Can you get 5G with a travel eSIM?
Yes, a travel eSIM can use 5G. It does when three things line up: your phone supports 5G, the network at your destination offers it, and the plan’s network list includes a 5G network. In our catalogue, 98 of 185 destinations list at least one 5G network.
What decides whether you get 5G
Your phone needs a 5G modem. iPhone 12 and later models have one. On Android it depends on the model, so check the maker’s specifications.
The network at your destination has to offer 5G where you are. Coverage differs by country, city and even street. Where there is no 5G signal, your phone uses 4G automatically.
The plan lists which mobile networks it can use and their type (3G, 4G or 5G). On a destination page you can see these networks and whether a 5G network is listed.
How to check before you buy
Open the destination page and look at the network list. A network marked 5G means it is listed for that destination’s plans. If no 5G network is listed, that does not prove the country has no 5G. It means our plans there do not list one, so do not count on it.
98 of our 185 destinations list a 5G network, for example France, Spain, United States, Italy, Türkiye, Mexico, Thailand and Germany. The other destinations list no 5G network.
How to switch 5G on
iPhone: Settings → Mobile Service (or Cellular) → tap the travel line → Voice & Data, then choose 5G Auto, or the option that always uses 5G. Menu names differ slightly between iOS versions.
Android: Settings → Network & internet → SIMs → pick the travel plan → Preferred network type, then choose the option that includes 5G. The wording depends on the phone maker.
5G Auto on iPhone uses 5G only when it will not noticeably shorten battery life, which is a sensible default for a day of travel.
What to expect from the speed
5G is a type of network, not a guaranteed speed. What you get depends on coverage, how busy the network is and the rules of the plan. Some Voyafi plans slow your speed once the daily allowance is used; the plan page says so.
If you only see 4G
Check that the travel line is the one selected for mobile data and that Data Roaming is on for it. Check that your phone supports 5G and that you are in an area with 5G coverage.
If the plan lists only 4G networks, it will not connect to 5G, whatever your phone supports.
