Switching over to a local data plan during your trip used to involve swapping in a SIM card you got after landing. But it's 2024, and you no longer need to purchase a physical card on the way out of the airport - if your smartphone is new enough to have an electronic SIM.
An eSIM is a small version of a SIM card that's built into a device. Last year, I bought a data package from Airalo and installed the eSIM onto my iPhone before heading to Costa Rica. Based on my experience using it, I was impressed with the decently affordable plan as well as the reliable connection.
As a general rule, if you've purchased a smartphone released within the past five years, it likely has an eSIM option. Some smartphones even have two eSIMs built in, so you can operate dual phone numbers on the same device.
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