Disclaimer: The prices and information presented on this page reflect a snapshot at the time of research and may change at any time without prior notice.
Aisha
04 March 2026
You are at Changi Airport, boarding pass scanned, and your next stop is Bangkok or Tokyo. Your Eight SIM is already in your phone. Can you just land and use data? The answer depends on which plan you are on and whether you checked the Eight app before leaving. Eight Mobile has quietly built one of the most traveller-friendly plan structures among Singapore MVNOs: roaming is enabled by default on every voice plan, APAC data is included at no extra cost, and even the cheapest tier covers Malaysia without an add-on. But there are limits worth knowing before you fly.
Eight Mobile is a no-contract MVNO operating on StarHub's network, which covers 99.9% of Singapore including MRT tunnels and basements. For roaming, Eight uses StarHub's international partner agreements to connect you to local networks in supported destinations abroad.
Unlike some carriers that require manual roaming activation, Eight enables roaming by default on all eligible plans. Once you land, your phone connects automatically to a partner network. The APN for Eight data and roaming is shwap, worth noting if you ever need to set it manually in device settings.
Eight splits roaming coverage into two zones. APAC Roaming covers regional Asia-Pacific destinations, and International Roaming Group A covers roughly 58 countries including Europe, North America, and beyond. The Double Eight plan includes Malaysia by default. The Fortune Eight adds Vietnam, India, and Taiwan. The Lucky Eight and Triple Eight extend APAC coverage to China, South Korea, and Japan respectively, plus a Group A international allocation.
One key limitation: Eight plans do not support outgoing SMS while roaming. Incoming SMS including bank OTPs arrive normally. VoLTE calls work in select destinations including Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Taiwan, India, and South Korea. Check Eight's roaming guide to confirm VoLTE support for your specific destination before departure.
The table below summarises roaming inclusions per plan as of March 2026.
For destinations outside these inclusions, Eight offers pay-per-GB roaming packs via the Eight app. All add-on data is valid as long as your base plan remains active. Check the Eight app for current rates before your trip.
Set APN to shwap before departure. On iPhone: Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data Network. On Android: Mobile Networks > Access Point Names. Enter shwap and leave username and password blank. This prevents connectivity issues on arrival.
Enable data roaming in device settings. Eight activates roaming at the account level, but your device also needs the toggle switched on. On iOS: Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data Options > Data Roaming. On Android: Settings > Connections > Mobile Networks > Data Roaming.
Manually select the preferred network if auto-select fails. Check Eight's roaming guide for the preferred operator in your destination. In Malaysia, connect to Maxis, UMobile, or Celcom. Go to Mobile Networks > Network Operators and select manually if needed.
OTPs arrive fine, outgoing SMS does not work. Singapore bank OTPs come through as incoming SMS while roaming on Eight. Outgoing texts abroad are not supported. Use WhatsApp or Telegram for messaging during your trip.
Check your data balance in the Eight app before departure. Confirm APAC and Group A allocations and purchase any additional packs needed. All roaming packs can be bought from Singapore before you fly.
Annual plans cut costs for regular travellers. The Triple Eight plan costs SGD 168 per year when billed annually, equivalent to SGD 14 per month, a saving worth considering if you travel three or more times per year.
Eight's included APAC data is genuinely useful for short regional trips. A weekend in Kuala Lumpur or a few days in Bangkok on the Fortune Eight or Triple Eight plan likely needs no extra spend. The pay-per-GB model also works well for occasional Group A trips when data needs are modest.
Where Eight roaming becomes less suitable: longer trips, destinations outside APAC and Group A coverage, and itineraries where you need several gigabytes per day. A week in Japan navigating, video-calling, and keeping work apps running can burn through the APAC allocation faster than expected. Once it runs out, pay-per-GB rates make costs unpredictable.
A dedicated travel eSIM covers these gaps cleanly. Your Eight SIM stays in the physical slot for Singapore OTPs and calls, while the eSIM handles all data independently. Eight supports eSIM on every plan, so most Eight users with a modern iPhone or Android can run both simultaneously.
Eight Mobile delivers reliable APAC roaming and its StarHub backbone gives consistent indoor coverage matching parent network quality. For regional trips to Malaysia, Bali, or Seoul, Eight has most travellers covered without any extra cost. The gaps appear at the edges of the Group A map.
Eight's 58-destination Group A list leaves out Turkey, parts of the Middle East, and several Eastern European countries entirely. Travellers combining Southeast Asia with a stopover in Istanbul or passing through the Balkans find that Eight's roaming stops working at those borders. Data volume is the second issue: Eight's APAC allocation resets monthly, not per trip. A two-week Japan trip starting mid-cycle may only have half a month's APAC data remaining.
A TurkSIM eSIM removes both problems. You keep your Eight SIM in the physical slot for Singapore OTPs and bank authentication, while the eSIM handles travel data on local network partners. In Japan that means NTT Docomo or SoftBank. In Turkey, Turkcell and Vodafone TR cover major cities and coastal areas. Because Eight supports eSIM on every plan, activating the dual-SIM setup takes a few minutes and leaves your Singapore number fully functional throughout the trip.
Japan is included in the APAC roaming bundle on the Triple Eight plan only. The Lucky Eight plan does not include Japan. If you are on the Double Eight or Fortune Eight plan, you would need a pay-per-GB roaming add-on or a separate travel eSIM for Japan connectivity.
The APN for Eight Mobile is shwap. Set this under Mobile Networks > Access Point Names on Android, or Cellular > Cellular Data Network on iPhone. Leave username and password blank. This applies both in Singapore and while roaming abroad.
Yes. Incoming SMS including bank OTPs work normally while roaming on Eight. Outgoing SMS is not supported abroad, so use WhatsApp or Telegram for messages during your trip.
Yes. Eight offers eSIM on all its plans including the tourist SIM. You can select eSIM during online signup or at an Eight service centre. This makes it simple to run a TurkSIM travel eSIM alongside your Eight plan on any dual-SIM capable device.
Roaming is on by default at account level. Before departure, enable Data Roaming in device settings, confirm APN is set to shwap, and open the Eight app to verify your APAC and Group A balances. Purchase any extra roaming packs from Singapore before you fly.
It depends on your destination and data needs. GOMO on Singtel covers 50 destinations with add-on packs and offers Asia and Global Infinity unlimited options for heavy users. Eight on StarHub has a similar Group A count with per-GB pricing. For light users on short APAC trips, Eight's plan inclusions often cover everything at no extra cost. For heavy data users or longer trips, GOMO's unlimited add-ons may offer better value.
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