Data solution... how to travel with your current phone number?

Seeking Advice
1

Greetings. I used to get a sim card when I travelled abroad. Was working well but now with double id on everything, I kinda need access to my phone number…

I can pay my mobile provider and have datas. But I was looking for a better/cheaper solution. I searched a bit and there is esim… but I think I am dumb so I dunno if this would work for me ( my phone is capable but will it do what I need? My mobile provider doesnt have esim option).

So maybe I need someone to explain me esim like I’m 5. Or maybe there is another/better way to do this

Thanks in advance

2

It’s literally like buying a physical sim card. You can select which one to have active in your phone and switch whenever you want.

3

Buy a travel data plan from an eSIM provider. They give you a QR code or instructions to activate the plan on your phone. Once activated, your phone can use the new plan’s data while keeping your original number active for texts and calls.

Your regular SIM stays active alongside the eSIM. You can use your original phone number for verification while the eSIM handles your data abroad. You just need a phone capable of eSIM (yours is) and travel eSIM providers like Airalo, Ubigi, or Holafly, where you can buy plans for specific countries or regions.

4

I’m on the T-Mobile senior plan and have never had to worry about a thing. Phone always works great.

5

Cameron said:
I’m on the T-Mobile senior plan and have never had to worry about a thing. Phone always works great.

Not everyone lives in the States, ok Boomer?

6

Yep, just buy an eSIM and you get a code to set it up. I always use Sim Corner. You can then switch between SIMs/numbers. WhatsApp you can keep the original number. Most of them expire after say a month or whatever you buy.

7

@Tobi
Adding you buy one for the country you are heading to or for example Europe in general.

8

@Tobi
So I could use data from eSIM and then switch to my regular phone SIM card when I need a double ID SMS?

9

Hayden said:
@Tobi
So I could use data from eSIM and then switch to my regular phone SIM card when I need a double ID SMS?

Can’t comment for all the phones, but on an iPhone, I can select which SIM the voice and/or data will be going through.

Case in point, right now, I’m in South Africa with a travel eSIM set to both voice and data so everything goes through there, but my home SIM (NL) is still active just to get the 2FA SMSs.

One downside is that iMessage is really fiddly with having two SIMs, but I never really use it and keep that off most the time, which I know won’t be an option for some Americans here though.

10

If you are saying you need your number to receive SMS (double ID), then you have to get it from your provider. Otherwise, you’ll be getting a new number and will have to change the verification number on everything.

11

What I’ve done in the past is keep a spare phone at home or at a family/friends place, pop my main SIM in there and get an eSIM wherever I go. Use a texting app like MightyText on the spare phone with your SIM and you’ll be able to send/receive texts and see who calls wherever you go.

There may be a better solution, but this didn’t cost me anything since I always try to have a spare phone.

If you’re traveling for an extended period, like a year, this may not be the best solution, but for a few weeks, it works fine.

12

Get a Skype number as it will work off your eSIM data, then you can forward all your calls to Skype.

13

Let’s start with the basics… what phone do you have? SIM cards and eSIMs are really nothing more than an identifier for your account that can be assigned to a phone either by inserting the physical card or by provisioning. Most current-ish phones allow you to sign up for an eSIM through a mobile carrier, usually it’s a MVNO. That operator pushes down an eSIM to your phone often with an app. This operator would not be your regular mobile carrier.