Airalo for Mobile Data in the DRC

Jonathan Niles

30 Mar 2024 — 1 min read

I recently (March 2024) took a research trip to the DRC and needed an internet connection whilst there. Unfortunately, my old Vodacom SIM was expired, so I was left looking for alternatives to get mobile data.

My first attempt was GoogleFi, but they discourage users from using their international SIMs purely for international roaming. In the DRC, their service uses the Africell network and was a steal several years ago (70$ for unlimited data). I had used their service previously as a backup, which apparently got me blacklisted for using the service too often outside the US, far from my billing address.

So, I tried Airalo after some research, and it worked well, if a little pricey. I downloaded the eSIM and purchased a package from Charles de Gaulle airport. Initially, I was concerned because Airalo requires the mobile device to be physically in country to activate the eSIM and connect to the Vodacom towers. However, upon arrival, the eSIM connected swiftly and I was able to get online within 5 minutes - a much faster experience than GoogleFi provided years ago. The connection was stable throughout my trip, and I left the country with data to spare. All my regular (2FA) text messages and push notifications came through without a hitch. It was a pleasant experience.

In the future, I'll likely purchase the smallest package from them and plan on getting a SIM card at N'djili. But this is just a small post to document that the service works and is an option for future travels.

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