Cell Phone Service Abroad: Finding the Right Option for You

A Cautionary Tale About Why You Need International Cell Phone Coverage

My first international trip abroad to Rome, Italy, I was clueless about cell phone service abroad.

With little knowledge about SIM cards and international cell phone networks, I opted for the basic and free, only-use-your-phone-on-wifi service.

I didn’t purchase an international phone plan or a SIM card for my trip. That meant my cell phone usage was restricted to exactly what that “service” entails: I could only access messages, email, social media, and internet on wifi.

In the age of technology and globalization, I felt like a caveman trying to navigate myself around the city the old fashioned way…by identifying landmarks and familiar streets I would mentally catalog as I traversed the city.

While I 100% support “old-fashioned” map use, my limited cartography skills and faltering landmark memory failed me when I got lost on the way back to my hotel from Roma Termini!  

I had just returned to Rome after spending a day exploring Florence. At Roma Termini, the train and bus station, I searched for a bus that would take my sister Lily and I back to Piazza Navona, the location nearest to our hotel.

Not one person was in sight at the train station because we arrived back to Rome so late in the night to make the most of our day trip to Florence. Like the naive tourists we were, we decided that the best course of action would be to hop on a random bus and hope it stopped nearby our hotel. 

My phone was dead and Lily’s was dropping charge quickly. Google maps couldn’t save us because we didn’t have cell phone service – a rookie travel mistake (but I didn’t know about eSIM and local SIM options at the time)! 

However, an unlikely hero came to our rescue: Snap Maps, Snapchat’s location tracking function. 

I watched as Lily’s Bitmoji (a digital avatar used on Snapchat and iMessage) shuffled across the map with every turn of the bus. Each time the avatar would move away from the Piazza Navona, our target destination, we would gasp. When the Bitmoji moved closer to our destination, we cheered with joy! 

Her phone’s battery was steadily decreasing like a ticking time bomb. Would we make it back to our hotel with only the skeleton of a digital map?

We watched as Lily’s Bitmoji (a digital avatar used on Snapchat and iMessage) shuffled across the map with every turn of the bus. Each time her avatar would move away from the piazza, we would gasp. When the Bitmoji moved closer to our destination, we cheered with joy! Her phone’s battery was steadily decreasing but we had hope that our random bus selection would take us close enough to walk to our hotel. 

On that bus, not only did Snap Maps save us, a guardian angel watched confusedly as we cheered with joy or distress.

A local Italian grandpa who spoke little English gestured that he could help us. We told him we were trying to get near Piazza Navona and asked if we were on the correct bus! Alas, he gestured something that told us our tumultuous journey back to the hotel was successful: two thumbs up! The local told us we needed to get off in two stops, then we could walk to the piazza. 

Rome was an adventure without cell phone service, but I have traveled with local SIMs and eSIMS and I’ll never go back to the primordial ways of using maps and identifying landmarks. Since my first international trip, I have learned a lot about cell phone service abroad…and how to make your life – and navigation – easier than trying to decipher a map or follow a compass (What, like it’s hard?).

Here’s what I recommend for international cell phone service options:

Cell Phone Service Abroad: Your Options

With Pros and Cons for Each!

Buy a local SIM Card

My favorite option for AFFORDABLE international cell phone service! When I moved to Florence for my study abroad program, the first thing I did when I arrived was go to a local cell service provider (Vodafone) and buy a SIM card.

You can purchase plans based on your budget and trip duration! For example, I bought unlimited data so I could send my family pictures of my adventures as I was experiencing them, rather than sending photos when I got back to my homestay to use the wifi!

Many local SIM cards will also allow you a set number of international minutes so if you have something to write (or call) home about from a different country, local SIMs are a great option!

Buy an eSIM

An Embedded SIM or “eSIM” allows you to purchase online cell service that will connect you to data overseas. ESIMs are similar to purchasing local SIM cards, but have the added convenience of purchasing via an expedited online process. Airalo is a great online eSIM provider for purchasing local (one specific country), regional (a geographical region of the world, i.e. Europe) and global (extended coverage worldwide) eSIMs that work with your data requirements.

International Data Plans

If your country’s phone plan offers a pay-by-the-day international plan, this is one option for extending your cell phone service abroad. However, international add ons can add up! When I studied abroad in Florence, my roommate used a $10/day phone plan and we were there for almost 200 days! I was shocked that she could afford to pay that amount just to keep her American number! 

Pay-by-the-day plans (or pay-if-you-use) may be a good choice for short term travel, but for extended periods of international travel, international plans are unaffordable, and oftentimes unreliable!

How to Choose an International Cell Phone Coverage Plan

Based on Your Trip Style!

Choosing the right cell phone service abroad is not always “one size fits all”. Evaluate your travel style, trip duration and network needs, then decide whether to purchase a local SIM card, an eSIM or use international roaming services.

I have an unlocked iPhone with the ability to swap physical SIM cards when I travel, so I usually like to purchase a physical SIM card at the airport. However, I love the convenience of eSIMs which allow you to purchase a digital cell phone network that can be used easily on multi-country adventures. 

Here are my recommendations for choosing the right international cell phone service:

Short-Term International Cell Phone Coverage

The best option for short-term international cell phone coverage is to either purchase a physical SIM card through a local provider (the most affordable option, great for budget travelers with unlocked phones!), or to purchase an eSIM (an eco-friendly digital option that allows you to keep your number). 

Most physical SIM cards can be purchased for 1 to 4 weeks (or longer depending on the provider). The digital option, eSIMs, can be purchased for anywhere from 3 to 30 days (depending on the eSIM provider) and can easily be topped off online if you need extra coverage.

If you’d rather use international roaming with your local network, it’s best to do so for a short-term international trip. Roaming charges quickly add up, so I don’t recommend this option for anyone traveling long term.

Long-Term International Cell Phone Coverage

The best option for long-term international cell phone coverage is to purchase an eSIM and “top it off” by paying for additional time. Because eSIMs offer the greatest flexibility, affordable coverage options, and fair prices, travelers spending weeks or months abroad will want the flexibility of an eSIM. 

Multi-Country Cell Phone Coverage Options

For travelers with a multi-country adventure on the horizon, an eSIM is the best option. Many eSIM providers like Airalo (my top recommendation!) have the option for multi-country coverage plans that simply require you to input the travel region and duration of travel. ESIMS are the most flexible options and can be easily purchased online, from anywhere!

How to Setup eSIM and local SIM Cards

Both eSIMs and physical SIM cards are very easy to set up. Here are some tips for setting up physical eSIM cards and physical SIM cards:

How to Set up an eSIM

Before purchasing an eSIM make sure your phone is compatible. Most eSIM providers will have instructions on their website for determining if your phone is compatible with eSIMs.

A simple way to check if your phone is compatible with eSIMs is to go to settings and check Mobile Data/Cellular for a place to add an eSIM. If you have the option to “Add eSim”, your phone is compatible. 

Using an eSIM provider like Airalo, select the duration of travel and location or region where you’ll use your eSIM. ESIM providers will recommend coverage plans based on your travel needs. 

Most providers will offer a set amount of data you can purchase before requiring a “top off” – an additional purchase when you use all your data. If you use your purchased data wisely and take advantage of wifi at your accommodation, you shouldn’t need to top off your plan. However, if you consistently use data for social media or texting, your data may run out faster. 

Once you’ve purchased your eSIM, connect the eSIM using the provider’s instructions. Most of the time it requires you to add the eSIM within your phone’s settings (Mobile Data/Cellular settings). Having the eSIM provider’s app will help!

How to Set up a Physical SIM

Setting up a physical SIM card is easy if you have the right tools. 

Before purchasing a physical SIM card for the country you’re visiting, check to make sure your phone is unlocked and allows for the option to change your SIM card.

To check if your phone is unlocked, go into your general settings and search for “Carrier Lock”. If your phone says “No SIM restrictions” it is unlocked. If you don’t have an unlocked phone, you cannot use a physical SIM card.

Now that you know that your phone is unlocked and you’ve purchased a local SIM card, it’s time to switch your home SIM with the country’s local SIM. 

To do this you’ll need a pin or a paperclip to pop open the SIM compartment usually on the right side of the phone (for older iPhone models). I frequently use the back of my earrings to pop open the SIM compartment when I travel. 

Remove your home SIM and replace it with the country’s local SIM. Make sure to keep your home SIM so you can use your old number when you return from your travels! Once you pop the physical SIM into the compartment, turn your phone off then on and allow the SIM to connect to the local network. 

My Recommendation for the Best eSIM

My top recommendation for the BEST eSIM for international data coverage is Airalo. I love the user-friendly app, which makes it easy to purchase eSIMs for regional travel or multi-country adventures. 

Airalo eSIMs are very easy to use because they connect with local data networks. Just note, with an eSIM like Airalo, you’re limited to DATA USAGE only and cannot make local calls. WhatsApp, iMessage and FaceTime work great using data, but SMS and international calling do not. 

Hopefully this detailed guide about understanding cell phone service options abroad will help make your international vacation seamless and connected!

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