eSims, what is your experience.

[SYD]

Can I ask dumbo questions, please?

If I get Flexiroam Regional, then a 30 day Asia plan, at the end of the 30 days it just expires?

Yes. Use it or lose it.

Also, if you have for example a 30 Day “Asia” Regional Plan but say spending 2 wks in Thailand, you could buy a 14 day “Thailand” Country Plan and it knows to use that up first when you’re in Thailand and only use the Asia plan outside Thailand. Similarly, if you have an active Global plan (it’ll only use that outside Asia while the Regional plan is active/valid).

And then in 6 months I activate 30 days Europe and use that?

Yes.

The plans you buy will appear in the app awaiting activation. As just mentioned upthread, there’s usually a max 3 mth window to activate. So you can take advantage of promos to buy in advance - up to 3 mths.

They should just operate off the same eSIM, so DON’T uninstall it after use. But do look carefully at the email confirmation to see if you need to reinstall or install a new eSIM.

And in phone settings when travelling I can set my phone to use Telstra for calls and sms, and esim for Internet?

Yes.

 

[RooFlyer]

I use an iPhone 15. I started using Flexiroam when you had to install a new eSIM each plan. My mobile page currently looks like this. The top 'Flexiroam' SIM is the current, permanent one. The other 'no SIM' ones are the old eSIMs, or at least what's left.



If I press them, I get



Only 'Flexiroam' (the current eSIM) comes up as an option to switch away from 'Primary', so that's OK.

Issue is, I can't find a way to delete the 3 'No SIM' entries from the initial list. Not a big thing, but does anyone have a way/suggestion?

 

[SYD]

I use an iPhone 15. I started using Flexiroam when you had to install a new eSIM each plan.

Yeah, that was a dumb system that fortunately didn’t last long.

My mobile page currently looks like this. The top 'Flexiroam' SIM is the current, permanent one. The other 'no SIM' ones are the old eSIMs, or at least what's left.

If I press them, I get

View attachment 393329

Only 'Flexiroam' (the current eSIM) comes up as an option to switch away from 'Primary', so that's OK.

Issue is, I can't find a way to delete the 3 'No SIM' entries from the initial list. Not a big thing, but does anyone have a way/suggestion?

Hmm, if the eSIM is still there, you should get a “Delete eSIM” button.



Does the Flexiroam app let you delete them under settings “Manage my SIMs”?

Otherwise, next time you have to reset your phone or port to a new phone, I would expect they’ll be purged. I have a vague recollection of something similar happening to me but have since upgraded my phone also.

 

[SYD]

@RooFlyer does clicking on “Update contacts” do anything? You wouldn’t have had any contacts linked* to those eSIMs, so it shouldn’t do any harm. I’ve clicked on that in the past removing esims.

*I don’t use it, but on iPhones (and probably Android), you can set a default line for specific contacts eg 2x SIMs one for Work and one for Personal. You can set “Mum” to default to Personal and “The Boss” to default to Work etc.

 

[RooFlyer]

Hmm, if the eSIM is still there, you should get a “Delete eSIM” button.

Not there.

Does the Flexiroam app let you delete them under settings “Manage my SIMs”?

Only the current one there. The list is just an annoying ghost, however ...

@RooFlyer does clicking on “Update contacts” do anything? You wouldn’t have had any contacts linked* to those eSIMs, so it shouldn’t do any harm. I’ve clicked on that in the past removing esims.

... success! I hadn't been game to click it, s I didn't want anything to screw around with contacts, connected of not, but clicking on it makes the listing vanish. Thanks again

 

[jpp42]

Nord now have an e-sim product called Saily - I got sent a free 5G email today
….which needs to be activated in next 30 days — plan to give it a go as will be in Europe soon

I used Saily on my recent US trip (from AUS). Worked perfectly, there was an activation step in the app that had to be done once in the destination country and connected to Wifi, fortunately the LAX Free Wifi, although notoriously dodgy, worked well enough this time.

The only drawback was no voice calls, this tripped me up as I needed to call for a hotel shuttle. Had to revert back to my Telstra roaming for that and cop the charges.

 

[SYD]

The only drawback was no voice calls, this tripped me up as I needed to call for a hotel shuttle. Had to revert back to my Telstra roaming for that and cop the charges.

That was the reason I started this thread. For those times you just need to call/text someone.

Best options for making cheap calls/text when overseas?

So what are peeps doing these days for cheap calls/text back to Oz, or local/international calls/text while you’re travelling OS? Background. Since 2019 I’ve had the Optus $50 plan that included roaming data, unlimited calls & text when OS (to/from select countries) and calls/text from Oz to OS...

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

The Data only eSIMs are obviously good for things like Uber but as mentioned here (and/or the other thread), a lot of Hotels and things are now using WhatsApp - so you can call them over wifi / data.

 

[Flashback]

I used Saily on my recent US trip (from AUS). Worked perfectly, there was an activation step in the app that had to be done once in the destination country and connected to Wifi, fortunately the LAX Free Wifi, although notoriously dodgy, worked well enough this time.

The only drawback was no voice calls, this tripped me up as I needed to call for a hotel shuttle. Had to revert back to my Telstra roaming for that and cop the charges.

Skype/Google Voice would be cheaper perhaps?

 

[bashworth]

For the past year I have been using an Airlo E Sim overseas but not impressed with the cost compared with local sims.
I have now gone with a Boost E Sim package for Australia and will try both international roaming (around $3-$4/day depending on length of roaming purchased ) and local sims for my next few trips.

 

[yachty]

For the past year I have been using an Airlo E Sim overseas but not impressed with the cost compared with local sims.
I have now gone with a Boost E Sim package for Australia and will try both international roaming (around $3-$4/day depending on length of roaming purchased ) and local sims for my next few trips.

Hope it goes OK. I don't really find the Airalo ones great value in a lot of countries (and they're quite bad value in places like Thailand and the Philippines) but what they are good at is not having to bother registering and picking up a local SIM on arrival... that said I just roam if it's a short trip. Save the hassle.

 

[SYD]

For the past year I have been using an Airlo E Sim overseas but not impressed with the cost compared with local sims.

Any particular examples? Their Country & Regional plans (along with other eSiM providers) are reasonably competitive but the Global plans can be pretty pricey and often overkill anyway.

I have now gone with a Boost E Sim package for Australia and will try both international roaming (around $3-$4/day depending on length of roaming purchased ) and local sims for my next few trips.

I discounted Boost because it only roams in ~40 odd countries and TBH, their roaming bundles look more expensive than most of the eSIM providers.

Hope it goes OK. I don't really find the Airalo ones great value in a lot of countries (and they're quite bad value in places like Thailand and the Philippines) but what they are good at is not having to bother registering and picking up a local SIM on arrival... that said I just roam if it's a short trip. Save the hassle.

Funny thing. They have a pretty good (on paper) plan for Thailand that includes calls.



Compare that with $5 pd with Vodafone, Optus or $10 pd with Telstra!

 

[bashworth]

Most recent example was Bhutan: Au$15 for 7days with Airlo. US6 for 14 days with a local sim from Paro Airport.

 

[yachty]

Funny thing. They have a pretty good (on paper) plan for Thailand that includes calls.

Compare that with $5 pd with Vodafone, Optus or $10 pd with Telstra!

That is good! Must have changed, I went last year and was comparing to AIS at BKK and it was quite a bit more then.