If there is one possibility to put a damper on your overseas travel, it has won a bill to roam large data on your iPhone. I once managed to adjust my bill of about $40 in 15 minutes between mobile phone switching after the plane landed, after organising a local data plan inside the airport terminal.
Recently there is a simple solution to instantly get a local ESIM at a competitive price, but I’ve used this on my recent trip to figure out how wise it would be for Apple to make this a standard iPhone feature…
One of the great things about travel these days is that being thousands of miles away from family and friends doesn’t mean you have to get in touch with them.
From continuing the same textual conversations we have in our city to video calls on Faseti-Time as an alternative to face-to-face contacts, technology allows us to feel almost connected when we travel the same way we are at home.
In developed countries it is entirely possible to use only Wi-Fi and remain fairly connected. Almost every hotel these days includes free Wi-Fi. You will also find that it is usually available in all coffee shops and tourist attractions. Apple and Google Maps also allow you to download offline maps so you can navigate without data.
However, making mobile data access available is even more convenient. Usually there are a few options here.
- Advance booking Roaming plans from existing carriers are often billed as daily fees
- Use a dedicated ESIM app to purchase apps for your destination
- Buy ESIM online before your trip
- Buy one on arrival from a local airline
My own solution is to buy one through the Revolut app. This is because you already use your Revolut card (installed in the wallet app) for all your overseas spending.
The ESIM options are very well hidden! A very intuitive path is to tap on Revpoints. You don’t actually need to register (this is a paid option), but instead you can tap the ESIM button under what you want to start. From there you need to automatically provide options for use in the country you are in at the time.
If you turn on your iPhone while already connected to Wi-Fi, you can purchase without spending a roaming fee. I find the options I offer are always cost-effective.
But I think it makes more sense for Apple to offer Travel ESIMS directly. The company has already implemented partnerships with essentially all carriers around the world and is confident it is happy to offer travel ESIM deals to visitors. By choosing all local airlines in each country, we guarantee that pricing is fierce and competitive.
Here’s how I see it working…
Once you turn on your iPhone (or disable plane mode) and make sure you’re in another country, you’ll immediately pull up the pop-up window and ask if you’d like to buy a local ESIM. Tap Yes to see all options from all carriers. Once you select one and purchase, your purchase will be processed via Apple Pay and activated immediately.
If the data runs out before you leave the country, another pop-up appears to notify you and ask if you need a top-up.
The default networks in each country should require sufficient use. Turn on your phone without a Wi-Fi connection and immediately switch to a local carrier to provide you with the purchase process.
Is that what you want to see? Please vote for us and share your thoughts in the comments.
Highlighted accessories
Photography by photo
