Motorola announced in 2026 a native travel eSIM feature for its smartphones, giving users a built-in way to purchase data-only plans for international travel without relying on traditional roaming charges or airport SIM card kiosks.
The feature is currently available as a downloadable app called Global Connect on the Google Play Store and will come preinstalled on new Motorola devices in the future. It works on any eSIM-capable Motorola phone, including models as affordable as the $180 2026 Moto G Play. The service is powered by Gigs, a San Francisco company that enables businesses to sell mobile data plans without managing telecom contracts directly — the same company behind mobile plans offered by Klarna and Cash App.
To get started, users install the Global Connect app, create a Gigs account, and receive 1 GB of free data with their first travel eSIM for a limited time. After that, plans can be topped up as needed, with pricing starting at $3 for 1 GB over 30 days and going up to $14 for 20 GB. Coverage is available in more than 160 countries. The eSIM does not support calls or traditional text messages — it provides data only.
The service is currently available for use in five Latin American markets: Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Peru, and Chile. Motorola says support for Germany, the UK, and broader Europe is coming within weeks, though the company has not announced US availability.
“What we’re trying to do for our consumers is solve that friction point of getting that travel eSIM quickly on the device as they’re heading out to travel,” said Sudhir Chadaga, Motorola’s vice president for Partnerships.
Travel eSIMs have grown in popularity as a lower-cost alternative to carrier roaming. According to Siddhant Cally, a senior analyst at Counterpoint Research, legacy network operators in some regions have charged double the price for half the data compared to travel eSIM options. While Motorola describes this as the first native travel eSIM integration by a major smartphone manufacturer, Xiaomi offered a similar feature starting in 2015, though that service has since been discontinued.
Source: WIRED