You have just landed after eleven hours in the air. You need to call your guesthouse, pull up the train map and message your family to say you arrived safely. You switch your phone off flight mode and nothing happens.
From here, most travellers pick one of two bad options. They switch on international roaming and quietly accept a bill they will only see at the end of the month, or they spend their first hour abroad queuing at an airport kiosk for a local SIM card, handing over a passport copy and swapping out the tiny chip that holds their South African number.
There is a better way, and it takes about five minutes to set up before you leave home.
What is an eSIM?
An eSIM is a digital SIM card. Instead of slotting a small plastic chip into your phone, you download a mobile data plan directly onto a chip that is already built into your device.
Everything else works the way you expect. You choose a destination and a data bundle, pay for it upfront, install it, and your phone connects to a local network when you land. There is nothing to collect, nothing to post and nothing to lose at the bottom of your hand luggage.
On compatible dual-SIM phones, your eSIM works alongside your existing SIM, allowing you to keep your South African number while using Voye for mobile data. WhatsApp can continue using your existing number. Receiving calls, SMS and banking OTPs on your primary line depends on your home network’s roaming arrangements, and charges may apply.
Why travellers are switching to eSIMs
- No bill shockYou pay a fixed price before you travel. There is no meter running in the background and no surprise invoice waiting when you get home.
- You are connected the moment you landInstall the plan before you fly and your data is live as soon as you switch off flight mode. No kiosk queues, no closed shops at 2am, no hunting for a vendor that accepts a foreign card.
- You keep your own numberYour primary line stays in the phone, so calls, SMS and WhatsApp all still reach you.
- It works across bordersRegional and global plans cover multiple countries on one bundle, which matters if you are doing three cities in ten days or hopping between Schengen states.
- Nothing to lose or damageNo SIM tray tool balanced on a hotel bed and no original SIM left behind in a hostel drawer.
Meet Voye, our eSIM partner
Voye is Hepstar’s eSIM partner, providing digital mobile data packages for international travel. Rather than sending you off to compare a dozen unfamiliar providers, we have built a direct link to Voye’s platform so you can browse plans, buy and install in one place.
Plans are available for individual countries, regions and global coverage, in a range of data sizes and validity periods, so you are not paying for 20GB when a long weekend in Mauritius needs far less.
Will an eSIM work on my phone?
Most smartphones released in the last few years support eSIM, including recent iPhone, Samsung Galaxy, Google Pixel and Huawei models. Compatibility does depend on your specific device and, in some cases, on whether your handset was network-locked when you bought it. It takes a few seconds to check before you buy.
Get $5 off your travel eSIM
Here is the part worth knowing before you book your next trip. When you buy a Hepstar Comprehensive Travel Insurance policy, you get $5 off a Voye travel eSIM.
- Buy your Comprehensive Travel Insurance policy. It takes a couple of minutes to get a quote.
- Open your policy confirmation email. Alongside your policy schedule and documents you will find a link to redeem your $5 eSIM discount.
- Create your profile on the Voye platform and choose the plan that suits your destination and trip length.
- Check out. The discount is applied automatically at checkout.
Your $5 eSIM discount
Insurance for the things that go wrong. Data for everything that goes right.
Buy your Comprehensive Travel Insurance policy, then follow the link in your confirmation email. Your $5 discount is applied automatically at checkout on the Hepstar-Voye platform, no code required.
Four things to do before you fly
Install on Wi-Fi
Set up your eSIM at home before you fly. Installation needs an internet connection.
Keep your number
Need calls, SMS or banking OTPs? Keep your primary SIM active and check roaming availability and charges with your provider.
Set your data line
Select Voye for mobile data. Turn data roaming on for Voye and off for your primary SIM. Disable automatic data switching where available.
Save your confirmation
Keep your confirmation email handy. Don’t delete your eSIM—its QR code cannot be reused.
Frequently asked questions
What is Voye?
Voye is Hepstar’s eSIM partner, providing digital mobile data packages for international travel. eSIMs allow you to stay connected abroad without needing a physical SIM card.
What is an eSIM?
An eSIM is a digital SIM card. Instead of slotting a small plastic chip into your phone, you download a mobile data plan directly onto a chip that is already built into your device.
Will the eSIM work on my phone?
Most newer smartphones support eSIM technology, but compatibility depends on your device and mobile carrier. You can check your device compatibility here.
Which plans can I choose from?
Voye offers country, regional and global data packages in a range of sizes and validity periods. See all the available plans.
Does the discount apply to any Hepstar policy?
The $5 eSIM discount is available with Comprehensive Travel Insurance policies.
Cover the trip, then cover the connection
Comprehensive Travel Insurance from Hepstar covers up to R50 million for emergency medical treatment and repatriation, includes trip cancellation and baggage cover, and meets Schengen visa requirements. The eSIM discount is a small bonus on top of the part that really matters.
Hepstar Financial Services (Pty) Ltd is an authorised financial services provider (FSP 45097). Travel insurance policies are underwritten by Guardrisk Insurance Company Limited and are sold on a non-advice basis. eSIM data plans are provided by Voye. The $5 discount applies to eSIM purchases made through the Hepstar-Voye platform using the link supplied in your policy confirmation email.
