Opinions on e-sims and personal VPN’s?
Hi,
I’m definitely not a techie and am trying to decide whether or not these are worth my time to figure out before a 2 week trip?
I signed up for my mobile company’s global travel plan that charges for each day that texts are sent/received, phone calls are made or received, or data is used. Seems like someone or some random company is going to text me everyday, so that means paying for 14 days.
Any advice? Thank you!
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I use the ATT program that charges me $10/day when I'm out of the country. My phone looks just as if I was in the US, so if someone dials my number, it rings my phone no matter where I am.
The charge accrues when I connect to the local cellular system, not when someone sends me a text or phone call. There's a limit of $100 for a billing period, but the billing period may not line up with my travel, so I could incur $200 in charges.
[The charges for my wife are half what I pay as the primary user.]
Use WhatsApp it’s free. Are you expecting lots of phone calls while you are away? We do use VPN on trips
WhatsApp is good but only connects to others who use WhatsApp. If you want to get phone calls and texts from anyone, the cellular program you described is what you need.
But for low cost to friends and family who have WhatsApp, it can't be beat. Of course, you need some form of Internet Access for WhatsApp to work. WhatsApp works by sending voice, text, pictures, etc. over the Internet instead of over the cellular system. When you're in the hotel it would work fine. When you're out in a bus, you likely would not have Internet access and WhatsApp will not work.
[I like the ATT program I described because it's exactly like I was in the US. If someone calls me on my cell phone, I'll get that call. Of course, if a spam call comes in, I'll get that call, also. But the charge is a flat $10/day, no matter how many calls or texts you get. You also get data service, just like you were in the US. So when I'm on the bus, I can access the Internet, send and receive texts, and send and receive phone calls. It's more expensive than WhatsApp but I enjoy the convenience.]
Thanks guys! No, I’m not expecting a lot of calls…I’m hoping I don’t get a lot anyway. But I do need to be on alert for a couple of matters back home. If something does come up (which it shouldn’t, but…), I may need to make/receive a lot of calls and have secure internet access. I have Xfinity and they also charge $10/day.
We have XFINITY and we can automatically make calls without paying anything apart from the local rate, for example 10 cents a minute. We very rarely need to make a call and because of the time differences it’s often not convenient to call people and Tauck does not like people to make phone calls while we are on the bus. The few times we have been on the bus when people make calls, it’s very very annoying. I understood people may have for example, sick parents at home, but an email for information works just as well until you can get Internet access.
I don’t want random calls which is why I like WhatsApp, I have control over who can call me.
When I want to make notes about our tour for my photo book, I write them in notes, I don’t need internet for that. I can copy and paste them where I want at a later date.
I also have Xfinity which uses Verizon's network. On days when there's free time and I wander the city, I pay the $10/day global roaming rate, primairly to use google maps to navigate the city. If we're on tour all day, then I don't bother with it and just use voice/text/data when connected to wifi in the hotel room, for which there's no extra charge. For example, on my recent Classic Italy trip, I used 5 days of their international plan.
Re security, I always use a VPN when travelling, to encrypt my data, particularly username/password when signing into financial accounts. Personally, I use NordVPN (it was last $3/mo for a 3 year sign-up). Many hotels (and airports) that offer free wifi have open networks, subject to hackling and sniffing. When I was in China, a VPN was essential as China blacks all Google services (gmail, maps, search, etc.)
The encryption used with https is very strong. I never felt the need for a VPN for encrypted security.
I understand their use in China. I haven’t researched it lately but I know China was doing something to stop their citizens from using a VPN to access sites blocked on the Chinese Internet.
I think maybe I’ll just stick with the Xfinity global travel pass and hope I don’t get random texts on days I don’t need to use it and then a VPN just to be safe. I appreciate your comments! If anyone has more thoughts on VPN’s or e-SIMs, keep them coming! It helps to to learn.
We keep our phones on Airplane mode to avoid unintended use of data.
GinaHK - For days you don't need service while touring, I suggest keeping your phone in Airplane Mode (data off). That way a spam text won't start a 24 hour period for which you're charged $10. When you're back in the hotel, you can keep the phone in Airplane Mode and turn wifi on, with which you have call, text and data without being charged for it.
With Xfinity mobile, if you are still paying for your phone (one of their 2 year payment plans), it will be locked and you won't be able to add an eSim. You can only do that with an unlocked phone, which requires the phone be paid off in full.
I have WhatsApp, T Mobile is my provider while overseas text and email is free, phone calls have a charge which I'm not sure what is as I have never used it but did have a phone call one time (my son had come to my house and wanted the password to my computer 😆) and I remember the charge as being very small.
An added comment: If you have an iPhone and text another iPhone user, the text goes through the Internet and not the cellular provider. So you can text iPhone to iPhone without a cellular connection.
In the past, when we wanted mobile data access in Europe, we've bought a European sim card with limited service, You can buy a card before you leave and activate it when you get there (you have to physically swap cards). Much cheaper than daily roam charges and you get a European phone number. You can find these on Ebay and Amazon, with varying amounts of service. We typically have paid less than $30 for service lasting two weeks. That being said, if I did it again, I would probably look into an eSIM service. I've heard good things about these. I like the idea of not having to swap a physical card. There are numerous videos on YouTube rating the various services and giving instructions as to how to set them up. Either way, it's a lot cheaper than the $10 a day roaming charge.
We have had good luck with T Mobile which we have had for a couple of years. We have one of the 55+ Magenta plans which I think have now been deprecated but might still be available. We get 5 Gigabytes of high-speed data then it throttles back to a lower speed after the 5 GB. We have never gone over the 5 GB. Texting is included and any voice calls are $.25 per minute. To get around the voice charge I have used WiFi calling and also used Skype calling. We haven’t had the need to make many voice calls when traveling.
It has been pretty seamless when we travel. When we land and go off airplane mode on the phones we get a text message saying “Welcome to whatever country we are in. Your plan included 5GB of data etc.” We had Verizon prior to T Mobile and they were a bit more problematic and expensive.
Believe it or not, I had no idea you could make calls in airplane mode on wifi. I’ll probably keep it in that mode and use wifi at the hotel if I need to make a call. My understanding is that if someone texts you while your phone is in airplane mode you will never receive the text even after you turn off airplane mode…unless it’s someone texting with their iPhone to my iPhone. So I’ll try to let people know I might not get their texts before I leave. And use a vpn if I need secure internet. Thanks guys!
I do what BKMD does and leave my phone in Airplane mode. I have an android phone and can text other droid users or iphones when I'm on wifi. If I want to talk to anyone back home, then I use my Ipad, on wifi, and FaceTime. I could also do a video chat via Facebook Messenger, again on wifi, if need be.
I have just been researching esim cards for iphone 11 and later. i'm sure the following will apply to some other brands. I am not endorsing anything since i have not used one yet! Do your research as some are slower than others, have poor customer service per reviews.
Some helpful sites:
https:// https://freakingnomads.com/best-esim-providers/ 5/24 interesting options. Gigsky offers offshore coverage packages. Jetpack offers lounge access if flight delayed 2 hrs.
https://cybernews.com/best-esim-providers/best-esim-for-europe/ 6/24
https://www.techradar.com/pro/best-esims-for-international-travel#section-best-esim-for-data-only-plans 5/24
https://esimdb.com/region/europe marketplace with filters. check if your choice can be throttled (slowed by isp).
data app use: (nomad suggested 3 gb a week if you don't use wifi for heavy streaming)
• Google Maps: 5MB per hour
• Social Media: 50MB per hour
• Internet Browsing: 50MB per hour
• Streaming Music: 100MB per hour
• SD Video: 1GB per hour; HD Video: 4GB per hour; 4K Video: 7GB per hour
I'm leaning towards airalo.com #2 on cybernews and tech radar $13/30 days/data. #1 in freaking nomads. 3 gb. 5g network. Can top up. Very popular per internet discussions. Good for 1st timers. promo code "FN10" 10% OFF! Maybe other codes elsewhere. Will use the card for when we are on our own. Also will use what's app.
Following. I was planning on doing the $10/day TravelPass through Verizon when we do our Tauck France trip. eSIM sounds MUCH less expensive! Great information @carolv!
We scheduled extra days on the front and back end of our scheduled tour - so being able to get an Uber, use maps, etc. is important. We also scheduled many Viator excursions so being able to reach out to them, check email for updates/changes/problems is also important. Let’s keep this thread to VPN/SIM card discussions and not how/why people use their phones while traveling. Cheers fellow Tauckers!
I just asked my husband about all the above as he has no interest in the forum. Neither of us quite understand why people have to make all these phone calls on vacation or when they actually make them. We can understand if there is some sort of family illness or crisis, but other than that, we communicate back home by email, text or WhatsApp. Last year in Singapore, he did have a one hour business meeting he had to call in on, but that was done on zoom on the computer in our room, and at midnight our time. All free. Did not think our iPhones, both 14’s, had SIM cards, don’t have to sign up for anything special on our plan when we travel and the monthly cost is $12 for the two of us. We don’t play games or download video or listen to music and only one of us uses Facebook occasionally.
Iphone 14s take esims only, not removable ones. We just want some data for when we are on our own and want to use gps, access restaurant menus, purchase and access tickets, or find each other if we get separated. Verizon is $10/day for each phone. I understand that T-mobile might be free when traveling outside USA.
@carolv - thanks for all that research and links provided. It was very educational.
That certainly is a much cheaper option than the $10/day Verizon Travel Pass. We have used the Travel Pass a few times without any issues with the service - but I will say it was expensive when we did the Bridges Danube River Cruise. River cruises are tough too since wifi/cell service can be so unreliable normally. We limited the expense by 3 of us hot-spotting to one phone, but it was still a bit cumbersome at times (free roaming time and not everyone wants to do the same thing, extended family having travel troubles and they didn't have international service set up, etc.). I recall 2-3 very specific instances were the esim would have helped immensely. Plus I love using the GPS map features just to learn more about where you physically are in the world or are heading to.
I agree with British. Think back to the day of how much we enjoyed ourselves before iPhones. Yes, there are positives and negatives to technology that has changed our lives. It is liberating to get off the grid for just a little during a vacation. Just my opinion.
I remember when we went to Africa in 2001 and my husband felt compelled to take a satellite phone with him to be able to communicate to his office. When he showed it to every man on the trip, they wanted to also call their offices and then our bill was through the roof.
We are all different. Some have an insatiable need to wear their phones as appendages; others prefer to engage with and experience the world around them. Merely my opinion.
I've done both,purchased a sim or done the travel plan with cell phone provider. I'm not really using the calling feature, although I do have elderly parents so Want the flexibility to have calling access, but I mostly use if for the data and texting. I use my maps, city apps, trains schedule, restaurant menus etc. I like doing the ATT plan because my number doesn't change. And also I if do need to get onto financial app or app with sensitive info, I'd rather do it using cellular than using a hotel wifi. It's a preference, works for me, but I could see why others differ.
We rarely call anyone but sometimes use data for Google maps (GPS is only useful if it has a map to show you where you are), so, for us, the Verizon plan is economical and easy to use. It uses the same number. We get a notification saying they noticed we arrived in a new calling area/country. The one time I really used it was in Petra when I went on two extensive solo treks in Petra. I do not have a cell phone but used my iPad with 4G to keep my wife informed of my location via msg (except when I was in a deep canyon with no signal.)
The only caution- it is easy to forget you incur the $10 per day charge when you use your phone just once in a 24 hr. period- "Gee, I wonder how far downstream Gebel el-Silsila is and what time we will see it?" (answer- at the ship's speed, too far to see it before it gets dark
)