eSIM for USA

[bad company]

Greetings from Florida. Mrs BC and I spend 2-3 months a year in the USA though not resident so cant get bank accounts etc.

It’d be really useful to have a US cellphone number. Has anyone here tried buying an ESim as a second number? I have an iPhone 14 Pro.

Thanks in advance .

[TikTak]

Used them for data, not for calls but I assume you can find one easy enough.

Great things though. Pay, get a QR code, scan and install and then the contract length starts from the first time its used in said country. Easy peasey.

Not sure about iPhone but on Android/Samsung you can set to use different sims for different things (calls, sms, data) so it uses your 2 sims simultaneously and you'd never notice the difference really.

[ffc]

I've not used one in the US (not been for ages) but use Airalo on other trips. They have US options from 1Gb-20Gb. Always worked well wherever I've been.

[bad company]

ffc said:

I've not used one in the US (not been for ages) but use Airalo on other trips. They have US options from 1Gb-20Gb. Always worked well wherever I've been.

Thanks. I don’t need data as I have a data plan from 3Mobile. I need a USA telephone number.

[megaphone]

T-Mobile do them. https://prepaid.t-mobile.com/esim-app?brand=TMOPre...

USA plans are expensive compared to the UK.

[bad company]

megaphone said:

T-Mobile do them. https://prepaid.t-mobile.com/esim-app?brand=TMOPre...

USA plans are expensive compared to the UK.

Wow, that’s expensive. We don’t need data, just a phone number and calls. What about these guys?


https://www.ultramobile.com/product/250mb-prepaid-...

[The Moose]

Just FYI, you can have a US bank account while not living here.

There are a couple of options - how long is it typically between trips and are you keen to keep the same number?

[barryrs]

Would data only and calls via WhatsApp work?

[worldwidewebs]

I used https://etravelsim.com/collections/travel-esim on a trip to the US back in May. Worked well, cheap enough ($29 for 5GB data and unlimited calls), would recommend

[bad company]

The Moose said:

Just FYI, you can have a US bank account while not living here.

There are a couple of options - how long is it typically between trips and are you keen to keep the same number?

Thanks

We spend 2-3 months a year here so having the same number would be great but not essential.

[Saleen836]

bad company said:

The Moose said:

Just FYI, you can have a US bank account while not living here.

There are a couple of options - how long is it typically between trips and are you keen to keep the same number?

Thanks

We spend 2-3 months a year here so having the same number would be great but not essential.

Ref the bank account, you will need to do research as quite a few banks in the US now don't allow accounts for non residents

I had to close mine with Wells Fargo due to the changing of the banks rules

[abzmike]

Last few trip where I’ve needed an eSIM I’ve used Revolut. Switch it on on the app, has worked fine and has saved the selection process for each trip.

[The Moose]

Saleen836 said:

bad company said:

The Moose said:

Just FYI, you can have a US bank account while not living here.

There are a couple of options - how long is it typically between trips and are you keen to keep the same number?

Thanks

We spend 2-3 months a year here so having the same number would be great but not essential.

Ref the bank account, you will need to do research as quite a few banks in the US now don't allow accounts for non residents

I had to close mine with Wells Fargo due to the changing of the banks rules

BoA allow it. And, interestingly, WF. I wonder if it’s different rules depending on which state your account is ‘located’ in?

When my family come to visit, they usually just grab a pay-as-you-go (in UK phraseology) e-sim from an AT&T store.

[stlol]

I used Holafly for a week in New York recently, dead cheap and service was great, used Whats App for calls.

[RemaL]

ffc said:

I've not used one in the US (not been for ages) but use Airalo on other trips. They have US options from 1Gb-20Gb. Always worked well wherever I've been.

After searching before our hols in sept tried the Airalo and worked a treat. Would recommend it to anyone.

[bad company]

Greetings from Florida. Airalo works great, thanks everyone.

[mikey_b]

And on the subject of a US bank account, can you not get a USD account from Revolut? I have one alongside EUR and GBP accounts, and it comes with US account numbers, including the address of the bank that actually holds the money on Revolut's behalf. Looking at the 'account confirmation' letter, it has:

Account number
ACH routing number
Wire routing number
Bank name and address (Lead Bank, Kansas City)

You can tie a virtual card to the USD within the app (and use it with Apple Pay) so if you receive USD directly to those details, you should be able to spend and receive it wihlst in the US without it undergoing any currency conversion fees.

[supersport]

mikey_b said:

And on the subject of a US bank account, can you not get a USD account from Revolut? I have one alongside EUR and GBP accounts, and it comes with US account numbers, including the address of the bank that actually holds the money on Revolut's behalf. Looking at the 'account confirmation' letter, it has:

Account number
ACH routing number
Wire routing number
Bank name and address (Lead Bank, Kansas City)

You can tie a virtual card to the USD within the app (and use it with Apple Pay) so if you receive USD directly to those details, you should be able to spend and receive it wihlst in the US without it undergoing any currency conversion fees.

Or Wise.

I used to receive wire transfers this way and need a US bank account to do it.

Works perfectly and it just looks like a local account.

[kendallroy]

I got back last week from my trip to Albuquerque and California. I stayed in the US for 2 weeks. During this time I researched several eSIM companies. Airalo was the most prominent, but Roafly eSIM was more affordable, so I bought it. I had no problems.

[Alorotom]

I spend similar in the US and have a StraightTalk eSIM on my iPhone 15pro as my third line (I have 2 uk esims too on it)

Works well, no issues, picked it up at Walmart.