Mobile data abroad is mostly a solved problem. Install a travel eSIM before you fly, switch it on when you land, and you are online before you reach passport control. The part many travellers still struggle with is the phone number: the one that gets the text from your bank, the code from a booking site, the call from the driver who is waiting outside arrivals.
Here is how to handle both, data and a number, without paying roaming charges or queuing at an airport kiosk.
Keep your home SIM, add a travel eSIM
Most phones sold in the last few years can hold two lines at once: your normal SIM and an eSIM. That is the setup that works best on the road.
- Your home SIM stays on for calls and texts. Banks, credit card companies and airlines send their security codes to the number they have on file, so keep that line active.
- Turn off data roaming on your home SIM. Otherwise your home provider may still charge you for background data.
- Use the travel eSIM for mobile data. Set it as your data line and allow data roaming on that line only.
Install the eSIM at home, on Wi-Fi, a day or two before you leave. Most travel eSIMs only start counting their validity once they connect to a network at your destination, so installing early costs you nothing.
When you need a number that is not your home number
Sometimes your home number is not the right one to give out. A few common cases:
- You are staying several weeks or months and want a number for local bookings, rentals or a gym.
- You are registering for an app or service that asks for a number from a specific country.
- You would rather not share your personal number with every guesthouse, tour operator and driver.
- You want WhatsApp or another messenger on a second number, separate from your private one.
There are two ways to get one without visiting a local phone shop.
1. An eSIM that comes with its own phone number. Some travel eSIMs are not data-only: they include a real mobile number for calls and texts. This works well if you want a single line that does everything while you are away.
2. A separate virtual mobile number. You can rent a number from another country for a set period. Texts arrive in an app and on the web, so you can receive codes and messages on any phone, even one without a second SIM slot.
Simbye offers both. Its travel eSIMs cover more than 190 countries, with unlimited data plans in over 50 destinations, and in more than 20 destinations the eSIM includes a real phone number for calls and texts. Separately, you can book mobile numbers from the United States, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Australia for 30 days, 6 months or 12 months. Texts and verification codes arrive in the Simbye app, and with the calls option, the UK, Dutch and Australian numbers can also take calls in the app. If your trip crosses several countries, the app also lets you combine them on one eSIM instead of buying a plan for each.
A few things worth knowing
Verification codes go to the number on file. A second number will not receive the code your bank sends to your home number. Use the second number for services where you enter it yourself, such as a new messaging account, a booking platform or a local app.
Messenger apps are tied to the number you register. If you move WhatsApp to a new number, your chats move with it, but your contacts will see the new number. Many travellers keep WhatsApp on their home number and use the second number only for new accounts.
Check that your phone supports eSIM and is unlocked. Phones bought on a contract are sometimes locked to one network. Your phone settings, or your provider, will tell you.
Choose data by the length of the trip, not by the day. Maps, messaging and social media use far less data than video. For a two-week trip with normal use, a mid-size plan is usually enough. If you stream or upload a lot, an unlimited plan saves you from watching the counter.
Keep the QR code until the eSIM is installed. Take a screenshot or keep the email. If something goes wrong during installation, you will need it again.
The short version
- Before you leave, install a travel eSIM on Wi-Fi.
- Keep your home SIM on for calls and texts, with data roaming off.
- Use the eSIM as your data line, with data roaming on for that line.
- If you need a different number, choose an eSIM with a number included, or book a separate mobile number for as long as you need it.
With that setup you land connected, keep your bank codes coming in, and have a number you are happy to give out on the road.
