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For anyone needing a US eSIM…
I was looking specifically for a Verizon eSIM to provide additional coverage in some of the more rural parts for the US where the usual T-Mobile/AT&T ones used by Nomad, Airalo et al didn’t cover, and came across a fantastic deal in a post on another forum.
By downloading the Verizon Trial app you can sign up for a free 30-day trial giving you 100GB of data and unlimited minutes & texts:
The only hurdle is that you need to provide a non-Verizon US cell number during sign-up, that hasn’t been used for the trial in the last 6 months. If you have one from a previous trip then you may be able to use that and get the trial without doing anything else.
However if you don’t have one available then you can download the T-Mobile Prepaid SIM app to get a US number that can be used to unlock the Verizon trial:
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/t-mobile-prepaid-esim/id1437014693
I ended up doing this and bought the cheapest option (5GB) for £13, giving me 2 US eSIMs on different networks which came in very handy whenever one dropped out. Having a US cell number for reservations and contact details was also extremely useful.
@Kuestrian Great tips, thanks for passing them on.
I went for Airalo and a US Skype number on my recent trip and it was a disaster. SMS wouldn’t send on Skype although I could receive them. Got double charged by Google play for the skype number and complaints to Google, MS, Paypal and a chargeback on Amex all failed.
I did look previously for a Tmobile esim option but couldn’t find it. Having a US number is so useful for Uber/Lyft/takeout ordering and tour contacts.
I am also looking at getting an eSIM in the US with a US phone number. I looked quickly at the Tello site, @Optimus Prime, did you have to sign up to a monthly plan or is there a PAYG option as well that I can’t seem to find?
Sorry, was on holidays and haven’t logged in for a while 🙂
There’s no PAYG but you can cancel at anytime. Can also be activated from the UK.
@Kuestrian Great tips, thanks for passing them on.
I went for Airalo and a US Skype number on my recent trip and it was a disaster. SMS wouldn’t send on Skype although I could receive them. Got double charged by Google play for the skype number and complaints to Google, MS, Paypal and a chargeback on Amex all failed.
I did look previously for a Tmobile esim option but couldn’t find it. Having a US number is so useful for Uber/Lyft/takeout ordering and tour contacts.
The US number has been invaluable on this trip, especially for walk-ups where they take your number and text you when your table is ready. I also used it to register for Lyft and got a free trial month of their Lyft Pink sub, which includes priority pickups and 20% off rides.
The other nice thing is getting 5G Ultra Wide, even in the sticks. I ran a speedtest in a semi-remote part and got 850Mbps on download!
Anyone got a current Nomad referral/promo code that they’d like to share?
I’m new to esims. If I bought a T-Mobile esim for the US from e.g. Airalo, would this give me a US number?
I’m new to esims. If I bought a T-Mobile esim for the US from e.g. Airalo, would this give me a US number?
Not with Airalo but you can get a T-mobile e-sim with number by using their official app:
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/t-mobile-prepaid-esim/id1437014693
I’m new to esims. If I bought a T-Mobile esim for the US from e.g. Airalo, would this give me a US number?
Not with Airalo but you can get a T-mobile e-sim with number by using their official app:
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/t-mobile-prepaid-esim/id1437014693
Excellent thanks, all sorted now.
Anyone got a current Nomad referral/promo code that they’d like to share?
Here is my Nomad referral: CANQSBEWWD
Thanks!
Has anyone any experience with a reliable esim operator for Saudi? I’d prefer calls as well as data.
I would absolutely not recommend Airalo any more after my recent experiences with them.
After having 6 previous sims, all ok I’ve just bought ones for Zimbabwe and Botswana. Neither sim would connect to a network, after hours of the usual troubleshooting crap, switch it off and on again, turn roaming on and off, they admitted that the Zimbabwe one wouldnt work in that area but they’d only refund in Airmoney.
I said fine, then I get various messages on chat, they’re investigating please be patient etc. Then they tell me they can only refund in airmoney because it’s not their fault. It’s clearly their fault, as they dont have a roaming agreement with the networks in that area.
Finally after 7 days I get the air money for the zim one, and they close the chat. What about the Botswana one… will you accept air money, yes, I’ve already told you twice that even though it’s clearly your fault I’ll take the air money – three days later, we’re investigating, followed by please be patient, followed by yet another messages asking if I’ll accept air money.
Utter farce, clearly a badly programmed bot rather than a human.
Any recommendations for an e-sim for Mexico?
Any recommendations for an e-sim for Mexico?
Who is your mobile data provider? As I have used 02 for many years now, because I enjoy their travel bolt on that allows the following countries inclusive of all costs, no cost to me, as it’s included in my tariff, and my tariff is around £20 pm,so not a silly cost.
Ive used in Mexico no problems, Recently used in Uganda, and intend to use in Colombia in a few months.Argentina, Honduras
Australia, Madagascar
Botswana, Mexico
Canada, Myanmar,
Chile, New Zealand,
Colombia, Nicaragua,
Costa Rica, Panama,
Ecuador, Paraguay,
El Salvador, Peru,
Greenland, Rwanda,
Guatemala, United States.
Guinea Uruguay
Guyana Venezuela
YemenAny recommendations for an e-sim for Mexico?
Saily worked fine, but there is a $10 tourist sim in every Oxxo which has about 10GB
Does anyone have an Airalo referral code to share?
Does anyone have an Airalo referral code to share?
sure! you can use NICHOL8131 with my thanks 🙂 we each get £2.50
Sri Lanka – could someone kindly recommend which of the many options to choose here; really only concerned about data rather than calls. I think there are numerous options available at the airport also. Obviously an E-sim rather than physical. We are on EE who would love to charge us more than £10 a day for this if we let them!! Many thanks indeed.
Sri Lanka – could someone kindly recommend which of the many options to choose here; really only concerned about data rather than calls. I think there are numerous options available at the airport also. Obviously an E-sim rather than physical. We are on EE who would love to charge us more than £10 a day for this if we let them!! Many thanks indeed.
I am by no means an Airalo ambassador but have used it several times successfully albeit not in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
1GB, 7 Days, £4.00
2GB, 15 Days, £4.50
3GB, 30 Days, £5.50
5GB, 30 Days, £7.50
10GB, 30 Days, £9.50
20GB, 30 Days, £14.50my referral code is above if you wish to use it and get us both £2.50
@Gordon, I think we are with EE these days (OH deals with all our mobile stuff!)
Having used airalo happily in the USA I had a look and it’s £12.50 for 3 GB which sounds reasonable, but I’ll revisit travel bolt-ons.
@Gordon, I think we are with EE these days (OH deals with all our mobile stuff!)
Having used airalo happily in the USA I had a look and it’s £12.50 for 3 GB which sounds reasonable, but I’ll revisit travel bolt-ons.
Hi, Anna! Not sure if the logistics work (or if the countries are right?), but we just got a 4-week (physical) sim from Three for GBP15 = 12GB abroad.
I haven’t read all of the preceding but since I am up in the middle of the night with jet lag, I thought I would add that the MobiMatter app is generally my go-to for e-SIMs. Just used them for a New Zealand 20gb one for 30 days, cost was £16 which I thought reasonable. HTH
Sri Lanka – could someone kindly recommend which of the many options to choose here; really only concerned about data rather than calls. I think there are numerous options available at the airport also. Obviously an E-sim rather than physical. We are on EE who would love to charge us more than £10 a day for this if we let them!! Many thanks indeed.
I kitted out two family members with Airalo Sri Lankan eSIMs back in July this year, and both worked perfectly fine back then. In Sri Lanka, the Airalo eSIMs had/have the choice of two networks to utilise, whereas in many countries there is only one option with their single country eSIMs.
I can’t comment on the other options, as I’ve not personally used them. I’ll mention in passing (having mentioned it before in this thread) that one of the Airalo eSIMs was loaded onto an esim.me physical sim card without any issues, and used in a phone that had two physical SIM card slots, but no direct eSIM support.
Also note if you have a FX fee-free card, you may find setting Airalo to USD works out slightly cheaper, although they are quite cheap to begin with.
[My Airalo referral code is STEPHE2159 which gets both of us a small reward once you complete a purchase]
Sri Lanka – could someone kindly recommend which of the many options to choose here; really only concerned about data rather than calls. I think there are numerous options available at the airport also. Obviously an E-sim rather than physical. We are on EE who would love to charge us more than £10 a day for this if we let them!! Many thanks indeed.
Three PAYG covers Sri Lanka
Thank you all very much. @steve do you recall which of the two local networks you opted for?
Thank you all very much. @steve do you recall which of the two local networks you opted for?
No, sorry, I think we left both phones on automatic network selection.
In case my previous post wasn’t clear, when I said there was a “choice” of two, I meant that Airalo had roaming agreements with two networks, allowing the phone to use either, rather than anything that forced pre-choice.
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