eSIM cards are an easy and budget-friendly way to stay connected while traveling because they eliminate roaming charges. (I dig a bit deeper into this in my post about the pros and cons of eSIM cards.)
For my latest eSIM card review, I tested Truely’s unlimited plan for three weeks in
Southeast Asia.
Truelyoffers worldwide coverage with both
fixed and unlimited data plansin over 190+ countries. The biggest advance of eSIM cards is the
ease of connectivityand the
ability to pause and resume plans.
Pros and Cons of Truely eSIM Cards
Truely has some unique features that I had not seen with other eSIM card companies that I tested including:
- Pause and Resume Data Plans
- Group Buying Feature:Families or friends traveling together can purchase plans to share.
- Flexible Data:Choose between unlimited and pay-per-GB plans.
- Refund Policy:Full refunds are offered for eSIMs that haven’t been installed or used.
- Speed Transparency:Unlimited plans have a daily 5 GB cap
- Loyalty Program:Earn points that can be redeemed for future purchases. (Use codeany Truely plan and still earn loyalty points!)ANNA15for 15% off
Every eSIM card company is only as good as its partner networks. I love that Truely lists all network partners in the plan details, so you can easily check before purchasing. After testing, the only con I could find with Truely is the slow speed of their partner network in Vietnam, but the networks in Cambodia and Singapore were solid.
Purchasing & Installing Truely’s Switchless eSIM
Thanks to Truely’s Switcheless eSIM, you
install the eSIM once, and any plan you purchase is automatically loaded onto the existing eSIM. I was very impressed by how easy it was to install and how
the auto-detect feature confirms device compatibilitybefore purchasing. (For
15% off any Truely plan, use code
ANNA15.)
Be sure to check what countries are covered in regional plans before purchasing. Since the Southeast Asia regional eSIM didn’t include Cambodia, I used the Asia regional eSIM. Cambodia is often not included in regional packages across all eSIM brands.
Every eSIM has a fair-use policy for unlimited plans, and Truely’s app makes this very transparent: unlimited plans have a daily 5 GB allowance with no cap and up to 512 Kbps/second after.
Trip Details
Countries Visited: Cambodia, Vietnam, Singapore
Usage: WhatsApp for texts, calls and audio messages, navigation apps, uploading video/photos to social media, and using the hotspot to connect to a computer.
I tested Truely’s unlimited plan for three weeks in Southeast Asia, traveling between three countries (
Singaporeand Cambodia). I used three Truely plans, each with 5 GB of unlimited data in Asia.
VietnamTruely eSIM in Singapore
Peranakan houses along Joo Chiat Road in Singapore.
Locations Visited: SingaporeCellular Network: SingtelIs 5G supported? YeseSIM Used: Asia plan with 5 Days of Unlimited Data
I had 5G Singtel service all over Singapore, from Chinatown to the lesser-known Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, in the northwest corner of the island. I ran a speed test with the Ookla Speed test app, and it
was the fastest cell service I’ve ever tested: 551 Mbps download, 52.4 Mbps upload.
This was my first time trying an unlimited plan, and it was refreshing not to have to worry about data to upload an Instagram story, update an app or scroll Instagram or download podcasts without having to wait to get on WIFI. The hotspot was better than the cumbersome airport WIFI.
Truely eSIM in Cambodia
Locations Visited: Siem Reap, Kratié and land travel to/from Laos borderCellular Network: Cell Card Cellcard and MetfoneIs 5G supported? NoeSIM Used: Asiaplan with 5 Days of Unlimited Data
My eSIM worked instantly on arrival in Siem Reap with full bars of LTE on the Cell Card network. My airport taxi driver said that Cell Card was okay in the city but didn’t have a great signal outside the city. Oddly, the network switched to SMART as we crossed the Mekong River in the Stueng Trang district. I had full LTE in Kratie, the base for visiting the endangered Irrawaddy dolphins. Voice calls to the U.S. worked fine on Google Voice. The sound quality was good, even though the app said the connection was unstable.
I briefly had 5G on the tuk-tuk ride to the dolphin boats. On the way to the Laos border from Kratie and later from the border to Siem Reap, I had service off and on. This is very common, no matter the network, from my previous trips through rural Cambodia. When my hotel WIFI cut out on a Zoom call, the hotspot was a lifesaver. Overall, it was fine for navigation, social media and messaging.
Truely eSIM in Vietnam
Locations Visited: Ho Chi Minh CityCellular Network: VinaphoneIs 5G supported? YeseSIM Used: Asia plan with 5 Days of Unlimited Data
When my flight landed in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), my eSIM connected right away with three bars of LTE with the Vinaphone network. It was fast enough to send messages and check the weather. From my experience,
Viettel is the fastest network in
VietnamTruely eSIM Customer Service
To contact Truely customer service, you can chat in the app or via WhatsApp (recommended).
Truely offers 24/7 support in the app and in WhatsApp. Initially, an AI assistant shows up, so I asked for a human and was connected quickly. (I didn’t have any issues to troubleshoot but was just testing the support response time and double-checking network partners.) In the app chat, the chat stays active for 24 hours, then it starts a new chat the next time. The customer support representative recommended WhatsApp for support versus the in-app chat. The agent also offered me a promo code for contacting support, which was a fun little perk.
Truely eSIM Review Summary
Overall, I would recommend Truely and had a positive experience in Southeast Asia. (I only wish they partnered with Viettel for faster speeds in Vietnam.) Everything about Truely was easy, from the one-time installation of the Switchless eSIM to the 24/7 customer service.
I previously avoided long-term unlimited data plans due to the price but testing this one made me question why I wasn’t using them. If I know I’ll be needed more data or will be on a short-term trip, then I’ll definitely consider an unlimited plan in the future. I’d easily use Truely again for both an unlimited and pay-per-GB plans. To test Truely on your next trip, use code ANNA15 for 15% off any Truely plan.
