Customers who are new to eSIMs nearly always ask the same things. Here are ten short answers your team can give as they are, at the counter or on the phone. They follow our terms of sale. For a case these answers do not cover, the right answer is "let me check" rather than a promise.
The basics first: a Terudo eSIM is a digital SIM that gives mobile internet in one country or region, for the data and duration chosen at checkout. It has no phone number, no calls and no texts.
The phone and the number
1. "Will it work on my phone?"
Two conditions: the phone must support eSIM, and it must not be locked to a carrier. The fastest test is to dial *#06#. If an EID number shows up, the phone supports eSIM. An "Add eSIM" option in the settings confirms it too. Carrier locks are the real trap: a phone bought on a contract may refuse any other eSIM. If in doubt, the traveller calls their carrier before buying. Checking is their job, but you are the one who saves them the surprise. If they find out after buying, an eSIM that was never installed can be refunded (question 10).
2. "Do I keep my number? And WhatsApp?"
Yes. The eSIM sits next to their usual SIM, which keeps its number. WhatsApp stays tied to that number and runs on the eSIM's data, so the traveller keeps their account, chats and groups with nothing to reinstall. Their usual number can still receive calls and texts, on their own carrier's terms.
3. "Can I make calls and send texts?"
Not with the eSIM. It has no number, no calls and no texts, and it cannot reach emergency services. Calls through apps such as WhatsApp or FaceTime use data and work normally. For a regular call or text, a bank code by SMS for example, the traveller uses their usual line at their carrier's rates, so they should keep that line switched on during the trip.
The plan
4. "I'm visiting several countries. Do I need several eSIMs?"
A country plan only works in that country. For a multi-country trip there are regional plans. The Europe plan, for example, covers 35 countries, at a recommended public price of €10.99 for 3 GB or €22.99 for 10 GB over 30 days. The Coverage page shows the zones but not the full country list. If a country on the itinerary is not clearly listed, ask us before selling. If one is missing, that country needs a second eSIM. After purchase, the traveller's "My eSIM" page lists the countries and networks covered. And travellers on a European plan usually need nothing inside the EU, where their plan works as it does at home.
5. "Can I share my connection with my laptop or my kids?"
Do not promise it. The usage rules are in our terms of sale, and that is where to point a traveller who insists. Suggest one eSIM per phone instead. The "My eSIM" page gives the same advice: the connection is steadier and everyone keeps their battery. And the eSIM is never to be used in a router, a dongle or a connected device.
Installing and landing
6. "When should I install it?"
Before leaving, with an internet connection, ideally home Wi-Fi. The eSIM arrives by email right after payment, with an install link, a QR code and an activation code. The QR code has to be scanned by the phone that will hold the eSIM, so it needs to be on another screen or printed. The other way is to open the install link on the phone itself. The "My eSIM" page shows the date by which the eSIM must be installed, then, once it is in use, the date its validity ends. The simplest advice is still to install a few days before departure.
7. "What do I do when I land?"
- In the settings, pick the travel eSIM for mobile data.
- Turn on data roaming for that eSIM. This is expected and costs nothing extra: the plan is already paid for.
- Turn off data roaming on the usual line to avoid charges from their carrier. That line stays on for calls and texts.
- Give the phone a moment to find the network.
During the trip
8. "How do I know how much data I have left? What if I run out?"
The eSIM email links to the "My eSIM" page, which shows usage, validity and a top-up button. A top-up goes onto the same eSIM, with nothing to reinstall. On commission sales, the traveller also gets an email when data runs low and before the plan expires. On net price sales, your agency gets those alerts instead, since the customer is yours. Usage shows with a delay of one to three hours. A plan ends when its duration is over or its data is used up, whichever comes first. Leftover data is not carried over or refunded. On your side, the partner space shows each eSIM's status and your customers' usage, so you can answer without sending them elsewhere.
9. "It doesn't work. What now?"
In this order:
- Check that the travel eSIM is selected for mobile data.
- Check that data roaming is on for it.
- Check that the traveller is actually in the plan's country or zone.
- Switch airplane mode on for a few seconds and off again, or restart the phone.
- Never delete the eSIM: a deleted eSIM usually cannot be reinstalled, and the remaining plan would be lost.
If nothing changes, the traveller writes to the contact shown in their eSIM email, or to [email protected], with their order email, screenshots of their settings, where they are and the time. It is best done during the trip: we first try to restore the service, with settings, another network or a replacement eSIM. On commission sales, Terudo handles this support.
After the trip
10. "I never installed the eSIM. Can I get a refund?"
Yes, if they never installed it and ask within 14 days of purchase: that is their legal right of withdrawal. They are then refunded in full within 14 days, to the original payment method. After those 14 days, they write to [email protected]: our terms of sale also provide a goodwill refund for an uninstalled eSIM, within a period the terms set out. This covers a cancelled trip as well as an incompatible or locked phone. For an eSIM that is already installed, promise nothing and pass the request on to us. If it does not work although the phone is compatible and the traveller is in the zone, we first try to restore the service (question 9). For you, a refunded sale earns no commission.
What not to promise
- Speed or coverage everywhere: both depend on the local network, the location and the phone.
- Hotspot use.
- Calls or texts on the eSIM.
- A refund on an eSIM that is already installed.
- Moving the eSIM to another phone: it installs once, on one device.
One last piece of advice: ask the traveller about their carrier and destination before offering anything. Inside the EU, or with a recent plan that includes the country, they may need nothing. The guide "Travel eSIM or roaming: an honest comparison" helps you decide. Keep these ten answers next to the desk, and send us the questions that keep coming back and are not on the list: we will add them.