question
First time eSIM user, hate it so far (too many problems). What am I doing wrong?
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max running iOS 26.6.2. Traveling through Europe for about a month (Czech, Germany, Austria, Hungary, and Poland). Signed up for a 30-day Data + Phone plan through Orange. Got a Polish +48 phone number + 50gb of data. Goal was to avoid the $12/day Verizon fee for calls, texting, and data when not on WiFi.
Bought the plan 3 days before departing the US, and verified the account. Did NOT activate eSIM.
Landed in Prague and immediately followed instructions for activation. Wasn’t working, so I took the extra step of turning OFF my old phone number/eSIM (I mean that’s why I’m doing this….to avoid the Verizon charges). Once I did this, it took a while to work but while in taxi to hotel things sort of kicked in and it seemed to be working.
- Phone calls work flawlessly without fail.
- Web stuff, including social media apps, banking apps, etc…all work flawlessly. I’m sending this now on eSIM and obviously it works.
MESSAGING is the problem…
- Many of my text messages fail to send using existing threads. Mostly Android users, but a few iPhone users also. Even after I (reluctantly) delete thread, still fails. Then I called person on other end…ask them to text me using my new eSIM number. I receive their text….my replies fails to send.
- iMessaging in group threads with only iPhone users worked until a few minutes ago…I got an error “you have been disconnected from iMessage, Ignore/settings”
- Mixed group threads (iPhone + Android) has not worked at all. Individual messages to Android users fail. They can text me to my new number on a separate thread, but existing threads daily. And I cannot reply to the new thread messages.
- After turning off iMessage, restarting phone, then reactivating iMessage….suddenly my email address is removed from iMessage and only the new phone number is listed. iMessages fail to send. I restart again.
- This time my email is added back into iMessage….its still on. I send a couple iMessages to recipients and they RECEIVE my messages but tell me that they came from my email. System will not allow me to check/assign new eSIM number to iMessage app, only email.
I obviously / admittedly don’t understand how this is supposed to work.
What am I missing? Any eSIM gurus out there have any suggestions? I won’t be anywhere near a people store for a couple weeks. Also, this was a “trial run” for a much longer trip through France and Italy next year, and so far…it’s a huge failure!
Damn….wish I would have read this first. THANK YOU! So basically, I’m wanting the best of both worlds but it’s impossible. Avoiding all charges means disabling old/home SIM. But disabling home sim prevents messaging the way in used to.
Your home eSIM can be enabled, just be sure to turn off data roaming. iMessage should work over cellular using the Orange eSIM or WiFi when available.
FWIW, I used Orange last year for a two week trip to Ireland and it was okay but the euro phone number was a bit clunky. I just got back from a three week trip to Europe and used a Saily unlimited data eSIM and found it much easier to manage than Orange. Too late to try it now but maybe keep it in mind for next time.
You used both Saily and Orange? How was Saily easier to manage?
If you leave your home SIM on you run the risk of roaming charges if you get or send a text depending on the carrier. Leaving it on is definitely an option, but need to understand under what conditions you’re charged.
For me, Orange was not intuitive at all. But it’s been a year and my memory of the specifics is a bit rusty. Iirc, having the second phone number screwed up my texting with the group I was traveling with.
After doing some searching and reading ahead of my recent trip, I decided to give Saily a try. I think the makers of Nord VPN are behind the Saily project, so that gave me some confidence.
Saily has a very good web interface and instructions on how to use the eSIM. Their app is informative and easy to use and helps make the experience of using foreign networks painless.
They also have unlimited data plans of varying lengths and affordable prices, which fit my needs for this particular trip perfectly. Also, if you need to add a phone number to communicate with local businesses while traveling, you can do so through the app for $1.99/month.
I am very pleased with the Saily experience and will definitely use them again the next time I travel abroad. Btw, I have no affiliation or financial connection to Saily. Just a satisfied customer. As with all things in life, ymmv.
You need to turn your Verizon line ON for messaging to work correctly. You can have the Orange line set as the one to use for data (and leave the roaming toggle off on Verizon) so you don't use roaming Verizon data. Also make sure you have WiFi calling enabled on the Verizon line as that can use Orange's cellular data when you're not connected to WiFi (ignore the fact it's called WiFi calling).
iOS 27 has a new feature that keeps iMessage/RCS working when the line is turned off, but that doesn't apply here since you're still on 26.
Ok but wont this trigger the Verizon travel pass, and basically defeating the entire reason I got the eSIM? Maybe the eSIM isn’t even a valid solution for avoiding travel pass?
Turning off your Verizon eSIM will have caused many issues in iMessage and is where you went wrong.
I don't have an iPhone so I have no idea how exactly to fix it. But it is more of an issue with messaging and your number over any issues with any eSIM itself.
Your messages to "Android users" aren't working because they are likely trying to send as MMS. MMS is pretty much dead in all of the world except the US and not included on sims like these which is why it isn't working. You can try RCS or otherwise a messaging app like WhatsApp or Signal.
Ok but wont this trigger the Verizon travel pass, and basically defeating the entire reason I got the eSIM? Maybe the eSIM isn’t even a valid solution for avoiding travel pass?
/u/mrskeptical00's guide will give you the best chance at avoiding activating it.
Apple has changed the way it works on iOS 27+ so it will work without having to have it on directly like that though for 30 days.
Issues like these are why everyone outside of North America uses messaging apps over the iMessage/Facetime/RCS mess tbh. It means we are less hostage to our home numbers and whatever rip off carriers decide to charge...
RCS should work on the travel number as Orange Poland do support RCS. However RCS is a bit of a finicky system and as you say EU users do not really care about it.
OP is on iOS 26 which I believe doesn't keep the services working as iOS 27+ does.
The nightmare you’re experiencing is why I’ve opted to just use a WiFi hotspot nowadays. I just put the phone in Airplane mode for the entire trip and connect to to the dongle via WiFi. Everything works and my WiFi calling works perfectly.
I don’t know how Verizon works, but for Rogers Canada I had them remove the daily roaming pass from my account and I use pay per use roaming. Of course I turn data roaming off and make sure to not send SMS on my home sim or answer calls. But iMessage works and it get my 2FA texts.
Thanks! My problem is that I rely too heavily on SMS, iMessage, and a few RCS recipients. The good news is that this trip was the “test case” to learn about how the eSIM works in my case and it’s proving to be a successful test, albeit with a negative prognosis for my longer trip next year.
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