A traveler’s budget must account for a range of factors when it comes to planning a trip, especially if they’re venturing abroad. People often plan for the cost of staying at comfy accommodations, eating at tasty restaurants and participating in interesting activities. However, using their phone’s roaming data while getting to each of these locations can incur a hefty, unplanned expense.
Al Fares, the co-founder and CEO of a Santa Clarita-based company called Celitech, found himself in one such situation on a trip to Paris. Since France and many other countries charge for network access by the megabyte, Fares had to pay around $100 just to send one email. Having grown frustrated with experiences like this during his frequent travels, Fares decided to create a more efficient way to connect to local networks rather than channeling traffic back to one’s home country and then bringing that service to their device.
The resulting product was Celitech, a telecommunications solution specializing in offering worldwide data plans. The company partners with travel businesses like Expedia, KAYAK and FlightHub to provide their customers with co-branded international cellular data plans. Its cloud solution is powered by eSIM technology, a capability that allows users to activate a cellular plan from a carrier without using a physical SIM card.
“Depending on your destination, departure, date of arrival [and] return date, we create an eSIM that exactly [fits] your trip,” Fares said. “We’re trying to focus on … keeping you connected to be able to enjoy travel in a different way and better explore the places you visit.”
Celitech lets travel agencies offer customers this digital service to connect to local networks. Travelers can bundle this service with their trip using a one-click add-on button at the checkout screen for as little as $10, according to the company. After purchasing the service alongside their flight or hotel reservation, they are given a QR code that when scanned, allows them to add a second cellular network to their device.
Imagine finally arriving at the airport and your hotel is several miles away. Calling an Uber to get there requires mobile network connectivity, something one may not immediately consider until they’ve paid $2 to $5 a megabyte while tracking the Uber’s arrival. Fares found that while traveling in Europe, it cost him $10 per day for LTE passes to stay connected, resulting in $140 spent over a two-week trip.
As it works to offer a more affordable solution, Celitech has been gaining traction. Though Covid-19 hasn’t gone anywhere, international travel is starting to ramp back up now that billions of people around the globe are vaccinated. Fares believes that everyone who was unable to travel back in 2020 and 2021 amid global lockdowns and fluctuating regulations is now starting to travel again.
Covid increased travelers’ dependence on connectivity, Fares said.
“Now, when we go to a restaurant, they’re gonna give you a QR code for the menu,” he said. “Imagine you’re in Paris or in Amsterdam and you’re not connected. … If you go to a restaurant, you won’t be able to read the menu. Mind you about not being able to take an Uber or use Google Maps to find your way around or brag on social media when you visit places.”
Celitech had a soft launch in Q3 of 2021 and released its eSIM API to its first customer shortly after. As more people are traveling these days, the company’s growth has started to soar. Since January, Celitech has grown by about 15x, Fares said. The company recently raised a $1.2 million seed round led by Cove Fund to further this momentum, and it’s currently hiring with a focus on sales and development talent.
“I believe that connectivity is a human right — it’s becoming more and more needed because it’s a gateway to all these opportunities,” Fares said. “Being disconnected today shouldn’t be allowed.”
