So I have read through much of the info presented about ESim and am committed to trying it in 2 weeks while in Italy vs. the Verizon daily option.
My question is if I get a data plan with Airalo: while turned on to data only can I receive text SMS or WhatsApp messages? If my husband and I text each other will we get the messages on either text or WhatsApp. I do not want to have to hit a wifi signal, if I am trying to ask where he wandered to, usually gelato somewhere…
Any help is appreciated!!
If you both have an Airalo data plan and WhatsApp, you can WhatsApp message each other at any time using the data.
You can’t receive a regular SMS to your home cell number because that data plan will be turned off. If you both have iPhones, iMessage may work.
Use Whatsapp with anyone you know - in fact I rarely use text at all now - I like the interface of whatsapp better - plus it does calling and videoing so frankly I don't use my plan much.
You will both need to be using Airalo (or similar) to be ble to whatsapp each other - or be on wifi.
What phone do you have? If its dual sim you can leave your call and text functionality on your home network (make sure you know what charges are involve) and use airalo for data only (including whatsapp and imessage - everything except text and phone calls )
LIssie, WhatsApp is not very popular in the US the way it is in the rest of the world. I don't know anyone who uses it here, personally, but I'm sure some do. I signed up for WhatsApp but have never actually used it.
epkeytravel, if you and your husband both have WhatsApp installed and can use it to communicate now, then it will work the same in Europe without your Verizon service. Both of you will still need either WiFi or mobile data from an eSIM for WhatsApp to work, though.
If you both set up the WIFI calling feature on your phones, you can selectively turn off the eSIM and then (with phone in airplane mode) turn on WiFI and be able to send/receive texts with your Verizon number (plus make calls) without triggering the Verizon roaming cost. Try it at home that way. Try to call each other using your phone's regular phone app while in airplane mode. This won't really work for communicating with each other (use WhatsApp for that), but it will allow you to check your regular text messages from home once in a while. You might even contact Veizon them to disable international roaming in case you turn it on by accident.
I use WhatsApp. I started using it while traveling but also use it in the US now sometimes. It has some benefits over texting. Sometimes when I’m traveling, group texts are hard to send and receive for some reason. But group messages via WhatsApp are just fine.
I can do voice or video calls on WhatsApp and the connection is usually great.
And also - pictures are videos are MUCH easier to embed and send in the WhatsApp message stream vs. trying to send them by text message. My text message picture/video attempts are often rejected as too large. But via WhatsApp, I generally have good luck.
The nice thing about T-Mobile is free international texting and basic data.
https://www.t-mobile.com/customers/unlimited-roaming-sms-data
