eSims, what is your experience.

[SOPOOR]

Do introductory prepaid physical sims exist in local store in europe??

eg in australia they have Amaysim, lebara, boost, optus, telstra

where they sell introductory 1 month offers of 10-20gb for $4-$10

seems wrong to pay $50 for 10gb of data in EU when you can pay $4 aud at your coles/woolworths and get twice the amount of data

 

[mrsterryn]

seems wrong to pay $50 for 10gb of data in EU when you can pay $4 aud at your coles/woolworths and get twice the amount of data

Coles sells esims ??

 

[There'sOnlyOneJimmy]

but went through like 5 gb in 2 days, all due to googlemaps,

Apologies for drifting off topic… but one way to minimize this use of mobile data is to download the maps you need while still at home, on hotel wifi for offline use while out.

One downer with this is that although Google maps can manage driving directions offline, it can’t calculate walking directions offline.

 

[SOPOOR]

Coles sells esims ??

Sorry. I should have mentioned, Physical sims

Amaysim you can convert physical sim to esim easily via the app

 

[RooFlyer]

A bit of an annoying experience with Flexiroam eSim just now in Indonesia - wonder if someone could diagnose the problem? I’ve used Flexiroam eSims OK in other places around the world.

Using iPhone14 with iOS 16

Plan is active and within dates




But when I go to ’add eSim in Settings , I get this:



and other options gets



TheiPhone doesn’t appear to have recognised the eSim. any suggestions for next time?

 

[SYD]

A bit of an annoying experience with Flexiroam eSim just now in Indonesia - wonder if someone could diagnose the problem? I’ve used Flexiroam eSims OK in other places around the world.

Using iPhone14 with iOS 16

Plan is active and within dates

View attachment 351339

View attachment 351340
But when I go to ’add eSim in Settings , I get this:

View attachment 351338

and other options gets

View attachment 351337

TheiPhone doesn’t appear to have recognised the eSim. any suggestions for next time?

Have you recently changed phones?

But unless you already had an existing Indonesia local plan eSIM from Flexiroam it should still load.

Did you try and install the eSIM from the email from FLX? And not showing at all in your list of esims? If it is there but not working you can delete and try and reinstall it.

I did that recently with a US eSIM that I stuffed up trying to install over mobile data not wifi…

 

[RooFlyer]

Not a new phone. No existing Indon plan.

Purchased the eSim from the Flexiroam app and it installed ok by following these instructions in the eMail





So, FlexiRoam thinks it installed, just doesn’t appear under the list of SIMS in iPhone settings.

 

[SOPOOR]

Good luck. A lot of esims i have recently bought have a no refund policy

 

[SYD]

Not a new phone. No existing Indon plan.

Purchased the eSim from the Flexiroam app and it installed ok by following these instructions in the eMail

View attachment 351341

View attachment 351342

So, FlexiRoam thinks it installed, just doesn’t appear under the list of SIMS in iPhone settings.

Message FLX. They ought to be able to reset the app and allow you to reinstall - which is moot as you’re about to leave but I would ask for a refund or credit.

 

[encryptededdy]

But when I go to ’add eSim in Settings , I get this:

I think that error usually means it thinks the eSIM you're trying to add has already been added to a phone. As to why that may be the case, I don't know.

 

[SYD]

I think that error usually means it thinks the eSIM you're trying to add has already been added to a phone. As to why that may be the case, I don't know.

Yeah, I had the reverse. Phone was showing eSIM installed but app didn't. I was able to delete the eSIM and reinstall no drama (despite FLX FAQ saying you need to contact them to reset!)

 

[justinbrett]

I found Airalo pretty good using the regional products. Only issue was I tried to get a country specific one for Zimbabwe as Telstra doesn't roam there and none of the regional products covered it.

Sim never worked, troubleshooted for ages with Airalo support, they issued a new eSim but same problem. Eventually got a refund. I blame the Zimbabwe network not Airalo. In future I'd probably only use it for fully developed countries.

 

[tdimdad]

Apologies for drifting off topic… but one way to minimize this use of mobile data is to download the maps you need while still at home, on hotel wifi for offline use while out.

One downer with this is that although Google maps can manage driving directions offline, it can’t calculate walking directions offline.

I use OpenStreetMaps (OSM). I initially used it for hiking (it's usually great for that) but it also has very detailed maps around the world. You download the country / region / city you need and can fully navigate offline. The Android app is called OSMAND+.

Google Maps, though, has two distinct benefits over OSM: public transport schedules in many locations (including stop-specific timetables and real-time data) and Google info & reviews of eateries, shops, sights, etc.

 

[SYD]

I use OpenStreetMaps (OSM). I initially used it for hiking (it's usually great for that) but it also has very detailed maps around the world. You download the country / region / city you need and can fully navigate offline. The Android app is called OSMAND+.

Google Maps, though, has two distinct benefits over OSM: public transport schedules in many locations (including stop-specific timetables and real-time data) and Google info & reviews of eateries, shops, sights, etc.

MAPS.ME has offline maps. Great for walking (and hiking - has all sorts of details in national parks and forest). But TBH, pretty coughpy for driving. Especially it‘s weird freeway overpass phobia and a tendency to direct you off freeways and then immediately back on .

HERE has reasonable offline maps and that’s my default for long distant driving OS.

Both Google and Apple map apps can chew through data driving long distances if left “online”. Less of an issue if driving around the same area (since they’re not constantly downloading new maps). If you remember to cache the trip before you start out, you can save a lot of data.

A temporary subscription to TomTom might actually work out cheaper if doing a lot of driving overseas.

 

[RooFlyer]

MAPS.ME has offline maps. Great for walking (and hiking - has all sorts of details in national parks and forest). But TBH, pretty coughpy for driving.

Uses a great deal of battery power in your phone and as far as I can see, they are now charging if you get more than nine (IIRC) maps which is a bad limitation if you’re visiting a different country with many minisub maps. Put me off at completely..put me off at completely

 

[SYD]

Uses a great deal of battery power in your phone and as far as I can see, they are now charging if you get more than nine (IIRC) maps which is a bad limitation if you’re visiting a different country with many minisub maps. Put me off at completely..put me off at completely

Yep. My phone got hot using it driving via CarPlay earlier this year and then it shat itself completely - “Black screen of death” etc. Not so bad walking when you just looking at it from time to time. The free map download limitation is manageable - just delete / download over wifi as you go but I didn’t come close to the limit travelling across the US and Canada a few weeks ago (but I was only doing that as a backup plan).

Probably should update here on MAPS.ME limitations.

Best Navigation app

Hi all, finally after 3+ years I'm heading back to Italy. I was once an avid Tom Tom user, however there are so many new off line apps available these days!. Does anyone have any recommendations ? Thanking you in advance Mark

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

 

[SOPOOR]

I might be stating the obvious but, ive learnt the hard way this trip

Dont forget a Powerbank battery if you are going out for a full day.

I ran out of batt once and almost ran out a few times.

It was kind of stressful

 

[SYD]

I might be stating the obvious but, ive learnt the hard way this trip

Dont forget a Powerbank battery if you are going out for a full day.

I ran out of batt once and almost ran out a few times.

It was kind of stressful

I’ve got into the habit of turning on “Low Power Mode” on my iPhone (easily accessible from Control Panel - press the Battery icon).

It makes a huge difference.

Also, turning off eSIM lines when not in use (or physical SIM).

 

[kpc]

Dope moment....dowloaded Flexiroam eSim (first time user of eSim)...could not connect to mobile data despite all attempts...then read the instructions...Flexiroam not available in Australia

 

[SYD]

Dope moment....dowloaded Flexiroam eSim (first time user of eSim)...could not connect to mobile data despite all attempts...then read the instructions...Flexiroam not available in Australia

Yes it is. There are Oz specific Local country plans. What plan did you buy?

FLX roam issues you a different eSIM depending on plan purhased. AFAIK, any Global plan will use the same eSIM once you have one. Each country plan will have their own eSIM (that can be a lot of eSIMs banking up), plus a separate eSIM for each Region plan.

A Country specific plan / eSIM or Regional plan / eSIM probably won't connect in Oz?

Also, "Data roaming" needs to be turned on to actually use the data.