International Data: eSIMs, WiFi, and Staying Connected Abroad

As someone who once racked up a three-hundred-dollar roaming bill in a single day (thanks, automatic iCloud backup), I learned everything about international data connectivity through expensive mistakes. The landscape has changed dramatically since then, but choosing wrong still costs money or strands you without navigation in an unfamiliar city. Neither outcome is acceptable.

eSIM Has Changed Everything

If your phone supports eSIM (most phones from 2019 onward do), international data went from complicated hassle to solved problem. Apps like Airalo, Holafly, and Nomad offer data plans for virtually any country. Buy before you leave, activate when you land, and you’re connected without swapping physical cards or hunting for vendors.

The pricing makes carrier roaming look predatory by comparison. A week of data in Europe runs five to fifteen dollars through eSIM providers. The same usage through carrier roaming could cost hundreds. International data has gotten complicated with all the options, but the math clearly favors eSIM for most travelers.

Activation timing matters. Some eSIM providers start your plan clock when you activate, others when you first connect to a local network. Understand which model you’re buying. Activate too early and you waste days. Activate too late and you’re scrambling at arrival.

When Physical SIMs Still Win

Not all phones support eSIM. Older models require physical cards. Some regions have limited eSIM provider coverage. Physical SIMs from local carriers sometimes offer better rates and stronger network coverage than international eSIM services.

Probably should have led with this: airport SIM vendors are convenient but consistently overpriced. Neighborhood phone shops in most countries sell tourist SIMs at local rates. The first twenty minutes you spend finding one saves money you’d otherwise overpay at the airport. Whether that trade-off makes sense depends on how much you value your time versus your budget.

Keep your home SIM somewhere safe if you swap. Losing it means porting your number when you return. Consider a dual-SIM phone if you travel frequently enough to warrant keeping both active simultaneously.

WiFi Hunting

Free WiFi remains common but unreliable. Cafes assume you’ll buy something. Hotels include it but often at speeds that frustrate anything beyond email. Public spaces offer it intermittently with variable quality.

Plan for connectivity gaps rather than assuming constant access. Download what you need before leaving reliable networks. The navigation that works perfectly at your hotel may fail when you actually need it in an unfamiliar neighborhood.

WiFi calling through your home carrier works over foreign networks without roaming charges. Enable it before you leave. That’s what makes this feature endearing to us international travelers: emergency calls and texts to home work over any WiFi connection, regardless of whether you have local data.

Offline Preparation

Download maps before traveling. Google Maps and Apple Maps both allow offline downloads by region. A downloaded map of Barcelona works without any connectivity, showing your location via GPS while routing you to destinations.

Translation apps require downloading language packs for offline use. The camera translation feature that reads menus and signs needs these files locally. Airport WiFi is too slow and unreliable for last-minute downloads.

Essential documents should exist on your device, not just in cloud storage. Flight confirmations, hotel reservations, vaccine records if required. Screenshot everything important. The PDF that opens instantly beats the one that won’t load without connectivity.

VPN Considerations

Public WiFi security remains questionable regardless of country. Coffee shop networks, hotel connections, and airport WiFi all expose your traffic to potential interception. A VPN encrypts everything, protecting banking apps, email, and personal information from whoever else is on that network.

Some countries restrict or monitor VPN usage. China, Russia, and several others block common VPN services. Research regulations at your destination. Installing VPN software after arrival may be impossible if the service is blocked.

Business travelers with company VPNs should test connectivity before critical meetings. Hotel and cafe networks sometimes block VPN protocols, leaving you unable to access work systems when you need them most.

The Practical Stack

My current approach: eSIM for data in most destinations, offline maps downloaded before departure, VPN enabled on any public network, essential documents stored locally. This combination handles most situations without drama. The occasional connectivity gap becomes minor inconvenience rather than travel-ruining disaster.

Test your setup before you need it. Confirm the eSIM activates correctly. Verify offline maps load the areas you’ll visit. Check that your VPN connects through foreign networks. Five minutes of preparation prevents hours of frustration.