Travel Data and Roaming, Explained Simply
Roaming, local prepaid SIMs and eSIMs solve the same problem at very different prices. Work out which one fits your trip before you leave home.
Staying online abroad is a different problem from sending credit home. This page is about your own handset on a trip.
There are three usual answers. Each suits a different kind of travel.
Roaming on your home plan
Roaming is the easy one. Your number keeps working and nothing changes on the device.
It is also usually the dearest, unless your plan includes the country you are visiting. Check the included list before you assume.
A local prepaid SIM
A local SIM gives you local rates. For a longer stay, it is normally the cheapest option by a wide margin.
The trade-off is your number. Calls to your home number will not reach the new SIM unless your phone holds two at once.
An eSIM
An eSIM is a SIM built into the handset, activated by a code rather than a card. Most recent phones support one.
It lets you keep your home number active while adding local data. That combination is why travellers moved to it.
How much data a trip needs
Maps and messaging are light. Video calls and streaming are not.
A week of navigation and chat is modest. A week of evening video calls is several times that.
Where we fit
VirtualPhone tops up prepaid lines, including local numbers you already hold. We are not a SIM or contract provider, and we will not pretend to be one.
If you are sending data to someone else instead, read mobile bundles.