Known as one of the oldest European countries, Bulgaria is a country where you can see diverse landscapes, including mountains, beautiful beaches, and much more. So if your next trip is to this breathtaking country, taking with you the best eSIM for Bulgaria will allow you to enjoy excellent internet connectivity during your trip.
If you don’t know what eSIMs are, don’t worry because through this article, we will be explaining everything about this new and innovative service. You will learn what eSIM is, its benefits, something as important as where to buy it, and much more. Continue reading on to discover the best facts about international eSIMs!
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What is an eSIM?
We know that not many people understand what eSIMs are, and that’s how we will begin this article, by explaining what they are. Simply put, these are SIM cards that work digitally, and they work because they are embedded in many of the latest generations and cellphone models.
With an eSIM, you can easily connect to the internet while traveling to another country. With this service, you can keep in touch with family and friends, make a hotel or restaurant reservation, order a cab, share your best moments on social media, and much more.
Why should I get an eSIM for Bulgaria?
As we mentioned, the eSIM is an excellent alternative to be able to connect to the internet during your trip. And yes, nowadays, many options will allow you to have an internet connection, such as international roaming and pocket WiFi, but below, you will learn why the eSIM is the best option of all.
Foremost, the eSIM is the fastest and easiest alternative to get. You can easily buy it through online stores, from anywhere in the world, and at any time. In addition, eSIMs, being a digital service, it does not require a chip to be inserted into the phone nor does it come with delivery fees, so it’s a pretty cheap option.
On the other hand, cellphones that are compatible with eSIMs tend to be dual SIM phones, which means that you can continue to use your local SIM card and the eSIM simultaneously. However, remember that if you want to avoid high bills from your local operator, you must keep your local SIM card roaming turned off.
Requirements to install the eSIM for Bulgaria
After knowing what an eSIM is and why you should bring one for your trip, it is important that you know some requirements to consider regarding the eSIM for Bulgaria. That way, you will be prepared with all the necessary information before making your purchase.
- First, keep in mind that not all cellphones are eSIM compatible. So, it will be important for you to verify that your phone supports eSIMs before buying one. More on this later.
- As for the purchase process, it is necessary that you have an active email address where you will receive all the QR code to install your eSIM, as well as an internet connection for the installation of the eSIM.
- Most providers offer eSIMs through QR codes. So, you will need to have an extra screen where you have the code or print it out to scan it on your phone and install your eSIM.
- For online purchases, remember that you must possess one of the payment methods offered from the providers’ website. The most common payment methods are credit card, PayPal, and Google Pay.
- Finally, before starting your trip, we recommend you verify that your phone has open bands and network frequencies compatible with those of the country you will be visiting.
As you can see, most of the requirements to consider are easy to get, and you may even already comply with some. So if you have an eSIM-compatible phone, then the rest is a piece of cake.
Where to buy the eSIM for Bulgaria?
It is time to discuss the topic that many people must be waiting for, which is where and how to buy an eSIM for Bulgaria. Nowadays, there are many ways to buy an eSIM, and each of them has its advantages and disadvantages.
In a nutshell, the two alternatives are through online stores or an operator physical store in Bulgaria. As we have already mentioned above, making the purchase through an online store will make the whole process easier for you, and you will be able to complete the purchase from anywhere in the world. However, through physical stores of cellular operators, you will have the opportunity to choose between different options of plans for travelers.
Below we will explain more about each, so you can choose the one that best suits your preferences and needs.
International eSIM for Bulgaria
Firstly, we will tell you how you can buy an International eSIM for Bulgaria through online stores. Nowadays, this is the preferred option among travelers, and it is because no matter where in the world the user is located, they can buy an international eSIM for any destination in a matter of minutes!
And you must be wondering how to know if an online store is secure and reliable. Well, nowadays, there are many digital eSIM providers, but we recommend you make your purchases with well-known stores such as Holafly. With this Spanish-based stored, you can buy an eSIM for Bulgaria that offers unlimited data, which is an excellent advantage.
To buy the Holafly eSIM, you simply need to visit their official website, search for your travel destination, choose the plan that best suits the days of your trip, and proceed to complete the purchase. Everything can be done in a matter of minutes, and after making the payment and providing your personal information, you will receive an email with all the necessary information to install your eSIM service.
eSIM from Bulgarian operators.
As a second option to get an eSIM for Bulgaria, there are physical stores of cellular carriers available in the country. This is an excellent option for those who prefer to make their purchases in person or who do not have the necessary payment methods to make online purchases.
Currently, the most famous cellular operators in Bulgaria are A1, Vivacom, and Telenor. However, none of these operators currently offer eSIMs for travelers, as they focus on offering them for tourists. However, you can still purchase prepaid SIM card plans for tourists with these operators.
On the other hand, you should consider that the purchase process can be a bit complicated since there could be a language barrier that can slow things down, and also, you will have to go through a long registration system. So while this is an option that you can count on, keep in mind that it is something that will take time.
Cell phones that support eSIM for Bulgaria.
As mentioned above, to use an eSIM, you will need to verify that your cellphone is compatible with it. You can check this information under the phone’s settings. However, we would like you to have as much information as possible about eSIMs, so here is a list of the devices that currently support eSIMs:
- iPhone 14 Pro Max, iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14, iPhone 13 Pro Max, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13, iPhone 12 Pro Max, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12, iPhone 11 Pro Max, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11, iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR, iPhone SE 2.
- Samsung Galaxy Fold, Samsung Galaxy Note20, Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra, Samsung Galaxy S22, Samsung Galaxy S22+, Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, Samsung Galaxy S21 5G, Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G, Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G, Samsung Galaxy S20, Samsung Galaxy S20+, Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 5G, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 5G, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4.
- Google Pixel 7 Pro, Google Pixel 7, Google Pixel 6 Pro, Google Pixel 6, Google Pixel 6a, Google Pixel 5, Google Pixel 4, Google Pixel 4a, Google Pixel 4 XL, Google Pixel 3, Google Pixel 3 XL, Google Pixel 3a, Google Pixel 3a XL.
- Huawei P40, Huawei P40 Pro, Huawei Mate 40 Pro.
- HONOR Magic 3, HONOR Magic 3 Pro, HONOR Magic 3 Pro+, HONOR 50
- Motorola Razr, Motorola Razr 5G.
- Oppo Find X3 Pro, Oppo Find X5, Oppo Find X5 Pro, Oppo Reno 5 A, Oppo A55s 5G, Oppo Reno 6 Pro 5G.
Coverage in Bulgaria.
Besides confirming that your cellphone supports eSIM technology before purchasing one of these services, it’s also important that you verify the coverage quality that comes with the eSIM you purchase.
What we mean by this is that when buying an eSIM with any provider, you should verify that you will connect to a telephone network with good coverage in the country. In this case, the operators that offer the best coverage in Bulgaria are A1, Vivacom, and Telenor. So if your provider offers eSIM coverage with any of these carriers, then rest assured that you’ll have excellent coverage at your destination.
For example, with Holafly eSIM for Bulgaria, you will be able to connect to the Telenor network. So, it is an excellent option to get. Besides having unlimited data, you will enjoy excellent internet coverage!
Network frequencies in Bulgaria
Lastly, it is important to mention the topic of network frequencies. To explain simply, phones work with certain network frequencies to be able to connect to specific internet networks, and these will tell you how fast the internet signal transmission will be on the phone and back.
So, before you start your trip, it will be necessary that you verify that your cellphone works with, are compatible network frequencies with the ones of the country you will be visiting, in this case, Bulgaria. This way, you will be able to know if your phone will work in this country and how fast your internet connection will be. Here is a table with the network frequencies of Bulgaria.
| Technology | Bands |
| 5G bands | n1 (2100), n3 (1800), n78 (3500) |
| 4G bands | B1 (2100), B3 (1800) |
| 3G bands | B1 (2100), B8 (900) |
| 2G bands | B3 (1800), B8 (900) |
Frequently asked questions about eSIM for Bulgaria.
If you still have doubts or questions about eSIMs, here are some of the most frequently asked questions that travelers have about eSIMs:
No. People can get as many eSIMs as they need. But remember that only one can be used at a time on a device.
If you use all your data or your eSIM card expires, then your eSIM card will no longer work, and you will no longer have an internet connection. However, with Holafly’s eSIM for Bulgaria, you won’t have to worry about running out of data, as you will enjoy unlimited data with their plans.
The eSIM for Bulgaria that you buy from online stores only allows you to use cellular data. It does not include a local phone number for voice calls or messages. You can still make calls using apps like WhatsApp.
Depending on the provider, some data plans expire after 30 days. There are some cases in which you will be able to get an eSIM that lasts a whole year, but those types of eSIMs are not common, and they could be expensive.
You can connect through several alternatives. But most of these options are expensive and uncomfortable, such as the Pocket WiFi or International Roaming.