E-SIMs while abroad (2 Viewers)

[jogresh]

Thanks again.
Done a bit of Googling. Seems that Maya and Airalo both use the Orange network in Morocco, which has very poor coverage. So I've filled out a form on the national Maroc Telecom website, requesting an Esim. Haven't inputted any payment details, so I think I'm waiting for an email back giving me the go-ahead. Maybe. 🤔🤷‍♂️

 

[Dave Williams]

Airalo has been excellent for me. You can buy an individual country or if you are travelling around, one for a region. Check out their website.
I have used them for several European countries, South Africa, India , Mauritius and Costa Rica and all without problems.
There are limitations of course, just as there are with your usual sim. If there's no signal they don't work and not everywhere has a signal. Much of Kruger National Park being one.
Download the sim before you leave home but only activate it when you arrive at your destinationmand switch off your usual provider too.
The beauty of an Esim is they are reasonably priced, no messing about changing sims or queuing at shops to buy a local one. They come in one, two and four week packages with GBs appropriate to your needs. You automatically get emails, messages etc as if it was your normal SIM card.
They are data only though so if you need to make a phone call you need WhatsApp, Facetime etc. If you are running low on data you will be notified and you can buy a top up online from wherever you are.
If you have a WiFi signal the phone should automatically use that so if you use appropriately your data should last longer. I haven't needed a top up whilst away other than because my 4 week one ran out as we were staying longer.

Do check your phones compatibility before you download one though, I imagine that nowadays there are not that many older phones in circulation being used for those who travel.

 

[Jos Stratford]

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Do check your phones compatibility before you download one though, I imagine that nowadays there are not that many older phones in circulation being used for those who travel.

Still plenty of new phones on the market, at the lower end of the budget, that do not offer eSIM compatibility

 

[Andrew Whitehouse]

I've used Airalo in the Caribbean and, more recently, Saily in Thailand. They were both reasonably priced and worked smoothly, although the Airalo one was a bit more complicated to set up than the Saily one, which worked on arrival almost without me having to do anything at all. I had very good coverage in both cases, although in more remote spots (e.g. Kaeng Krachan in Thailand) I didn't often get a signal.

 

[Dave Williams]

Still plenty of new phones on the market, at the lower end of the budget, that do not offer eSIM compatibility

Interesting I didn't realise that was the case. I have never bought a new phone in my life. You can pick up my current model an iPhone XR for a lot less than £100.

 

[jogresh]

Airalo has been excellent for me. You can buy an individual country or if you are travelling around, one for a region. Check out their website.
I have used them for several European countries, South Africa, India , Mauritius and Costa Rica and all without problems.
There are limitations of course, just as there are with your usual sim. If there's no signal they don't work and not everywhere has a signal. Much of Kruger National Park being one.
Download the sim before you leave home but only activate it when you arrive at your destinationmand switch off your usual provider too.
The beauty of an Esim is they are reasonably priced, no messing about changing sims or queuing at shops to buy a local one. They come in one, two and four week packages with GBs appropriate to your needs. You automatically get emails, messages etc as if it was your normal SIM card.
They are data only though so if you need to make a phone call you need WhatsApp, Facetime etc. If you are running low on data you will be notified and you can buy a top up online from wherever you are.
If you have a WiFi signal the phone should automatically use that so if you use appropriately your data should last longer. I haven't needed a top up whilst away other than because my 4 week one ran out as we were staying longer.

Do check your phones compatibility before you download one though, I imagine that nowadays there are not that many older phones in circulation being used for those who travel.

Thanks for the detail. 👍
Reassuring to know that it's straightforward. 🙂

 

[jogresh]

Thanks again all, helped me to get my head round it. 👍

 

[jogresh]

I used it in Uganda Worked straight away. And whatsapp worked as normal where there was signal. Turned off data to my normal sim and no problems at all

Got mine from maya. Just bought one for Morocco next month

Just a heads-up on Morocco. It seems both Maya and Airalo use Orange, and the coverage is very poor. I've seen a coverage map for Maya which confirms this but Airalo don't show one, tho it should be identical.
After a fair bit of Googling, found TripAdvisor to be useful.
I'm going to get an ESIM (or real SIM) from a Maroc Telecom or Inwi shop once in country, they can't be bought overseas. Fingers crossed. 🙂🤞

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTopic-g293730-i9195-k14945213-Beware_of_using_Airalo_eSIM_in_Morocco-Morocco.html

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTopic-g293730-i9195-k14381039-o30-ESIM_in_Morocco-Morocco.html

 

[Owene]

Thanks. Sounds like it might be spotty but I guess my regular sim would be as well and a lot more expensive. Hopefully just won’t have to use it much

 

[jogresh]

Yep they're pleasantly inexpensive aren't they.
I can perhaps feed back how I get on.. if I have data, lol. 🤔🧐🙄👍

 

[Jos Stratford]

Thanks. Sounds like it might be spotty but I guess my regular sim would be as well and a lot more expensive. Hopefully just won’t have to use it much

Price of regular SIM Vs eSIM very much depends on the country - for a tourist, eSIM is much cheaper and simpler in the US for example, but in other countries (eg if I recall correctly, Indonesia, Taiwan, etc) a physical SIM valid for two weeks is very cheap too, thus the cost saving of eSIM is not worth the hassle if potentially it won't work.

 

[Peter.home]

Slightly unrelated, I have a Lebara SIM, which is good, I can get data add ons for lots of countries, and the internet is seamless when I step off the flight.
But, annoyingly it doesn't work when roaming in EU.

Has anyone got experience with glocalme? You buy a hotspot device and load it up with data.

 

[Steve Babbs]

Slightly unrelated, I have a Lebara SIM, which is good, I can get data add ons for lots of countries, and the internet is seamless when I step off the flight.
But, annoyingly it doesn't work when roaming in EU.

Has anyone got experience with glocalme? You buy a hotspot device and load it up with data.

Mine works fine in Europe.

 

[Peter.home]

Mine works fine in Europe.

That's good, I'll keep persevering for a fix, with a back up pay as you go SIM, just in case!

 

[jogresh]

Yep they're pleasantly inexpensive aren't they.
I can perhaps feed back how I get on.. if I have data, lol. 🤔🧐🙄👍

Just to round off my part of the conversation. Got a physical SIM in Agadir airport at the Maroc Telecom stand, works fine. Signal really good even in wadis in the upper Draa. 👍

 

[LRP]

I found out these are a thing, about 4 days ago. I've booked a last-minute trip and have had some helpful comments from 2 folks.
I've love to hear people's experiences with E-SIMs - did it go smoothly? Were there any hiccups? Does your phone have a different phone number? Could you receive texts/calls/WhatsApp messages etc from your contacts ok?
If you find wifi, do you toggle your original SIM back on? 🤔
I'm not very tech-y, so any info is appreciated. It may be of help to others, too.
Cheers, Mike. 🙂👍

Hi I use them regularly-best to set up
But not activate before you go- research which telecoms give best coverage for the area you are going to and make sure that the eSIM you go with uses their services . Check against prices - they vary and are often still more expensive than local sims- but way less hassle when you arrive

 

[Julian H]

Apologies if I missed anything up thread but will be going the eSIM route (likely airolo) when visiting Scandinavia this spring from the US. Before I delve into it on my own, I will be in Finland and Norway which suggests that I will have to buy two different eSims (unless as someone mentioned there is a ‘Regional’ eSIM).

I may just forego the Norway one since I will only be there a few days and just use hotel WiFi to save complications.

I believe my phone only has one eSIM ‘slot’ so can you download multiple eSims, and then turn them on and off as needed or do you have to delete and install new eSims when you cross over into another country?

Thanks

 

[Hurricane]

I found out these are a thing, about 4 days ago. I've booked a last-minute trip and have had some helpful comments from 2 folks.
I've love to hear people's experiences with E-SIMs - did it go smoothly? Were there any hiccups? Does your phone have a different phone number? Could you receive texts/calls/WhatsApp messages etc from your contacts ok?
If you find wifi, do you toggle your original SIM back on? 🤔
I'm not very tech-y, so any info is appreciated. It may be of help to others, too.
Cheers, Mike. 🙂👍

Hi Mike, I heard about eSIM's from co-travelers in Panama recently. The big player and innovator is Airalo, with an easy website. The cost for using data with an eSIM is far below the $12 per day cost at Verizon, for example. They have them for over 200 countries or entire regions depending upon your travel plans. I suggest you start with Airalo and then go to YouTube for videos on using eSIM's. Very cost effective when combined with jumping on WiFi services at foreign hotels, airports, etc. Good luck

 

[Donkey]

I found out these are a thing, about 4 days ago. I've booked a last-minute trip and have had some helpful comments from 2 folks.
I've love to hear people's experiences with E-SIMs - did it go smoothly? Were there any hiccups? Does your phone have a different phone number? Could you receive texts/calls/WhatsApp messages etc from your contacts ok?
If you find wifi, do you toggle your original SIM back on? 🤔
I'm not very tech-y, so any info is appreciated. It may be of help to others, too.
Cheers, Mike. 🙂👍

My phone (iPhone 14 Pro) uses An e-sim. I’ve had a couple of trips to Central and South America. I use T-Mobile and had to pay a little extra for international service.

The phone preformed flawlessly. Zero hiccups.

 

[Donkey]

My phone (iPhone 14 Pro) uses An e-sim. I’ve had a couple of trips to Central and South America. I use T-Mobile and had to pay a little extra for international service.

The phone preformed flawlessly. Zero hiccups.

The fee was $50.00 for thirty days.