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Airalo has continued to expand its portfolio of locally hosted eSIMs following earlier introductions in Canada and the Netherlands. The company recently upgraded its Belgian offer, Belganet, into a fully local eSIM that includes a Belgian phone number (+32).
Find Your eSIM readers can use the code FYESIM15 for a 15% percent discount on any Airalo eSIM.
According to Co-Founder Ahmet Bahadir Ozdemir, Airalo’s long-term goal is to create “190 [Mint or Virgin Mobiles] inside a single app,” gradually developing a network of local MVNOs (Mobile Virtual Network Operators) under the Airalo brand.
Key characteristics of local eSIMs
Most travel eSIMs currently available on the market use roaming agreements to provide coverage. These connections typically do not include a local number or local IP address.
Airalo’s locally integrated eSIMs differ in several ways:
- They provide a local IP address, which can be relevant for access to regional services such as banking or streaming platforms.
- They include a local phone number, allowing calls, SMS, and verification.
- They connect directly to a local network, which can result in lower latency and higher network priority.
Availability
Based on Airalo’s public listings, around twenty countries now feature locally integrated plans. Examples include Belgium (Belganet), Brazil (Maneiro), Canada (Bell), Israel (Annatel), the Netherlands (Hè Hè) and the United States (Change).
Not every Airalo eSIM falls under this category. Users can check whether a plan is local by selecting Package Details on Airalo’s website. Plans that display the note “You may notice an alternative IP address with this eSIM” are roaming-based rather than local.
In the table below you find the plans we found in Airalo's feed, that offer a real local eSIM.
| Country | Name | KYC |
|---|---|---|
| Austria | Galli | Yes |
| Bahamas | Jitney Mobile | Yes |
| Belgium | Belganet | Yes |
| Brazil | Maneiro | Yes |
| Canada | Bell | No |
| Cayman islands | Atlantis Telecom | No |
| Colombia | Chimba | Yes |
| Costa Rica | Hot Telecom | Yes |
| Georgia | Gaumarjos! | Yes |
| Israel | Annatel | Yes |
| Jamaica | Jamcomm | Yes |
| Maldives | Ooredoo | Yes |
| Netherlands | Hè Hè | No |
| Panama | Pancell Digital | Yes |
| Peru | Tono | Yes |
| South Korea | LG U | Yes |
| Sri Lanka | Ella | Yes |
| Thailand | Dtac (not the Maew eSIM) | Yes |
| United Kingdom | Uki Mobile | Yes |
| United States | Change | No |
Market context and considerations
Airalo’s recent expansion into locally hosted eSIMs reflects a broader trend in the industry toward deeper network integration. Rather than relying solely on roaming agreements, a small number of providers are establishing direct partnerships with national operators. Other companies that follow a similar approach include Sim Local and certain offers available via MobiMatter.
These locally integrated eSIMs currently represent an estimated ten percent of Airalo’s overall portfolio. The company appears to be gradually increasing its focus on this segment as part of its longer-term development strategy.
From a user perspective, there are several practical differences compared with standard data-only plans:
- Price: local eSIMs are generally more expensive than basic roaming-based alternatives.
- KYC verification: many of these plans require identity verification before activation.
As a result, travelers can choose between low-cost data-only plans for convenience, or locally integrated options that provide additional functionality such as local numbers and improved network performance.
