Service blocked and no refund
Bought a 30gb 30 day Esim for South Africa.
One week and 8 GB later, I go to bed. Wake up and there's no connection.
Complained to costumer service and they said my account has been blocked for misuse by the carrier. Overnight. While I slept.
They said they got in touch with them and would let me know the outcome.
I said I don't care about the outcome. I need my phone to work. So I buy an Esim from another company and asked for a refund. It's been 4 days.
I complained on Trustpilot, they answered asking for my details and never heard back.

Now this is my assumption of what's happening:

1. Airhub resells Vodafone UK eSIMs, but possibly without Vodafone’s full awareness of their intended use (i.e. roaming-only, global travel).
• Airhub is likely operating as a mobile virtual network enabler (MVNE) or reseller — meaning they bulk-buy access from Vodafone or a Vodafone-affiliated wholesaler.
• Vodafone UK may see your connection from abroad (e.g. South Africa) as suspicious or misuse, especially if it looks like permanent roaming or violates their “fair use” or “roaming abuse” policies.

2. Vodafone might have automatically blocked your line due to what it considers “abuse” (long-term roaming with no UK usage).
• Many carriers — especially in the EU and UK — have policies against continuous roaming without using the SIM domestically.
• If the system flags your usage as “not compliant” (i.e. you’re using a UK SIM exclusively outside the UK), it can trigger an automatic suspension.

3. Airhub is likely stalling because they don’t have control over Vodafone’s systems and may be worried about chargebacks, contract violations, or getting dropped as a reseller.

⸻

This theory supports my case because:
• I did nothing wrong — used a product sold as a “travel eSIM.”
• If Airhub is selling Vodafone eSIMs for global use without Vodafone’s systems recognizing it as such, that’s a reseller-side misconfiguration, not my fault.
• I am entitled to a refund regardless of their internal arrangement — they sold you something they couldn’t properly support.

May 5, 2025

Airhub

Cape townused in South Africa

I definitely do not recommend it. They block you for no reason.

Oct 29, 2024

Airhub

Jake19used in South Africa

I bought an eSim for my 21 day vacation, it was a 30gb data plan. 4 days in my vacation and after using only 3.5gb the eSim stopped working out of nowhere. I sent an email to customer service, a message on their app and I tried to contact them any way possible. They take more than 24h hours sometimes 48 hours to answer back to their email. I even answered back to one of their emails 2 mins after they sent one to me and they took 24+ hours to answer back. After 5 days of waiting for them to fix the issue I had to buy another eSim from another company because I needed data to travel. They never figured out the issue and they never want to give me a refund. This was the worst customer service I ever experience! The eSim from AirHub didn't worked for the rest of the trip. NEVER BUY A eSIM FROM AIRHUB!! This is a scam!

Jun 11, 2024

Maya Mobile

LiZaSaused in South Africa

This has been such a wonderful experience. I usually buy roaming from my UK provider, but the service isn’t always reliable. With this e-sim I was connected all the time. The online platform was so easy to use when I needed to top up my data. I will most definitely use this again. Well done.

Feb 4, 2023

Frequently Asked Questions

How many travel eSIM brands (providers) are available for use in South Africa, and how many prepaid data plans are there?

Currently, eSIMDB lists over 80 travel eSIM brands offering service in South Africa, alongside over 1500 prepaid data plans. With such a wide variety of options, travelers should easily be able to find an eSIM that suits their specific data needs and budget.

Are there any unlimited data eSIM plans available for South Africa?

Several providers offer unlimited data eSIM plans for South Africa, including Truely, Firsty, Yesim, ETravelSim, and eSIM Cards. These plans vary in price, generally ranging from approximately $0.00 to $374.84 USD depending on the validity period and provider. Please be aware that some plans may have limitations such as speed throttling or a speed limit (like 256kbps with Firsty), and some may be exclusively for new users (Truely). It’s advisable to review the specific details of each plan to determine the best option for your needs.

What are the major mobile networks available for a travel eSIM in South Africa?

In South Africa, the primary Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) providing infrastructure for mobile services are:

Vodacom: A subsidiary of Vodafone Group, offering extensive coverage and a wide range of mobile services.
MTN South Africa: Part of the MTN Group, providing comprehensive mobile services with a significant market presence.
Cell C: A local operator offering various mobile services, including prepaid and postpaid plans.
Telkom Mobile: A division of Telkom SA, providing mobile services alongside its fixed-line offerings.
Rain: A data-focused operator specializing in high-speed 4G and 5G services.

Additionally, South Africa hosts several Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs), such as FNB Connect and Capitec Connect, which lease access from major carriers to offer mobile services. However, most travel eSIMs rely on the infrastructure of the primary MNOs rather than MVNOs.

Summarized by Gen AI. Last updated: May 10, 2025