eSIM

[JeffC]

Has anyone used an eSIM when traveling abroad? I’m going to South America for 2 weeks and I’m looking at Holafly. How easy is it to setup and use? I’ll be on a cruise, will it work with no extra charges while at sea?
Thanks in advance for your responses.
Jeff C

 

[Ken555]

There have been numerous threads about esims on TUG.


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[JeffC]

I did do a search before posting but the info really wasn’t what I was looking for. So after more research I decided to go with Airalo, which was discussed in one of the threads.
I’m here now in Buenos Aires and here’s my first impressions. Airalo was very easy to download and install, I’d say too easy. I was planning to use specific apps which according to Airalo were compatible; iMessage, WhatsApp, Wi-Fi calling and text. My wife was going to use mostly Facebook messenger.

All these apps were setup and working on both phones with the exception of WhatsApp on DW’s phone. Well here’s where the problems come in. Wi-Fi calling doesn’t work at all because in order to turn it on the phone needs an SMS text to add it. In order to get the text I’d have to switch to my regular carrier (ATT), incurring a $10 charge from them. I’ve been back and forth with their customer support about whether this could have been done before I left but I can’t get a straight answer about that.

As far as iMessage there’s a similar problem, I get a waiting for activation message, which is because it too requires an SMS message to activate it.

With WhatsApp DW has it loaded on her phone but she never finished the setup. So when I tried to set it up you guessed it, she needs to load a code that’s sent by SMS message.

All that being said the eSIM is working for me in WhatsApp and DW in messenger. For general internet use it works well where you have a good signal. I don’t know how well it will work while we’re out to sea given the weak signal, but I knew that coming in. I’d say for anyone looking to use an eSIM find out as much as you can about how the apps you’ll be using need to be setup. I think the easy setup I experienced led me to believe that the rest of the process was that simple.

 

[Ken555]

For ease of use, you need to have WiFi calling and other apps configured prior to leaving your home network.

Also, you need to be sure you keep data roaming off on your home account and make sure it doesn’t automatically enable connection to the foreign network, or else WiFi calling won’t work. I’m dealing with that this week myself, as Mint Mobile recently added foreign service options and now my home sim is automatically connecting to other networks, which prevents the phone from using the other sim/data for voice calls. I’m waiting now for Mint to disable international calling options on my account now. Some providers, such as T-Mobile, allow you to configure this in the management console directly but mint does not.


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[Ken555]

I don’t know how well it will work while we’re out to sea given the weak signal, but I knew that coming in.

None of the cellular networks will work at sea unless you pay the exorbitant rates to the cruise ship “cellular at sea” or similar service they offer. If you want to use data while at sea, you only have one affordable option: the internet package from the cruise ship. And if they have decent service (which cruise line?) your WiFi calling will work on board.


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[JeffC]

I thought I did have the Wi-Fi calling setup before I left. The problem was there was no way to test it. The plan I bought, LATAM link, only works when connected to a tower in S America. In retrospect I should have bought a global plan, activated it at home to test the different apps.

At sea I’m hoping for functionality in port. This cruise doesn’t go to far from land, so we should have weak signal most of the time. We’re on the Norwegian Star, which does have at sea Wi-Fi through the ship (really expensive) or Att ($60 for 30 days). Att’s plan only works while the ship is out to sea. They turn it off in port. So you still need some connection while in port. I learned the hard way about relying on att while at sea in Alaska. My plan includes the us and Canada, but while on an alaska cruise my phone connected to a maritime network. It cost $20/hr for non subscribers . According to Airalo as long as I have data switching turned off I won’t inadvertently connect to an outside network.

 

[Ken555]

I thought I did have the Wi-Fi calling setup before I left. The problem was there was no way to test it. The plan I bought, LATAM link, only works when connected to a tower in S America. In retrospect I should have bought a global plan, activated it at home to test the different apps.

WiFi calling would work at your home on WiFi. That’s all you needed to do to test, not test on cellular.

At sea I’m hoping for functionality in port. This cruise doesn’t go to far from land, so we should have weak signal most of the time. We’re on the Norwegian Star, which does have at sea Wi-Fi through the ship (really expensive) or Att ($60 for 30 days). Att’s plan only works while the ship is out to sea. They turn it off in port. So you still need some connection while in port. I learned the hard way about relying on att while at sea in Alaska. My plan includes the us and Canada, but while on an alaska cruise my phone connected to a maritime network. It cost $20/hr for non subscribers . According to Airalo as long as I have data switching turned off I won’t inadvertently connect to an outside network.

NCL internet is not that expensive, but everything is relative. If you don’t need internet for anything else, then it would be expensive just for a few calls. I suggest you verify that ATT plan and find out its limits before you use it. I always buy the ship internet package.


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[JeffC]

Wi-Fi calling was working at home. One of the instructional videos I watched said to leave it off and enable it on arrival. I didn’t enable it on the Airalo line before leaving. Once I got here I couldn’t enable it without switching back to att on both phones. Wasn’t worth it to me. I don’t really need to be connected 24/7. We travel with a large group of DW’s friends and they communicate through messenger while traveling.
It’s a live and learn thing. I just found the setup documentation severely lacking. Thank you Ken for your insights and advice.

 

[Ken555]

Wi-Fi calling was working at home. One of the instructional videos I watched said to leave it off and enable it on arrival. I didn’t enable it on the Airalo line before leaving. Once I got here I couldn’t enable it without switching back to att on both phones. Wasn’t worth it to me. I don’t really need to be connected 24/7. We travel with a large group of DW’s friends and they communicate through messenger while traveling.
It’s a live and learn thing. I just found the setup documentation severely lacking. Thank you Ken for your insights and advice.

You should leave it on all the time. As for the Airalo esim, did they provide you with a phone number? If not, there’s no reason to turn WiFi calling on for that sim, and you really don’t want it anyway since you should be using your home sim for WiFi calling on the airalo connection.

Anyway, data only apps (such as messenger) don’t care about WiFi calling.


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