Summary: Choosing an international data plan can be simple and affordable

Things have changed significantly — mostly for the better — for travelers who want to use their mobile devices while traveling abroad. I wrote about my failed attempt to use my mobile phone when traveling in Japan back in 2016.

For my trip to Italy, I really wanted to have data access. This would enable me to use Google Maps, post pictures to Instagram, check email, translate words on the fly, and look up things on the internet.

My existing cell provider, Mint Mobile — which I highly recommend — offers international coverage, but it isn’t cheap. I didn’t expect to make phone calls or send/receive texts — my main communication would be through Signal and WhatsApp. There was a slight chance I might have needed access to my phone for 2-factor authentication.

I decided to go with an international data plan and install it on a second phone. I chose Eskimo (available for iOS and Android). I have no relationship beyond being a customer and I receive no benefit for promoting their service.

You don’t have to have a second phone. You can install the Eskimo eSIM on your existing phone and switch carriers depending on when you are home or abroad. I just happened to have another phone that was compatible, so I went that way.

Eskimo is not the cheapest plan out there, and it has one major drawback: this is a data-only plan; no phone or texting service is offered.

Why I Chose Eskimo

That being said, there are several advantages that persuaded me this would be the best plan:

1. Eskimo uses an eSIM (i.e. no physical SIM card required)
   As long as your mobile phone supports eSIMs, you will be able to get up and running within minutes. You don’t have to wait for a SIM card to be mailed to you, install it, etc. Unsure whether your phone is supported? Check the device compatability list on Eskimo’s website.
2. No data limit or speed throttling
   Many providers will limit the amount of data you can use during a period of time. Others may offer “unlimited data,” but throttle your data transfer speed after a certain amount of data has been used. Eskimo has no such limits or throttling.
3. Data can be used for 2 years
   I purchased 10 GB of data. After my week in Italy, I had used only 2 GB. So, I left my phone with my traveling companions who are staying another week. I doubt they will exhaust my purchased data, so I will be able to use the data next time I travel abroad.
4. Over 80 contries served
   Some data plans may be cheaper, but they may be limited to certain countries or continents. I should be able to use this plan most places I might want to go.
5. Personal Hotspot Functionality
   Since I installed this on a second phone, I left my primary phone settings unaltered (other than turning off mobile data and roaming services). I could turn on hotspot functionality so I could use other mobile devices (laptops, tablets, etc.) as well as allow my traveling companions to use my phone as a Wi-Fi hotspot and take advantage of my purchased data.

My traveling companion had a phone with a plan that offered international coverage. But enabling it cost US$10 per day — a typical fee. For a two-week vacation, those charges quickly add up. I purchased 10 GB of data for just US$39 (and it is likely it will last me for a year or more).

I advised them to set their phone in airplane mode. Free Wi-Fi was available at our lodging and on many of the trains we took. But when they needed access where no free Wi-Fi was available, I just turned on my personal hotspot and they were good to go.

When Was I Most Grateful to Have Data Coverage?

1. Using Google Maps
   The streets in ancient cities like Rome, Venice, and Florence go every which way. Even when walking just a few blocks one can get confused or lost. Using Google Maps to guide my way helped me identify landmarks, and locate a coffee shop, a gelateria, or restaurant. Furthermore, Google Maps was able to indicate which bus lines to take and even water buses in Venice. Also, it was kind of cool to fire up Waze and see how fast our high-speed train was traveling (up to 150mph!).
2. Unlocking my AirBnB door
   One of the AirBnbs we used had an electronic door lock. It could be unlocked by punching in a code or by visiting a website and clicking a button online. The code our host sent us never worked, so I unlocked our door several times every day using my phone.
3. Purchasing tickets and reserving seats on the train
   We were encouraged to always reserve seats on the train, which we did using the Eurail mobile app (available for iOS and Android).
   
   
   
   We were able to check train schedules, reserve seats, and show proof of our tickets and reservations using just our phones.
4. Dinner reservations
   This was a busy time for tourism, so we made reservations using my phone. We were able receive reservation confirmations as well as alter existing reservations using my phone.
5. Translating
   I used Deepl to translate unrecognizable words on menus, signs, and more. Restaurants with online menus but none available in English could be automatically translated using my cell phone web browser.
6. Hailing a taxi
   We found out how much supply and demand for taxis can fluctuate depending on the day of the week and time of day. Lyft doesn’t appear to serve Italy, and although Uber does, it is much more expensive than taking a taxi or public transportation.
   
   At first, simply hailing taxicabs at busy intersections and roundabouts worked fine. But one evening we were trying to make our dinner reservation, and we were unable to secure a taxi for over a half hour standing on a busy street. We weren’t eager to try to call and navigate a phone conversation to order up a taxi.
   
   Finally, my companion fired up their appTaxi app, which was able to secure a taxi, indicate our destination, and let us know how long our wait would be (about 6 minutes).
   
   If you are traveling to Italy, I highly recommend you install this app (it only works in Italy). Be sure you install and set it up before you need it — it will ask for a lot of information and need to send you confirmation texts before you can use it.

Conclusion

Having mobile data access while traveling abroad is both convenient and can save you serious time and headaches. Purchasing a data plan that supports eSIMs, like Eskimo, is easy and well worth the cost.