Your travellers want 5G at their destinations

We’ve grown up with successive generations of mobile tech, with 5G the latest incarnation. But how much does this matter, and why should those offering eSIM data bundles to their customers care about making 5G access part of the offer?

• 5G gives users an experience akin to using Wi-Fi at home, but wherever they go.
• 5G’s blistering speeds remove the normal constraints of sharing large content files, streaming media and using apps.
• 5G isn’t everywhere yet; it tends to be available in built-up rather than rural areas.
• 5G is more present in some countries than others, particularly the US and China.
• 5G coverage is growing everywhere and many national tier-1 mobile networks will facilitate a 5G connection if your handset is ready for it, just like they did with 4G.

So that’s the tech. How does this apply to the market for travel eSIM mobile data bundles?

In travel, things like online check-in, mobile boarding passes and in-flight Wi-Fi were once unusual innovations that have since become normalised. Customers have turned “nice to haves” into “must haves”, forcing the market to respond. The lesson here is to keep up with expectations or risk losing out to competitors.

All these innovations are driven by digital evolution and rapid adoption of increasingly advanced technologies at travellers’ fingertips. Everyone has a smartphone and most are keen to get the most out of it.

When offering eSIM mobile data, there’s plenty of reasons why it makes sense to keep with the times and offer 5G access where available.

Imagine you live in a rural area with 3G access at best. Occasionally you get 4G and the experience is amazing. Now imagine what it will be like on your trip to the USA where over 500 cities are already blanketed in 5G.

People like to experience new things when they go abroad. How great would it be to give them 5G access in a 5G location via their eSIM mobile data bundle? How disappointing if it was just the slower 3G/4G alternative?

Ever found an old phone handset in a drawer? Or plugged in an old TV that wasn’t HD or even flatscreen? After 5 seconds of fuzzy nostalgia, you’re left with a far worse experience than the one you’re used to.

Increasing numbers of people regularly use 5G when in their home country, and this has reset their expectations to a higher level. If 5G is available, they’ll want it – or at least the option of choosing it.

Vacationers often make compromises on their trips; smaller rooms, strange food, basic public transport… That might (but probably won’t) mean skimping on mobile connectivity; accepting that they’re stuck with an inferior connection to what they’re used to.

However, when it comes to fast connectivity, business travellers will absolutely not want to quibble. And if that means searching out the best quality options, or even paying a premium, then so be it.

History shows that every time users get a bigger, faster connection, they consume more data. Whether fixed or mobile, or if it’s streaming media, social content creation, gaming, video collaboration or using enterprise apps – it’s all exponential growth.

5G is typically many times (at least 10 times) faster than 4G, which itself is no slouch. Offering 5G allows users to consume the same data much faster, creating more opportunity to consume more and at richer quality. The upshot is higher demand for larger data bundles, and increased top-ups when customers want more.

eSIM Go offers extensive 5G coverage, allowing you to show customers you’re serious about quality, and encouraging them to use more data. Get in touch to find out more.