eSIM for heavy users who stream daily

Unlimited does not mean always fast

Nearly every unlimited plan has a daily full-speed cap; past it, speed drops until the next reset. Choose on the threshold number, not the label.

Using more than two gigabytes a day, regularly, shifts the main question from 'is there enough data' to 'does the speed stay fast enough all day'. Most plans labelled unlimited carry a daily full-speed threshold buried in the fine print. Once that threshold is used up, speed drops until the next reset — the word unlimited doesn't automatically mean always fast.

This page suits someone who streams video or music continuously every day while travelling, downloads large files often, and anyone who has hit a speed drop mid-trip despite the app still showing data remaining. What follows helps separate whether the issue is genuinely running out of data or simply reaching a speed threshold.

Unlimited does not mean fast for the whole day

Nearly every unlimited plan states a daily full-speed threshold on its plan page. Once that threshold is used up, speed drops until the next reset of the day. The exact figure varies from plan to plan, so it needs reading clearly before buying, rather than assuming from the word unlimited in the marketing alone.

For someone with a heavy day-to-day habit, comparing the daily full-speed threshold across plans matters more than comparing price alone, since a cheaper plan with a low threshold can slow down earlier than expected each day, while a slightly pricier plan with a higher threshold can be better value across the whole trip.

A large fixed-GB plan is worth considering too

If some days are very heavy and some are light, a large fixed-GB plan can offer better value than an unlimited plan with a low threshold, since you draw from the real total each day without a speed cap kicking in until the whole allowance is used, unlike an unlimited plan where speed drops daily at the threshold regardless of that day's actual need.

The choice between the two should be based mainly on your actual pattern; there is no single answer that suits everyone. If you stream continuously every day with no light days at all, an unlimited plan with a high threshold usually suits better. If usage swings back and forth, a fixed-GB plan gives more flexibility.

Chosen video quality affects data more than expected

Most streaming apps adjust video quality automatically based on the network speed detected at that moment. If quality is fixed at the maximum setting rather than left to adjust automatically, data use per hour runs noticeably higher than the automatic setting, especially when watching on a phone screen where the top resolution may not even be necessary.

Checking the video quality setting in frequently used apps before travelling is a more targeted fix than buying extra data without knowing the cause, since dropping quality by one level often cuts data per hour substantially while still looking perfectly clear on a phone screen.

Downloading ahead instead of streaming live

Many music and video apps allow downloading content ahead of time over Wi-Fi and then watching or listening offline later. This cuts down considerably on data drawn over the mobile line for someone replaying the same music or a series while travelling, especially on a bus or flight where the content doesn't need to be brand new every time.

Plan the download ahead of time while there's Wi-Fi at the accommodation, rather than trying to download once already on a bus or plane with no signal, since it simply won't go through once signal is gone. This also saves battery, since playing an already-downloaded file uses less power than continuous live streaming.

Check device compatibility before choosing a high-volume plan

Before buying a high-volume or unlimited plan, check whether your phone supports eSIM and isn't locked to your existing carrier, using the device checker tool on the site. There's no point buying a large plan if the phone doesn't support it to begin with.

Tethering and heavy usage are two separate things

Heavy usage from a single phone and tethering to another device are two different situations, even though both draw a lot of data. The difference is that if you plan to tether to a tablet or laptop as well, you need to check the plan explicitly states tethering is allowed on the plan page before buying — not every plan permits it, even an unlimited one.

If you plan to tether other devices too, the combined total needed runs considerably higher than expected. Count in the usage of every device, not just the main phone alone.

A long trip combined with heavy daily use

For a long trip lasting several weeks with heavy daily use, check whether the chosen plan's validity period covers the whole trip, separately from data volume or the speed threshold, since some high-volume plans expire sooner than expected, forcing a repurchase mid-trip even while data is still left.

Buying a new plan mid-trip means installing another profile again, and any data left over on the old plan may not carry over once it expires. Check the expiry date alongside the data volume before buying, so you don't have to deal with this mid-trip.

The steps below help confirm whether a slowdown is genuinely the daily threshold or something else, before deciding to buy extra data unnecessarily.

1. 1Check remaining data on the order pageOpen the order page and confirm data actually remains as expected, rather than reading the figure from the phone's own network app, which may not match.
2. 2Check the daily full-speed threshold on the plan pageCompare the time speed started dropping against the stated threshold. If they match, it's normal plan behaviour, not a fault.
3. 3Check the video quality setting in frequently used appsDrop quality by one level, or switch back to automatic, and observe whether the felt speed improves.
4. 4If speed is still low after checking everything above, contact the teamReport the time the issue appeared and the destination in use via LINE or email, so the network status on that side can be checked.

Data by activity for a heavy user

The table below compares activities common for a heavy user and what drives each one's data use up, to help prioritise when sizing a plan.

Common symptoms when speed drops

This table summarises symptoms heavy users commonly report, the likely cause, and what to do, so you can quickly tell whether it's normal plan behaviour or worth contacting the team about.

Test honestly before concluding the plan is at fault

When speed feels slower than expected, the first step is separating whether it's the daily full-speed threshold stated on the plan page, or something else — a background app still running, or even just standing somewhere with something blocking the signal at that moment. Concluding too quickly that the plan is at fault, without checking these variables first, often leads to buying extra data unnecessarily.

The most straightforward approach is closing every background app temporarily, then testing only the one app you actually care about. If speed is still low, compare the time the issue appeared against the daily full-speed threshold on the plan page. If they match, it's normal behaviour to wait out until the next reset; if they don't match at all and it keeps recurring across several locations, that's the point to contact the team for a closer look, rather than continuing to guess.

This kind of test is worth turning into a habit from the very first day of the plan, rather than waiting until frustration builds up over several slow days before checking anything. The sooner you know whether the cause is a normal threshold or something else, the more accurately you can plan the following days, instead of guessing and adjusting the wrong habit repeatedly.

Before buying a high-volume plan, check these

• The unlimited plan's daily full-speed threshold, compared against your actual streaming pattern
• The plan's expiry date covers the full length of the trip
• The plan explicitly states tethering is allowed, if you'll share it with another device
• Automatic backup turned off or adjusted before travel, if it doesn't need to run constantly
• Music or video you'll replay downloaded in advance while there's Wi-Fi

Compare the daily full-speed threshold across plans

Estimate the data you'll likely need with the calculator