Why pilgrims use a travel eSIM
During the journey your phone does a lot of work: maps to the hotel and meeting points, messages to family at home and to your group, and apps such as Nusuk that many visitors use to organise their trip. Having data from the first minute makes all of this easier.
A travel eSIM is a digital SIM you download instead of inserting a plastic card. You buy it before you leave, install it at home, and it connects when you arrive, so there is no SIM counter to find after a long flight.
With Shpper, you buy and manage your eSIM in the Shpper app on iPhone or Android. You can pay by card, wallet or Shpper points, and the QR code is ready right after purchase.
How much data do you need for Umrah or Hajj?
Data use varies a lot between people, so treat these figures as rough guides. Messaging and maps use relatively little; video calls use by far the most, often half a gigabyte or more per hour.
Umrah trips are often 7 to 14 days. A 10-day Umrah with light to moderate use might need around 3 to 10 GB; allow more for daily video calls or sharing data with family. Hajj trips usually last longer, so choose a plan whose validity covers your whole stay, including travel days.
Shpper plans range from 1 GB to unlimited data, with validity from 3 to 90 days depending on the destination. Check the Saudi Arabia page for the plans currently available. If you are also visiting other countries in the region, compare the Middle East pack; for several regions, the Worldwide plan.
- Light use (messaging, maps, some browsing): often a few hundred MB a day.
- Moderate use (adding photos, voice calls over apps, social media): roughly 0.5 to 1 GB a day.
- Heavy use (daily video calls, sharing data by hotspot): 1 GB a day or more.
Keep your home number for calls and bank codes
A Shpper eSIM is data only. On a dual-SIM phone your usual SIM stays in place and keeps your number, so you can still receive calls and SMS, including one-time passcodes from your bank, while the eSIM handles your mobile data.
Receiving calls and SMS on your home number abroad depends on your home provider’s roaming terms, so check with them before you travel. Keep data roaming off on your home line to avoid unexpected charges.
Before you fly: check your phone and install the eSIM
Your phone must be eSIM-capable and carrier-unlocked. That includes iPhone XS, XR or newer, Google Pixel 3 or newer, and Samsung Galaxy S20 or newer; most phones from 2018 onwards support eSIM. On many phones, dialling *#06# shows an EID number if eSIM is supported.
Install the eSIM at home a day or two before travelling, on Wi-Fi. Your plan does not start when you buy or install it; it starts when the eSIM first connects to a network at your destination.
An installed eSIM cannot be moved to another phone, so install it on the phone you will travel with. Family members need their own eSIM, or can use yours by hotspot.
- Download the Shpper app and choose a Saudi Arabia plan, or the Middle East or Worldwide pack if your trip covers more countries.
- Pay by card, wallet or Shpper points. Your QR code is ready straight after purchase.
- Connect to Wi-Fi. On iPhone, use the one-tap install in the Shpper app. On other phones, scan the QR code shown on another screen, or enter the details manually.
- Give the new line a clear name, such as Saudi data.
- Leave it installed until you land.
On arrival in Saudi Arabia: turn on your eSIM
Once you land, switch off flight mode and give the phone a minute to find a network. Menu names differ slightly between phone models.
- Open your phone’s mobile or cellular settings and select the Shpper line.
- Turn on Data Roaming for the Shpper line. The eSIM needs it to connect.
- Choose the Shpper line for mobile data. On iPhone, you may also want to turn off Allow Mobile Data Switching so the phone does not fall back to your home line.
- Open a website or a map to check that you are online.
Connected but no internet? Set the APN
If the Shpper line shows signal but nothing loads, the access point name (APN) may need to be entered by hand.
- Open the settings for the Shpper line and find Mobile Data Network on iPhone, or Access Point Names on Android.
- Set the APN to globaldata and save.
- Turn flight mode on and off, or restart the phone, and try again.
- If it still does not work, contact Shpper support, which is available 24/7.
Practical tips for pilgrims
- Share with family: hotspot is supported, so one phone can share data with a spouse, parent or child, all from the same allowance.
- Watch the alerts: Shpper sends usage alerts when your data runs low and before the plan ends.
- Top up at the right time: you can add more data in the app, but a top-up replaces the current allowance on that eSIM rather than adding to it, so it is best to top up when your remaining data is nearly used.
- Use Wi-Fi where you can: save video calls, app updates and photo backups for hotel Wi-Fi, and turn off automatic updates over mobile data before you travel.
- Keep your phone charged: maps and hotspot drain the battery quickly, so a power bank is worth packing.
- Plan for crowds: in very crowded places at peak times, any mobile network can slow down. Agree a meeting point with your group in advance rather than relying on your phone alone.
