eSims

[mhocking]

RizzoTheRat said:

The Airlo ones are data only, so if I need to make a call I'll just use Whatsapp.

Can I just check this as I'm sure I've seen country specific Airlo esims that offer a calls bundle as well?

TIA

[RizzoTheRat]

Looks like they do some with voice/text but I guess limited to specific countries
https://www.airalo.com/help/using-managing-esims/c...
I was looking for South Africa and they only offer data options there.

[mhocking]

RizzoTheRat said:

Looks like they do some with voice/text but I guess limited to specific countries
https://www.airalo.com/help/using-managing-esims/c...
I was looking for South Africa and they only offer data options there.

cheers

[karma mechanic]

Just bringing this up to date. I used the Airalo global eSIM, as did my wife. It worked perfectly in India, South Korea and Sri Lanka, absolutely seamlessly.

Not having calls and texts didn't matter, emails and WhatsApp did for everything. Hotels and booked drivers had WhatsApp numbers. It connected straight away when getting off planes.

On our phones the normal SIM was set to calls and texts, but the eSIM was set to data with Data roaming on. Nothing triggered any roaming charges from our UK providers.

So thanks for the advice!

[RizzoTheRat]

Another "thanks for the advice" from me. I went with a South Africa only 30 day 5GB sim for $12.50 using Peter's discount code. Installed the software before I travelled, and it was a piece of piss to set up the eSIM. When I got off the plane I activated the e-sim and switched my data to it, but left phone and text on my UK sim. I also have a physical NL sim in the phone that's usually active but not default, so can recieve calls and messaged but calls text will go out on my UK one unless I select otherwise. My phone (S22) can only use 2 sims at a time so I only had the UK and Airalo one's active. No issues with data anywhere except one area of George where I had to use a bar's wifi to order an Uber. Data was plenty fast enough for a Christmas day Whatsapp video call to my mother.

I'll be leaving the app only phone ready to install another package next time I go outside the roaming area of my current plan.

[djc206]

RizzoTheRat said:

Another "thanks for the advice" from me. I went with a South Africa only 30 day 5GB sim for $12.50 using Peter's discount code. Installed the software before I travelled, and it was a piece of piss to set up the eSIM. When I got off the plane I activated the e-sim and switched my data to it, but left phone and text on my UK sim. I also have a physical NL sim in the phone that's usually active but not default, so can recieve calls and messaged but calls text will go out on my UK one unless I select otherwise. My phone (S22) can only use 2 sims at a time so I only had the UK and Airalo one's active. No issues with data anywhere except one area of George where I had to use a bar's wifi to order an Uber. Data was plenty fast enough for a Christmas day Whatsapp video call to my mother.

I'll be leaving the app only phone ready to install another package next time I go outside the roaming area of my current plan.

Seconded. Just back from the US having used an Airalo sim, super fast 5G the whole time. Worked a treat and very cheap.

[redrabbit29]

peter tdci said:

Go on then - try this: PETER1681

I used a global SIM last month from them. It worked seamlessly across Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Qatar

Thanks Peter! Just bought one for a 5 day trip to Boston

[peter tdci]

redrabbit29 said:

Thanks Peter! Just bought one for a 5 day trip to Boston

Thank you!

The app on my phone pinged this morning so I came to see if anyone had mentioned it. In the overall scheme of things, the amounts are tiny, but it's always nice to get a bit of a discount or something knocked your next purchase!

[Roman Moroni]

Captain Luddite here who's looking for some advice.

Later this year I'm driving from the UK (via a ferry to Spain) to Morocco, Western Sahara, Mauritania,Senegal and finishing up in the Gambia. I'm away for @ 3 weeks. I have a SIM only contract with EE so I'm looking at all my options

I assume, given the Countries I'm travelling through, my best option would be to get an eSim? If that's the case, can someone suggest the best supplier.

TIA

[CraigyMc]

Roman Moroni said:

Captain Luddite here who's looking for some advice.

Later this year I'm driving from the UK (via a ferry to Spain) to Morocco, Western Sahara, Mauritania,Senegal and finishing up in the Gambia. I'm away for @ 3 weeks. I have a SIM only contract with EE so I'm looking at all my options

I assume, given the Countries I'm travelling through, my best option would be to get an eSim? If that's the case, can someone suggest the best supplier.

TIA

Airalo's global offering will only do some of those. Western sahara and Mauritania aren't listed on their covered countries list.

It depends on the amount of data/txts/calls you want but this one would probably be a decent jumping off point for the places airalo do cover https://www.airalo.com/global-esim/discover%2B-30d...

As an aside, if you're using a phone for mapping (or backup map), you should also use the "offline maps" feature of google maps before you go, if you're planning to use that application. It allows the phone to store a local copy of the whole roadmap on the areas of the map you select, avoiding needing to use signal for that at all. This requires large downloads so you'd do it at home and let the phone download stuff overnight or whatever.

Personally if I was going through North africa I'd have backups for everything. GPS unit, phone and paper maps. Not somewhere you want to get lost!

Best of luck

[bigandclever]

I'd also check that your phone is eSIM compatible. That caught me out

[Tony_T]

Can you still have 2 physical sims (1 disabled?) in your phone while using the esim? Thanks

[RizzoTheRat]

Tony_T said:

Can you still have 2 physical sims (1 disabled?) in your phone while using the esim? Thanks

Yes. I have a dual sim S22 and with Airlo esim installed I can select which 2 are active

[CraigyMc]

RizzoTheRat said:

Tony_T said:

Can you still have 2 physical sims (1 disabled?) in your phone while using the esim? Thanks

Yes. I have a dual sim S22 and with Airlo esim installed I can select which 2 are active

Having two sims active at the same time is more or less a newish phone thing. (for others -- worth checking your handset if you've not done this before).

I've a Pixel 7 that can do it but my older Samsung S9 couldn't.

[Tony_T]

RizzoTheRat said:

Tony_T said:

Can you still have 2 physical sims (1 disabled?) in your phone while using the esim? Thanks

Yes. I have a dual sim S22 and with Airlo esim installed I can select which 2 are active

Cheers, is it easy to set the esim to default for data usage and the other sim for calls etc.?

[CraigyMc]

Tony_T said:

RizzoTheRat said:

Tony_T said:

Can you still have 2 physical sims (1 disabled?) in your phone while using the esim? Thanks

Yes. I have a dual sim S22 and with Airlo esim installed I can select which 2 are active

Cheers, is it easy to set the esim to default for data usage and the other sim for calls etc.?

It is on my phone (android). Dunno about iPhone, but I'd expect similar.

[RizzoTheRat]

Yeah, mine let's you set preferred sim for calls, text and data.

[Roman Moroni]

CraigyMc said:

Airalo's global offering will only do some of those. Western sahara and Mauritania aren't listed on their covered countries list.

It depends on the amount of data/txts/calls you want but this one would probably be a decent jumping off point for the places airalo do cover https://www.airalo.com/global-esim/discover%2B-30d...

As an aside, if you're using a phone for mapping (or backup map), you should also use the "offline maps" feature of google maps before you go, if you're planning to use that application. It allows the phone to store a local copy of the whole roadmap on the areas of the map you select, avoiding needing to use signal for that at all. This requires large downloads so you'd do it at home and let the phone download stuff overnight or whatever.

Personally if I was going through North africa I'd have backups for everything. GPS unit, phone and paper maps. Not somewhere you want to get lost!

Best of luck

Thanks for your advice. Much appreciated

[Roman Moroni]

bigandclever said:

I'd also check that your phone is eSIM compatible. That caught me out

Funny you should say that but I checked after posting up my question last night. Alas my phone (Galaxy S10) isn't compatible therefore I'm probably going to find a cheap 2nd hand unlocked handset and use that. If it survives the journey I'll flog it when I get back