KnowRoaming cuts setup for repeat trips

KnowRoaming, a provider of mobile data for international travellers, with strong South African roots, has rebuilt its app and website around an eSIM that customers can keep using across successive trips. Called KR.One, it allows new destination plans to be added to the same eSIM already installed on a phone.

For frequent travellers, that removes a recurring bit of holiday admin: installing another digital SIM profile whenever they buy a new plan. The company offers connectivity in more than 200 destinations, with country-specific, regional and global options.

“Every plan you buy after that, for any destination, gets added to the same eSIM,” said KnowRoaming in its customer announcement.

An eSIM is a digital SIM installed on a compatible device. It lets travellers buy mobile data for use abroad while keeping their usual SIM in the phone. For someone trying to find a hotel or book an airport transfer, having that connection ready before departure can save a hunt for Wi-Fi after the flight.

With KR.One, the first purchase includes the initial installation. KnowRoaming emails a QR code, which the customer scans to add the eSIM to the phone. Subsequent purchases load onto that profile. A traveller could buy a UK plan for one visit and add a plan for a different destination before the next journey, keeping the same installed eSIM.

The reusable profile still needs a paid plan covering the destination. Its continued presence on the phone gives customers a place to add future purchases, while each data package retains its own coverage and validity period.

The rebuilt app brings plan purchases and management together. KnowRoaming said customers can find plans, buy them and manage their account in a few taps. It describes the redesigned website as easier to browse, with a quicker checkout.

For existing purchases made before the update appear under Legacy eSIMs in My Plans, where customers can view remaining data and expiry dates, along with their order history.

An active legacy plan continues working until it expires. Top-ups have ended for those older eSIMs, so customers who need additional data will buy their next plan on KR.One. Someone already travelling can finish using an existing package and make the change when another purchase is needed.

Choosing the data

KnowRoaming offers fixed-data packages and plans labelled unlimited. At the time of writing, its UK unlimited options included one day for US$3.50, seven days for $26 and 30 days for $68. The published terms provide 5GB at full speed every 24 hours, followed by speeds of up to 512kbps until the allowance resets.

The connection remains available after the daily allowance is used, but larger downloads and video calls may become considerably slower. Comparing packages means checking the full-speed allowance as well as the word “unlimited”.

The UK plan starts when the device connects in a supported country. It must be activated within 90 days of purchase, and unused data expires at the end of the package’s validity period. Buying ahead therefore allows travellers to do the installation at home, with the usage period beginning once they connect abroad.

For a journey across several countries, a regional plan can cover multiple stops. The Europe package lists 49 destinations, including the UK and Switzerland, and its advertised unlimited options include seven days for $26 and 30 days for $70. It also provides 5GB at full speed per 24-hour period before reducing speeds.

Coverage needs to be checked against the actual itinerary. KnowRoaming lists Monaco and Andorra among destinations requiring separate plans, for example. A regional package can simplify a holiday involving several border crossings, provided each stop is included.

Before departure

Customers need an unlocked phone with eSIM support. Once abroad, they select KR.One as the mobile data line and enable data roaming for that line. Keeping data roaming switched off on the home SIM helps prevent background usage being charged by the South African network.

The usual SIM can remain active for calls and SMS messages, although the home operator’s roaming charges may apply. KnowRoaming includes hotspot sharing and advertises support around the clock through live chat and WhatsApp.

The service also has a rewards scheme called Kreds. Purchases and top-ups earn credit at a rate displayed on the selected plan, with the company advertising rates of 3% to 15%. One Kred equals US$1 towards a future purchase, and the credits remain valid for 12 months. Customers can apply them to all or part of a subsequent plan.

The reusable eSIM has a device-related qualification. Moving to another phone requires installing the profile again.

KnowRoaming has strong South African roots. South African cousins Gregory Gundelfinger and Mathew Stein developed the original business in Canada, building its early offering around a thin sticker attached to an existing SIM card to connect travellers to networks abroad. 

The business was sold to eSimplified in 2024 and retains a substantial staff contingent in South Africa. In September 2026, South African investment group DNI invested in KnowRoaming to support its consumer growth and international expansion, with Africa a priority market.