3 Hong Kong (HK) eSIM: Is it worth buying one of the cheapest eSIMs in the world?
If you haven’t already heard, the 3HK eSIM is one of the most affordable options out there. With a validity of up to one year and data allowances ranging from 13GB to 45GB for around USD 35, it sounds like an unbeatable deal. But is it all it’s cracked up to be?
This article breaks down the 3HK eSIM deal and covers some important info, so you can make the best decision on buying this ultra-cheap eSIM.
Firstly, the 3HK prepaid travel eSIM comes in 3 different durations:
- 1 day pass — with a Fair Use Policy of 500MB (slowed to 128Kbps thereafter)
- 30 day package
- 365 day package
A 365-day validity period is quite unusual for an eSIM, so that is a plus.
Packages
Secondly, the 3HK prepaid travel eSIM comes in a variety of different flavours, depending on where you need coverage.
Greater China
This is not really an option for travellers, as you need to provide ID to use the eSIM in Hong Kong. We mention it for inclusiveness. This eSIM works in Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan.
APAC
Australia, Australia — Tasmania, Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Mainland China, Guam, Guam — Saipan, Guam — Tinian Island, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam
Europe
Afghanistan, Albania, Armenia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, GEORGIA, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Italy — Sardinia, Italy — San Marino, Italy — Vatican City, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Portugal — Azores, Portugal — Maderia, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovak Republic, Spain, Sweden, Sweden — Gotland, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Turkey, Turkey — North Cyprus, UAE, UK, Ukraine, Uzbekistan
Africa
Botswana, Cameroon, Congo RDC, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda,
North America
Canada, Mexico, USA, USA — Hawaii, USA — Puerto Rico, USA — USA Virgin Island
Central/South America
Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Peru, Uruguay
Pricing Summary
Below is a summary of the 3HK eSIM packages, and their pricing in Hong Kong dollars. For reference, USD 1 = HKD 7.83 at the time of writing. We would imagine that most visitors to this page are looking at the 365 package, and the price for that in USD is $32.21 at the time of writing.
It is worth noting here that the data allowances include 5GB for “Travel Social Data” which means the remaining data allowance is general, and social media usages comes from that 5GB bucket (while it still remains).
Speed Testing
This is where it begins to get interesting. We conducted tests in April 2023 in London and Dublin for the 3HK Global 365 day eSIM, and the results were less than impressive.
In London, we tried to complete multiple speed tests, and most of the time, the speedtest would not complete at all. We managed to complete one speedtest, which is shown below. We also captured a speedtest in Dublin (last image), which is markedly better than.
We also captured some speed tests using this eSIM in Canada in May 2023, which show very different results.
Lastly, we also used the eSIM in Brazil in January 2023, where we found the speed to be very usable, although it was not possible to make any type of call on the eSIM, due to latency issues.
Speed Testing Conclusion
We found the 3HK speeds to be inconsistent, but this appeared to be due to low-quality Mobile Networks Operators 3 UK and 3 Ireland. The 3HK eSIM roams on Rogers in Canada, and Vivo in Brazil, where speeds were quite adequate. However, there are a couple of considerations to note.
Firstly, all data is routed via Hong Kong, leading to high latency, making the eSIM unsuitable for any type of voice or video calling connection. We were unable to have a conversation using FaceTime or VoIP apps due to the high ping time.
Secondly, as the data is routed via Hong Kong, there are privacy implications to be aware of in China, with draconian new surveillance laws passed in Hong Kong recently. This can be avoided by using a VPN connection, but this may further contribute to slow response times and inaccessible websites.
Purchasing a 3HK eSIM
There are two options to purchase a 3HK eSIM:
- Purchasing through Sim Options, an esims.AI verified partner
- Purchasing directly from 3HK
Purchasing from Sim Options
The following eSIMs are available through Sim Options. Note these do appear to have slightly different coverages than the eSIMs purchased directly from 3 Hong Kong, so do check the details before making a purchase. They are also all valid for 30 days — if you want the 365 day option, you’ll have to go directly to 3 Hong Kong.
30 Day Pass
These eSIMs from Sim Options cover the following countries: Australia, Canada, United Kingdom, Hong Kong, New Zealand, and United States.
APAC
These eSIMs cover 19 APAC countries, which you can compare with other APAC eSIMs.
Global
These eSIMs cover 39 countries around the world, which you can compare with other Global eSIM plans.
Purchasing from 3 HK
You can also purchase these eSIMs from 3 Hong Kong directly, but you may run into credit card acceptance issues, due to a charge from China. We had trouble purchasing from 3 Hong Kong using multiple Canadian credit cards, although YMMV.
If you are successful in purchasing directly from 3 HK, you should allow approximately 5% on top of the price for credit card conversion fees and the credit card company’s spread, compared to the bank conversion rate.
Conclusion
3 Hong Kong does provide one of the most competitively priced eSIMs on the market, but there are downsides to be aware of, including slow response times and inability to make voice or video calls using the eSIM, not to mention privacy issues. There are also reports of people having trouble activating the eSIM when purchased directly from 3HK, which may make it better to purchase this eSIM from Sim Options, should you decide to go ahead.
For general day-to-day phone usage, the eSIM performed reasonably well, with browsing on non-3 owned networks performing the best.
Originally published at https://www.esims.ai on May 31, 2023.
