For ALL enquiries on SIM Cards and E-SIMS

For anyone struggling with ESIMs or want to do it the old fashion way for data in Europe....If you buy a Three PAYG sim you get roaming absolutely free as part of the sim (up to 12GB per trip in 71 countries), but if you are on a three contract you have to pay extra for roaming. So PAYG is the way.
Go on Amazon (or any supermarket checkout etc) and buy yourself a PAYG 10GB sim card (as of posting this they are £8.99 on amazon).
DO NOT BUY bigger data sims as Three restrict the amount of data (12GB) for roaming, so if you feel you need more data (I can assure you you will hardly use any for google maps traffic info) then just buy a couple of PAYG 10GB sim cards and chuck away the sim card once you have used all the data up.
 
When Wife and I were in the US this last summer, I got Nomad esims for the two of us. Recommended by Martin Lewis, it cost £2/GB each for a month of data-only use, so worked perfectly for Sat nav and googling local info. Also worked for WhatsApp to keep in contact with family at home since MIL was gravely ill at the time.
 
OK so we all agree eSims are the way to go.

Where is the best and cheapest place to purchase them online?
im currently looking for one in Mexico :)
 
Not sure if this has been posted but on my iPhone 14 (UK)the place is settings/cellular/add eSIM. This may have changed from the original post with the latest update.
 
Barnoe said:
OK so we all agree eSims are the way to go.

Where is the best and cheapest place to purchase them online?
im currently looking for one in Mexico :)
Click to expand...
Well what I do is google who are the main providers for that country or use travel forums to find out.
Not all providers across the globe may provide eSims so you may have to wait till you get there or as I mentioned earlier look at Three and its PAYG sim card as that covers 71 different countries at no extra cost.
 
I'm a Three PAYG user, but be wary that not all countries are covered. I'd forgotten this during my recent USA trip. I took a drive up into Canada and suddenly found myself without cover. Martin ( @Arsey ) read this in my journal and PMed me details of the eSIM offering by Airal.
I got it sorted out within about 15 minutes with a deal that lasted a week for about $10 Canadian, IIRC - anyway, a great deal.

@Barnoe - you can get a week's data (one Gb) for as little as $8 US
 
I bought a new phone a couple of months ago, Samsung A14 - no e-sim option on this one either.
 
Have a look at AIRALO - download the app and then select the plan depending on which country you're in
 
So if you have a normal sim in the phone, then download an Esim, how do you tell the phone which one to use ?
 
stever1 said:
So if you have a normal sim in the phone, then download an Esim, how do you tell the phone which one to use ?
Click to expand...

same as if you have two physical sims, go into settings and select which one to use for voice/SMS and which to use for data. These are independent settings so you can leave your own sim active to receive calls and texts and use the temporary esim for data
 
wessie said:
same as if you have two physical sims, go into settings and select which one to use for voice/SMS and which to use for data. These are independent settings so you can leave your own sim active to receive calls and texts and use the temporary esim for data
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So, if for instance I was to go to…….say Mauritius. IIUC , I download the correct esim. Tell the phone to use the esim for everything, and then revert to my normal service when I return to the UK.
So what do I do about the esim after that ?
 
stever1 said:
So, if for instance I was to go to…….say Mauritius. IIUC , I download the correct esim. Tell the phone to use the esim for everything, and then revert to my normal service when I return to the UK.
So what do I do about the esim after that ?
Click to expand...

just like a physical PAYG SIM, if you do not top it up then it will expire after a set period but you should be able to delete it from your phone at any time.
 
stever1 said:
So, if for instance I was to go to…….say Mauritius. IIUC , I download the correct esim. Tell the phone to use the esim for everything, and then revert to my normal service when I return to the UK.
So what do I do about the esim after that ?
Click to expand...
On my Samsung S23+ you have the option to select what sim to use for calls, texts and data
So you can say...select calls with your normal sim and then data your traveling sim. Or you can simply turn off the second sim until you need it etc

Or you can have both sims on at the same time

The options only appear once you have two sims in the phone (so either two physical or 1 physical and 1 eSim)

I don't know the options for iPhones though
 
One faff I hadn't realised was the need to add the e-sim VPN name into the phone as a source, so that it worked. That was an Airalo one going to Brazil.
 
I’m thinking of getting a UK Three PAYG 15Gb rolling contract for £10 a month as Mike O says it has International roaming which includes New Zealand where we are visiting next year.
You order a SIM then add the PAYG, could someone please confirm that these include unlimited calls & texts in the UK please? TIA
 
Simmo said:
I’m thinking of getting a UK Three PAYG 15Gb rolling contract for £10 a month as Mike O says it has International roaming which includes New Zealand where we are visiting next year.
You order a SIM then add the PAYG, could someone please confirm that these include unlimited calls & texts in the UK please? TIA
Click to expand...
You can't use more than 12GB when roaming per month so just be aware of that.
And yes on threes website it currently says unlimited minutes and texts for PAYG sims and all tariffs.

www.three.co.uk

Pay As You Go Data Packs | Flexible Data Pack Deals | Three

Ready to find your perfect Pay As You Go Data Pack from Three? From Unlimited Data to epic monthly bundles, we’ve got flexible options to suit everyone.
www.three.co.uk
 
stever1 said:
Do these e sims handle calls as well as data ?
Click to expand...
Yes they are exactly the same other than not having a physical sim in your phone.....when you sign up on whoevers website you should be given a option for a e-sim (will probably be installed via a QR code)

Not all providers offer them but the main players will.
 
Bigcats said:
You can't use more than 12GB when roaming per month so just be aware of that.
And yes on threes website it currently says unlimited minutes and texts for PAYG sims and all tariffs.

www.three.co.uk

Pay As You Go Data Packs | Flexible Data Pack Deals | Three

Ready to find your perfect Pay As You Go Data Pack from Three? From Unlimited Data to epic monthly bundles, we’ve got flexible options to suit everyone.
www.three.co.uk
Click to expand...
I just did 23 days in Canada with my £9 a month O2 contract, didn’t even consider data limit, used it all the time, especially google maps when walking in towns and cities, no extra charges at all.
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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