Using my phone in South America......ESIm ?? 18 October 2022 at 6:48AM in Overseas holidays & travel planning 11 replies 345 views

teachergirl

Hi there. Not sure if there is anyone who can help me. I am about to go on my bucket list holiday to the Galapagos and then to Peru. My phone provider strangely does not provide mobile roaming in these countries😂.
I don't intend to use my phone very often but it might be useful in emergencies or to contact hotels etc. What is the best way to do this? I know I could buy a local SIM in each country but then I risk loosing my physical Sim. I have the new iPhone 14 that has capacity to have an eSIm (which I had never heard off)
Can I purchase and ESIM in each country and leave my physical SIM in the phone but turn off mobile data? This would be an attractive option if it meant I could still communicate with my children when I have wifi. If so how do I do this🤷‍♀️

On-the-coast

Yes….
but the best thing about esims is that yiu can buy them online before you go & activate them only when you want to start using them. 

Most of them are data orientated… e.g 10GB data for 2wks for $15
but some will give you a number too. 

You choose which parts of your existing service to keep active (some, all or none)
just did this (iPhone 13pro…)
make sure you have at least Wi-Fi access at the point of activation!

teachergirl

Thank you @On-the-coast I did have a quick look . So in theory I could find one with a number before I go(need to give to relatives in case of emergency) Can set it up on the phone before I go. Then when I leave Heathrow turn off mobile data for my physical SIM and turn it on for the ESIM?   Sorry but I am a total novice re this.
Also I don't suppose you could recommend one with a number and could be used in Ecuador and Peru???? Or would I need two different ones?     

DullGreyGuy

If you want to buy online then the suggestion is reasonable.

Personally I do it the other way round and have my UK sim as an e-sim and then use a physical sim for the visited country. Prices for "travel sims" can be notably higher than local sim options (but cheaper than roaming), looking at one site it states that no local provider in Peru offers PAYG esims so the idea of keeping your UK card physical would stop you getting a cheaper local sim. 

On-the-coast

Some countries make it easy to pick up local physical sims and some do not... I've been in places that required copies of passports and visas x3...
I have a personal preference for keeping my standard uk sim, and bolting on the ESIM. I suspect my next phone will only support ESIMs (x2 though...)

So in theory I could find one with a number before I go(need to give to relatives in case of emergency)?

In  theory yes, and certainly if money is no object. However most easily available cheaper ESIMS seem to be data only. 
I choose to leave my UK sim enabled for calls/sms (voice mail turned off...), and in the unlikely event that someone still needs to speak to me I'll accept the cost (often suprisingly small, but do check your roaming agreements).  Likewise if i need to call a hotel etc and i can't do it via online chat, then i accept the cost...
My close friends and family will just reach out on messenger etc. and find me online via data anyway.
Data comes through the ESIM...

Can set it up on the phone before I go. Then when I leave Heathrow turn off mobile data for my physical SIM and turn it on for the ESIM? Sorry but I am a total novice re this.

Yes you can - but you can only test that it's working if the ESIM allows roaming in the UK.   The act of installing the ESIM seems to start the clock ticking on its coverage.  I do quite like the ones that cover the UK as well for this reason.  If you're confident you can do this at the airport.

Also I don't suppose you could recommend one with a number and could be used in Ecuador and Peru???? Or would I need two different ones? 

both options are available at varying costs.  For simplicity i'd probably try and find one that covers both countries.
Here's one:
https://www.simoptions.com/esim-south-america/
$40 for 6GB data for 15 days... (no calls, no SMS), also covers UK and USA, and various other countries you might transit through.  you can usually top them up once data is getting low.  Some options (not this one) will carry on working when you've used up your data (but at a much slower rate)
i found the chat bot / support option with these people quite helpful - so ask away there.
there are a lot of other ESIM providers out there... (but that fact that you're looking for Chile, and particularly Ecuador, makes your ESIMS more expensive than the standard bigger destinations)

tightauldgit

One easy option for Peru is to get a 3 PAYG SIM as their Go Roam option covers Peru and you will get your UK data and call allowance as usual there. 

It would also cover Ecuador but only if you pay the silly roaming rates though so you'd probably want to find another solution for the Galapagos.

teachergirl

Thank you everyone for your suggestions...I am a real novice in this....   @On-the-coast thank you , I have more questions...sorry.  So if I buy a data only SIM my number stays the same. I only pay if I answer a call?  (what would happen if it was a spam caller and I don't answer?). Or I pay if I send or accept a text?

If someone contacts me via messenger or whatsapp that happens over the data on the ESIM ?????? how does the phone know this?   I have to confess I don't even know how to turn my voicemail off.    If you know of an easy guide you are welcome to point me in the direction of it. 

On-the-coast

Start by finding out exactly what my roaming restrictions / costs are with your current provider.
Also check how expensive it would be to simply purchase an in international roaming temporary upgrade with that provider. You will be suprised at how cheap (or how expensive) that may be.

So if I buy a data only SIM my number stays the same. 

with an ESIM... whether data or combined with a voice line, your original number remains the same - but you have a choice as to whether you enable or disable it.   
If you take the most likely option of a data only ESIM then you "just" configure the ESIM to take over the data responsibilities on your phone while "data roaming", and your existing physical SIM "stays the same".

I only pay if I answer a call?  (what would happen if it was a spam caller and I don't answer?). Or I pay if I send or accept a text?

What you pay (voice or text) depends on your current SIM provider and also the region you're in.
it might even be free to receive a call or a text - although in south america this is unlikely.
you need your table of regions/zones/countries and the cost of making & receiving calls (including the eye-watering cost of data... because it gets so expensive some people just disable/remove the sim entirely (to be safe) although you can (MUST!) also set a spend limit which stops you going bankrupt!)

Unless your spam caller spoke to voice mail you wouldn't be charged anything... 

If someone contacts me via messenger or whatsapp that happens over the data on the ESIM ?????? how does the phone know this?   I have to confess I don't even know how to turn my voicemail off.    If you know of an easy guide you are welcome to point me in the direction of it. 

Yes... the phone knows because you configured it that way.  The ESim providers try and make it easy, but the general principle is that you enable voice / data / data roaming separately for each sim - and you choose which is the primary and secondary sim.

It's difficult to recommend a general guide - we don't know what phone you're using, but you could read these (btw they all seem to make it sound a little easier than it really is... )
https://ee.co.uk/help/help-new/getting-started-and-upgrading/setting-up-an-esim/what-is-an-esim
https://www.frequenttraveller.com.au/international-esim-for-travel/

teachergirl

Thank you @On-the-coast. I am using an Iphone 14 max pro . Which I bought because according to which unless I wanted an SLR camera (which I know I would never bother to carry realistically) this has an excellent camera, which is perfect for my bucket list holiday. My current provider is BT who I know charge eye watering costs in South America. As I have said I had never even heard of ESIMs until I got the new phone. I have to pop out now but will have a read of those guides when I get back. Thank you for your patience 

On-the-coast

Well i have an iphone 13 pro... so yours should function exactly like mine.
The camera is great (and I'm someone who's made money in the past with my old full size digital and non-digital cameras)

I think Esim (for travel) is the way forward, but... the very first time setup is a little confusing.  Maybe it will get easier with future ios updates.
That's why it will be best to get one with UK data roaming - it means you can fully test / enable it before travelling. (although that means it may run out a little earlier than is ideal...)

here's an iphone orientated guide...
https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/how-to-set-up-and-use-a-second-line-on-an-iphone-with-an-esim/

DullGreyGuy

On-the-coast said:

I think Esim (for travel) is the way forward, but... the very first time setup is a little confusing.  Maybe it will get easier with future ios updates.
That's why it will be best to get one with UK data roaming - it means you can fully test / enable it before travelling. (although that means it may run out a little earlier than is ideal...)

Which is effectively another reason to go with an esim for UK use and a physical sim for travel as you only once have to deal with setting up an esim and can fully test its working whilst here and then get the cheaper physical sim whilst on holiday... this is supposed to be a money saving site after all