New store in T3 Baggage Hall accompanied by whole retail estate redesign Sim Local, the largest seller of SIM cards in the UK travel market, today unveils a new store opening in the baggage hall of Heathrow T3 as well as a new look and feel for the entirety of their airport retail estate. The new store design has been implemented across all of Sim Local’s existing locations; T5 arrivals, T2 arrivals, T3 arrivals and their store on the approach to the Underground station. It has also been utilised in the company’s new location in the T3 baggage hall. The design has been engineered to ensure that customers are easily able to identify and select the best value local SIM plan for their individual needs from a curated selection from leading mobile operators Three, EE and Lycamobile. Assistance continues to be on hand from Sim Local’s expert team [...]

SIM LOCAL OPENS LATEST RETAIL STORE AT BRUSSELS AIRPORT Sim Local, the largest seller of SIM cards in the UK travel market, has opened a brand-new retail store at Brussels Airport in Belgium. The new store is located in baggage reclaim and is Sim Local’s first stand-alone store outside of the UK & Ireland. International travellers can purchase SIM cards offering great value EU roaming data plans from Orange, Proximus and Lyca to allow them to stay seamlessly connected whilst in Europe, without incurring additional roaming charges. The store will also carry an extensive range of accessories from Panzer Glass and Skross with fully trained staff on hand to help customers select the right offer and products to suit their needs. Ian Rankin, Chief Trading Officer at Sim Local, comments: “We are delighted to be opening the doors to our Belgian store and are looking forward to serving [...]

Cardinal Capital Invests In Sim LocalCardinal Capital Group (Cardinal), Ireland’s largest provider of private-equity investment to SMEs, has made a significant investment in Sim Local, one of the world’s largest pre-paid SIM card providers, with 300 contracted sales points across Europe and the US.Using its own shops, affinity relationships with well-known retail chains, and a network of airport-based vending machines, Sim Local connected over 700,000 travellers with local SIM cards in 2019. Growth in this area, stalled during the pandemic, is expected to expand rapidly over the next 12 months with the widescale reopening of international travel.Through Sim Local’s proprietary eSim enabling software, it is also well positioned to benefit from the oncoming transition to eSim technology, which will see physical SIM cards replaced by eSim profiles embedded within the phone.  This new technology will allow customers to have multiple plans on one phone and switch between them seamlessly. It [...]

SIM LOCAL LAUNCHES RETAIL STORE IN BRUSSELS AIRPORT Sim Local, the largest seller of SIM cards in the UK travel market, has announced it will be opening a brand-new retail store at Brussels Airport in Belgium – their first stand-alone store outside of the UK & Ireland. This store will allow Sim Local to serve the substantial numbers of international travellers to the Belgian capital as passenger restrictions lift.  It comes hot on the heels of a new store opening in Heathrow T5 outbound and is one of a number of stores that the specialist retailer expects to open in 2021. The new agreement will see Sim Local provide a choice of SIM cards and connectivity options to international travellers looking to stay seamlessly connected while abroad, without incurring additional roaming charges. The store will also sell accessories from brands including Skross and PanzerGlass, with fully trained staff [...]

TAKE OFF AT TERMINAL 5: SIM LOCAL LAUNCHES FIRST DEPARTURES STORE AT HEATHROW Sim Local, the largest seller of SIM cards in the UK travel market, today opens a brand-new retail store at Heathrow, Terminal 5. The new store is located after security, at T5B and will be the first time Sim Local will be able to connect with outbound passengers and help them to avoid roaming charges whilst abroad. Travellers can purchase local SIM cards offering great value mobile data plans from Three, Lycamobile, AT&T and T-Mobile, as well as a range of accessories from Panzer Glass and Skross. Sim Local already operates four different stores at Heathrow, located in arrivals across Terminals 2, 3 and 5 as well as the Underground walkway, and has a network of SIM card vending machines in all terminals. As countries around the globe ease out of lockdowns, the modern world’s [...]

SIM LOCAL ANNOUNCES APPOINTMENT OF CHIEF DIGITAL DEVELOPMENT OFFICER Sim Local, one of the world’s largest SIM providers in the travel sector, has appointed Paul Foley as its Chief Digital Development Officer, effective immediately. Paul joins with a remit to take Sim Local’s industry-leading eSIM capabilities to market across all areas of the digital travel ecosystem. Paul’s career to date has spanned management consultancy, strategy development and customer management in the technology, telecoms and professional service sectors.  He brings a combination of strategic and commercial experience to Sim Local, with roles at Deloitte, PwC and Vodafone.  Most recently, he held the position of Director of Global Travel Partnerships at the travel technology company, CarTrawler. Andrew McClellan, Chief Operating Officer at Sim Local, commented “We’re delighted to welcome Paul to the Sim Local team. His expertise in travel ecommerce will bring a new dimension to our strategy and allow [...]

Sim Local sister company NetLync launches to accelerate eSIM adoption NetLync aims to help MNOs and MVNOs embrace eSIM opportunities NetLync, a company that originated from Sim Local, has today launched with the aim of accelerating eSIM adoption. NetLync will help MNOs and MVNOs of all sizes embrace opportunities created by eSIM technology. The company’s UNITE Platform will offer a complete end-to-end eSIM management and distribution solutions. To read more click here.

SIM LOCAL ANNOUNCES APPOINTMENT OF CHIEF TRADING OFFICER 20 April 2021, London, UK: Sim Local, one of the world’s largest SIM providers in the travel sector, has appointed Ian Rankin as its Chief Trading Officer, effective immediately. Ian joins with a remit to accelerate international expansion; enhance the existing retail offer and will also have responsibility for supplier relationships globally. Prior to joining Sim Local, Ian was Managing Director for WHSmith Singapore where he was responsible for building the presence and profitability of the business across South East Asia. His career prior to this saw him work in buying for major household retailers including Tesco and Sainsbury’s before he joined WHSmith in 2015. Andrew McClellan, Chief Operating Officer at Sim Local, commented “It’s a pleasure to welcome Ian to Sim Local. He brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to this role, which will be vital as we [...]

SIM LOCAL TO ACCELERATE eSIM TRAVEL GROWTH UK, 13 April 2021:  Sim Local, global expert in eSIM technology and leaders in telecoms airport retail, and Vodafone UK announce today that they will explore opportunities to collaborate to drive customer adoption of eSIM technology. Sim Local plans to accelerate eSIM readiness across the global travel market. The GSMA predicts that by 2025, 35%+ of all smartphone network connections will be made using eSIM[1]. This shift – moving from a physical SIM card to a digital eSIM download – is set to transform connectivity and revolutionise the way the consumer accesses mobile networks across the globe. Key benefits for customers are a seamless connectivity where they do not need to wait for physical SIM cards to arrive. eSIM-capable devices allow for quicker and simpler connection to their network. Customers can have one device with two numbers to enjoy the flexibility [...]

SIM LOCAL PARTNERS WITH INMOTION TO PROVIDE LOCAL SIM CARDS ACROSS THE US 13 Jan 2021, London, UK: Sim Local has partnered with the United States’ largest airport-based electronics retailer, InMotion, to sell local SIM cards in 125 stores across the country. The new agreement will see Sim Local provide a choice of SIM cards and plan options to international travellers looking to stay seamlessly connected while abroad, without incurring additional roaming charges. In its first deal in North America, Sim Local, the largest seller of SIM cards in the UK travel market, will offer its products in InMotion stores from January 2021. Travellers will be able to purchase SIM cards through free standing displays and countertop units, with all InMotion staff receiving detailed training to support customers to make informed choices. The partnership will allow Sim Local to reach a new international audience thanks to InMotion’s unrivalled [...]

SIM LOCAL MOVED UP EIGHT PLACES FROM 27TH PLACE IN 2019, AS A RESULT OF SUBSTANTIAL BUSINESS GROWTHUK, 17th December 2020: Today, Sim Local announces that it ranked 19th in the 2020 Deloitte Technology Fast 50 Awards, a ranking of the 50 fastest growing technology companies in Ireland. Rankings are based on average percentage revenue growth over four years.Killian Whelan, CEO and Founder of Sim Local comments: “We are delighted to climb up the rankings from 27th to 19th in this year’s Deloitte Technology Fast 50. With retail presence in large airports throughout the UK and globally, our mission is to empower intercontinental travellers at every point of their journey, allowing them to connect globally while only paying local network rates.”“This year, as our business evolves, we launched the UNITE platform, a powerful and cost-effective eSIM solution for mobile operators across the world. We are passionate about embracing digital [...]

Sim Local, one of the largest providers of mobile sims in the travel sector, is targeting outbound passengers with the opening of a new departures store at London Heathrow Airport Terminal 5. The store will be located in Satellite B (post-security) at the gates and will open in the first quarter of 2021. To read more click here.

Lycamobile SIM cards now available at WHSmith Travel locations at six key British airports Travellers can buy and activate Lycamobile plans at the airport within seconds [London] [19 Oct 2020]: Lycamobile, the world’s largest mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) and part of the multinational Lyca Group, is proud to announce that it has partnered with Sim Local and WHSmith to help international travellers access high-quality mobile plans at airports across the UK, including: London Heathrow, London Gatwick, London Stansted, Luton, Birmingham and Manchester Connectivity for international travellers is more essential than ever before. The new partnership will ensure that every customer has access to the best mobile plans and services the moment they land, without disruption to travel plans. Through Sim Local’s innovative technology platform UNITE, Lycamobile’s customers can buy, activate and directly top up SIM cards at the point of sale, in a matter of seconds – [...]

07 September 2020, London, UK: Today, Sim Local is reopening its retail store in arrivals at Terminal 2 Heathrow Airport, London. Having closed its retail store doors in March 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, this is an important milestone for the business and coincides with the business reintroducing representatives to assist partner sales in WHSmith. Sim Local is one of the world’s largest prepaid local SIM providers to intercontinental travellers, offering a range of plan options enabling them to stay seamlessly connected whilst abroad. Andrew McClellan, Chief Business Development Officer at Sim Local, comments: “We are delighted to be re-opening our T2 store at Heathrow Airport today, after being closed for nearly six months. This is a hugely positive step for our retail business and the wider outlook for the retail and travel market, as international travel begins to pick back up again. We are introducing screens, [...]

Sim Local Scores 100% for service levels at Heathrow Airport Heathrow Airport, London October 31st 2019: Sim Local, the travel technology company today announced that it has received full marks for its service levels at Heathrow airport.  The monthly survey, which is independently undertaken by London Heathrow Mystery Shopping assesses customer service levels amongst passengers travelling through the airport. The assessment involves an unbiased and unknown consumer who is paid to shop in particular stores in order to collect information and data. These discreet reviews monitor the performance standards of the stores and of the staff. Sim Local received a consistent maximum score of 100% over the past three months. The mystery shop evaluates shopping experiences for 1) Store Entrance 2) Browsing 3) Product Enquiry 4) Heathrow Terminal Question and 5) Overall Experience. Commenting on the results, Killian Whelan, CEO of Sim Local said, “We invest a lot [...]

Travelwin Ranked 27th in Deloitte Technology Fast 50 2019 Travelwin attributes its growth to the rapid expansion of Sim Local, which helps Intercontinental travellers eliminate roaming charges by providing local network bundles. Dublin, 29th October 2019: Travelwin is delighted to announce that it has been ranked number 27 in the 2019 Deloitte Technology Fast 50, a ranking of the 50 fastest growing technology companies in Ireland. Rankings are based on average percentage revenue growth over four years. Travelwin’s CEO, Killian Whelan, credits the strong performance of Sim Local as a key contributor to the company’s growth over the past four years. He said, "We are delighted to be included in the Deloitte Technology Fast 50. Travelwin’s mission is to empower intercontinental travellers at every point of their journey and Sim Local allows them to connect globally while only paying local network rates. With retail stores in large Hub [...]

Sim Local Wins Gold at Future Digital Awards October 2019: Sim Local was selected as the winner of Juniper Research’s Future Digital Award for Retail Innovation: Best In-Store Technology 2019 Gold Winner for its proprietary SIMulator technology SIMulator is the first technology of its type which makes it possible to apply data, talk and text bundles to SIM cards in less than six seconds, significantly reducing the industry average of seven minutes which is required by other retailers and networks. The Awards recognise organisations that have made outstanding contributions to their industry and are positioned to make a significant impact in the future. Since 2008, the Future Digital Awards have been awarded to tech companies at the forefront of their respective fields: companies that deliver imaginative, innovative products or services that have the potential to disrupt their ecosystems and provide significant benefits to their target audience. Digital service [...]

Sim Local Recognised as Best Solution Provider at MVNO World Congress -Judged as “the best and most innovative solution”- Amsterdam, May 2019: Sim Local, the independent provider of local network bundles to intercontinental travellers, has been recognised as the Best Solution Provider at the MVNO World Congress in Amsterdam for its propriety technology SIMulator.  SIMulator is the first technology of its type which makes it possible to apply data, talk and text bundles to SIM cards in less than six seconds, significantly reducing the industry average of seven minutes which is required by other retailers and networks. Commenting on the award, Hakeel Zaman, Commercial Director for Sim Local said, “It is a huge honour to be recognised by The MVNO World Congress for our SIMulator software. SIMulator is undoubtedly disrupting the market.  By integrating this software for selling SIM cards, a hugely improved customer experience is delivered resulting [...]