Roaming in USA - best option

Dirk Diggler · 4 Nov 2023 at 17:37

I'm heading to the USA and looking to see what the best option would be for data. We have Lebara and ID mobile, and would be happy to pick up a PAYG SIM with someone else if required? Or, get a SIM over there?

TIA

planty · 5 Nov 2023 at 07:45

If your phone supports esim then go for airalo. Good service, really easy to use, no hassle.

Dirk Diggler · 5 Nov 2023 at 09:36

planty said:
If your phone supports esim then go for airalo. Good service, really easy to use, no hassle.

Thanks, I've never heard of them so will give them a look-see.

Dirk Diggler · 22 Dec 2023 at 15:04

I've bought an esim from Airalo. I'm not travelling until 28th but was wondering if I input it to my device now, will I be able to switch between my normal network and the esim will still be available, or do I need to wait until I'm in the USA before installing the esim?

KIA · 23 Dec 2023 at 17:16

Dirk Diggler said:
I've bought an esim from Airalo. I'm not travelling until 28th but was wondering if I input it to my device now, will I be able to switch between my normal network and the esim will still be available, or do I need to wait until I'm in the USA before installing the esim?

How To Install and Activate an Airalo eSIM: Your Complete Guide

Looking to install and activate your eSIM for an upcoming trip? Here's how to do that in a few steps.

www.airalo.com

See Step 3.

Raymond Lin · 23 Dec 2023 at 17:20

Dirk Diggler said:
I've bought an esim from Airalo. I'm not travelling until 28th but was wondering if I input it to my device now, will I be able to switch between my normal network and the esim will still be available, or do I need to wait until I'm in the USA before installing the esim?

You can install it anytime, but the plan doesn't trigger until it is in the country.

Source - I've done it 4 times this year.

Generally I do it the week before, as the plan lasts 30 days, so I do it "just in case", but once I do it, I turn off that e-sim until I am on the plane. At the same time I would turn off data roaming on my UK sim so I won't get charged when I land.

Dirk Diggler · 23 Dec 2023 at 18:48

Magic, thanks for the replies.

Raymond Lin · 23 Dec 2023 at 23:25

Dirk Diggler said:
Magic, thanks for the replies.

When you are done and home, do not uninstall the sim, just turn it off, the data will lapse after 30 days but if you go back, you can just top up again rather than go through the whole process of installing again. One phone can hold 128 e-sims I think so that’s plenty.

Raymond Lin · 24 Dec 2023 at 01:27

I think the way Airalo work is by using a local carrier, so when I was in Japan the network showing on the screen is one of the major local network provider, I think it was SoftBank. When I was in Morocco it was Orange, which is one of the biggest network there. You are essentially using a local sim, bought via an app.

I think that’s why it works as well as it does, I can’t imagine it being any better than buying a physical local sim, unless somehow the region of the country you are in is not covered by that network.

Reuben klang · 24 Dec 2023 at 09:26

Raymond Lin said:
You can install it anytime, but the plan doesn't trigger until it is in the country.

Source - I've done it 4 times this year.

Generally I do it the week before, as the plan lasts 30 days, so I do it "just in case", but once I do it, I turn off that e-sim until I am on the plane. At the same time I would turn off data roaming on my UK sim so I won't get charged when I land.

I made the school boy error first time and had to wait for ever at the airport wifi to get it connected.

I always now install the sim before I leave my house, then turn the line on when I land at the destination. Another good tip is to change the setting on the eSim line so it solely uses that as data/priority can't remember what it is as I can't view it. Means you can just turn off the roaming (as above) and not have any issues using your own number for imessage/whatsapp etc

Raymond Lin said:
I think the way Airalo work is by using a local carrier, so when I was in Japan the network showing on the screen is one of the major local network provider, I think it was SoftBank. When I was in Morocco it was Orange, which is one of the biggest network there. You are essentially using a local sim, bought via an app.

I think that’s why it works as well as it does, I can’t imagine it being any better than buying a physical local sim, unless somehow the region of the country you are in is not covered by that network.

This is the exact same for me in both those countries but I was using holafly.

The only reason I started to use holafly is they do unlimited data, they're a lot more expensive though. I'm prone to downloading my podcasts which eats up data as well as backing up photos/videos. If i'm going to a place for 3 weeks + I'll use them.

It's done by days on hola but you can't knock 10gb for $13 for airalo.

Raymond Lin · 24 Dec 2023 at 10:16

Reuben klang said:
I made the school boy error first time and had to wait for ever at the airport wifi to get it connected.

I always now install the sim before I leave my house, then turn the line on when I land at the destination. Another good tip is to change the setting on the eSim line so it solely uses that as data/priority can't remember what it is as I can't view it. Means you can just turn off the roaming (as above) and not have any issues using your own number for imessage/whatsapp etc

This is the exact same for me in both those countries but I was using holafly.

The only reason I started to use holafly is they do unlimited data, they're a lot more expensive though. I'm prone to downloading my podcasts which eats up data as well as backing up photos/videos. If i'm going to a place for 3 weeks + I'll use them.

It's done by days on hola but you can't knock 10gb for $13 for airalo.

Turn off “Allow Mobile Data Switching”.

I actually have my home sim stay on but data sim on too. So I can a make and receive calls on my home sim in an emergency.

I also turn off iCloud photo syncing, and apps update via mobile data. Especially on holiday, you take so much more photos on the phone.

I looked at Holafly and Ubigi too but Airalo is much better value…and easily manageable when you turn off the photo and app sync via mobile data.

I still have 2gig left from 5gig I bought in Morocco out of 7 days. In Japan I bought 20gig for 11 days I had 7gigs left.

Raymond Lin · 24 Dec 2023 at 17:13

Reuben klang said:
The only reason I started to use holafly is they do unlimited data, they're a lot more expensive though. I'm prone to downloading my podcasts which eats up data as well as backing up photos/videos. If i'm going to a place for 3 weeks + I'll use them.

It's done by days on hola but you can't knock 10gb for $13 for airalo.

I just looked at Holafly....$34 for 7 days unlimited in Morocco, vs....$31.50 for 5gig (which is what I bought last time) on Airalo, even though I only used 3 gig...

I am going to give Holafly a try next month. Every region/country's data plan differs a lot it seems, Europe and Japan is very good value. Like right now, I can get 10G for $9 for 30 days for Japan, it's currently on sale, just buy it twice and 20G is plenty for a 2 weeks trip.