rest of the trip, I relied heavily on Google Maps and the Uber apps, both of which performed flawlessly with quick loading times. I also indulged in various games and apps, including Signal, Telegram, YouTube, Twitch, Instagram, War and Order, Gmail, and Dropbox. Additionally, I experimented with tethering, connecting my Nintendo Switch to my phone’s hotspot, allowing me to play games while unwinding at the hotel.
Speed
After having a positive experience browsing the internet pages, I was keen to gauge the reliability of the internet connection further by testing the transfer speeds. While traveling in a moving car, I measured the download speed, which peaked at an impressive 52.8 Mbps. This robust speed was in line with the flawless performance of various applications, underscoring the consistent and dependable internet connection.
Top-ups
Buying additional data was easy. After clicking “My eSIM” and “TOP UP”, I saw these five plans.
Conclusion
Everything went incredibly smoothly—I couldn’t have anticipated a more seamless experience. This is precisely what I had in mind when I decided to buy a travel eSIM. The setup process was wonderfully straightforward, and I encountered no difficulties while using it throughout my time in Cairo.
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Three options – local Giza Mobile, regional Hello Africa and global Discover eSIM | No Unlimited Data bundle |
| Various sizes of data – from 1GB to 10GB | |
| Various validity periods – from 7 to 30 days | |
| Simple process for top-up Fast downlink and uplink, and hassle-free use | |
What is your experience with eSIM in Turkey? Do you have a favourite one?
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