Irish tourists warned as popular holiday destination announces 'sudden' ban impacting phones

Irish holidaymakers heading to Turkey this year have been warned not to get caught out following the country's recent ban on the use of eSIMs.

People have long opted for eSIMs when travelling abroad in order to avoid purchasing local sim cards or taking on the extortionate costs of roaming fees to use their own mobile data.

These eSIMs are digital sims that allow international visitors to purchase data plans for use abroad without needing a physical sim card or local provider.

However, Turkey has now banned the use of eSIMs from eight popular providers such as Saily, Airalo, Holafly, Nomad, Instabridge, Mobimatter, Alosim, and BNESIM.

Many Irish people heading to the popular tourist destination this summer could potentially get caught out by this new ban on eSIMs. 

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Fortunately, there is a way around the ban. You can still use eSIMs in Turkey once you have installed and activated your eSIM prior to entering the country. If you do this, you will still be able to use the data plan as the preloaded profiles will continue to function as normal.

If you wait until you arrive in Turkey to install or purchase an eSIM, then you will encounter the access issues.

Commenting on the recent ban, travel expert at Holafly, Juan David Soler, said: "Turkey’s sudden ban on eSIMs has caught many travellers off guard, and it’s vital that Irish holidaymakers heading there this summer take action before they fly.

"eSIMs have become the go-to option for Irish people wanting affordable mobile data abroad without the hassle of physical SIMs or costly roaming. But now, travellers will no longer be able to activate a new eSIM once they arrive in Turkey.

"To avoid getting caught out, Irish travellers should ensure their eSIM is fully downloaded and activated before leaving Ireland. This means setting up your digital SIM while still on Irish networks, and confirming it’s working properly before departure. Otherwise, you could be left without internet access the moment you land, which can be a serious issue if you rely on your phone for maps, transport, or bookings."