When traveling, there is nothing better than communicating with loved ones or dealing with pressing business matters when you want to. Currently, two types of SIM cards exist: the physical one, which you pop into and out of your phone, and the latest advancement, an e-SIM card.
You can also try different options, such as international plans and carrying more than one phone, which I have highlighted below. Although some people may try only using free Wi-Fi when they travel, I’m not an expert.
However, I highly recommend having some type of SIM card or international option for your communications and electronic access when traveling or living abroad.
SIM cards and unlocking your phone
Let’s start with the physical SIM card. For this, you will need a phone from which you can remove the SIM card with a paper clip. You also must have an “unlocked” phone to do this. Unlocked means you own the phone outright (i.e., you bought it or have paid it off in installments). If you bought your phone directly from the manufacturer, then it should already be unlocked. (You can have your carrier unlock your device if you’ve bought your phone through a plan such as AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, etc., once the phone is paid off. This can be done online in many cases. It can take a couple of days before it’s “released,” so it’s best to do this a few days before traveling. Here’s a link that explains it well.
Most people will find that they can save a lot of money by having a second SIM card (or more if needed) when taking a trip to a different country or, for example, entering or exiting the European Union. I have two SIM cards: a Deutsche Telekom one for Germany, and an AT&T SIM card for the U.S.
Where to buy them
You can buy SIM cards at almost any newspaper stand or smoke shop (Marchand de Tabac in French, Tabakhändler in German, Tabaccaio in Italian, etc.) or grocery store. You can buy a well-known brand, such as a T-Mobile SIM card, at the provider’s shop.
Prices
Typical prices for a SIM card are 10 to 15 euros. You usually get lots of minutes and data. Important thing to know: SIM cards typically expire after a year.
What do they work with?
You can buy SIM (subscriber identity module) cards for your mobile phones, whether they are Ericsson, Nokia, Android or iPhone, etc. A SIM “allows you to easily transfer your cellular service from one phone to another, with little regard to the age or manufacturer of the device, and generally without even having to inform your carrier of the swap,” according to Hackaday.com.
Where to use them
But first, it’s important to know where you’re traveling or staying to see if your SIM card or e-SIM card will work. If you are in Europe, for example, you can buy a European-wide plan for use in EU countries. However, when traveling in Switzerland, which is not part of the EU, you will most likely need a special Swiss one, so be sure to confirm.
You can use the EU SIM card (usually 10 euros for four weeks of data and EU calling) for WhatsApp, email, Internet searches, maps to locate places and calling and texting within Europe, but not outside Europe.
Dual SIM cards
Originally, phones had only one slot for one SIM card. Now, some phones have two. If you are lucky enough to have two slots in your phone, you can always have an additional SIM card at the ready.
e-SIM cards
e-SIMs, which are really an electronic app, are now becoming popular. Four such examples include Holafly, Saily,Airalo and Nomad. They require you to download their app to use. “An e-SIM is a digital SIM that lets you switch carriers and use multiple mobile plans without swapping cards. Most new phones support e-SIMs and setting them up takes just a few taps,” according to Saily. The question is, do you want another app on your phone?
Why buy?
Why should you buy another SIM or get an e-SIM or suggest one of your visitors do the same? It can make your life easier if you want to communicate when traveling or moving to other countries. Or, if you are meeting up with people in a completely different country, it can be very useful for spending time together.
The reasons could be as simple as making phone calls, texting or sending emails, or as complicated as pulling up maps, navigating around town or buying train tickets, etc.
International plan option
Alternatively, if you don’t have the desire or time to get a SIM, you can look into purchasing an international plan from your current carrier. For example, on a recent trip, when I had misplaced one of my SIM cards. I was able to use my local carrier’s international plan for an additional charge. It would have been cheaper if I had gotten a new SIM card. But time is money, and I didn’t have the time, so I spent a bit more and was able to seamlessly switch over.
More than one phone
When I was originally ping-ponging between Germany and my homeland, I had two phones because I wanted to use both numbers. Having two phones, one with a pre-paid or a pay-as- you-go plan that I could top off as needed, and one with a monthly plan, which I used most of the time, worked for me.
Additionally, many people have an older cell phone that is no longer in use, so they could check to see if they can get it unlocked from the original carrier to use it while traveling.
It’s a good way to use that older but fully functional cell phone.
Final thoughts
Since cell phones are used for so many purposes today, it is harder to live without one. Travelers may need to use them to obtain buy public transit tickets, concert and attraction tickets and for two-step verification for banking bank and credit cards.
Two years ago, in Vienna, Wiener Linien forced buyers of weekly transit passes to use their smartphones only, so friends of the family had to have an international plan.
If you want to stay in touch with people as you travel throughout Europe or abroad or as they come to visit you, you may be, I strongly suggest getting a SIM card (physical, dual option, or e-SIM) or an international plan to make your life easier.
Mary Porcella is a Europhile who has lived in Germany, Norway, Italy, and the U.S. She is a writer, editor, and photographer who loves seeing new places, returning to old haunts, and meeting up with family and friends. Her travels have taken her to more than 20 European countries, and she hopes to visit the rest in the not-too-distant future.
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