Esim for England

Jules, I didn’t mention this when we were talking today but I should have. One of the things about an eSIM is that you can switch back-and-forth between your own phone’s eSIM, and the eSIM that you are traveling with. It only takes a second or two and it’s very easy. You just go into the settings and switch it.

So if you want to place a call from your regular phone number, you would just switch to your own eSIM. But of course, keep in mind that this would be using Verizon’s plan and I don’t know what Verizon would charge for that phone call. You can also call using FaceTime or WhatsApp.

Also, this might help you understand it a bit: https://support.apple.com/en-us/118669

This might be a good time to remind forum members that frequent overseas travelers should consider moving their US cell service from Verizon and AT&T to a more travel-friendly provider. I use Spectrum, and recommend everyone whose home internet and/or cable service is from Spectrum to do likewise. Overseas texts are free and accessible even if I'm using a data eSIM in Europe, and calls are pretty cheap also. Mint Mobile, Consumer Cellular and other MVNOs might provide more cost-effective alternatives to legacy carriers; also, many forum members find T-Mobile to better suit European travelers.

If you're an Android user, operating system 16 offers massive benefits; if you're able to update to Android 16 I would do so. I'm now able to select between my two SIMs (Spectrum and French Free) for each primary function: calls, texts and data. In my case, texts remain with Spectrum for 2FA when needed, with Free for data and calls. But incoming calls to both SIMs come through, and if I want to place a call on Spectrum for some reason, I'm able to do so.

@Mardee, I did not know I could switch back and forth! Game Changer. I can leave my husband's phone alone which is probably best.

@ jphbucks, Great information! Yep, we keep thinking about moving to Tmobile. Years ago, people, at least those we know in our area, felt Tmobile wasn't very good to have for multiple reasons. People seem happy with Tmobile now. We don't have cable (yes, we really are fossils) but I'm sure your idea is good for many.

Jules, we switched to T-Mobile several years ago. It has worked flawlessly for us in France, England, Norway and even the northern Highlands of Scotland.

Jean (and Jules), I also use T-Mobile and love it for overseas travel. However, I had multiple problems with it in London, as have others. I think it was a problem with the local provider T-Mobile uses in London, but I could not get a signal at least 50% of the time I was there. There is a thread somewhere about it, and I wasn't the only one with problems. Next time I go to London, I will have an eSIM handy just in case.

FWIW, I had no problems outside of London or in Scotland. It was just London.

That said, Jules, coverage about here in Duluth has been very good with T-Mobile, so I'm sure you wouldn't have any problem in the cities. I really like it, and their customer service is a hundred times better than Verizon.

So if you want to place a call from your regular phone number, you
would just switch to your own eSIM. But of course, keep in mind that
this would be using Verizon’s plan and I don’t know what Verizon would
charge for that phone call.

FWIW, on my AT&T plan, as soon as I turn on my sim overseas and it uses any data (like live navigating with Google maps or checking email) or it talks to a cell phone tower (e.g., send a text message or phone call) then I am charged the international day plan fee (currently $12, for a 24 hour period). You'll have to read the very fine print on your Verizon plan to see what would happen to you if you switch back and forth. I believe if you both have iPhones and can use iMessage, that only uses data so your idea to switch your husband's phone to just a data esim would allow him to text you (but not call).

And someone from overseas will probably weigh in on this thread to say this isn't how it works for them, I am simply reporting on my personal experience with my phone and plan. YMMV.

So now, I have more questions. If I chose to do the international eSIM and want to avoid using my Verizon service, What about my messages that would be coming to my U.S. phone number? Would I be able to get them when I have wifi, just as I have been when traveling out of country?

Would I have a new phone number? If I wanted to call a hotel or restaurant for a reservation?

For my plan with AT&T - if I want to use their sim to get phone calls and texts sent to my AT&T home number, I have to fork over the $ via their international day pass to make that happen. This is why many people just suck up the cost - your phone works just like at home. I "solved" this problem for myself by paying for a separate Google Fi eSIM with unique phone number that I set up in advance in the US. I update my contact number on file with my banks, hotels, etc. to the Fi number so I can still do 2F authentications and get alerts overseas. The plan I have with Fi is a pay as you go data plan and is reasonable compared to the AT&T daily rate. I turn off my AT&T sim when I board my Europe flight and turn it on when I return in the USA. I get a backlog of text messages then. Again, this is my personal experience with my phone and plan.

If you buy an esim for Europe that has both data and phone, then you get a different phone number and can make phone calls to whomever the sim allows you to call (some have worldwide coverage, some only one country).

Thanks, CL, I want to make sure I'm really clear, currently when I travel, I keep my phone in airplane mode. When I have wifi, usually at my hotel, I can get my imessages via wifi still with my phone in airplane. Will I be able to do that if I have the international eSIM?

Thanks, CL, I want to make sure I'm really clear, currently when I
travel, I keep my phone in airplane mode. When I have wifi, usually at
my hotel, I can get my imessages via wifi still with my phone in
airplane. Will I be able to do that if I have the international eSIM?

Jules, I believe as long as you're using just wifi, and not your phone's cellular connection, you should be able to access things the way you have before. But, the international eSIM accesses data using a connection to a cellular network, so I believe you would have to take your phone off airplane mode to do that. I'm not an iPhone person but there is likely a way to adjust the settings on your Verizon sim and the data sim to accomplish what you want to do. Hopefully someone more helpful will weigh in, sorry!

EDITED to add: I think you don't leave until this fall, so one thought is to get a short term eSIM now and test it out here at home. It might be worth the effort just to be at ease on your trip.

Thanks everyone, I think I've got this! It is absolutely one of those things that sounds daunting, but then when you pull the proverbial trigger it turns out to be quite easy, or so I hope!

When I have wifi, usually at my hotel, I can get my imessages via wifi still with my phone in airplane. Will I be able to do that if I have the international eSIM?

Yes, you will, jules. You can do anything you normally do while using wifi.

What I liked about Jetpac was that their plans over 3GB include free access to Google Maps and WhatsApp Chat (huge help while navigating), and it supported hotspot use too. So when my husband needed to check email or scroll sports scores on his iPhone 15, I just tethered him. No drama.

This applies to all eSIMs; not just the one you are referring to. I've used Airalo and was able to access everything you mentioned above.

This applies to all eSIMs; not just the one you are referring to. I've used Airalo and was able to access everything you mentioned above.

This guy is a shill for Jetpac, Mardee. I'm hoping his posts on 3 different threads disappear like snowmen in August.