The perfect SIM card for today’s ‘digital nomads’

Kaela* lives out of a suitcase and is used to working from virtually anywhere –in a coffee shop, a hotel room, a campground, a co-working space, even a mountain retreat. Today, sitting on an upholstered wicker rocking chair, with her laptop resting on her crossed legs, and while waiting for the sunset that never fails to take her breath away, Kaela is holding a virtual huddle with her team. Her conference room is the balcony of a beachfront cabin in Siargao, the surfing mecca of Asia. According to Kaela, “To escape and sit quietly on the beach –that’s my idea of paradise, by Emilia Wickstead, is my mantra now. The only difference is, I get to work and earn my keep on the side while doing it!” 

Tiffany* is an American sales consultant vacationing in Palawan with some of her friends. While aboard a boat that shows them around –from islands with pristine beaches to lagoons and lakes with clear turquoise waters, from one of the world’s longest underwater rivers to the country’s only saltwater hot spring, from the amazing coral gardens, extraordinary caverns and caves, and the towering limestone cliffs to the incredible snorkeling and diving spots–, Tiffany is teleconferencing with her clients. “I love everything in this paradise, but what I love the most is I get to set the pace at which I work. And my Zoom background is breathtaking!” Tiffany often gushes after every teleconference. 

Alex* had not visited his home country for a while so the first chance he got, he flew to Boracay with some colleagues from work who wanted to see for themselves the “tropical paradise” he had been babbling about for years. For two weeks, Alex and his group pretend to be nothing more than beach bums basking in the sun, playing in the powdery white sand, and soaking up the sea with adrenaline-pumping water sports like parasailing, jet skiing, and flyboarding. There are sales quotas to meet, though, so in between those fun activities, Alex virtually presents his sales pitch to his customers and prospects. “This is how work should be done, not from a suffocating office where the boss is constantly looking over our shoulders,” Alex tells his co-workers.   

Jay* is an OFW in Dubai whose two-year contract with his employer just ended. Having missed his family and needing some time to relax before plunging into another job overseas, he is now in Cebu for a much-needed family bonding. Called the Gateway to a Thousand Journeys, Cebu offers a multitude of fun activities and exciting explorations, such as canyoneering to Kawasan Falls, spelunking Camotes Island’s Holy Crystal Cave, kayaking in Lake Danao, cliff diving at Buho Rock, birdwatching in Olango Island, whale shark watching in Oslob, swimming in the cave pools in Bantayan Island, and diving with the thresher sharks in Malapascua Island. When he needs to attend virtual job interviews or chat with prospective employers, he simply finds a comfortable spot to slump against, such as an inviting hammock or a rock under the shade of a tree and finishes his business. “I need to find a job, but I hate leaving this place once I do,” is what Jay tells his family.  

Now, what do Kaela, Tiffany, Alex and Jay have in common aside from their passion to explore the beautiful islands of the Philippines? They are all traveling around with the confidence that they can stay connected at all times by using the Smart Prepaid Philippine Tourist eSIM. 

Smart is the first to launch the prepaid eSIM service in the country, allowing visitors to take advantage of the same services enjoyed by local prepaid subscribers. It offers an easy and convenient way to connect to a local mobile network, seamless and reliable connectivity, all at affordable rates.  

The Smart Prepaid Philippine Tourist eSIM comes with an initial pre-load value of 5 GB data, 30 Calls to Local Networks, and 100 Texts to Local Networks valid for 3 days upon activation at PHP 99 SRP, and tourists can also avail of Smart’s Unli 5G + Non-Stop Data pack. Whether they are planning to stay for just a week or a whole month, Smart’s Unli 5G can give them unlimited 5G data and non-stop data for non-5G areas for 7 days for only Php299 (or ~$5-6) or 30 days for only Php999 (~$17-18), depending on which data promo they get. 

The Smart Unli 5G + Non-Stop Data is available for loading at Smart booths where cash and cards are accepted and is also available via the Smart App, by dialing *123#, and other local convenience stores nationwide. The eSIM may be purchased digitally prior arrival to the country through the Smart Online Store. The QR code will be available on the site upon successful purchase and sent to their emails and can be activated instantly upon scanning! 

To register your eSIM with Smart, just log on to simreg.smart.com.ph  

To learn more about the new Smart Prepaid eSIM, visit their official website. 

*Names have been changed to protect privacy. 

INQUIRER.net BrandRoom/LAq