Out of data? Three steps to get back online
You’re abroad, your data just died or got throttled, and your provider’s top-up is absurdly priced. This page is only about getting you back online, fast.
What to do now
- 1
Find WiFi
Hotel, convenience store, café, station. If you can open a web page, you can finish the next two steps.
- 2
Install a soda eSIM
Everything happens online — the eSIM downloads straight to your phone. No physical card, no store. You see the full current tariff before paying.
First, check that your phone supports eSIM → - 3
Pay by usage — no gigabytes to guess
The rest of your trip is billed on what you actually use. Every 30 days it settles at the lowest total automatically, and your balance never expires.
What’s the difference between throttled and out of data?
Out of data means no connection at all; throttled means connected but barely usable — unlimited plans drop to 128kbps–1Mbps after a fair-usage threshold. Tell-tale: pages open but images never load. The fix is the same either way: install a usage-billed eSIM.
Ran out of eSIM data — what now
Get startedWhy your unlimited plan got throttled
Throttled with “data left”, not empty? Read this →Straight talk: soda isn’t for everyone
soda currently covers Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Switzerland, Indonesia, the Philippines, the United States, China and Macau, plus a regional line covering 34 European countries. If you’re anywhere else, soda can’t help — your realistic options are a local carrier’s prepaid SIM or a top-up from your current provider. Airport counter SIMs are usually the worst deal; compare even when you’re in a hurry.
Where soda works nowFrequently asked questions
My eSIM ran out of data — can I top it up?
Depends on the provider. Most travel eSIMs sell top-up packs in their app or site, usually pricier than pre-trip rates; some cards simply end when the data ends. If you are in one of soda’s markets (Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Switzerland, Indonesia, the Philippines, the United States, China and Macau, or anywhere on the 34-country European line), the other route is installing soda and paying for actual usage — no pack sizes to estimate.
My Airalo (or other) card is empty — can I switch to soda?
Yes. Two eSIMs coexist fine: keep the old one, install soda alongside, and switch mobile data to soda. The old card’s remaining validity is untouched. You just need to be in a soda market, on a phone that holds multiple eSIMs (most recent models do).
What’s the difference between throttled and out of data?
Out of data means no connection at all; throttled means connected but barely usable — unlimited plans drop to 128kbps–1Mbps after a fair-usage threshold. Tell-tale: pages open but images never load. The fix is the same either way: install a usage-billed eSIM.
How long does installing soda take right now?
On WiFi the whole flow is short: register, top up, and the eSIM downloads straight to your phone — you are online as soon as it installs. You see the full current tariff before paying, and your balance never expires.
Sort your data before you fly
A short pre-trip check, with the line ready before you go. Your balance never expires.