Anyone tried an eSIM for data in Indonesia?

[reubencahn]

Has anyone used an eSIM in Indonesia? Seems like this could be a convenient way to keep your phone number active while avoiding international roaming data charges.

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[divinh]

At least with T-Mobile USA there's a large set of countries where your mobile plan just keeps working, just at a slower data rate, 2G/3G, and the data cap is limited, but you can pay extra to keep it working and/or to get higher speeds.

Most of the time, I'm using Wi-Fi Calling at the accommodations (otherwise, $0.20/min) and use the included limited data when out and about. It does take a little forethought, like downloading regional maps ahead of time, so the only data required is location updates, instead of downloading chunks the maps as you travel about.

I've traveled to Japan, Hong Kong, Thailand, Indonesia and Europe, and upon switching off airplane mode, I would get a little welcome message of the country and things would work. For French Polynesia, I had to buy a SIM, popped it into an older phone, to use as a Wi-Fi hotspot.

 

[GF99/99]

why bother when you can just get a SIM card in Indonesia a fraction of the cost. Just checked my Telkomsel account and as of right now 35GB is IDR 88,000 (USD $5.82) I travel all over the world and its soooo much cheaper to just buy local SIM cards.

Unless you got one of the stupid new American version of the iPhone 14 the your SOL since for some reason Apple decided to only make American iphone's with out a physical SIM card but the rest of the world gets a physical SIM slot WTF no sim card slot on the new iPhone 14 main reason I just ordered my iphone 14 from the Apple HK store, comes with 2 physical SIM card tray.

 

[tridacna]

why bother when you can just get a SIM card in Indonesia a fraction of the cost. Just checked my Telkomsel account and as of right now 35GB is IDR 88,000 (USD $5.82) I travel all over the world and its soooo much cheaper to just buy local SIM cards.

Unless you got one of the stupid new American version of the iPhone 14 the your SOL since for some reason Apple decided to only make American iphone's with out a physical SIM card but the rest of the world gets a physical SIM slot WTF no sim card slot on the new iPhone 14 main reason I just ordered my iphone 14 from the Apple HK store, comes with 2 physical SIM card tray.


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What extra cost? With TM 2G/3G is included. And eSIMs will be ubiquitous in the next couple of years. Much easier for the carriers to manage.

 

[GF99/99]

What extra cost? With TM 2G/3G is included. And eSIMs will be ubiquitous in the next couple of years. Much easier for the carriers to manage.

From what I can tell the lowest plan is $60/month + tax & fees so call it $70 out the door. I pay $5.82 out the door for 4G with my local SIM

Also from what I can tell after 5GB TM limits you to 256kbps basically rabbit speed, like going back in the past when DSL first came out.

Now I do agree if your a 1-2 time a year international holiday traveler only for a couple weeks then maybe its easier to just use something like the TM plan but don't forget about the 5GB limit and in my personal experience of traveling to many many different countries for example just this year I have been to 16 different countries. I have played around with different options for SIM cards and mobile plans including the Google plan (which is actually really good) but the lowest cost by far is to just buy local SIM cards. There soooo much cheaper especially in Asia, Africa, South America.

Also yes maybe in first world developed nations eSIM might be catching on however just last month I bought an SIM card in Uganda from a guy sitting in a little wooden box on the side of the road. Defiantly no eSIM there and probably will not be catching on for a while, lost of people still using non color screen push button Nokia's.

 

[reubencahn]

why bother when you can just get a SIM card in Indonesia a fraction of the cost. Just checked my Telkomsel account and as of right now 35GB is IDR 88,000 (USD $5.82) I travel all over the world and its soooo much cheaper to just buy local SIM cards.

Unless you got one of the stupid new American version of the iPhone 14 the your SOL since for some reason Apple decided to only make American iphone's with out a physical SIM card but the rest of the world gets a physical SIM slot WTF no sim card slot on the new iPhone 14 main reason I just ordered my iphone 14 from the Apple HK store, comes with 2 physical SIM card tray.

Can't use two physical SIMs at once, I could switch my US number to an eSIM and use a physical Telkomsel SIM, but I'm pretty sure I'd get stuck with an activation charge to switch to an eSIM.

At least with T-Mobile USA there's a large set of countries where your mobile plan just keeps working, just at a slower data rate, 2G/3G, and the data cap is limited, but you can pay extra to keep it working and/or to get higher speeds.

Unfortunately, I switched to Verizon last year. They give you some limited free data overseas, but not much.

 

[divinh]

My example of T-Mobile USA was to say that your existing carrier might also include some included roaming usage, not to suggest getting another phone plan.

If keeping your existing number is desired, then perhaps have your phone on Wi-Fi Calling and use an older phone in hotspot mode with a local SIM? Sure, it would mean managing two phones, but you'll have your number... unless there's some way to transfer your existing number to a local SIM. I'd be interested to hear about that.

 

[tridacna]

From what I can tell the lowest plan is $60/month + tax & fees so call it $70 out the door. I pay $5.82 out the door for 4G with my local SIM

Also from what I can tell after 5GB TM limits you to 256kbps basically rabbit speed, like going back in the past when DSL first came out.

Now I do agree if your a 1-2 time a year international holiday traveler only for a couple weeks then maybe its easier to just use something like the TM plan but don't forget about the 5GB limit and in my personal experience of traveling to many many different countries for example just this year I have been to 16 different countries. I have played around with different options for SIM cards and mobile plans including the Google plan (which is actually really good) but the lowest cost by far is to just buy local SIM cards. There soooo much cheaper especially in Asia, Africa, South America.

Also yes maybe in first world developed nations eSIM might be catching on however just last month I bought an SIM card in Uganda from a guy sitting in a little wooden box on the side of the road. Defiantly no eSIM there and probably will not be catching on for a while, lost of people still using non color screen push button Nokia's.
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I think that the vast majority of users on SB, probably in the USA are those “one trip per year” travelers. I do a lot of travel, United 2M (small fraction of yours!). I’m keep a second phone for an additional SIM if necessary. I need to keep my primary number active. TM is mostly sufficient because WIFi is so pervasive.

 

[reubencahn]

For anyone who is interested, I dug a little further. Verizon will let you transfer your number to eSIM without an additional charge. Most Verizon plans also give a 1 day "Travel Pass" per month of service. Each Travel Pass gets 24 hours of service, unlimited calls and SMS and 0.5 GB of high speed data. After you've used your 0.5 GB, you get 2G speeds unless you pay an additional $10 per 0.5 GB high speed. A crappy deal, but each travel pass is activated only when you make a call or text or use data on your Verizon account number. So, I can transfer my US Verizon number to eSIM, add a Telkomsel physical SIM for data and local calls if any, and use the Verizon number if I need to call back to the US utilizing the oh so generous free Travel Pass days in my account.

Maybe this will save someone else an hour of Google searches. If I could only figure out how to top up the three year old Telkomsel SIM in my iPad, I could switch it to my phone before I leave, but that seems to be beyond me, so I'll have to purchase a SIM when I get to Manado.

 

[tursiops]

If I could only figure out how to top up the three year old Telkomsel SIM in my iPad,

It doesn't sound hard...

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