We are going to London for 4 months and are really struggling to figure out if we should use our international plan from T-Mobile (keeping our US phone #s) or if we should get an e-SIM and switch to a local UK phone #.
Our phones are fully owned, so technically, we can change out the e-SIM. Any advice for pros / cons of keeping US phone # vs. getting a local one? Thanks so much!
A local SIM will be cheaper (take a look at giffgaff esims). The only reason you might want to keep your US eSIM in is to receive calls or texts on your US number. Not sure how US plans work, but I normally keep my home SIM in to receive any texts (which is free) and use a UK SIM for calls and data.
use the search bar at the top of the forum page and you will find this topic discussed a whole lot
Keeping the TMobile will be easier if you can afford $50. I live with mine in Europe.
Does your phone allow duel Esim? I have T-Mobile and find the initial free data allowance to be insufficient. I add a Euro Esim and newer iPhone settings allow a toggle between my regular Esim and the Euro Esim.
Any advice for pros / cons of keeping US phone # vs. getting a local one?
Some US web sites are blocked to any but US IP addresses. Very common with my state government websites like for drivers license renewal. From time to time I encounter it with US businesses as well. My US phone will connect, and my US phone when used as a hotspot, will allow my laptop to connect. TMobile has free wifi calling and texting. If you put the phone on airplane mode and turn on the wifi and have a wifi connection and someone calls your number, it will ring just like if it were on the network.
