eSims, what is your experience.

[ayebee]

my android / samsung is not esim capable but I have no plans to upgrade.
I have heard there are physical sims that you can install to convert your your phone to esim capable.
Does anyone have experience like that ?

 

[asterix]

my android / samsung is not esim capable but I have no plans to upgrade.
I have heard there are physical sims that you can install to convert your your phone to esim capable.
Does anyone have experience like that ?

Yes, I bought one from esim.me that is a physical SIM which you can add esims to.

 

[daft009]

As it happens "yes"! SYD-MEL-SIN-KUL-HKT (because, well, I can ) to pickup a yacht, sail to Port Klang (Kuala Lumpur) then race back via Pangkor & Penang to Langkawi and ultimately deliver the boat back to Thailand again. This tourist SIM would be excellent it seems, thanks so much for the tip

I prefer the starhub SIM for roaming personally. As it roams to Telstra here, good for the country as I'm with Optus

 

[Thibault]

Anyone know of anything similar to multi-country Singtel roaming offer above that covers South American countries eg Argentina, Brazil & Chile? I suppose coverage including Antarctica is expecting waaay to much

Have you looked at airalo? It offers local, regional, and worldwide esims.
Used the UAE one and it went well (Singtel esim service).

 

[kangarooflyer88]

Just saw this thread and thought I’d share my experience as I had to use them a couple times whilst overseas as they were cheaper than the Woolie’s prepaid data roaming options:

In May when I was in Honolulu with my 5G iPad I noticed there was an option to sign up for a pay as you go eSIM from the setting menu and selected the $10 GigSky plan which had a gig of data IIRC. Overall I found the whole process to be fairly smooth and data to be relatively quick (albeit not at the 5G speeds I get in AU on Optus prepaid)

Whilst travelling in the US in July I downloaded the T-Mobile prepaid eSIM app on my iPhone at LAX using their free wifi. After about 5 minutes of setting it up I had a $10 monthly pay as you go plan with 3 GB of data IIRC. What I did find surprising was my 2020 iPhone SE had support for eSIM, so I would encourage anyone who doubts they have support for this technology to think again! Coverage and speed were good although interestingly enough I ran out of said data within about a week . I also signed up again for GigSky (I think) and selected the $15/month option for 1 GB of data that covers North America (Canada/USA) which also was very helpful indeed given I was travelling between those two countries.

I can’t vouch for the other providers out there since I haven’t used them but overall I do find eSIMs in general and the idea of picking up a prepaid when you need it globally way easier than what I had to do into the past (i.e. pop into a T-Mobile store and get them to get it all set up). Supposing you have wifi for just a few minutes when you land you can get connected wherever you are.

-RooFlyer88

 

[SYD]

What I did find surprising was my 2020 iPhone SE had support for eSIM, so I would encourage anyone who doubts they have support for this technology to think again!

Pretty much all iPhones from late 2018 - iPhone XS, XR onwards have eSims.

 

[levelnine]

Whilst travelling in the US in July I downloaded the T-Mobile prepaid eSIM app on my iPhone at LAX using their free wifi. After about 5 minutes of setting it up I had a $10 monthly pay as you go plan with 3 GB of data IIRC.

Shame you weren't aware of the T-Mobile trial: unlimited data for 3 months for free [US] 3 Months Free Trial "Network Pass" eSIM Only 5G Broadband Data Plan @ T-Mobile USA

 

[SYD]

Shame you weren't aware of the T-Mobile trial: unlimited data for 3 months for free [US] 3 Months Free Trial "Network Pass" eSIM Only 5G Broadband Data Plan @ T-Mobile USA

Shame you didn’t post that sooner . But I’ve book marked it. If still running, it’ll supplement my included Optus roaming when I visit next year.

Do note however, that “Tethering not available”.

 

[Thibault]

Shame you didn’t post that sooner . But I’ve book marked it. If still running, it’ll supplement my included Optus roaming when I visit next year.

Do note however, that “Tethering not available”.

Nah it worked very well when I tether to my mac via wifi or USB

 

[Katie]

I've used eSims in my iPhone for my two trips to the US this year, though am girding my loins in anticipation of some issues when our family holiday to the US starts in a couple of weeks.

May trip:
Downloaded the T-Mobile app and signed up for an eSim after arriving in Minneapolis. Easy peasy. Basically worked well, and as expected for the two week trip. Though, as I already have a T-Mobile account using my primary email addy, I had to use my secondary email to sign up to a new account.

Since May - delete various emails from T-Mobile suggesting that I top up my account, etc. Also some emails about deactivating my account due to inactivity.

Oct trip:
Used the T-Mobile app, still on my phone, to get an eSim. Can't use primary or secondary email account - need another email account. Try using the "+" trick with Gmail, but that doesn't work. Get annoyed and rant about it on Twitter. Actually get help from T-Mobile to some degree, but they need to close my account with the secondary email. Lots of DMs on Twitter with T-Mobile support staff, to varying degrees of success.

Also this time, there are three or four different payment options/plans, but I can't distinguish between them in the app, apart from the cost, as they all seem to include unlimited data and the same talk + text. Very confusing, and these details aren't on the T-Mobile website.

In the end, I create a "burner" email account (katiesburnerphoneihatetmobileyoubastards at email dot com ) to get the new eSim set up. Two and a half weeks later, T-Mobile still can't figure out how to make it so that I can use my secondary email account. Maybe I should just not care and create a new burner email every time. Or use another eSim provider.
At some point in the interactions, T-Mobile support tell me to use the T-Mobile app ... but it's the main app, not the eSim app, and that's not available on the AU app store, which is all I have access to on this phone. And I don't want to faff about with a US app store account. (Whodathunk it - an eSim app being used by travellers without access to the US app store!?!?!?!? )

I've had a prompt email to my secondary account about refilling by tomorrow. But it's only been 2.5 weeks since I got the latest eSim.

SO, if you travel to the US a few times a year and want to use the T-Mobile eSims, you may need to use a different email each time. Or you may have to pay attention to an email that I did not pay attention to. I don't want to reuse the number, but I didn't want to faff about creating new emails and accounts 2-3 times/year.
If anyone has gotten around this, I'd love to know what you did.


The + trick with Gmail - if you have an email, say katiesburnerphone at gmail dot com, you can add something after the name part to create a unique email address, but the actual emails will go to that gmail account. So, I could enter my email on a form as katiesburnerphone+teen at gmail dot com, and use that for the teen's something or other, such as Medicare login. But the emails go to my katiesburnerphone email (because the teen can't remember or be responsible for such accounts yet).

 

[SYD]

Is the US App Store app the one required for the free trial?

I have a US iOS App Store account but it’s a bit of PITA to mix and match apps as I discovered downloading the German Covid pass app. Lost data on some other apps - that I had assumed was in a cloud somewhere….

 

[Thibault]

Is the US App Store app the one required for the free trial?

I have a US iOS App Store account but it’s a bit of PITA to mix and match apps as I discovered downloading the German Covid pass app. Lost data on some other apps - that I had assumed was in a cloud somewhere….

Yes - i could not find the app using my Australian and French Apple accounts.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

It seems like a US app store account is needed to download the T-Mobile app which in turn will get you the free 90 day trial. Whether it's worth jumping through those hoops to save a couple of bucks versus just downloading the prepaid app and spending $10/month for data and calling is up for debate.

Yes - i could not find the app using my Australian and French Apple accounts.

Technically a French Apple account is called an Apple tart.

-RooFlyer88

 

[SYD]

I‘ve not used Flexiroam yet, although I’ve had the app for a while and grabbed a free downloadable eSIM during a promo (starter pack used to be US$1 or $2 but included on some offers now). Anyway, I just noticed in the app there is a free promo for MC holders.

15 days of 3GB Global Roaming data (outside of a sale, that’s somewhere in the order of US$50+)

My Latitude 28° MC is eligible (and probably any other MC). The Ts&Cs say it can be used once per card per year.

Flexiroam X App - Top up your prepaid mobile data here

Flexiroam X App, you can top up prepaid mobile data, share data with other Flexiroam X App users, switch your connection, and get discounts.

travel.flexiroam.com

Also, you can look at various plans and rates in the app without installing the eSIM.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

I‘ve not used Flexiroam yet, although I’ve had the app for a while and grabbed a free downloadable eSIM during a promo (starter pack used to be US$1 or $2 but included on some offers now). Anyway, I just noticed in the app there is a free promo for MC holders.

15 days of 3GB Global Roaming data (outside of a sale, that’s somewhere in the order of US$50+)

My Latitude 28° MC is eligible (and probably any other MC). The Ts&Cs say it can be used once per card per year.

Flexiroam X App - Top up your prepaid mobile data here

Flexiroam X App, you can top up prepaid mobile data, share data with other Flexiroam X App users, switch your connection, and get discounts.

travel.flexiroam.com

Also, you can look at various plans and rates in the app without installing the eSIM.

I noticed they are selling a 11 GB global data eSIM with 365 day validity for $64 USD which is very tempting (provided of course the speed/reliability is there). However, I do notice that their global eSIM doesn't cover all the countries I plan on visiting in the next year (i.e. Canada).

For those curious on the details of the Mastercard promotion, they've set up a site to detail it. Basically as SYD mentioned, you can get a free promotional plan. In addition, there is a 15% discount you can get as well.

Would be curious to hear anyone else's thoughts/experience using the service.

-RooFlyer88

 

[asterix]

I noticed they are selling a 11 GB global data eSIM with 365 day validity for $64 USD which is very tempting (provided of course the speed/reliability is there). However, I do notice that their global eSIM doesn't cover all the countries I plan on visiting in the next year (i.e. Canada).

For those curious on the details of the Mastercard promotion, they've set up a site to detail it. Basically as SYD mentioned, you can get a free promotional plan. In addition, there is a 15% discount you can get as well.

Would be curious to hear anyone else's thoughts/experience using the service.

-RooFlyer88

I used Flexiroam's global data in NZ in March 2020. No problems.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

I used Flexiroam's global data in NZ in March 2020. No problems.

Good to hear! I pulled the trigger and bought the 5 GB global plan for 360 days for $40 USD which seems fairly reasonable given the length of validity. Sadly the Mastercard offer didn't work for any of the 5 Mastercards I hold.

-RooFlyer88

 

[moa999]

Yep. Also used flexiroam SIM previously in a number of countries. Worked well.
At least a couple of years ago the data went via Jersey for some reason.

 

[SYD]

Good to hear! I pulled the trigger and bought the 5 GB global plan for 360 days for $40 USD which seems fairly reasonable given the length of validity. Sadly the Mastercard offer didn't work for any of the 5 Mastercards I hold.

-RooFlyer88

Flexiroam used to get good mentions over in the physical roaming SIM thread. So I assume it’s still ok.

They routinely have upto 80% off Global data sales (11.11 on now! But I’d expect one for Black Friday/Cyber Monday).

I believe you can stack plans rather than getting a global plan. eg you might get a 30 day Euro plan for a visit there but also add say 1 or 2 day Asia plan when passing thru etc

PS
Weird that Canada isn’t considered part of the global world! But as above, you could stack a local Canada plan to cover your time back there.

 

[k_sheep]

Hubby is currently using flexiroam in Argentina and Uruguay. Was very painful to set up, requiring multiple chats from helpdesk - and he's an IT nerd by trade. So I shudder to think how most people manage.

But if you can get it working, it is very convenient and fast. He gets better coverage in these 2 countries than I do on Airalo.