eSims

Author
Discussion

Batfoy

Original Poster:

661 posts

13 months

Thursday 17th October
quotequote all
Just taken on a role that requires regular travel to the Middle East (mainly KSA but poss UAE and Qatar) approx 4-6 times a year. Looking for a permanent eSim so that I can use WhatsApp in the UK even though it may be registered to a foreign eSim. For specific reasons looking at getting a Saudi eSim but not sure how it all works really. Any suggestions/experience gratefully received.

LeeM135i

657 posts

61 months

Thursday 17th October
quotequote all
Not sure about KSA specific but I have a Sim for the USA as I got fed up with carry multiple phones.

Sign up to a service, they send you a QR code.
Scan it with your phone which then adds the eSim

On iPhone you can then set each SIM to do their own thing so disable the data on the KSA eSim in the UK and swap that setting when travelling.

For What'sApp you need WA business for the second number but it's easy enough to download and set up.

On iPhone you can go through your contacts and set which Sim you call and text that contact from, keeping them separate. You can also set which SIM starts a new call or text chain, if you want to use the other number just select it at the top of the screen before calling or texting.

It's fairly easy to use once up and running.

Batfoy

Original Poster:

661 posts

13 months

Thursday 17th October
quotequote all
Magic, that’s really helpful info - thanks!

beer


brums evil twin

326 posts

243 months

Friday 18th October
quotequote all
just download and use Airalo app - its so simple
I just add an eSim for the market I am heading to or even the region for the time I am there.

I am working in Vietnam and Philippines these two weeks so I go one for Asia for 30 days

I just add a new one each trip for very very few £££s


tight fart

3,077 posts

280 months

Friday 18th October
quotequote all
I’m using one now in Turkey, BNE eSIM download the app and very easy to set up, 5gb non expiry around £5, 30day is even cheaper.

james6546

1,135 posts

58 months

Friday 18th October
quotequote all
brums evil twin said:
just download and use Airalo app - its so simple
I just add an eSim for the market I am heading to or even the region for the time I am there.

I am working in Vietnam and Philippines these two weeks so I go one for Asia for 30 days

I just add a new one each trip for very very few £££s
We did this in Albania. Assuming you can find WiFi, or set it up before you go, it’s very easy via the Airalo app.

AW10

4,497 posts

256 months

Friday 18th October
quotequote all
Zim is anotehr e-sim finding app. Works a treat and seems slightly cheaper than Airalo.

Tebbers

372 posts

158 months

Sunday 20th October
quotequote all
If you use Airalo, purchase the eSIM before you leave the UK as you can’t purchase them when you’re there for some countries eg the UAE.

onny

327 posts

269 months

Monday 21st October
quotequote all
Try roamless.com they are a PAYG esim. One esim works all over the world so no need to switch between esims or buy extra days etc. No expiry on credits.

Bit expensive for middle east countries but most of the other places around the world is around US$3 per GB of data. This is what I use as I'm a light user while on the road but you can easily get free Wi-Fi in hotels and shops / cafes for bigger downloads or videos etc.

Just so handy to have 1 esim for anywhere with no credit expiry and no need to pay extension for extra days.

journeymanpro

805 posts

84 months

Monday 21st October
quotequote all
LeeM135i said:
Not sure about KSA specific but I have a Sim for the USA as I got fed up with carry multiple phones.

Sign up to a service, they send you a QR code.
Scan it with your phone which then adds the eSim

On iPhone you can then set each SIM to do their own thing so disable the data on the KSA eSim in the UK and swap that setting when travelling.

For What'sApp you need WA business for the second number but it's easy enough to download and set up.

On iPhone you can go through your contacts and set which Sim you call and text that contact from, keeping them separate. You can also set which SIM starts a new call or text chain, if you want to use the other number just select it at the top of the screen before calling or texting.

It's fairly easy to use once up and running.
You don't need wa business if you use a Samsung dual sim. I have 2 seperate WhatsApp apps on the same phone.

Time4another

270 posts

10 months

Monday 21st October
quotequote all
journeymanpro said:
You don't need wa business if you use a Samsung dual sim. I have 2 seperate WhatsApp apps on the same phone.
Learn something new every day. Always bugged me not being able to use whatsapp on the works Esim and more importantly works data. Just set mine up, took 5mins tops.

Condi

17,933 posts

178 months

Monday 21st October
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Not every country does eSim, from memory only about 60 countries do, which mean 150ish don't.

Batfoy

Original Poster:

661 posts

13 months

Monday 4th November
quotequote all
Coming back to this, I'm going to buy a UK eSim but need an inclusive package to use in Saudi without incurring extra charges. Anyone know of one? Vodafone do some utterly perplexing deals and I can't work out what might work and when I did find one they wanted an extra £7.39 per day to use the UK allowance.

hellorent

513 posts

70 months

Monday 4th November
quotequote all
journeymanpro said:
You don't need wa business if you use a Samsung dual sim. I have 2 seperate WhatsApp apps on the same phone.
You now can have 2 whatsapp accounts without the need for a dual sim phone, on the 1 whastapp account

Batfoy

Original Poster:

661 posts

13 months

Monday 4th November
quotequote all
hellorent said:
journeymanpro said:
You don't need wa business if you use a Samsung dual sim. I have 2 seperate WhatsApp apps on the same phone.
You now can have 2 whatsapp accounts without the need for a dual sim phone, on the 1 whastapp account
Don't think you can on iOS though.

w1bbles

1,055 posts

143 months

Monday 4th November
quotequote all
Batfoy said:
Coming back to this, I'm going to buy a UK eSim but need an inclusive package to use in Saudi without incurring extra charges. Anyone know of one? Vodafone do some utterly perplexing deals and I can't work out what might work and when I did find one they wanted an extra £7.39 per day to use the UK allowance.
O2 Inclusive Travel tariff is good for Saudi.

Batfoy

Original Poster:

661 posts

13 months

Monday 4th November
quotequote all
w1bbles said:
O2 Inclusive Travel tariff is good for Saudi.
Thanks. I had a look on O2 earlier today (I'm already with them) and struggled to see where I could add the eSim, anywhere I looked it seems to suggest that I could only delete my old number and a new one via eSim. Very confusing. Ref Inclusive Travel, it doesn't look like Saudi is included?



w1bbles

1,055 posts

143 months

Tuesday 5th November
quotequote all
Batfoy said:
Thanks. I had a look on O2 earlier today (I'm already with them) and struggled to see where I could add the eSim, anywhere I looked it seems to suggest that I could only delete my old number and a new one via eSim. Very confusing. Ref Inclusive Travel, it doesn't look like Saudi is included?


I think you need to find the ‘ultimate’ package although I’ve got no idea how much that costs.

Batfoy

Original Poster:

661 posts

13 months

Tuesday 5th November
quotequote all
w1bbles said:
I think you need to find the ‘ultimate’ package although I’ve got no idea how much that costs.
Yeah, I may just get a standard UK eSim and let the company deal with the costs as and when they occur.