Product info
Columbia eSIM plans
| Unlimited data · 5 days | $17.99 | Buy eSIM |
| Ohayu recommendsUnlimited data · 10 days | $33.99 | Buy eSIM |
| Unlimited data · 15 days | $39.99 | Buy eSIM |
| 3GB prepaid eSIM · 14 days | $8.49$2.83 / GB | Buy eSIM |
| 5GB prepaid eSIM · 30 days | $13.49$2.70 / GB | Buy eSIM |
| 10GB prepaid eSIM · 30 days | $21.49$2.15 / GB | Buy eSIM |
| 15GB prepaid eSIM · 60 days | $27.79$1.85 / GB | Buy eSIM |
| 20GB prepaid eSIM · 90 days | $34.49$1.72 / GB | Buy eSIM |
| 50GB prepaid eSIM · 90 days | $73.49$1.47 / GB | Buy eSIM |
You can install your eSIM before the trip and activate it when you arrive in United States. Validity starts after eSIM activation.
Plan details
How much mobile data you need
What's the best eSIM for Columbia?
A couple of days – 3 GB
Maps and messaging.
A week – 10 GB
Navigation and calls.
Carolinas trip – 20 GB
Columbia, Charleston, the coast.
Longer stay – Unlimited
Tethering from downtown or Five Points.
Coverage and network
Coverage in the Midlands
United States mobile networks
Columbia is a mid-sized state capital and a university town, and coverage is what you would expect of that: solid and unremarkable downtown and around the campus. The interesting gap is 20 miles southeast, in one of the least-connected national parks in the eastern US. (Speedtest by Ookla, June 2026)
Speedtest Global Index · Mobile · United States · June 2026
Download
197.34 Mbps
Upload
10.35 Mbps
Latency
27 ms
Global rank
#10 of 98
Columbia, specifically
- Downtown, the Vista, USC campus: Reliable throughout. Football Saturdays at Williams-Brice put 75,000 people on local cells and it slows accordingly.
- I-26, I-20 and I-77: Continuous on the interstates, and on the run down to Charleston or up to Charlotte.
- Congaree National Park: Barely any service. It is old-growth floodplain forest with a canopy boardwalk and almost no infrastructure, so treat a visit as offline - download the trail map at the visitor centre car park while you still have signal.
- Lake Murray and the rural Midlands: Fine around the dam and the main lakeside roads, patchier on the back roads and out on the water.
South Carolina and the rest
The plan is nationwide, so Charleston, Myrtle Beach or Atlanta are all covered.
How to install eSIM
Connected in 3 steps
- 01
Buy before you fly
Choose your data plan before your trip.
- 02
Download & install
Log in to your account, tap your eSIM, and follow the on-screen instructions.
- 03
Land & activate
Activate when you arrive in United States. Turn on roaming for the eSIM and it connects to a local network.
Before you buy, make sure your phone supports eSIM — see Ohayu compatible devices list or dial *#06#. It's a free request to your phone's settings. If you see the EID number — your phone is eSIM-compatible.
Arriving in Columbia
Airport Wi-Fi at CAE
Columbia Metropolitan runs open Wi-Fi with no login and no time limit.
Side by side
Columbia eSIM Comparison
Indicative comparison based on publicly listed USA plans as of August 2026. Competitor pricing and policies change - check their sites for current terms.
Frequently asked questions
Where to buy a SIM card in Columbia?
Carrier stores at Columbiana Centre and along Two Notch Road, plus Walmart and Target. CAE is small and has limited retail. An eSIM means arriving ready.
Is ID needed to buy prepaid in South Carolina?
No - and it is a federal matter, not a state one, so the answer is the same everywhere in the US. An eSIM bought online needs no check.
Will it work in Congaree National Park?
Mostly not. Congaree is dense old-growth floodplain forest with very little infrastructure, and coverage inside is poor to nonexistent - including on the boardwalk loop. Download the trail map and any directions before you leave the car park. This is unusual for a park so close to a city, and it catches people out.
eSIM not working in Columbia?
If you are inside Congaree there is likely no coverage at all. Elsewhere, check the Ohayu eSIM is your data line and roaming is on, then cycle Airplane mode. Chat and support@ohayu.com are open 24/7.
