Carrier e-sim while traveling

[Jay-Jacob]

I am totally clueless about e-sim and not sure how exactly it works.

I am from UK and going to USA (Disney) in spring. I have iPhone 12 mini so it got e-sim. Before I rely on wifi only at hotels and I switch on airplane mode and data roaming off make sure I don't get charged and I do that in UK on plane before liftoff.

Obviously airplane mode must be on for data only e-sim to work but I am nervous worry I end up getting charged by home UK network (carrier) over this. How do I make sure data roaming is off primary line and data is on e-sim line only?

I want able use data and iMessage (linked to email address). It might be very obvious but I am total newbie at this and want make sure doing it all correctly.

 

[AbSoluTc]

I am totally clueless about e-sim and not sure how exactly it works.

I am from UK and going to USA (Disney) in spring. I have iPhone 12 mini so it got e-sim. Before I rely on wifi only at hotels and I switch on airplane mode and data roaming off make sure I don't get charged and I do that in UK on plane before liftoff.

Obviously airplane mode must be on for data only e-sim to work but I am nervous worry I end up getting charged by home UK network (carrier) over this. How do I make sure data roaming is off primary line and data is on e-sim line only?

I want able use data and iMessage (linked to email address). It might be very obvious but I am total newbie at this and want make sure doing it all correctly.

Recently traveled to Italy - it's much easier than you think! Get Airalo app from the app store. They have all the instructions on there.

Also read this - https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT209044 A WIKI post here too - https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/esim-dual-sim-q-a.2150226/ - but will probably confuse you even more lol

You're basically turning off data/voice for your main line and using data from your secondary (travel line). Most esim's for travel are data only (at least that's how it was for Italy).

You cannot receive/send iMessage using your phone number but can using your email. You cannot make/receive calls using your phone number either when off.

 

[Nimbkoll]

Have you considered simply using international roaming with your home carrier? When I was traveling to the US for a couple months, my carrier offered me a prepaid plan, I got 20 gigabytes of data each month, for ~35US$ / month.

Im not from the UK though, so not sure what kind of plans your carrier provide, it might be worth looking into instead of doing this dual sim shenanigan.

 

[kitKAC]

I went to Barbados recently and used Airalo for a data eSIM, turned off roaming on my EE line and used the eSIM for data just fine.

You're basically turning off data/voice for your main line and using data from your secondary (travel line). Most esim's for travel are data only (at least that's how it was for Italy).

You cannot receive/send iMessage using your phone number but can using your email. You cannot make/receive calls using your phone number either when off.

No, all you need to do is turn off roaming and select the eSIM to use for mobile data. iMessage and calls will continue to work as normal.

 

[kitKAC]

How do I make sure data roaming is off primary line and data is on e-sim line only?

Under Primary SIM, just turn off Data Roaming before you leave the UK. The only real issue I had was getting the eSIM setup, the instructions were a little complex so take screenshots so you can refer back to them.

 

[Fred Zed]

View attachment 2156698

Under Primary SIM, just turn off Data Roaming before you leave the UK. The only real issue I had was getting the eSIM setup, the instructions were a little complex so take screenshots so you can refer back to them.

How does turning off data roaming affect sending MMS messages back to home country ? I found that has to be turned on, for the select few folks I was sending photos to via old skool text mms.

 

[Jay-Jacob]

Recently traveled to Italy - it's much easier than you think! Get Airalo app from the app store. They have all the instructions on there.

Also read this - https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT209044 A WIKI post here too - https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/esim-dual-sim-q-a.2150226/ - but will probably confuse you even more lol

You're basically turning off data/voice for your main line and using data from your secondary (travel line). Most esim's for travel are data only (at least that's how it was for Italy).

You cannot receive/send iMessage using your phone number but can using your email. You cannot make/receive calls using your phone number either when off.

Thanks! That very helpful. I plan use data only e-sim and I did look at Airalo from google search. Good to know it is easier than I expected.

Have you considered simply using international roaming with your home carrier? When I was traveling to the US for a couple months, my carrier offered me a prepaid plan, I got 20 gigabytes of data each month, for ~35US$ / month.

Im not from the UK though, so not sure what kind of plans your carrier provide, it might be worth looking into instead of doing this dual sim shenanigan.

UK most network did used have roam like home feature when we was in EU and some of network even include USA but since leaving EU most network now remove that feature unfortunately and it expensive to pay roam in USA. Using data e-sim like Airalo is cheaper.

I went to Barbados recently and used Airalo for a data eSIM, turned off roaming on my EE line and used the eSIM for data just fine.

No, all you need to do is turn off roaming and select the eSIM to use for mobile data. iMessage and calls will continue to work as normal.

Thanks for that info.

Under Primary SIM, just turn off Data Roaming before you leave the UK. The only real issue I had was getting the eSIM setup, the instructions were a little complex so take screenshots so you can refer back to them.

Thanks for advice, will take screenshots for instruction.

 

[AbSoluTc]

I went to Barbados recently and used Airalo for a data eSIM, turned off roaming on my EE line and used the eSIM for data just fine.



No, all you need to do is turn off roaming and select the eSIM to use for mobile data. iMessage and calls will continue to work as normal.

It does not. We tried and if you use your phone number as default, iMessage will not work correctly with data only. It has to be an email using iMessage.

 

[Jay-Jacob]

It does not. We tried and if you use your phone number as default, iMessage will not work correctly with data only. It has to be an email using iMessage.

I see, my iMessage default to my email address so shouldn't be problem for me. There was issue long time ago that iMessage default to my number wasn't syncing correctly to my iPad and Mac so since switch email it solve that issue. It was long time ago and just stuck with that since, never changed it back to phone number as default.

 

[alstar]

Sorry for reviving this one. I'd like to add that you have to be careful with the overcharges. Happened to me more than once.

 

[bad_robot]

I don't really receive calls when I travel; more often, I need SMS verifications. So, my go-to services outside the US are AnonymSMS, from which I rent a private US number for the duration of the trip, and Zoom Phone for calls, which is $9.3/month.

 

[ChoiMinji]

I regularly travel to and from east Asia and the US. This is what I do: before departure be sure that IMessage is enabled. Turn off data roaming before departure. Disable data of the sim of country of departure.
Before arrival disable the data on the phone so it doesn’t send a single to its home country, connect to WiFi at airport, hotel or whatever of destination, be sure the sim of departed country is connected via WiFi calling and then turn on the sim data of the destination country. Again, be sure that the sim of the departed country is off. Then go into the cellular settings, select your departure country sim, and select “Network Selection” and deselect automatic, and wait for the service providers to populate, then select Verizon, Verizon is on a different type of network then east Asia gsm, this keeps it from sending a signal through the system to the US carrier, and vice a versa in the US, it’s a good idea to check this setting every now and then to be sure it hasn’t reverted. Before making a call to the other country, turn off the phone data and call via WiFi calling.
As a backup to make connections to the US I keep google voice handy. Also keep Verizon’s Messages+ app just in case I forget something or a failure happens, hasn’t happened yet and it allows me to send messages with my US number via the internet. I believe it’s compatible with all carriers and it’s a bit tricky to get it working, two phones are needed to get it running on your primary phone, then you can dump the other phone. In the US for a backup to make contacts to east Asia I use kakao and line apps, where everyone has those apps.

 

[someoneoutthere]

Recently traveled to Italy - it's much easier than you think! Get Airalo app from the app store. They have all the instructions on there.

Also read this - https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT209044 A WIKI post here too - https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/esim-dual-sim-q-a.2150226/ - but will probably confuse you even more lol

You're basically turning off data/voice for your main line and using data from your secondary (travel line). Most esim's for travel are data only (at least that's how it was for Italy).

You cannot receive/send iMessage using your phone number but can using your email. You cannot make/receive calls using your phone number either when off.

Airalo is amazing, I have used their services so many times. Prior to your departure to the United States, you can sign up for a plan thru Airalo. When you land, you will turn on that eSIM and your clock will start ticking. If you use more data than you anticipate, you can top off your data. You can use Whatsapp and FB Messenger for your calls and messaging. iMessage will also work, but it is worth noting that if you turn off your primary line (your telephone number currently associated with your iPhone) before your departure, your messages will be sent/received using your Apple ID email address.

 

[Phillybizzle]

Sorry for reviving this one. I'd like to add that you have to be careful with the overcharges. Happened to me more than once.

Sorry for the re-reviving of this one. I'm heading to Japan next week and looking into a few different eSIMs and Ubigi seems to be something of a consensus from what I've seen so far mostly all over Reddit, social and some other places like https://travelesimexpert.com/ubigi-review/. Where or how did you get overcharges?