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With international travel on the rise in the post-pandemic world, many people are wondering how to stay connected on their smartphones. There is good news. In addition to wireless service providers offering attractive plans, advances in technology have also facilitated more choices.
First, let’s talk about planning. In recent years, major wireless carriers have greatly simplified their international roaming services, which are available in nearly every country that most Americans choose to visit. For example, AT&T and Verizon both offer services that let you use your regular plan’s data, text, and calling allotments for just $10 a day. AT&T charges are capped at $100 per trip. Verizon has a $100 long-distance travel plan, although the number of voice minutes under that plan is capped. T-Mobile bundles international access into many of its plans, but does not include voice service. Under such plans, you can use your U.S. phone number.
Wi-Fi Calling is a data-based service, like Line, WhatsApp and even FaceTime, for iPhone users who don’t need voice service. These apps (and others) can be used to minimize voice time.
Both AT&T and Verizon require you to opt into their usage plans, but only once. After that, the program starts every time you land in another country. One caveat: If you turn on the phone in another country, the plan will kick in almost automatically, as data usage triggers charges. Disabling data services before arriving abroad requires a little foresight.
However, in many cases a local number for your country is highly desirable, if not absolutely necessary. For example, if you want a local person to call you back, you actually need a local number.
The advent of e-SIM has made it easier to get a local number. Although e-SIM was launched more than five years ago, it has attracted relatively little attention. As the name suggests, e-SIM is an electronic SIM card rather than the old-fashioned physical SIM card. A SIM card provides a phone number and enables the smartphone to use the carrier’s voice and data services.
One of the promises of e-SIM is that it makes it easier to have multiple phone numbers on the same device. While some Android models have had dual physical SIM cards for years, it wasn’t until the release of the iPhone X in late 2017 that this was possible on the iPhone.
iPhones didn’t support dual e-SIM until the iPhone 13 was released in 2021, and many Android phones also supported dual e-SIM around the same time. Older models support dual-SIM via one physical SIM card and one e-SIM card.
Adding a new e-SIM card is usually as simple as scanning a QR code. Interestingly, in most countries it seems easy to find a local provider willing to sell you an e-SIM card. A few weeks of service usually costs less than $50.
Once your device is equipped with dual SIM cards, one number will be designated as the primary number and the other number will be designated as the secondary number. Modern iPhones allow you to have up to 8 secondary numbers, but only one can be used at a time (along with your primary number). All apps that work well will allow you to choose which number to use when making calls, sending text messages, or using data. Incoming calls and text messages will also show the number in use.
When you get home, you can remove the secondary e-SIM card. Generally speaking, foreign e-SIM cards cannot be used in the United States.
John Agsalud is an IT professional with over 25 years of information technology experience in Hawaii and around the world. You can contact him at jagsalud@live.com.
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