Bandicoot

Seeing some news reports like this one: https://www.hindustantimes.com/techn...621048267.html

(1) It appears that Airalo and similar eSIM providers will no longer be available from app stores from India.
(2) It also appears the "web sites" of these providers have been ordered to be blocked.

The concern seems to be about Indian residents obtaining international phone numbers through these apps, and not primarily about data access through eSIMs nor about foreign visitors using these eSIMs. However, this raises a bunch of questions on how it will be enforced.

Can visitors to India continue to use eSIMs from Airalo, etc., when in India or is that "illegal" now? (And how will they enforce it - can see it being a way to make trouble for someone if someone in an official position wants to be petty.)
Will an eSIM acquired outside India continue to work in India if access to Airalo servers is blocked? I suppose it may be impossible to top-up or renew such an eSIM while in India even if it works while it has validity.
Does the ban apply to data-only eSIMs? (And if not, will the blocking be specific to eSIMs that provide phone numbers?)

der_saeufer

All they did is order Indian ISPs to block access to the eSIM providers' websites and the apps pulled from the Indian version of the app stores. I'm not sure exactly how that will prevent Indian scammers from obtaining foreign phone numbers given that these are data-only eSIMs. Plus, I'm sure most of the scammers 'obtain' their foreign numbers either by spoofing caller ID or by buying service anonymously in one of the huge number of countries where that's legal.

If you buy an eSIM from Airalo et al while outside of India, it'll still work since the roaming agreements with the underlying carriers are still there--but if you want to use the provider's app to top up, you won't be able to do it while connected to wifi without VPNing abroad. It should still work while using the data, since the roaming SIM routes its data through its home country.

My Flexiroam and 3HK SIMs still work fine here. I don't have any credit on the 3 account to try making calls or sending SMS, but I'd bet even that still works; the 3HK eSIMs all have real, working +852 numbers attached even if you never buy local service. (edit: I just tried it, I can still receive SMS here on my HK number)

oliver2002

Airalo, Flexiroam etc buy data volume package on trading platforms at short notice and resell it via their eSims. Hence the eSIMs are valid only for that transaction period and only for data, no phone numbers are provided as India doesn't allow it post David Headly & the Mumbai attacks. (As you may recall, the terrorists had phones with prepaid SIMs that had been purchased for them in advance)

For example if say AT&T in the US expects their users to roam for x000 000 GB in India in May 2024, they make a deal/contract with Airtel/Jio/V for that volume. When a AT&T user lands in India, the AT&T sims will link up with the provider the contract is with. Sometime during the contracted period AT&T may notice that the offtake is not what they had contracted and they see a certain volume expiring soon. They then put this up for sale and Airalo picks up a few thousand GB for peanuts.

Jio & co might not like this much and perhaps approached the DoT/Regulator to ban this practice under security pretext.

Keyser

This is probably what happened. I do a lot of work for Airtel & I know for a fact that they are not happy with the likes of Flexiroam, Airalo, etc.

I can easily see all big names like Jio & Airtel & Vi ganging up to try & put a stop to this.

oliver2002

Airalo & co are probably bad for Jio/V/Airtels international roaming business: when their Indian customers go abroad they don't buy the roaming packages from their provider but book something with Airalo etc instead.

legionnaire

All I need is a durable india number that stays alive year after year. As an OCI holder without an aaadhar that seems an impossible ask for everything I’ve read. I am considering having a family member add a line but that creates a dependency on their aadhar that I would prefer to avoid if possible.

Airalo was going to be my fallback for local (cheaper) data only. But this report encourages the inertia in me to stick with roaming on my US carrier for its lower friction despite the highest cost

SeeBuyFly

The aadhar makes it easy to get a new SIM, but is not a requirement. However, some outlets may insist on an aadhar, you may have to shop around. I have found that things one outlet says are impossible are done instantly with a smile at other outlets.

I don't understand about "dependency".

The Indian SIM can be refilled annually via amazon.in to keep it active, with a US credit card. It is much more expensive it used to be, but $30/year or so isn't a big deal (and data within India will be MUCH cheaper than an Airalo eSim).

legionnaire

[QUOTE=SeeBuyFly;35935985However, some outlets may insist on an aadhar, you may have to shop around. I have found that things one outlet says are impossible are done instantly with a smile at other outlets.[QUOTE]

Got it. YMMV. Will try a few places

[QUOTE=SeeBuyFly;35935985I don't understand about "dependency".[QUOTE] it can be a hassle to ask them for OTP for any transactions like payments, renewals. Normal usage, they shouldn’t need to be bothered.

Noted point about payment via Amazon.in

legionnaire

[QUOTE=SeeBuyFly;35935985However, some outlets may insist on an aadhar, you may have to shop around. I have found that things one outlet says are impossible are done instantly with a smile at other outlets.[QUOTE]

Got it. YMMV. Will try a few places

[QUOTE=SeeBuyFly;35935985I don't understand about "dependency".[QUOTE] it can be a hassle to ask them for OTP for any transactions like payments, renewals. Normal usage, they shouldn’t need to be bothered.[QUOTE]

Noted point about payment via Amazon.in

SeeBuyFly

OTP comes to the phone and does not require the aadhar card that was used to get the SIM.

Bandicoot

Admittedly diverging from the topic of the thread, but... Is this correct? legionnaire wants a durable Indian phone number. Aadhaar may not be the hurdle, it's the proof of residence. Without proof of residence in India, I think a foreign passport holder will only get the "tourist" SIM with 3 months of validity. Happy to learn I'm wrong, but I think this is the problem a lot of OCIs and other frequent visitors to India face. You can get a SIM each time, but not a durable one so you can keep the same number for repeat visits. I suppose it's possible to find a vendor who will accept a reservation from a hotel as proof of residence and process the SIM application like a normal one?

SeeBuyFly

I did not need proof of residence, only an address (gave the address of a relative). But YMMV.

oliver2002

If an OCI does everything as per the rules, then s/he only gets a tourist sim that expires after 3 months. The legal workaround is that a friend/relative gets a line for you and lets you use the SIM card. If you find an outlet that will set up an account for you and not enforce all the rules you are lucky. Sadly these are few and far between. I nurse my late mothers post paid Vi account since the last 8 years at a cost of about 4000 Rs/year just to have a local number and plenty of data when I visit India twice a year for about a week each Last year when I came with the family I got my sons an airalo esim each for 6-7$. The elder sons iphone SE (2020) used it without issues on Jio, the younger ones iphone 12 mini would not recognize the network and didn't work. But that is probably an issue with his phone, it didn't work in the US last summer either.

legionnaire

To bring back to topic. Airalo/Holafly - I am going to skip it on future travel to India. My US Carrier's roaming plan is adequate for the days I enable roaming despite the higher cost.

As one poster mentioned, I am looking for a durable India number that doesn't expire every 3 months. This is for the myriad India based apps that need a local phone # to send you an OTP + my India Banks. Not all Indian banks are able to handle a US number for OTPs and the hassle that causes is something I'd like to solve. I can give a durable India Address but can't _prove_ it with a utility bill or Aadhar if asked. I'll likely add a line via a local family member and pay for its annually.

ukdoctor

As an OCI it was difficult and so I have an airtel phone number tha was taken with my dad's aaadhar . I can top it up in seconds with my icici account

I have an aadhar now so will try to get a number in my own name on my next trip..