Reading coverage and speed claims without being misled
Nationwide coverage and works everywhere are not the same claim, and nobody can guarantee a speed.
Respuesta rápida
- Coverage describes where a network operates; it is not a promise about basements or the inside of buildings.
- 5G support means eligibility, not that you will see 5G everywhere.
| The claim | What it actually means |
|---|---|
| The map can answer | The map cannot answer |
|---|---|
| What determines speed | Who controls it | What you can do |
|---|---|---|
Pros
Cons
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Preguntas frecuentes
Why do our pages avoid quoting speeds?+
Because we have not measured everywhere, and borrowed figures may not match your experience, so we explain the factors instead.
How can I judge coverage where I am going?+
Check the coverage map published by the local operator the plan names; it is the closest source available.
If the coverage map shows service but my room has none, who is at fault?+
Usually nobody is. A map describes service areas at a broad level, not conditions inside individual buildings, and metallised glass, thick walls or a basement all cut signal substantially. Try a window or step outside; if it works well out there, the building is the explanation.
Why does the same plan work well for a friend and badly for me?+
Most often the handsets differ and therefore support different bands. Next most often you are in a different place or at a different hour, with a different number of people sharing the cell. Sometimes it is a setting, such as the wrong line selected for data. Check those three before blaming the plan.
Is a plan covering a hundred countries better than a single-country one?+
Not necessarily. Multi-country plans are convenient when one trip crosses several borders, while single-country plans tend to state their network and terms more precisely. If your trip is mostly one country, the single-country option usually fits better.
Should I trust a review that says the connection was extremely fast?+
Read it, but always look for the context: which country, city or countryside, indoors or outdoors, and on what device. Without those, the figure cannot be mapped onto your situation. More useful is a cluster of reviews reporting the same thing in the same country.
Why does this site not publish speed numbers like others do?+
Because we have not measured every country and every area ourselves, and numbers taken from elsewhere come from different handsets, different hours and different places from where you are going. Publishing figures we cannot verify would set the wrong expectation, so we explain the factors instead.
What is the last thing to check before buying?+
Three things: that the listed country really matches where you are going, that the validity spans all your travel dates, and that your handset supports eSIM and is not network-locked. Those cause more post-purchase problems than speed ever does.
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