Prepping for Long-Term Travel: International Coverage, Roaming Charges, eSIMs and Burner Phones

Part 4: Prepping for Long-Term Travel: International Coverage, Roaming Charges, Secondary Lines, Travel eSIMs, and Backup/Burner Phones

In this article:

1. Staying Connected with Your Primary Carrier

2. International Plans for U.S. Providers

3. Virtual eSIMS and Local SIM cards

4. Backup/Burner Phones

Staying Connected with Your Primary Carrier

Ten years ago it was arguably easier and cheaper to travel with just your primary carrier, keeping it on airplane made until you found a good WiFi connection; these days, with the proliferation of two-factor authentication (2FA), it's nearly impossible to forgo cell service with your primary line, and providers like Verizon and AT&T take advantage of this, charging $10 per day for basic international coverage.

To clarify, $10/day is just for basic cell service (i.e. texting), and doesn't include roaming charges, which can increase your bill even more.

If you plan on receiving any text messages on your primary cell, I highly recommend switching to a travel-friendly carrier like T-Mobile before leaving the country.

Why? Because $10 per day can quickly turn into ~$300/month - just for texting.

Verizon bill after 4 months in SEA, with roaming disabled.

International Plans for Major U.S. Carriers

• Verizon:

  • TravelPass: $10/day in over 185 countries. It allows you to use your domestic talk, text, and data allowances while abroad.

  • Monthly International Plan: $100 for 250 minutes, 1,000 texts, and 5GB of data, valid for 30 days.

  • Risk: If you don’t activate an international plan, roaming charges can be high—up to $1.79 per minute for calls, $0.50 per text, and steep data rates.

• AT&T:

  • International Day Pass: $10/day in over 210 destinations. It lets you use your domestic plan’s allowances abroad.

  • AT&T Passport: $70 for 2GB of data and unlimited texts, valid for 30 days.

  • Risk: Without an international plan, you could face roaming fees of up to $2.05 per minute for calls, and high data costs.

• T-Mobile:

  • Magenta MAX Plan: Includes free unlimited data at 2G speeds and texting in over 210 countries, with the option to upgrade to faster speeds at $5/day.

  • T-Mobile International Pass: $5/day for 512MB of high-speed data or $50 for 15GB valid for 30 days.

  • Risk: While the 2G speeds are free, they can be too slow for most modern needs, and unexpected high-speed data use can add up.

• Google Fi:

  • Flexible Plan: $10 per GB in over 200 countries, with free texting and calls at $0.20 per minute.

  • Unlimited Plan: Data is included at no additional cost for up to 50GB, after which speeds are reduced.

  • Risk: Google Fi is generally traveler-friendly, but running out of high-speed data can lead to significantly reduced speeds.

I can't speak to coverage across all the carriers, but I can tell you that Verizon has always had great coverage at a very steep price, while Google Fi has had terrible coverage, at a very low price.

Instead of solely relying on a spendy or unreliable international plan, I recommend opting for a local SIM or virtual eSIM.

Virtual eSIMs

One of the best ways to stay connected while avoiding high roaming charges is to use an eSIM or local SIM card in your destination country.

An eSIM is a digital SIM card that allows you to activate a cellular plan without needing to swap out physical SIM cards. Most modern smartphones support eSIMs, and they are incredibly useful for travelers.

There are multiple providers to choose from:

• Nomad: Offers affordable short-term data plans for countries worldwide. You can download the eSIM directly to your phone without needing to visit a store. Average cost: 15GB for ~$24-$27 depending on the destination, you can add data as needed.

  
  

• Airalo: Another global eSIM provider with coverage in over 190 countries, offering competitive pricing and easy activation. Average cost: 15GB typically ranges between $20-$35, depending on the country you are traveling to.

  
  

• GigSky: Provides data plans in over 190 countries with an app-based eSIM setup; prices tend to be slightly higher, with prices for 15GB data plans typically around $30-$40, but their network is extensive and often highly reliable.

  
  

• Holafly: Specializes in unlimited data plans for many countries and regions, making it ideal for heavy data users. Average cost: Unlimited data plans start around $47 for 30 days in various countries, but this can vary by region.

  
  

• Ubigi: Offers eSIM plans for travel in over 190 countries, with options for pay-as-you-go and specific country packages. Average cost: Around $30-$40 for 15GB, depending on the destination.

I've used Nomad in the past with good-to-moderate success, but your best bet is to research which provider is the best based on the country your in at the time.

Benefits of eSIMs:

• No need to physically swap SIM cards, making it easy to switch between plans.

  
  

• You can keep your primary number active while using the eSIM for data, which is useful for receiving 2FA codes or important calls.

Note that some eSIMS provide data access but don't include a local number.

Physical SIM Cards: A Traditional but Effective Option

While eSIMs are convenient, some travelers still prefer using local physical SIM cards, these are especially convenient for secondary / backup / "burner" phones (discussed later).

This option often provides the best value for data and local calls, especially for long-term stays.

Downsides of physical SIMs:

• You need to physically remove and replace your SIM, which can be inconvenient.

  
  

• You may lose access to your primary number while using a local SIM (if your phone only has one SIM card slot), which can complicate receiving important calls or texts (i.e. 2FA messages).

If you plan on adding a physical SIM card to your primary phone, check to make sure it supports multiple SIMS.

Personally, I find it nearly impossible to travel without adding either a physical SIM or virtual eSIM to my primary cell, but maybe I'm boujie.

Whatever the case, and however you travel, I will always recommend traveling with a burner phone in addition to your primary phone.

Backup/Burner Phones

Many (if not all) long-term travelers use a cheap, unlocked "burner" phone with a local SIM card or eSIM - in addition to their primary cell.

Burner phones are useful for many reasons:

• Use it anywhere there's a risk of your phone being pickpocketed.

• Use it if there's a risk of your phone getting wet or damaged.

• Use it as a backup plan in case anything happens to your primary cell (can be used to track or lock a stolen or missing phone).

• Use the second line to connect with business on WhatsApp or call Ubers/Grabs (instead of using your primary cell number).

You can (and should) have access to your digitized documents on your burner phone (again, kept in a locked/secured folder), in addition to emergency contacts and support numbers for your bank/credit cards.

You may also want to consider setting up a second (backup) email account, linked to your burner phone, instead of linking your primary email; this can add peace of mind in case your burner phone goes missing.

Note: Old phones are great backup devices, and if you're like me, you probably have a few older models sitting in your closet, or, you can find a cheap phone at any mall, anywhere in the world.

Conclusion

While you may be able to get away with Verizon's TravelPass or AT&T's Passport plan for short-term travel, long-term travel is a different beast all-together; and while it may sound incredibly inconvenient to switch providers prior to leaving the country, I can tell you from experience, you will save a lot of money by giving this some forethought.

Your best bet is to opt for travel-friendly T-Mobile or budget-friendly Google Fi, while planning on adding local SIM cards or eSIMS to your primary cell in each country.