Word to the wise (@USA): your device has to be unlocked for eSIM to work. I just goofed and purchased (holafly 15-day, UK), and THEN I saw the clear instruction about unlocked device - I missed the instruction so it is on me for the error. Not angry, just hope to help someone prevent my mistake. Happy (and safe) travels too all.
Verizon automatically unlocks their phones 60 days after your service commences with them. Other carriers might not unlock it until much later, but sometimes you can request a temporary unlock for your travel and they will accommodate. Clearly I would suggest asking your carrier FIRST if they will accommodate you before buying the eSIM, but there's a very real possibility that they will help you with that workaround.
Google Fi has worked great for me. I have been to Thailand, Japan, France, Italy, and the UK in the last 4 months. All at no additional charge for data or text.
I think we need to clear some items up. Many TH-camrs and travel bloggers seem to conflate eSIM as a whole with international eSIMs, as if the benefits of the former do not extend to locally-issued SIM cards at all. However, many local telecom providers are issuing prepaid eSIM cards directly, albeit with the slight inconvenience of real-name registration. Given how pricey international eSIMs are, I would go with those issued by local providers directly when an eSIM is available.
I bought the eSIM as you suggested . I was in Eilat, Israel when I saw this video and was about to cross the border to Jordan. I bought it and it was very convenient. Being the first time, I was sceptical as to whether I would receive a massive roaming bill in the end but so far so good. We’re back home in Portugal now. Thanks again.
If you travel abroad extensively, I would consider switching to Google Fi as your provider. Depending on your plan, you automatically have a global eSIM. Works like a charm.
I second this. If you have access to google fi, it's pretty cheap, and it's not just data. Plus you can pause service whenever you like. This means you can use it during transit and it will work everywhere until you pick up a local sim. Then pause service on fi
@@Kristoferwitha_k Yes they cut your data if you stay in one country for a few months, but you really only need it for a week or so until you get a local SIM for a usually much less price. Get local sim, pause Google Fi service, good to go till next destination.
Thank you so much for this valuable tip. Just bought an unlocked compatible phone to use an eSIM. This will give us peace of mind and one less problem to encounter when we arrive in a foreign country. I will also use Holafly eSIM as per your recommendation.
@@maria2162 it really depends on how much data you need and how long you'll be away. Airalo is probably a better buy if you have a shorter trip and require less data
I kind of prepared differently for an upcoming trip, I got an eSim for a Pixel 6a from my Canadian phone provider, leaving the SIM slot free for travel.
E sims are great but I think only the higher priced phones for now can use them. I have a new (April 2022) Samsung Galaxy A53($429) which is a solid mid tier phone but does not have a esim capability. So I will go from airport to find a close major phone provider kiosk beside departing train station. I look ahead of time to find providers/costs and locations.
I watched this video 2x. The first time was to learn about e-sims. The 2nd time was 10 minutes ago, and found out that my phone does have e-sim capability! Thank you!
@@PortableProfessional But...not all phones//smart phones are eSIM compatible. For example; I have a 2yo Samsung Galaxy & it's NOT eSIM compatible. Best regards, Ben
Now that the UK has left the EU, I no longer have free roaming in the EU as of right. However, as I am on a high tariff on a long-term commitment, my British network still gives me inclusive roaming in 83 countries. I have totally unlimited calls, texts, picture messages and data (including tethering) in the UK. When roaming, I have unlimited calls and texts (receiving, to the UK and to the country I am in). My roaming data limit is 25GB per billing month, with tethering allowed. There is a limit on inclusive roaming (no more than 62 days in 4 months - and the limit only applies if your roaming usage is proportionately more than your UK usage; you get a two-week warning if your roaming will become chargeable), but this is only going to affect people who spend extended periods outside the UK. Holafly uses my network - Vodafone UK - for their UK eSIMs. Vodafone UK's prepay service has a 30-day unlimited prepay bundle for £40. 15 days of data-only usage in the UK on Holafly is £44 and 30 days is £59. On Vodafone: * there is no fair usage limit (Holafly reserves the right to speed cap once you are likely to exceed 90GB/month) * you can use Vodafone's 5G network (Holafly is 4G only) * you get a UK phone number with unlimited UK calls and texts * tethering might work, though this is IIRC not guaranteed (Holafly do not allow tethering), and * you must use a physical SIM; Vodafone prepay does not currently support eSIM. A further option if you can pass a Vodafone UK credit check - which is unlikely if you are not a British citizen or resident visa holder - is an unlimited data "SIM only" contract priced at £44 per month. You can give 30 days' notice of termination immediately on connection if you only want 30 days of service. This option does support eSIM and tethering. Whilst services like Holafly might win on convenience, you can probably still get a better deal if you shop around and are prepared to go through some setup hassle, especially for an extended stay.
Thanks Megan. I just purchased 60 day plan in Thailand. I’ll be staying at my house in Chiangmai and really didn’t want to hook up internet service there for 1 month. I’ll use either what’s App or messenger to make phone calls back to U.S. I won’t be making restaurant reservations in Thailand. Any calls that I need to make locally, I’ll have my Thai friends make, as I know about 20 words in Thai. It maybe $10 more expensive but includes unlimited data. As long as it works at my house that is midway between Chiangmai and San Kamphaine, I’ll be happy. I did get the discount, making the total amount $88 for 60 days. Less than 3 weeks to go.
I will be moving to thailand from USA. Can I still get text from my ATT home # while I download a e-sim. I will disconnect my home att # after i;m settled in thailand.
I've never heard of an e-Sim before, but I am definitely interested in obtaining one for my next trip to Europe later this year. Thanks for the tip! 😉PS: I love your videos.... they are all well presented, to the point, and relevant to so many different types of travelers. Keep up the good work!
I don't understand how you use this service. I get you will have wifi so maps will work and you can Google restaurants and check Facebook and TH-cam....but how, for instance, would you be able to receive airline delay notifications?
OMG!!!! I have been wondering if I should use my own cell phone to my next travel in Hawwaii and Asia this year. I am so glad i came accross your channel. Thank you so much for this info. I'll twill definitely try it !!
What great advice with Holafly and esim. I have a friend in Bali right know who traveled to Ubud, Canggu, Uluwata, and they are experiencing internet connectivity issues. Now I can share this info with them!! Thanks so much, Megan. Have a wonderful week.
This looked really great. I just checked it out for Brazil. There you get 6gb for 15 days for $44 plus tax. You get no phone service. In the São Paulo Airport, you can buy a local SIM card for about $15 which will give you 5gb for 2 weeks with a local Brazilian number. You might need to know Portuguese, though, to find out where to do this.
You didn't mention that it's data only, no local number, so you can't make local calls. Skype, etc. , may be OK for your contacts, but don't, e.g., try to make a restaurant reservation.
A local purchase SIM card will allow unlimited local phone calls with some data and some will also include unlimited international calls to most countries. While an eSIM will be limited to data only. This is hardly never mentioned in these videos on the use of eSIM. The big problem coming from Apple is that they are starting to remove the tray for a physical sim. This will leave us with no option other than using eSIM, with no way of being able to make included phone calls. I don’t understand why they can’t have eSIM that includes both data and calls.
I'm looking into buying a sim card in Poland. The issue with Holafly is that I will be paying both host and local plan, and eSim only allows for data, and does not provide local number - major issues.
Exactly my thought when going through the comments. I will be going back to New Zealand to visit family as I live in the UK and even though data is great, i would like my family to be able to call me on a local number to get hold of me.
But eSims themselves I’m pretty sure allow local phone numbers. I think it’s merely this provider, and similar ones, that are data only. My main phone provider gave is setup via eSim, and that gives me a phone # I use with voice, SMS, etc.
My personal technique is to get a plan with a provider that includes international voice & data. It takes some searching to find a good one, but I can use my phone in over 100 countries and just pay my monthly fee. No swapping sims or anything like that. Dual SIM is useful nonetheless to get a local number because, in many countries, people simply won't return your calls to a foreign number. For places I visit often, I have a forwarding number set up to my main line - expensive workaround, but I don't mind paying whatever per minute fee if I'm only going to receive 1 or 2 calls during my trip.
@@apollonius_rising This would depend on where you live and what is available to you, so the answer isn't always simple, but Google Fi is a good option. I've seen on and off that T-Mobile sometimes has good offers as well. A friend told me that Jersey Telecom also has good deals and they don't particularly care too much if you don't live in Jersey. Although I'm a frequent traveller, my main "base" is in the UAE, so I have a plan from Etisalat that I use worldwide and I get 4G data in most places, plus they have a fairly unique feature where in-flight roaming is allowed.
I have an unlocked AT&T iPhone. I had my local service moved to the esim slot and have the regular physical sim open for international travel. That way I can select which I want to use at any point.
I will definitely check this out! I was looking at sim cards before and just freaked out and couldn't figure out if I really needed them. Thanks for another helpful video😊
thanks for the info! I’ve been researching Sim card options for Asia. So far I found Airalo 3GB 13 days $13 USD. It’s also data only but most people have WhatsApp so I’m planning to do that.
I agree on over paying on airport/train station SIM cards. I was in Italy last month when I bought one at Iliad brand in Roma Termini. It’s (20 euros)30$ CAD and just yesterday it charged me another $15 to my credit card. Ugh 😑
I used an e-sim in Portugal in June with MEO, 30gb data for 15 days cost 15€. So easy to set up before I left, and worked perfectly. I will definitely give a Holafly a try for my next trip to Vietnam, thanks for the recommendation!
Mixed reviews on holofly my wife and I went to austria on arriving her phone said welcome and esim was working great my phone which is not a android but apple still had my cell provider from back home telling me about roaming connection, I got scared and closed my phone thinking I will call holafly when getting to my hotel which I did , they were friendly and I thought all was good, the next day while walking in the city nothing was working especially google maps, again i said shit must call tonight and correct this problem which I did , and the next day same shit i gave up and on my second week in austria I thought try again, this time it worked and for the last week I had my phone in order, so android is ok but apple may be not so good , my cost in total 77 dollars for one week of service
this may sound nuts in this day and age, but i'm planning to get a local sim card for my trip to ireland in april. the main reason is that i don't want my home sim card activated because i get constant spam calls, which would come through if i had both my home sim and an international esim card in my phone. i would rather have the local call and text availability and just communicate with folks from home (the u.s.) via imessage, instagram/facebook messenger, etc. on wifi.
As always wonderful video. Thanks :) I also use Google Fi for my esim, it just works better and you get to just use your existing service for the same price anywhere.
WOW, thanks Megan. I had never heard of an eSIM card/plan before. I’m currently travelling in Israel and will cross the border into Jordan two days from today and was planning to buy a local SIM. Too bad I didn’t know about this beforehand.
Local sim cards work great, they are affordable and readily available in the arrival halls of most airports.... except the USA for some reason. The only way to get a local sim in the US is to visit a local store, unfortunately. But it is pretty quick and simple to set up once you are in the store. I do like the simplistic idea of an esim though....I will give one a try when next I am in the US
If your phone doesn't have eSIM, it's not an option. Mine doesn't, so I purchased a prepaid SIM card from Orange upon arrival in Paris. The card didn't work properly the first 14 days, what's more, I was unable to register the card, which is a must if you want to extend the service for longer than 2 weeks. Orange's customer support was not very helpful. As a result, my card stopped working completely after 14 days. A new card would cost another 40 euros. I have a few days left in France, and decided to rely on offline Google maps and free wifi where available. No more wasting my money on prepaid SIM cards.
Until this, I had never heard of an e-sim. When I holiday abroad, my phone stays off - except for when I'm using the WiFi in my hotel. P.S. Nice dress.
THANK YOU! We JUST got back from a trip where we signed up for the USA data package with our provider, and when we got to the states, it would not work. We could text, but unreliably... my stepson got my text three days later.... and we could not call out or receive calls and had NO data access. I tried to buy a local at&t SIM card thinking at&t was a big name, but nope, neither my phone nor my husband's was supported. And we have SONY and Samsung phones, no unknown names either. Sooo... we ended up borrowing my mother's phone as a portable wifi while we were over there when we went on day trips, using their wifi when at their house. But it was such a hassle for her and for us. So THIS is very interesting. And I am going to look into this. I am also going to look into a Skype account that I can have a local telephone number, so that my family overseas can easily call me.
What should I use if I want data in UK and France for a week, but may need to make calls there- hotel, uber driver, tour guide, etc??? Thanks everyone!!!!
I contacted Holafly’s help line and they said there can be no refunds, no exceptions, even though they never mentioned having to have an unlocked phone until after payment was made. I will never use Holafly again and probably will never use a recommendation from Megan again!
@@PortableProfessionalin the video you say that you can use your home number but in order not to incur charges I have to turn off my home esim and switch to the one I will be using in the new location- how can you use both?
To use Holafly you must have a newer device, all compatible devices are listed on their website. I would have to purchase a new phone, which is too expensive. T-Mobile has inexpensive international plans that work all over the world. We have used T-Mobile for several years in Australia, New Zealand, Iceland, Scandinavia, and Europe.
The very first thing to be said should be: make sure your phone is UNLOCKED! All US carriers have us by the b and those of us with a device payment plan got to pay the device off in order to unlock the phone.
It looks like phone compatibility is limited. My Japan only smartphone probably wouldn't make the cut. My Pixel 5A would but... US$44 for 20G using Rogers in Canada is pretty good. I paid CDN$62 for 15G (using 3G) and a phone number using CHATR.
Just to clarify, I did check with my carrier, AT&T, about unlocking my phone. I am halfway through my 3 year contract and have most of the phone paid off. However, they won’t unlock the phone until it is completely paid off. Anyone in the U.S. with a contract with a carrier should forget about using Holafly. I’m now contacting my credit card company to dispute the charges.
@@michael8590 Part of Holaflys selling point is its simplicity. This isn’t simplicity. I have a Samsung Galaxy S7 that I used before the IPhone 11. It’s unlocked and I’ll buy a SIM card at the airport at Swampy.
@@deandecoursey2334 but it is simple. It’s just AT&T making it hard for you. That said, if you told HolaFly it didn’t work, and they didn’t voluntarily offer an immediate refund, that’s very bad, too.
Lots of phones don’t have that function. Also not as good for your security as it’s linked directly to your IEME number, whereas you can buy a sim and have more security.
Be careful with e-sims. They definitely have their place, especially with short trips by nervous or inexperienced tourists but there are some traps. Firstly, none of the Holafly e-sims have the ability to tether. This means that you can't use an e-sim with your laptop which makes them useless for digital nomads. Secondly, you need to be very careful to look at which carrier they actually support in country. For example in Australia, the only carrier they use is Vodafone which almost no coverage outside major cities and towns. And e-sims are crazy expensive - at any supermarket you can get a physical card with unlimited data for a month in Australia from a much better carrier for a third of the cost of an e-sim - and you can tether your other devices.
@@michael8590 Truphone is trash. Using them now. Absolutely NO customer service. Constant slowdowns, as in it can take up to a half hour to render a webpage. Just trouble all around
@@apollonius_rising sorry to hear it! they went up in price recently also. many other good esim options besides that especially in europe where cellular service is much cheaper than north america
i recently went to mauritius and used wifi and whatsapp for phone calls, all for free. you step into the closest restaurant or hotel lobby and you're on. i realize this isn't the case for everywhere in the world but i felt very lucky.
If you have "bought" or upgraded a phone on one of those 24 month budget plans from the major carriers, they will almost always LOCK your phone's IMEI to their network, which means that foreign E-SIMS or foreign local SIM cards will NOT work on that phone. You must have paid cash / got an UNLOCKED phone for this to work.
Thank you for your video. May I ask 1 question, so let's say you get the eSim, I'm with Verizon, when you turn your Airplane mode off to accept eSim, will Verizon charge you their fees too? I heard sometimes when Airplane mode is off, some juice can get by and Verizon will charge you. Thank you
One thing you can be sure Verizon will charge you and you’ll find yourself paying $100.00’ more! US carriers are the worst and whenever possible lock you in…
I'm going turn on den in a few days.... I'm going to be there for 11 days.... I have a US Verizon phone... I just downloaded WhatsApp.... Do I really need to do anything else?
Holafly does not allow data sharing (thru hot spot). Also, I have yet to find an eSim provider that offers call minutes and SMS. We used Airalo last year in Italy and it was a general failure since Wi-Fi is not as widespread as in other countries. One specific issue arose when I wanted to download access voucher for the skip-the-line tickets I had purchased. Despite being connected to the location’s Wi-Fi, logging into a site that requires two-step identification was problematic: connected to agency providing the tickets, needed to login, ts id required, switched screen to copy the access code, returned to the login page , and the login function was no longer available making the access code useless. This was not a failure of the technology; rather, travelers need to know to download vouchers and tickets while they have assess to a reliable network … such as a hotel, airport, station, etc
Can you purchase an esim months in advance and activate it it the day you arrive in that particular country? I will definitely use your 5% off code and I chatted with Holafly earlier today.
We are heading to indonesia this july with a five hour layover in Japan........would it be a better idea to buy the Asia Card or the Indonesia Card. Also are we able to use our phones as hotspots with the esims?
I want to receive text like you mentioned from bank & others from home country. Do I need to inform the cell company in home country? do I need to switch back & forth from e-sim? Or just install e-sim & not worry?
@@michael8590 Yep, I am British and heading to Asia for the first time, the Philippines. But I also do travel to the US from time to time, so now knowing about T-Mobile having a travelers plan is very useful to know. Cheers Michael :)
Good question! You purchase a package online for each trip you are taking. It can be used until the package expires and most packages are specific to a country or region. For example, you can purchase a 10 day unlimited data eSIM for France, then enter and exit France as much as you want in those 10 days and have internet access while there.
That is my concern as the South American ESIM is for just 15 days or 6 GB which ever happens first by Holafly site. How does one handle when visiting for 30 days or more? I like you videos- much great info.
I bought it yesterday for my trip to Thailand. I started today to scan the barcode and do all steps short of activating it. I do have an IPhone 11 but in doing the steps, it states that the IPhone MUST be unlocked. I don’t have any intention to unlock the phone until my contract with AT&T is finished in 18 months. I’m going to have to cancel the purchase. I’ll post on here how easy or difficult that is.
@@lilditty2172 it worked as going through the set up it you keep your iMessage tied to your main phone number but because it is data only your iMessages come in. Not regular texts.
I could do that but it would cost me so much more than getting as eSIM or actual Sim from the country I am visiting. When living and travelling within Europe it may be a good option. It really depends on where you are travelling from and to what countries you are visiting.
Hi Megan, is it possible to make a video on facilities like Rail and Fly(which is in Germany). When I book Lufthansa flight, I am able to book train ticket with it. But I am not able to find this option with other airlines, although it is available. Once, my travel agent gave me access rail ticket with my Air India booking. I can see that it is available for othet airlines, but not able to book it.
Access the internet as soon as you land & save 5% with Holafly eSIM
👉bit.ly/esimdeal [code: PORTABLEPROFESSIONAL]
Is this still your recommended company to use for e-SIM in Europe? I’ll be travelling to the UK, Netherlands and Italy this summer.
Word to the wise (@USA): your device has to be unlocked for eSIM to work. I just goofed and purchased (holafly 15-day, UK), and THEN I saw the clear instruction about unlocked device - I missed the instruction so it is on me for the error. Not angry, just hope to help someone prevent my mistake.
Happy (and safe) travels too all.
Verizon automatically unlocks their phones 60 days after your service commences with them. Other carriers might not unlock it until much later, but sometimes you can request a temporary unlock for your travel and they will accommodate. Clearly I would suggest asking your carrier FIRST if they will accommodate you before buying the eSIM, but there's a very real possibility that they will help you with that workaround.
Google Fi has worked great for me. I have been to Thailand, Japan, France, Italy, and the UK in the last 4 months. All at no additional charge for data or text.
I think we need to clear some items up. Many TH-camrs and travel bloggers seem to conflate eSIM as a whole with international eSIMs, as if the benefits of the former do not extend to locally-issued SIM cards at all. However, many local telecom providers are issuing prepaid eSIM cards directly, albeit with the slight inconvenience of real-name registration. Given how pricey international eSIMs are, I would go with those issued by local providers directly when an eSIM is available.
I bought the eSIM as you suggested . I was in Eilat, Israel when I saw this video and was about to cross the border to Jordan. I bought it and it was very convenient. Being the first time, I was sceptical as to whether I would receive a massive roaming bill in the end but so far so good. We’re back home in Portugal now. Thanks again.
I was wondering whether to get one from Meo when I visit Portugal.
@@isobelswan that could be an option but I’m not the best person to ask since I live in Portugal. MEO however is a trusted service provider.
@Ricardo Duarte Obrigada.
If you travel abroad extensively, I would consider switching to Google Fi as your provider. Depending on your plan, you automatically have a global eSIM. Works like a charm.
I second this. If you have access to google fi, it's pretty cheap, and it's not just data. Plus you can pause service whenever you like. This means you can use it during transit and it will work everywhere until you pick up a local sim. Then pause service on fi
No....they cut your plan within 4 months..they don't want you using it extensively abroad trust me. Cut my service as I was on plan to Chile
@@Kristoferwitha_k Yes they cut your data if you stay in one country for a few months, but you really only need it for a week or so until you get a local SIM for a usually much less price. Get local sim, pause Google Fi service, good to go till next destination.
@@LikuidK Thank you and thank you Kristofer. Definitely have more planning to do. I am planning prolonged travel in a number of countries next year
@@TravelingtheWorld96 as long as you are traveling googlefi is where its at. if you plan on moving for an extended time its not.
Thank you so much for this valuable tip. Just bought an unlocked compatible phone to use an eSIM. This will give us peace of mind and one less problem to encounter when we arrive in a foreign country. I will also use Holafly eSIM as per your recommendation.
I compared Holafly app to others, I found it more expensive 🙏
Who else provides Esims at better prices? I find them to be very expensive as well
@@maria2162 it really depends on how much data you need and how long you'll be away. Airalo is probably a better buy if you have a shorter trip and require less data
Oh? What’s cheaper than 99 for 3 months unlimited?
I kind of prepared differently for an upcoming trip, I got an eSim for a Pixel 6a from my Canadian phone provider, leaving the SIM slot free for travel.
E sims are great but I think only the higher priced phones for now can use them. I have a new (April 2022) Samsung Galaxy A53($429) which is a solid mid tier phone but does not have a esim capability. So I will go from airport to find a close major phone provider kiosk beside departing train station. I look ahead of time to find providers/costs and locations.
I watched this video 2x. The first time was to learn about e-sims. The 2nd time was 10 minutes ago, and found out that my phone does have e-sim capability! Thank you!
That’s great! Glad the video was helpful!
@@PortableProfessional But...not all phones//smart phones are eSIM compatible. For example; I have a 2yo Samsung
Galaxy & it's NOT eSIM compatible.
Best regards,
Ben
Now that the UK has left the EU, I no longer have free roaming in the EU as of right. However, as I am on a high tariff on a long-term commitment, my British network still gives me inclusive roaming in 83 countries.
I have totally unlimited calls, texts, picture messages and data (including tethering) in the UK. When roaming, I have unlimited calls and texts (receiving, to the UK and to the country I am in). My roaming data limit is 25GB per billing month, with tethering allowed. There is a limit on inclusive roaming (no more than 62 days in 4 months - and the limit only applies if your roaming usage is proportionately more than your UK usage; you get a two-week warning if your roaming will become chargeable), but this is only going to affect people who spend extended periods outside the UK.
Holafly uses my network - Vodafone UK - for their UK eSIMs. Vodafone UK's prepay service has a 30-day unlimited prepay bundle for £40. 15 days of data-only usage in the UK on Holafly is £44 and 30 days is £59.
On Vodafone:
* there is no fair usage limit (Holafly reserves the right to speed cap once you are likely to exceed 90GB/month)
* you can use Vodafone's 5G network (Holafly is 4G only)
* you get a UK phone number with unlimited UK calls and texts
* tethering might work, though this is IIRC not guaranteed (Holafly do not allow tethering), and
* you must use a physical SIM; Vodafone prepay does not currently support eSIM.
A further option if you can pass a Vodafone UK credit check - which is unlikely if you are not a British citizen or resident visa holder - is an unlimited data "SIM only" contract priced at £44 per month. You can give 30 days' notice of termination immediately on connection if you only want 30 days of service. This option does support eSIM and tethering.
Whilst services like Holafly might win on convenience, you can probably still get a better deal if you shop around and are prepared to go through some setup hassle, especially for an extended stay.
Thanks Megan. I just purchased 60 day plan in Thailand. I’ll be staying at my house in Chiangmai and really didn’t want to hook up internet service there for 1 month. I’ll use either what’s App or messenger to make phone calls back to U.S. I won’t be making restaurant reservations in Thailand. Any calls that I need to make locally, I’ll have my Thai friends make, as I know about 20 words in Thai. It maybe $10 more expensive but includes unlimited data. As long as it works at my house that is midway between Chiangmai and San Kamphaine, I’ll be happy. I did get the discount, making the total amount $88 for 60 days. Less than 3 weeks to go.
I will be moving to thailand from USA. Can I still get text from my ATT home # while I download a e-sim. I will disconnect my home att # after i;m settled in thailand.
I have google Fi … works everything and I am a massive traveler
Good 2 know!! Thank u!😉
I've never heard of an e-Sim before, but I am definitely interested in obtaining one for my next trip to Europe later this year. Thanks for the tip! 😉PS: I love your videos.... they are all well presented, to the point, and relevant to so many different types of travelers. Keep up the good work!
vodafone is much cheaper in europe probably a third the cost. holafly might be good for a short trip though
Airalo application is cheaper
Used one on our last trip to Jamaica, worked beautifully!
I don't understand how you use this service. I get you will have wifi so maps will work and you can Google restaurants and check Facebook and TH-cam....but how, for instance, would you be able to receive airline delay notifications?
OMG!!!! I have been wondering if I should use my own cell phone to my next travel in Hawwaii and Asia this year. I am so glad i came accross your channel. Thank you so much for this info. I'll twill definitely try it !!
What great advice with Holafly and esim. I have a friend in Bali right know who traveled to Ubud, Canggu, Uluwata, and they are experiencing internet connectivity issues. Now I can share this info with them!! Thanks so much, Megan. Have a wonderful week.
This looked really great. I just checked it out for Brazil.
There you get 6gb for 15 days for $44 plus tax. You get no phone service.
In the São Paulo Airport, you can buy a local SIM card for about $15 which will give you 5gb for 2 weeks with a local Brazilian number.
You might need to know Portuguese, though, to find out where to do this.
You didn't mention that it's data only, no local number, so you can't make local calls. Skype, etc. , may be OK for your contacts, but don't, e.g., try to make a restaurant reservation.
This is an important point
Skype uses data, so you can use Skype, and load your Skype account to make outgoing calls.
I thought she did say data, about 1:18
With Skype or What's App or other wifi based calling apps, doesn't the recipient have to have the same service app?
A local purchase SIM card will allow unlimited local phone calls with some data and some will also include unlimited international calls to most countries. While an eSIM will be limited to data only. This is hardly never mentioned in these videos on the use of eSIM.
The big problem coming from Apple is that they are starting to remove the tray for a physical sim. This will leave us with no option other than using eSIM, with no way of being able to make included phone calls.
I don’t understand why they can’t have eSIM that includes both data and calls.
I'm looking into buying a sim card in Poland. The issue with Holafly is that I will be paying both host and local plan, and eSim only allows for data, and does not provide local number - major issues.
Exactly my thought when going through the comments. I will be going back to New Zealand to visit family as I live in the UK and even though data is great, i would like my family to be able to call me on a local number to get hold of me.
But eSims themselves I’m pretty sure allow local phone numbers. I think it’s merely this provider, and similar ones, that are data only.
My main phone provider gave is setup via eSim, and that gives me a phone # I use with voice, SMS, etc.
My personal technique is to get a plan with a provider that includes international voice & data. It takes some searching to find a good one, but I can use my phone in over 100 countries and just pay my monthly fee. No swapping sims or anything like that. Dual SIM is useful nonetheless to get a local number because, in many countries, people simply won't return your calls to a foreign number. For places I visit often, I have a forwarding number set up to my main line - expensive workaround, but I don't mind paying whatever per minute fee if I'm only going to receive 1 or 2 calls during my trip.
Besides Google Fi, do you know of any others that are decent?
@@apollonius_rising This would depend on where you live and what is available to you, so the answer isn't always simple, but Google Fi is a good option. I've seen on and off that T-Mobile sometimes has good offers as well.
A friend told me that Jersey Telecom also has good deals and they don't particularly care too much if you don't live in Jersey.
Although I'm a frequent traveller, my main "base" is in the UAE, so I have a plan from Etisalat that I use worldwide and I get 4G data in most places, plus they have a fairly unique feature where in-flight roaming is allowed.
I have an unlocked AT&T iPhone. I had my local service moved to the esim slot and have the regular physical sim open for international travel. That way I can select which I want to use at any point.
Great idea
I will definitely check this out! I was looking at sim cards before and just freaked out and couldn't figure out if I really needed them. Thanks for another helpful video😊
thanks for the info! I’ve been researching Sim card options for Asia. So far I found Airalo 3GB 13 days $13 USD. It’s also data only but most people have WhatsApp so I’m planning to do that.
Thanks for the video. I use Airalo for my data needs.
I agree on over paying on airport/train station SIM cards. I was in Italy last month when I bought one at Iliad brand in Roma Termini. It’s (20 euros)30$ CAD and just yesterday it charged me another $15 to my credit card. Ugh 😑
I used an e-sim in Portugal in June with MEO, 30gb data for 15 days cost 15€. So easy to set up before I left, and worked perfectly. I will definitely give a Holafly a try for my next trip to Vietnam, thanks for the recommendation!
That is not really cheap. I pay €6.90 a month for 50GB with Vodafone Italia and i use it in all the EU.
@@flaviusvespasian whered you get that price do you have a link? i’m going soon
Were you able to get the link?
@@flaviusvespasian were did you get that price?
Your videos are so helpful to me. My first international trip is coming up this fall and I have learned so much from you!
hey did you use holafly?? if so, how did it go?
Mixed reviews on holofly my wife and I went to austria on arriving her phone said welcome and esim was working great my phone which is not a android but apple still had my cell provider from back home telling me about roaming connection, I got scared and closed my phone thinking I will call holafly when getting to my hotel which I did , they were friendly and I thought all was good, the next day while walking in the city nothing was working especially google maps, again i said shit must call tonight and correct this problem which I did , and the next day same shit i gave up and on my second week in austria I thought try again, this time it worked and for the last week I had my phone in order, so android is ok but apple may be not so good , my cost in total 77 dollars for one week of service
this may sound nuts in this day and age, but i'm planning to get a local sim card for my trip to ireland in april. the main reason is that i don't want my home sim card activated because i get constant spam calls, which would come through if i had both my home sim and an international esim card in my phone. i would rather have the local call and text availability and just communicate with folks from home (the u.s.) via imessage, instagram/facebook messenger, etc. on wifi.
ESIM info is really helpful. Thank you!
As always wonderful video. Thanks :) I also use Google Fi for my esim, it just works better and you get to just use your existing service for the same price anywhere.
Thanks for the informative video. I’d not heard of an esim before, but I’m going to purchase one from Holafly for my upcoming trip to Portugal.
I have Fonus. Good in 50 countries. Talk text and 20G of data a month. No contracts. $30. US per month. Works great.
Great info. Thank you. I'm going to use this. Tip number two from you - I bought the Level 8 luggage based on your tip.
WOW, thanks Megan. I had never heard of an eSIM card/plan before. I’m currently travelling in Israel and will cross the border into Jordan two days from today and was planning to buy a local SIM. Too bad I didn’t know about this beforehand.
Local sim cards work great, they are affordable and readily available in the arrival halls of most airports.... except the USA for some reason. The only way to get a local sim in the US is to visit a local store, unfortunately. But it is pretty quick and simple to set up once you are in the store.
I do like the simplistic idea of an esim though....I will give one a try when next I am in the US
This video is super helpful for those that travel internationally.
EXACTLY!!💯✔️
Airalo worked great for me. ESIMs are so convenient when traveling
If your phone doesn't have eSIM, it's not an option. Mine doesn't, so I purchased a prepaid SIM card from Orange upon arrival in Paris. The card didn't work properly the first 14 days, what's more, I was unable to register the card, which is a must if you want to extend the service for longer than 2 weeks. Orange's customer support was not very helpful. As a result, my card stopped working completely after 14 days. A new card would cost another 40 euros. I have a few days left in France, and decided to rely on offline Google maps and free wifi where available. No more wasting my money on prepaid SIM cards.
Vodafone is probably better
The Orange Holiday card, right?
Those have such a good reputation. Bummer it worked so poorly for you.
I have never heard of esim but I'm definitely going to check it out
You should disclose that Holafly eSIM does not provide local phone number to make local calls, and sharing data via hotspot is not allowed.
Hi there!
Good catch
Any Esim that provide local number ( example Grab transport in Vietnam)?
Until this, I had never heard of an e-sim. When I holiday abroad, my phone stays off - except for when I'm using the WiFi in my hotel.
P.S. Nice dress.
I have tried many of these - they are not easy to set up. Please show us step-by-step how to do this - that would help.
eSim is a great idea, however not all smartphones are eSim compatible, only the newest models are
I needed this video last Tuesday. 🤦🏾♂️
THANK YOU! We JUST got back from a trip where we signed up for the USA data package with our provider, and when we got to the states, it would not work. We could text, but unreliably... my stepson got my text three days later.... and we could not call out or receive calls and had NO data access. I tried to buy a local at&t SIM card thinking at&t was a big name, but nope, neither my phone nor my husband's was supported. And we have SONY and Samsung phones, no unknown names either. Sooo... we ended up borrowing my mother's phone as a portable wifi while we were over there when we went on day trips, using their wifi when at their house. But it was such a hassle for her and for us.
So THIS is very interesting. And I am going to look into this. I am also going to look into a Skype account that I can have a local telephone number, so that my family overseas can easily call me.
We are traveling to Europe next May. Thanks for this tip!
What should I use if I want data in UK and France for a week, but may need to make calls there- hotel, uber driver, tour guide, etc??? Thanks everyone!!!!
Hi. Please let me know How did you call back to the US/Canada when the eSIM does not provide calls or text
I contacted Holafly’s help line and they said there can be no refunds, no exceptions, even though they never mentioned having to have an unlocked phone until after payment was made. I will never use Holafly again and probably will never use a recommendation from Megan again!
Yeah she got paid for mentioning them who knows if she even uses this
Great video. Exactly on point. Just the information we need. Well done
I'm thinking of using e-sim, Holafly, for my next trip abroad.
That's great! Happy travels!
Used it in Thailand went through the data so quickly i had to renew it 3 times in the month at $120 for the month, to expensive for me.
Thank you so very very much for your video it was fantastic.
You are so welcome! Glad you enjoyed it, Vickie.
@@PortableProfessionalin the video you say that you can use your home number but in order not to incur charges I have to turn off my home esim and switch to the one I will be using in the new location- how can you use both?
To use Holafly you must have a newer device, all compatible devices are listed on their website. I would have to purchase a new phone, which is too expensive. T-Mobile has inexpensive international plans that work all over the world. We have used T-Mobile for several years in Australia, New Zealand, Iceland, Scandinavia, and Europe.
The very first thing to be said should be: make sure your phone is UNLOCKED! All US carriers have us by the b and those of us with a device payment plan got to pay the device off in order to unlock the phone.
It looks like phone compatibility is limited. My Japan only smartphone probably wouldn't make the cut. My Pixel 5A would but...
US$44 for 20G using Rogers in Canada is pretty good. I paid CDN$62 for 15G (using 3G) and a phone number using CHATR.
How long is that for? Rogers said to use roaming ONLY $15/day.
@@sherunswithscissors It's on the site she is talking about. They say they are using Rogers in Canada.
Just to clarify, I did check with my carrier, AT&T, about unlocking my phone. I am halfway through my 3 year contract and have most of the phone paid off. However, they won’t unlock the phone until it is completely paid off. Anyone in the U.S. with a contract with a carrier should forget about using Holafly. I’m now contacting my credit card company to dispute the charges.
Your can use an unlocking service or a sim unlock tool (a chip you put under your SIM to force unlock it temporarily)
@@michael8590 Part of Holaflys selling point is its simplicity. This isn’t simplicity. I have a Samsung Galaxy S7 that I used before the IPhone 11. It’s unlocked and I’ll buy a SIM card at the airport at Swampy.
@@deandecoursey2334 yeah it's more reliable to use a physical SIM and much cheaper. Hope it goes well for you and safe travels!
@@deandecoursey2334 but it is simple. It’s just AT&T making it hard for you.
That said, if you told HolaFly it didn’t work, and they didn’t voluntarily offer an immediate refund, that’s very bad, too.
Lots of phones don’t have that function. Also not as good for your security as it’s linked directly to your IEME number, whereas you can buy a sim and have more security.
Actually I use airalo application when I travel to US 🇺🇸
thanks for the suggestion it’s a lot cheaper. i might use that in spain
Is it good for some countries only, but if you will go to Qatar for Soccer World Cup 2022! It’s so expensive!
This video is 🏆 GOLDEN ❕
LOVE YOUR VIDEOS....thank you for all the great info
You are so welcome! Thanks for being on the channel, Robin!
Be careful with e-sims. They definitely have their place, especially with short trips by nervous or inexperienced tourists but there are some traps. Firstly, none of the Holafly e-sims have the ability to tether. This means that you can't use an e-sim with your laptop which makes them useless for digital nomads. Secondly, you need to be very careful to look at which carrier they actually support in country. For example in Australia, the only carrier they use is Vodafone which almost no coverage outside major cities and towns. And e-sims are crazy expensive - at any supermarket you can get a physical card with unlimited data for a month in Australia from a much better carrier for a third of the cost of an e-sim - and you can tether your other devices.
Thanks. If I can't tether, it's useless to me
Many good points. I was able to use my Vodafone esim to tether though just not the online services like holafly or truphone
@@michael8590 Truphone is trash. Using them now. Absolutely NO customer service. Constant slowdowns, as in it can take up to a half hour to render a webpage. Just trouble all around
@@apollonius_rising sorry to hear it! they went up in price recently also. many other good esim options besides that especially in europe where cellular service is much cheaper than north america
i recently went to mauritius and used wifi and whatsapp for phone calls, all for free. you step into the closest restaurant or hotel lobby and you're on. i realize this isn't the case for everywhere in the world but i felt very lucky.
Thanks Megan. Where have you used eSIM cards in your travels?
Wow, I do need to check this out. Cheers for sharing :)
Hi do you have to have your phone unblock to use the e sim card Thank
If you have "bought" or upgraded a phone on one of those 24 month budget plans from the major carriers, they will almost always LOCK your phone's IMEI to their network, which means that foreign E-SIMS or foreign local SIM cards will NOT work on that phone. You must have paid cash / got an UNLOCKED phone for this to work.
Great advice - so convenient!
Thank you for your time and posting.
My pleasure, David!
Thank you for your video. May I ask 1 question, so let's say you get the eSim, I'm with Verizon, when you turn your Airplane mode off to accept eSim, will Verizon charge you their fees too? I heard sometimes when Airplane mode is off, some juice can get by and Verizon will charge you. Thank you
One thing you can be sure Verizon will charge you and you’ll find yourself paying $100.00’ more! US carriers are the worst and whenever possible lock you in…
Great info...checks all the boxes....thanks
Have you ever looked into Google Fi, you should
A nice concept, unfortunately no Xiaomis on the compatible list
I don't know if my phone is eSIM compatible; it's c.2 years old. Maybe when I upgrade?
I'm going turn on den in a few days.... I'm going to be there for 11 days.... I have a US Verizon phone... I just downloaded WhatsApp.... Do I really need to do anything else?
Holafly does not allow data sharing (thru hot spot). Also, I have yet to find an eSim provider that offers call minutes and SMS. We used Airalo last year in Italy and it was a general failure since Wi-Fi is not as widespread as in other countries. One specific issue arose when I wanted to download access voucher for the skip-the-line tickets I had purchased. Despite being connected to the location’s Wi-Fi, logging into a site that requires two-step identification was problematic: connected to agency providing the tickets, needed to login, ts id required, switched screen to copy the access code, returned to the login page , and the login function was no longer available making the access code useless. This was not a failure of the technology; rather, travelers need to know to download vouchers and tickets while they have assess to a reliable network … such as a hotel, airport, station, etc
Can you purchase an esim months in advance and activate it it the day you arrive in that particular country? I will definitely use your 5% off code and I chatted with Holafly earlier today.
We are heading to indonesia this july with a five hour layover in Japan........would it be a better idea to buy the Asia Card or the Indonesia Card. Also are we able to use our phones as hotspots with the esims?
I want to receive text like you mentioned from bank & others from home country. Do I need to inform the cell company in home country? do I need to switch back & forth from e-sim? Or just install e-sim & not worry?
Excellent video!!
Is it available to US citizens?
Thanks. Great advice.
Airalo has a plan for 30 days with 5GB of data for $35.
so, I can use my current phone number... yes?
can I use an e-sim in my home country?
And just to be clear, this is just for online data browsing and texting, but not for voice calls?
correct no local number no local sms
@@michael8590 Cheers for explaining
@@JohnSmith-bz9be where are you headed? if youre british heading to us t mobile also has a travelers plan i think
@@michael8590 Yep, I am British and heading to Asia for the first time, the Philippines. But I also do travel to the US from time to time, so now knowing about T-Mobile having a travelers plan is very useful to know. Cheers Michael :)
@@JohnSmith-bz9be globe and smart are much cheaper in the philipines i’m not sure if my prior comment went through. you can reload them using lazada
Can eSIM still be used for your another trip in the future? Or is it only used once?
Good question! You purchase a package online for each trip you are taking. It can be used until the package expires and most packages are specific to a country or region. For example, you can purchase a 10 day unlimited data eSIM for France, then enter and exit France as much as you want in those 10 days and have internet access while there.
That is my concern as the South American ESIM is for just 15 days or 6 GB which ever happens first by Holafly site. How does one handle when visiting for 30 days or more? I like you videos- much great info.
@@lucinda6816 you can purchase a bigger package
I bought it yesterday for my trip to Thailand. I started today to scan the barcode and do all steps short of activating it. I do have an IPhone 11 but in doing the steps, it states that the IPhone MUST be unlocked. I don’t have any intention to unlock the phone until my contract with AT&T is finished in 18 months. I’m going to have to cancel the purchase. I’ll post on here how easy or difficult that is.
I am a bit unclear on how you can use your main phone number for iMessage and the esim for everything else
Me too. Did you ever find the answer?
@@lilditty2172 it worked as going through the set up it you keep your iMessage tied to your main phone number but because it is data only your iMessages come in. Not regular texts.
esim is just a kind of sim. you need a travel sim or travel esim. not just any esim
Why not add international calling through your cell phone provider?
I could do that but it would cost me so much more than getting as eSIM or actual Sim from the country I am visiting. When living and travelling within Europe it may be a good option. It really depends on where you are travelling from and to what countries you are visiting.
Can we still make a phone call or text back home or destination we will be Thanks
Hi Megan, is it possible to make a video on facilities like Rail and Fly(which is in Germany). When I book Lufthansa flight, I am able to book train ticket with it. But I am not able to find this option with other airlines, although it is available. Once, my travel agent gave me access rail ticket with my Air India booking. I can see that it is available for othet airlines, but not able to book it.
What about having a number for locals to call you? Does this come with a number?
Can you purchase your card a head off time before you leave the country or do you have to set up at your destination?
If the airlines damage my suitcase, can I insist on getting the compensation in cash and not just a replacement suitcase?
Hello, so if I get an esim downloaded. Do I use the same number thats on my phone? or so I get number non of my family and friends knows?
But they don't provide calling fasility. Right?
This sounds awesome