A cheaper way to use your mobile phone while traveling internationally
You may have seen ads for international “eSIMs” which bring you 24/7 use of your cell phone while you’re traveling. Yes, this service exists and it can free you from being shackled to WIFI at your hotel when you need to find a restaurant, check your email, or speak with a relative back home.
Purchasing an “eSIM” plan isn’t the only way to stay connected. You can do so with US carriers such as T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon, but their plans are typically more expensive.
First, as this is a young market, there are dozens of companies offering hundreds of plans. For most mortals, this means confusion at best. For a simple 10-day trip to Europe, an eSIM may not be worth it. But if you a traveling longer, or if you need to have consistent online access for your laptop or tablet, an eSIM is definitely worth exploring.
Rather than rewriting what’s been written many times before, here are links to three online resources that will help you understand eSIMs and help you find a plan that will meet your needs:
Most cell phones sold in the past few years can take an eSIM, which is a virtual version of the small chips we used to insert into our phones.
Keep in mind that most plans provide access to the internet but do not give you a local phone number so you can make and receive regular phone calls. If you wish to call home or a friend, you will need to use an app such as WhatsApp, Facetime or Facebook Messinger and the person you’re calling must have the same app installed on their phone.
So in other words, eSIMs are great for checking email, surfing the web, or calling someone who uses the same app, but if you’re in Paris and wish to make a restaurant reservation, only a few of the eSIM plans will enable you to do so.
My recommendation:
Leading tours for Travel Fever, I’m working while I travel, which requires me to make and receive frequent phone calls to hotels, restaurants, and the like. So I’m sticking with my normal plan from Google Fi. I could probably do better, but convenience counts for a lot. If you are less wedded to making regular phone calls, eSIMs are definitely worth checking out.
And if I really wanted to save money, I would wait until I arrive in Europe and purchase a local SIM or eSIM plan. This is less convenient, but it is definitely where the real savings lie.