Communication breakdown

How old is your phone? Some older phones can't use e-SIMs - and some new phones can't use physical (non "e-") SIMs. Some phones can use both (and at the same time).

That might narrow down your options (for better or worse)...

If your phone can use an eSIM get an eSIM.

If your phone can’t use an eSIM get a new phone.

Before you get a SIM or eSIM, you need to find out a few things:

• Is your phone unlocked?
• Do you have a physical SIM slot?
• Do you have dual SIM?
• What is the cost of using your existing phone plan for data and phone calls in Spain?

I'd suggest you go to a phone store (Apple store if you have an iPhone) or Verizon store (assuming you have Verizon) and have them help you learn the answers to these three questions. If you get a good employee, they should be able to explain how an eSIM works and how a physical SIM card works.

For the most part, eSIMs are for data only, not phone calls. There are some eSIM plans that include phone service, but if you need phone service, swapping out any physical SIM card in your phone with a local SIM card might be your best answer.

If you're staying at hotels, I'd recommend having the front desk or concierge call for restaurant reservations and taxis. If that's the only thing you need phone service for, it's easy enough to manage without it. The restaurant can call you a taxi to return to your hotel.

Trelawney Thanks for the laugh ;)

David and Lane I will do my homework. Now, at least, I can go Apple (I have an iphone 15) and/or Verizon and appear to be somewhat knowledgeable.

Happy traveling,
Lorie

A SIM is just the thing that identifies your phone to the network; allowing communication. Older phones used little plastic cards that you could pop out and transfer or replace when you were traveling and wanted to be on a different network. Today phones just store the info electronically.

So these days, to switch to a different network like Holafly in Spain for example you would buy some kind of plan from them and then download & install their eSIM onto your phone. Now you can switch back and forth between your normal network and Holafly just by going into your setting page and selecting one or the other. These plans only last a certain number of days so don't activate your new eSIM until you're leaving town for the airport. You can have everything bought, installed and ready to go at any time, but activation/usage starts your clock.

Lane above use the term "unlocked". That just means it's paid off and you have asked your provider to unlock it and they have done so on their end. This unlocking process may take a day for them to acknowledge.

Alternatively, you could just get a mobile data plan for maps and websites, and use the WhatsApp program to make voice calls and send messages through that App. The only hitch is that the other person or business needs to have WhatsApp. Many (most?) tourist-facing businesses are on WhatsApp, but not all.

A "SIM" is basically the key/password on your phone that allows it to access a specific cell tower network for calls, mobile internet data, etc.

A sim-card is the small little chip card that goes into the sim tray of a phone. An esim is just an electronic version of the sim-card, it's the password/ID that validates the device that it's a member of Verizon, or Vodafone, or Tmobile or whatever network.

Modern iphones like the iphone 15 ONLY have eSim. Some cell carriers will also LOCK your phone so it's only allowed to have one SIM at a time (often they do this until the phone is paid off).

• Make sure your phone is unlocked with your current carrier.
• If you need to make calls, make sure you get a plan that's not data only. Many online advertised esims are "data only." Verify this before you purchase.
• Purchasing an esim at a physical store in Spain is possible, but could be complicated without a Spanish address, ID card, etc. I would recommend the Orange travel esim that includes calling and SMS. https://travel.orange.com/en/buy-a-sim/offers/spain
• If you're traveling in Spain and need a taxi in a major city, check if the Cabify app is available in that city. Cabify is very user friendly and great if you're not near a taxi stand.

This might be helpful - https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/phones-tech