Why is internet slow at festivals?

At a festival, tens of thousands of people use the same cell towers at once. Network capacity is finite, so speeds can drop dramatically. An eSIM doesn't solve this physical limit, but local network priority can help.

Do I need an eSIM for a festival abroad?

For a festival within the EU (Ultra Europe in Croatia, Tomorrowland in Belgium) roaming works. For festivals outside the EU (Glastonbury in the UK, Exit in Serbia), an eSIM is recommended.

How do I save battery at a festival?

Turn off Bluetooth, Wi-Fi scanning and background apps. Lower the screen brightness. Use aeroplane mode when you don't need internet. And bring a power bank, a 20,000 mAh one is enough for 3–4 charges.

Festival Season: Staying Online at Festivals at Home and Abroad

Festival season is one of the highlights of summer, and internet is key: finding friends in the crowd, checking the programme, sharing photos and videos, and getting home safely (ordering a taxi). But at festivals the network is congested and your battery drains quickly. Here are our tips.

Why festivals are tricky for internet

At a festival, the main challenge is network congestion: tens of thousands of visitors mean the cell towers are overloaded.

Tips:

Messages usually get through, but uploading photos/videos can be slow
Use an offline map of the festival site
SMS and calls are more reliable than WhatsApp at peak times
A power bank is essential

Festivals abroad

Ultra Europe (Split, Croatia), EU

Croatia is an EU member state, so roaming is free. The Split network is good, but congested on the festival site.

Recommendation: EU roaming is enough.

Tomorrowland (Boom, Belgium), EU

Belgium is an EU member state. Excellent network infrastructure.

Recommendation: EU roaming.

Glastonbury (Somerset, UK), NOT the EU!

The United Kingdom is not an EU member state since Brexit. Roaming fees apply!

Recommendation: eSIM recommended.

Sónar (Barcelona, Spain), EU

EU roaming applies. Barcelona's network is excellent.

Recommendation: EU roaming.

Exit Festival (Novi Sad, Serbia), NOT the EU!

Serbia is not an EU member state. Roaming fees apply.

Recommendation: eSIM recommended.

Festival internet tips

Saving data

Photos: Upload them later, over Wi-Fi (at your accommodation or after you get home)
Video: Avoid live streaming, it uses a lot of data and will be slow anyway
Social media: Create your story offline and upload it when the network is better (e.g. early morning)

Saving battery

Power bank: 20,000 mAh, the most important festival accessory
Aeroplane mode: Turn it on when you don't need internet
Lower brightness: On OLED screens, dark mode helps too
Turn off unnecessary features: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi scanning, location (if not needed)

Meeting points

Agree on a meeting point and time in advance, don't rely on the internet in the crowd. If you do get separated, SMS is more reliable than WhatsApp on a congested network.

Summary

For festivals abroad, check whether the country is an EU member state: if it is, roaming is free; if not (UK, Serbia), it's worth buying an eSIM. The most important accessory for any festival: a power bank and patience.