What an Indian SIM gets you, and why a foreign traveler can't actually use one easily
Indian local SIMs are issued under a tight identity-verification regime called Tatkal — it requires a passport, photographs, a local address, and verification visits. Foreigners can buy them but the process eats the better part of a day, and the SIM activates 24 hours after registration. For a tourist on a 10-day trip that's a rough trade. The eSIM avoids the entire procedure: data routes via a foreign carrier, no Tatkal, no passport at the counter, attached the moment you land.
Roamzy charges $4.71 per gigabyte in India. That's $0.0046 per megabyte, billed in real time as your phone uses data on Indian networks. No subscription. No expiry on the unused balance. No minimum bundle. One per-MB rate across 192 countries — the shape of the invoice, not a marketing line.
How much will Roamzy actually cost on this trip?
A typical visitor to India uses 0.5–1.5 GB per day: Uber and Ola for everything, Maps in cities where street names rarely match the signs, the camera-translator on Devanagari signage, the IRCTC app for trains, Swiggy for food, contactless payments via Apple Pay or UPI (where foreign cards are linked), the occasional video call. Call it 1 GB/day for the math:
| Trip length | Roamzy ($4.71/GB) | Tourist roaming pass | Local SIM (Tatkal) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 days | $14.13 | $25–55 | $5–15 + 24-hour activation, full day at the counter |
| 1 week | $32.97 | $45–100 | $10–25 + Tatkal procedure |
| 2 weeks | $65.95 | $80–180 (often two passes) | $15–35 + ID verification |
Competitor prices in columns 3 and 4 are 2025 ranges based on typical offerings; exact figures depend on your home carrier and the airport store you visit. Roamzy's rate in column 2 is our actual published rate from the pricing page.
The Tatkal process is real and serious — it's not a Roamzy marketing line. For most tourists, the math doesn't work even at the local SIM's lower face price.
Where does Roamzy work in this country?
Indian networks are extensive and increasingly fast. The shape on the ground:
- Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata — 5G in the centers, dense LTE through the metro areas
- Tier-2 cities (Pune, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Lucknow, Indore) — solid LTE, 5G in central districts
- Goa, Kerala (Kochi, Munnar, Alleppey) — strong LTE in tourist zones, weaker in backwaters and on remote beaches
- The Golden Triangle (Delhi–Agra–Jaipur) — continuous LTE on the expressway
- Himalayan north (Manali, Leh, Spiti) — workable in towns, drops between them; expect long quiet stretches
- Indian Railways — workable signal near towns; long stretches between cities have gaps
Driving rural India, the network is more present than you'd expect — but back-country roads in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and the northeast still drop signal regularly.
Why is per-megabyte pricing simpler than packages?
An India trip is already cognitive load: a payments stack that runs heavily on UPI (foreign cards have partial integration), traffic that's its own genre, a stack of small tipping moments, scripts you can't read. The data plan should not also be a problem.
Roamzy is built around that. No first-purchase promo. No fine-print throttling. No auto-renewal six months later. One rate, billed by the megabyte, balance carries.
How do I install my Roamzy eSIM?
| Plug type | Voltage | Frequency | iOS | Android |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type C, D, M | 230 V | 50 Hz | iPhone XS+ | Pixel 3+, Galaxy S20+ |
- Sign in to Roamzy via Telegram or Google
- Top up the eSIM with a minimum of 20 USDT — stablecoins, no cards, no banks, no FX surcharges
- The QR code appears in the dashboard once payment confirms
- Settings → Cellular → Add eSIM → scan QR (do this before you fly)
- The counter starts the moment you land at DEL, BOM, BLR, MAA, HYD, or GOI
Supported stablecoins, networks, and common iPhone/Android setup errors are in the FAQ.
What are Roamzy's honest limitations?
Three traps Roamzy doesn't have because they were never built in.
- No welcome promo that bait-and-switches your second top-up. The rate on top-up #1 is the rate on top-up #20.
- No fine-print throttling. One rate, full speed — first GB and the hundredth cost the same $0.0046/MB.
- No auto-renewal you forgot to cancel. Balance runs out, the eSIM stops.
It's not a marketing gimmick — it's an engineering decision born from indifference to gimmicks. You can't make a tariff cheaper than no fine-print and no expiry — so we don't.
What if my trip continues to other countries?
India often pairs with neighbors:
- Sri Lanka — short flight from Chennai, separate country rate
- Nepal — frequent northern extension via Delhi
- Bhutan — overland from West Bengal or by air
- If you want the underlying mechanics — how roaming actually gets priced and why it hurts