eSIM card questions

[rickrun1223]

Has anyone used their cell service provider on the Camino? I have Visible (a Verizon subsidiary), and am curious how the service was. I have been looking at some of the threads about eSIM use on the Camino. I couple have commented that Spanish SIM does not allow them to call internationally. I need to be able to reach home in the US. What are some good SIM providers once I get to Spain? Flying into Madrid then train to Pamplona. How many days is the eSIM service good for? And once back in the US would my phone automatically go back to my provider? Thanks for the help.

 

[Antnix1]

Skype credit works well to call mobile/landlines as long as you have a good 4g signal or wifi.

 

[trecile]

You will need to ask your provider what kind of international service they have and what the cost is.

The easiest way to keep in touch with friends and family when you are abroad is via WhatsApp which you can use with WiFi or cellular data with a Spanish SIM. Your friends and family would need to have WhatsApp installed on their phones. Your number remains the same on WhatsApp even when you have a foreign SIM with a different number installed.

If you have to call people or businesses that don't have WhatsApp you can use the Viber app - I purchase "Viber Out" credits, and I can make calls over WiFi or cellular data for 2¢ a minute back to the States or to Spanish numbers.

I bought $5 worth of credits a couple of years ago and still haven't used them up.

Cheap International Calls Worldwide | Viber Out

Make free internet calls with Viber. Call friends and family on any landline or mobile phone with Viber credit, sign up today at Viber.com

account.viber.com

 

[trecile]

I just did some quick Googling, and although Visible is a Verizon subsidiary it doesn't offer the same kind of plans for international travelling as Verizon does, so you won't be able to use it for calls, text or data while in Spain.

Visible | It's Phone Service. In An App.

www.visible.com

Your phone will need to be unlocked to use a foreign SIM or eSIM.

Let us know the make and model of your phone and someone should be able to tell you how to check if it's unlocked or not, and if you can use an eSIM or need a standard SIM card.

You can also contact Visible to find out if your phone is locked.

 

[trecile]

You can find more answers on the Visible community forum. Here's one post

Traveling Internationally

Hello, I have Visible and I am traveling to London. I understand that Visible does not work in Europe and I need to purchase an international SIM card for service. What I need to know is whether my phone will work over airport Wifi, meaning I can buy a SIM card when I arrive in London, or if it...

community.visible.com

One other thing - if you get a data only eSIM you will not have a Spanish phone number, but you will be able to use WhatsApp and Viber with the data plan

You can use an online service like Airalo to buy an eSIM and activate it once you get to Europe.

https://www.airalo.com/

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

The iPhone 12 is a dual-SIM iPhone with full support for a physical nano-SIM card and also an eSIM. This means that you can use two lines simultaneously. So, if your phone is unlocked, you could keep your US number and configure the phone to use the physical SIM for phone calls but not for data (I'm assuming that is the one with your US number). You could then use Airalo or some other service to get a data eSIM and use that for data that is likely to be much cheaper than the plan offered via the SIM card. Having the US number for calls allows your phone to ring if anyone at home calls that number. There is no extra charge to them. If your mother needs to go to the hospital she doesn't have to do anything new to call you. Your plan will charge YOU for this call though and any you make home. Pickup the call, get information and then say you will get back to them through a cheaper method or a cheaper time. This configuration should also allow you to get two factor security messages and codes if you use a banking app. In addition to getting just data on the eSIM you could also get data with a Spanish number too using one of Spain's network providers. If you need that number you temporarily configure your phone to use the eSIM for calls and then switch back to the SIM card when done.

Once you get cheap data you could use that (or wifi) to make free or cheap calls over the internet instead of using the phone network. WhatsApp and Viber apps allow this. It also appears that your home network provider, Visible, allows it too but I find their documentation to be rather difficult to understand.

Enough for now. Find out if your phone is locked.

Edit: Rick's phone is likely unlocked. He replied on another thread:

IPhone12. I switched from Verizon and own the phone outright. I don’t believe it’s locked through current provider Visible.

 

[trecile]

I read on the Visible Community site that you should be able to use Wi-Fi calling, but you need to set it up and use it at least once before you leave home.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Apple supplies documentation on how to configure your phone for dual SIM.

Using Dual SIM with an eSIM - Apple Support

Set up and use Dual SIM.

support.apple.com

 

[trecile]

If you choose to use Airalo check out this post with links to videos on how to use Airalo.

YouTube videos about the Airalo app.

I liked this first one best.
YouTube video id Pi1Cb1tEeSI

Airalo's own video.
YouTube video id LOCh56YYvUY

One more.
YouTube video id ZkhfJzvTpbw

 

[DoughnutANZ]

Simplest is to buy a Spanish SIM or eSIM card from a major network provider like Vodafone. This will give you a local Spanish phone number, heaps of data and will last for 28 days with the option of renewing for as long as you want via additional 28 day periods.

This will allow and (usually include) a large number of international minutes to call home and given that your phone can take two SIM/eSIMs you can leave your current SIM in so that people at home can call you at your cost.

 

[jfgough]

Has anyone used their cell service provider on the Camino? I have Visible (a Verizon subsidiary), and am curious how the service was. I have been looking at some of the threads about eSIM use on the Camino. I couple have commented that Spanish SIM does not allow them to call internationally. I need to be able to reach home in the US. What are some good SIM providers once I get to Spain? Flying into Madrid then train to Pamplona. How many days is the eSIM service good for? And once back in the US would my phone automatically go back to my provider? Thanks for the help.

If you have a newer smartphone you can upload an esim. This allows you to switch between your current carrier and the international esim while abroad. I used this on my CF last fall. If you're unfamiliar with this process, you can find great information online.
Buen suerte y buen Camino!

 

[Sarge63]

I’m a Verizon customer (not Visble) and their international plan worked perfectly with no issues and didn’t have to worry about having another number from a different country. I did hear of folks having issues going between france and Spain so be careful and make sure you can access the service from both countries if you plan to start on the French side.

 

[DoughnutANZ]

.... I did hear of folks having issues going between france and Spain so be careful and make sure you can access the service from both countries if you plan to start on the French side.

Yes, for some people this is an issue, not only Spain to France but anywhere in Europe.

Two things are required for there to be no problems:
1 the service plan associated with the eSIM/SIM must allow for roaming.
2 your phone settings must be adjusted to allow for both data and (if used) cellular phone services roaming.

All the options suggested earlier in this thread by experienced pilgrims allow for roaming within Europe and so all that is required is to choose one of these options AND to adjust the settings on your phone.

 

[dillsburger]

I think this thread has pretty much run its course, but here's my summary response:

1) If you have Visible, you won't have international calling with them.
2) If you have Visible, your phone is unlocked, so that means you can use a SIM card or an eSIM.
3) Before deciding between a SIM or eSIM, install WhatsApp on your iPhone and practice calling friends and family on that app before departing the US. It will work off of both cellular or WiFi service.
4) You can buy a SIM card at the Madrid airport. The advantage to that is that you stroll into an airport cell phone store and ask the person to literally insert the new SIM card for you. Just make sure you watch so you can put in your old Visible SIM card when you land back in the US.
5) Alternatively, you can download an eSIM before leaving the US. In my research,, Airalo is a decent brand. The advantage to this is that you can download the eSIM at home and have phone service as soon as you touch down in Madrid.
6) Both options are crazy cheap compared to using an international calling plan. You can choose plans that vary in duration and GB of data.
7) Make phone calls and text via WhatsApp. It will work off cell data or WiFi, so you'll always be in contact with friends and family in the US.
8) When you get home, switch back to you usual SIM or eSIM.

Hope this helps!

 

[DoughnutANZ]

Alternatively, you can download an eSIM before leaving the US. In my research,, Airalo is a decent brand. The advantage to this is that you can download the eSIM at home and have phone service as soon as you touch down in Madrid.

This is partially correct.

It ignores the fact that buying a data only eSIM from a tiny company called Airalo provides less functionality at higher cost with considerably less customer support than buying either a SIM or eSIM from a major network provider in Spain that will happily ship the SIM or eSIM to you in the USA before you leave so that you have plenty of time to figure out how to use the extra services.