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Airalo in England

Posted by (Twin Cities of MN) on

So, I feel like I’m a smart person. . .
Currently, in England and my first time using ESIM. The first thing I figured out is that to install and use the ESIM, I need wifi AND, it seems infinitely easier with 2 devices so that a QR code can be scanned.

Yesterday, I installed the ESim and I have questions. My current status is that I have wifi (terrible) at my BnB. I have the Verizon international plan for today because I made a mistake initiating the ESIM. Last night I would have been going back and forth between Verizon and the ESIM as I figured things out.

Some time during the night, I apparently was being sent messages from Simply Safe (our house security), my son, my daughter and city police, all about our alarm. In the morning, I get info from my email from my son, that a motion detector had been triggered because it fell from the wall. My amazing son (with a toddler and 2 month old), drove to the house and took care of everything and reset security. So there’s the back story. So mid morning, I got the 15 texts while I was on Airalo ESIM. During the night, I would have had the crummy wifi and the Airalo eSIM. Why did I get these messages so late? Should I be getting my messages and email while I’m in ESIM and no wifi? And I’m quite sure I should be getting all my emails and messages when I have WIFI?? (If it’s any good) If people want to text me, can they use the same phone number when I only have the Airalo ESIM?

Thanks for any help and sorry to those I’ve bored to death with this post. ;)

Posted by
29334 posts

Others are more knowledgeable than I am, but standard texts (as opposed to WhatsApp messages and iMessages within the Apple Universe) require a telephone number, which run-of-the-mill eSIMs do not provide. You can get an eSIM that includes a phone number for more money. You'd then need to share that new number with friends and relatives who might need to contact you.

Many people use WhatsApp, which is Wi-Fi-based, in your situation.

My Google Fi telephone plan includes free texting but is very expensive for data, so when I'm outside the US and need a lot of data, I buy an eSIM, but my text messaging still works via my Fi telephone number.

I'm sure you'll soon receive more helpful advice from others.

In addition to the difficulties you've already experienced, sometimes financial transactions require a text-based confirmation. For example, Marriott always wants to text me a confirmation number when I try to sign in to my account before making a reservation even though I'm not trying to use points

Posted by
5584 posts

So I don’t know if this is the answer, but sometimes my device will tell me I have wifi - but in actuality I do not. One of the first things I notice is that something like Facebook or Google search results don’t load. Occasionally it will even happen at home and I have to reset my modem. In this case, I turn off wifi and everything works fine using data (which I always have via an eSIM). This isn’t a common occurrence, but it has happened often enough that I now recognize it as a possibility.

If this had happened to me, your crummy wifi would be my first suspect. Your phone/tablet defaults to wifi, which it thinks you have - so messages are not coming in via cell data. The only way I know of to determine if this is the culprit is to do a test run - have someone at home message and see if it comes via wifi at your bnb. If not, turn off wifi and see if it comes via data.

acraven is right about regular SMS not coming via cell data (except iMessage or apps like WhatsApp). But it doesn’t sound like that was your problem, since you got them the next day when you were without wifi.

Posted by
3398 posts

I think TTM is probably on to something with the crummy wifi issue. Since you did ultimately get the messages that means something in the background wasn't connecting. My phone will sometimes keep trying to connect to bad wifi unless I forget the network or turn off wifi altogether.

As for texting, if the security service doesn't use texting that is compatible with your iMessages (I think you have iPhones, yes?) then you might not get those at all using the eSIM since regular old SMS (not iMessage) for your home number would need to use your Verizon service.

And, thank goodness for your son being able to address your situation for you! I'm not sure I would have thought to plan for that situation to occur :)

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