Travel to Europe

[NCalJohn]

I'm planning a trip to Europe next year and am trying to figure out how the cell phone will work.  I've read all the posts in the Community that discuss this, so I understand that my phone  will make and receive calls when connected to WiFi (if I have this featue activated.)   But I can also purchase and install a European SIM card for cell tower coverage.  But, can someone explain things a little further?  For example, when I install a European SIM card, my phone number changes, right?  So, if I'm connetced to Wi-Fi, do I still receive phone calls and texts being sent to my US number?  It doesn't make sense that I would.  So, do I have to keep switching between the two SIM cards- using the European one when I'm not in WiFi range and then switching to my US one when I am?  Has anyone actually done this and can describe how it actually works?  Finally, I found a European SIM card that I can buy in advance from a company called SIMSDirect.  Has anyone used them?  Thanks - John

[Lfm]

I run a physical visible sim and a Google Fi esim.  When traveling abroad I activate my Google Fi and the visible sim actually uses data from the esim and maintains service. I used my phone as if I never left home.  Ringing and outgoing.  I think the only thing that didn't work were sms messages. 

I didn't have this experience with my pixel 4 but was presently surprised on the iphone that it piggyback onto the data of the other sim

[lchoukroun]

Hi could you please give us a little more info on adding the google Fi esim?

[TheCellTower · Accepted solution]

If your phone doesn't sopport eSIM and you take out your American SIM and you insert a European SIM you will not get your calls and text from your American phone number because in order Wi-Fi calling should work the SIM has to be in the phone, if your phone sopports eSIM you can get a European eSIM and leave your phisycle SIM in your phone (and enable both plans eSIM and SIM) you can get a European eSIM from eSIM.net 

[Thorongil]

I am doing something similar right now.  Visible has an embedded SIM (eSIM) too, and if the phone supports eSIM, NCalJohn can activate it very simply right here: https://www.visible.com/help/pSIM-to-eSIM.

By the way, it's CRITICAL to activate the eSIM first, before upgrading to an international calling plan, as I am.