---
title: "SIM not working abroad: what to check | Gigapass"
description: "Eight checks ordered from most to least likely, which work the same for a physical card and for an eSIM."
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# My SIM isn't working abroad: the checklist

> Eight checks ordered from most to least likely, which work the same for a physical card and for an eSIM.

[Home](https://getgigapass.com/en) › [Blog](https://getgigapass.com/en/blog) › My SIM isn't working abroad: the checklist

Before you buy

Eight checks ordered from most to least likely, which work the same for a physical card and for an eSIM.

**Bea Nogales** 10 Aug 2026 5 min Photo by Guille Álvarez on Unsplash

In this article › The eight checks › Symptoms and likely cause › What not to do

It makes no difference whether it's a card bought at the airport or a profile downloaded at home: when there's no data, the causes are the same and in the same order of likelihood.

## The eight checks

1. Is the line switched on? Installed, or slotted in, isn't the same as switched on.
2. Is that the selected data line? With two lines, your phone uses whichever is marked.
3. Is data roaming switched on FOR that line?
4. Is there signal? Switch aeroplane mode on and off once to force it to register.
5. Does a local operator appear? If it's on automatic and won't latch on, pick one by hand.
6. Is an APN needed? Only if the plan's instructions say so.
7. Has the plan started, and does it have credit or data left?
8. Is the phone carrier unlocked? A lock rejects other providers' lines.

And if it's still the same after all eight, restart the phone. It works more often than anyone likes to admit.

## Symptoms and likely cause

| Symptom | Usual cause |
| --- | --- |
| Signal but no data | Roaming off or the wrong data line |
| No signal and no operator | Failed registration: aeroplane mode or pick the network manually |
| Painfully slow | Plan used up and running at reduced speed |
| Works on and off | Coverage in that area, not the plan |
| It won't accept the line | Phone locked to an operator |

## What not to do

Delete the profile or throw the card away. With an eSIM the code is single use, and with a physical card, losing it when the problem was a setting is worse still.

The detailed version for eSIMs is in [what to do when the eSIM isn't working](https://getgigapass.com/en/blog/esim-not-working).

While you're sorting it out you're not cut off: your everyday line still takes calls and messages, and your accommodation's wifi is enough to message support from.

Know where you're going?

Pick your destination, days and data. Install it before you leave and pay once.

[See destinations](https://getgigapass.com/en#destinos)

Bea NogalesDevices and compatibility

She has been repairing phones since before eSIMs existed. She explains what a handset does inside without it sounding like a manual.

## Frequently asked questions

**Why isn't my SIM working abroad?**

Nearly always three things: the line isn't switched on, it isn't the selected data line, or its data roaming is off.

**What do I do if it can't find a network?**

Switch aeroplane mode on and off, and if nothing changes go into network selection and pick an operator by hand.

**And if it's very slow?**

That usually means the plan has run out and is continuing at reduced speed, or that coverage in that area is poor.

**Could it be the phone?**

Yes, if it's locked to an operator: then it rejects any other provider's line, physical or eSIM.

## Keep reading

- [Before you buy](https://getgigapass.com/en/blog/how-much-data-for-a-month-of-travel) | A month of travel: how much data you need and how to split it | 7 min
- [Before you buy](https://getgigapass.com/en/blog/how-much-does-roaming-cost) | What your operator charges outside the EU, and how to find out before you fly | 7 min
- [Before you buy](https://getgigapass.com/en/blog/last-minute-travel-internet) | You fly tomorrow and haven't thought about internet: here are your options | 6 min