draver

My recommendation is that you upgrade your iPhone 11 to either a iPhone 12 or 13 for a few reasons. They both have 5G cellular capability, and Tello runs on T-Mobile, this is what they are rapidly upgrading to around the US. It has better range and building penetration. European carriers are changing over also, but not at the same pace as T-Mobile.

The newer iPhones have Dual Sim, Dual service and can utilize two esims at the same time. You will not be limited to one carrier being on a physical sim card with an Iphone 13. NOTE: I edited my first posting after forgetting that the iPhone 12 does not support dual esim service. Only the 13 & 14 models have this ability, but of course the 14 has no sim slot. Therefore the 13 is probably the "Sweet Spot" for your plans.

This "Buy Once, Cry Once" upgrade should future proof your capabilities for several years as 5G and esims become more prevalent.

AsiaTraveler

The Google Fi flexible plan might be a good fit for your needs. $20/month gets you phone/text, and then data is $10/GB in 200 or so countries. If you anticipate a month of heavy data usage, you can upgrade to their unlimited data plan for a month and then downgrade again.

paperwastage

1) there's fine print, where you cannot just sign up for Google Fi and immediately go for a intl trip (there's like a waiting period before the intl roaming kicks in).
2) Google Fi requires you to have primary usage stateside. You could get flagged if you use too much overseas (eg long trip, or some reason only use 1GB/month in USA and 4GB/month overseas).


For that reason, it's hard to recommend Google Fi for someone who travels overseas more than stateside, versus someone who does occasional overseas trips

docbert

Is this new? I signed up for Google Fi last November (one-month-free as a result of buying a Pixel phone) and almost immediately used it for ~2 weeks in Europe. I was on the most expensive plan (because, well, it was free regardless of which plan I picked!) which might have helped, but either way it worked fine.

The other issue you raised around using it primarily/exclusively overseas is something that's been covered in the dedicated Google Fi thread here. 90 days without any use in the US is immediate blocking of roaming data.

SanDiego1K

Agree. I wish our cable and internet package were as affordable as the T-Mobile senior plan. We love it. We travel extensively, we get email for free, we do Wifi calling at hotels where we stay, and we get free texts almost everywhere in the world. The only place we haven't in recent years was Bhutan.

paperwastage

ymmv, the TOS doesn't exactly give a timeframe, and you oculd have gotten lucky.
maybe one day on USA before departing is sufficient? As I said, TOS does not have an explicit timeline

https://www.reddit.com/r/GoogleFi/co...ional_roaming/

Fredd

We installed the Skype app, and use that when making calls internationally on data. Instead of T-Mobile's 25 cents a minute, we pay about 2 cents a minute for outgoing calls.

I'm always looking for an even better way, and it's interesting to read here the various ways FTers have found to get international access.

Lost_Luggage_in_SEA

That's very interesting but does it work with all phones? For example, I have a single sim motorola android. I couldn't find a place in the settings to turn on wifi calling and examples I checked from the motorola page describing wifi calling:
https://en-us.support.motorola.com/a...-fi-calling%3f
(eg. at&t and tracfone) makes it look as if you have to turn on wifi calling from the app of the carrier. I'd be delighted to be proved wrong about this, however, as being able to place a call from the UK to the US with wifi and a US mvno sim would be very helpful for exactly the reason you describe (2FA with a bank).

StuckInYYZ

What model Motorola do you have? You can turn on wifi calling and leave it on, but you can also flip it on and off (I do this as to prevent multiple flipping when I am in n area where signal strength can be spotty) That said, you could always leave your phone in airplane mode when away from wifi and you shouldn't be charged until you connect and validate a wifi network (eg, hotels might have that captive portal)

TGarza

WiFi calling has to be supported by the carrier/MVNO and the phone as stated in the link.

The OP is using an iPhone 11 and Tello which both support WiFi calling. My postpaid AT&T iPhone 14 for WiFi calling has a setting in the iPhone which has to be enabled. No app required. My work Android on Verizon has a similar setting for WiFi calling.


Tracfone WiFi calling is discussed in this blog. The MVNO determines if WiFi calling is allowed not the carrier. Not all MVNO�s support WiFi calling. At least one carrier from Australia or New Zealand (don�t remember the carrier) restricts WiFi calling by geolocation.

TGarza

I have used Google Voice over data when traveling then I learned about IMS which uses the local data sim to send and receive for my US number. Select Android models and all iPhones XR and newer support IMS. I can call my wife when we are both in Europe with no international roaming. I wouldn�t consider an Android or iPhone which doesn�t support IMS.

paperwastage

Very few android models support DSDV/ims over data.

There are other workarounds of course, depends on your preferences, dealbteakers and usages.

1) switch to iPhone/relevant android (but it may not support the bands you need)
2) carry around second device to hotspot, to leverage WiFi calling. (If primary phone+network has WiFi calling).
3) rely on VoIP like Skype, if you need to receive/call using an actual phone number.
​​​​​​4) rely entirely on WhatsApp/iMessage/..., Which only needs data

bigshooter

if you spend more than 60-90 days with your service being international Google tends to suspend and eventually shut you down. Happened to a bunch of friends in Central America.

IMH

I'll keep this brief -- and refer people to the dedicated thread you helpfully mentioned: Google Fi: Anyone care to post their experience? -- but didn't want to let the above stand as if it were a rigid rule. It is not as simple as "90 days without any use in the US = end of roaming data".

90 days without any use in the US plus an unknown (to us) amount of data use will have the result you state. Spending several months outside the US with my Fi phone turned off most of the time has not, however, led to any problems. So far.

Buster

I retired at the end of last year and faced a similar issue. I had both a company mobile phone and a personal, so it made things a little easier. I kept my personal mobile, which I use on a Pixel 5a with a prepaid TMobile sim. It's an old grandfathered Walmart plan, but I believe similar plans still exist - $30/mo gives me unlimited data and 100 minutes.

We travel quite a lot to Europe, so for that, I have a prepaid 3UK sim. Again, this is a grandfathered plan, but I believe similar plans exist. I'm able to top it up easily at drugstores or corner shops, and then buy a package of data when I need it. It's good for free roaming throughout most countries in Europe.

I also have a Google Voice number. I've got a trip to S. Africa coming up, so I've purchased a Flexiroam esim. Haven't used this combo before, but am interested to see how it works out.