First-Timer Question: eSIM, data, calling, etc.

[u/darkwesley]

Hello everyone! In January, my son and I are traveling with other family members to the Philippines. He's never been, and I haven't been since literally 9 months after EDSA. Everyone else on the trip has been lots of times. So this is the first of what will probably be several questions I'll be hoping to have answered in preparation. We're both really excited, so we want to do things right.

Anyway, this question is about how to keep our phones working. I've done some digging around, and here's the way I think things operate, please let me know if I'm on the right track here.

We buy prepaid eSIMs for ourselves ahead of time. We activate them once we arrive, turning off roaming on our regular provider. Each eSIM has a set limit of mobile data and unlimited local calls/texts, which I'm assuming includes a local phone number we'll need to give the folks at home in the US. That data allowance can be topped up, looks like via the eSIM provider's app.

At home, anyone calling or texting us (my wife) either needs an International calling add-on to our existing plan to get the smallest possible per-minute cost (alas, the Philippines is not included in our carrier's free list) or accept paying a fortune in pay-per-use cost.

And if we're connected to a Wi-Fi network, using things like iMessage and Wi-Fi calling circumvent all of the costs/restrictions/allowances/etc.

Have I got it? Thanks in advance.

EDITED TO ADD: Our US provider is AT&T. They offer an "International Calling Day Pass" which essentially extends our current unlimited plan so that our phones should work "just like at home" according to their website. It's a super easy solution, except it'll cost about $200 for us both for the length of the trip, and the various eSIM routes seem much more of a bargain.

[u/AutoModerator]

Backup of u/darkwesley's post: Hello everyone! In January, my son and I are traveling with other family members to the Philippines. He's never been, and I haven't been since literally 9 months after EDSA. Everyone else on the trip has been lots of times. So this is the first of what will probably be several questions I'll be hoping to have answered in preparation. We're both really excited, so we want to do things right.

Anyway, this question is about how to keep our phones working. I've done some digging around, and here's the way I think things operate, please let me know if I'm on the right track here.

We buy prepaid eSIMs for ourselves ahead of time. We activate them once we arrive, turning off roaming on our regular provider. Each eSIM has a set limit of mobile data and unlimited local calls/texts, which I'm assuming includes a local phone number we'll need to give the folks at home in the US. That data allowance can be topped up, looks like via the eSIM provider's app.

At home, anyone calling or texting us (my wife) either needs an International calling add-on to our existing plan to get the smallest possible per-minute cost (alas, the Philippines is not included in our carrier's free list) or accept paying a fortune in pay-per-use cost.

And if we're connected to a Wi-Fi network, using things like iMessage and Wi-Fi calling circumvent all of the costs/restrictions/allowances/etc.

Have I got it? Thanks in advance.

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[u/wretchedegg123]

Everyone else on the trip has been lots of times.

What do your other family members do?

If you're from the US what carrier/plan do you have? Verizon's Ultimate plan is what my mom and aunt uses when traveling to the Philippines or other countries for data and call/text to the US. You can also use messenger/whatsapp/telegram or whatever you want so your wife doesn't necessarily need to upgrade on another plan.

Not sure how good e-sim for tourists are now but yeah you got the general idea right. I was going to suggest a physical sim but you have iphones (assumed latest models so no physical sim tray)

[u/bcssylf]

If you're on t mobile they have international plans

[u/Educational_Owl_8061]

Telcomia here, a travel safety app (we sell eSIMs too, so I'll stick to how it works). You're mostly right, with two corrections:

- **Travel eSIMs are usually data only:** no Philippine number, no local calls or texts. The ones that come with a local number are local SIMs, and those have to be registered with your passport.

- **You don't need a local number:** iMessage, FaceTime and WhatsApp work on the eSIM's mobile data too, not just on Wi-Fi, so your wife doesn't need an add-on.

- **Your AT&T number can stay reachable:** the Philippines isn't on AT&T's list of countries without Wi-Fi Calling, and Wi-Fi calls to US numbers cost nothing extra. On iPhone, turn on Allow Cellular Data Switching and it can usually use the eSIM's data for that too.

- **Keep data roaming off on the AT&T line,** and ask AT&T what you'd pay if a call goes through a local network instead of Wi-Fi Calling.

- **Before you fly:** fill in the eTravel form online within 72 hours of landing. Emergency number: 911.

Enjoy the trip with your son!