Airalo data-only eSIM for travel

Use "Viber Out" to call landlines/mobile while traveling.
For Canadians, use "fongo" to call landlines/mobile while traveling.

2025-04-02

Prerequisite

Check primary (home network) Data is "Roaming Off"
Settings...Cellular....
    Cellular Data Options  Roaming Off
        if you have 2 SIM profiles:
        Primary....Data Roaming... Off (slider switch is grey out)
Say goodbye to ridiculous roaming charges 😀

  roaming-off

 Airalo eSIM setup (iPhone)

airalo
Make sure your cell phone is capable of using eSIM before purchase. Dial *#06#, eSIM capable phone will show a 32-digit long EID number.
Download and install Airalo app
Typically a few days before travel, purchase a destination eSIM (e.g. Spain, 3GB, 30 Days)
Open airalo app, tap "My eSIMS", select the eSIM you purchased,
tap "View Instructions", detailed instructions are shown on screen.
check to see if DATA ROAMING needs to be ON, 99% of the times it needs to be ON.

About Validity Policy:
The information page at the eSIM purchase section tells you what validity policy is used.
For most eSIM, validity period starts (i.e. clock starts ticking) when you are connected to a destination cellular network, let's call this "good eSIM".
But for some eSIM, validity period starts (i.e. clock starts ticking) at the time of install, for the purpose of install/activation, let's call this "nasty eSIM".
A "Global" eSIM likely includes your home country as "destination". It is not nasty at all, but for the purpose of activation timing, treat it as a "nasty eSIM".

Step 1
For "good eSIM",  about 1 week before travel.
For "nasty eSIM", delay doing Step 1 until "day of travel" (to conserve validity period).
At home with WiFi (or cellular Internet) access, or at a WiFi café.
Open Airalo app, select and purchase a eSIM.
tap "Install eSIM"
Activate New eSIM ? tap "Allow"
tap "Continue"
A few minutes later (be patient, don't interrupt the process), tap "Done"
optionally create a custom label that is more meaningful than "Secondary",  e.g. Spain
Default Line ? tap primary
iMessage ? tap primary
Cellular Data ? If you are not traveling immediately, tap Primary.

Step 2 (day of travel)
For "nasty eSIM", do Step 1 install/activation (see above).
At departing airport, connect to airport WiFi.
At cruise terminal, connect to terminal WiFi.
At land crossing, a few km inside destination country, switch to Secondary data.
Settings...Cellular...Cellular Data....
    change from Primary to Secondary.
    Cellular data should come from Secondary (eSIM), but no data flow yet, because the following 2 conditions need to be met:
(1) you most likely need Secondary's Data Roaming to be turned ON
Settings...Cellular

    tap Secondary line
        toggle Data Roaming to ON
(2) you need to connect to a destination cellular network.

Step 3 (at destination)
If everything goes well, you arrive at destination fully connected: 😀

With Airalo eSIM at destination country, you can use WhatsApp, WeChat, Viber, fongo, Facebook Messenger, YouTube, iMessage, Facetime, Uber, Google email, Google Chat, Google Maps, etc.

Trouble shooting procedure:
If you have no access to Internet at the destination:
Settings...Cellular
    tap the Secondary line:
        Check:
        -Network Selection - T-Mobile or Verizon
            (consult Airalo app to see which network(s) applies to your eSIM)
            (e.g. Telcel for Mexico; Movistar for Spain; T-Mobile or Verison for USA)
            (e.g. China Unicom or China Mobile for China, CSL for Hong Kong)

        -tap Cellular Data Network - APN should be set automatically. No action is needed, but it should not be blank.

Turn ON Airplane mode then turn OFF Airplane mode
(this forces the phone to reconnect to the new wireless environment)

I leave my primary line in the "OFF" position to avoid accidental charges.

But occasionally, e.g. in a hotel, I turned the primary line to "ON" and let the SMS comes in and then turn it "OFF" again.
- I want to check inbound SMS while abroad (inbound SMS is free for Canadian carriers).