Last updated: 22 October 2026
Yes. A data-only travel eSIM does not replace your phone number: keep your usual line switched on with its data roaming off, and texts, bank verification codes included, keep arriving on it abroad. WhatsApp and iMessage stay on your usual number too, and simply run over the eSIM's data.
The trick is to treat your phone as two lines with two jobs: your usual line for your number, the travel eSIM for data. Here is how to set that up, and what each part costs.
The setup in one table
| Your usual line | The travel eSIM | |
|---|---|---|
| Line switched on | Yes, so calls and texts reach you | Yes |
| Mobile data | No | Yes, set it as the data line |
| Data roaming | Off | On |
| Default for calls and texts | Yes | No (it has no number) |
| iMessage and FaceTime | Yes, your number | No |
On iPhone, all of this is under Settings > Cellular. On a Samsung Galaxy it is under Settings > Connections > SIM manager, and on a Pixel under Settings > Network & internet > SIMs. Our install guides for iPhone and Android walk through each screen.
Bank codes and other texts (SMS)
A text message does not use mobile data. So turning off data roaming on your usual line does not stop texts: as long as the line is on and your carrier has a partner network in the country, one-time codes from your bank, your airline or your email still arrive.
What it costs to receive them depends on your carrier, not on the eSIM:
- AT&T says received texts are free abroad and do not trigger the $12 International Day Pass. Sending a text does.
- T-Mobile includes texting in its 215+ covered countries and destinations on its Experience and Essentials plans.
- Verizon lists making or answering a call, sending a text and using data as the things that start a $12 TravelPass day. Receiving a text is not on that list, but Verizon does not say outright that it is free, so check your plan in the My Verizon app.
- UK and Australian carriers vary by plan. Check your own roaming terms before you go.
Three habits keep codes flowing:
- Do not switch your usual line off if you are expecting codes. A line that is off receives nothing.
- Test it before a big payment. Ask a friend to text you on the first day.
- Set up app approval before you leave, if your bank offers it. A login approved in the bank's app works over the eSIM's data and does not depend on SMS at all.
WhatsApp is tied to the number you registered, not to the line carrying the data. With a travel eSIM, your WhatsApp account, chats and contacts stay exactly as they are, and messages and calls go over the eSIM's data. There is nothing to change.
One warning: do not reinstall WhatsApp or register it again while you travel. Registration sends a code by SMS or a voice call to your number, so it depends on your usual line being reachable. If you get a new phone just before a trip, set up WhatsApp at home.
Calls over WhatsApp, FaceTime or other apps use the eSIM's data, so they cost nothing beyond your plan. That is the cheapest way to call home.
iMessage and FaceTime
iMessage and FaceTime need an internet connection, and they use whichever line carries your data, so the travel eSIM works for both. Your messages still go out from your usual number.
Check two settings before you fly:
- Settings > Messages > Send & Receive: make sure your phone number is ticked, not only your email address. Otherwise your friends see your messages coming from your email.
- Settings > Cellular, then under your lines, set iMessage & FaceTime to your usual line. iOS asks this when you add the eSIM.
Watch the green bubbles. A message to someone without iMessage goes out as a regular text from your usual line, and sending a text abroad can start a day pass on Verizon or AT&T. To stop an iMessage that cannot be delivered from going out again as a text, turn off Settings > Messages > Send as Text Message. Messages to people who do not use iMessage still go out as texts, so reach them on WhatsApp instead.
Calls on your usual number
Calls are where the costs are, so know your carrier's rule:
- Verizon and AT&T: answering a call on your usual line abroad starts a $12 day pass, just like making one.
- T-Mobile charges $0.50 a minute for calls in covered destinations, and counts one minute for an incoming call even if it goes to voicemail.
If you need to stay reachable, leave the line on and accept the odd paid day. If you do not, tell people to reach you on WhatsApp or FaceTime, and let calls go to voicemail. Wi-Fi calling can also help: AT&T says Wi-Fi calls to US numbers are free from abroad, and T-Mobile says the same for Wi-Fi calls to the US, Canada and Mexico. Our guide to travel eSIM vs international roaming compares the trade-offs, and the carrier guides for Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile have the details.
On Android
The same rules apply. On a Samsung Galaxy, open Settings > Connections > SIM manager and choose your usual SIM for Calls and Text messages, and the travel eSIM for Mobile data. On a Pixel, open Settings > Network & internet > SIMs and set the calls and SMS preference to your usual SIM and mobile data to the travel eSIM. WhatsApp works exactly as on iPhone.
If texts stop arriving, check that your usual SIM is still switched on, then toggle airplane mode. Our guide to fixing an eSIM that is not working abroad covers the data side.
FAQ
Will I get texts with a travel eSIM?
Yes, on your usual number, as long as that line stays switched on. A data-only travel eSIM has no number of its own and does not stop your usual SIM from receiving texts. Turning off data roaming on your usual line does not block texts either.
Will I receive bank verification codes abroad?
Yes, by SMS on your usual line, if the line is on and your carrier has a partner network where you are. If your bank offers approval in its app, set it up before you leave: it works over the eSIM's data without SMS.
Does WhatsApp work with an eSIM?
Yes. WhatsApp stays on the number you registered and uses the eSIM's data for messages and calls. Do not re-register it abroad, because registration sends a code by SMS or call to your usual number.
Does iMessage work with a travel eSIM?
Yes. iMessage runs over whichever line carries your data, and messages still come from your number. In Settings > Messages > Send & Receive, check that your phone number is ticked.
Do I pay to receive texts abroad?
On AT&T and T-Mobile, no: AT&T says received texts are free and do not trigger its Day Pass, and T-Mobile includes texting in its covered destinations. Verizon does not list a received text as a TravelPass trigger. UK and Australian plans vary, so check yours.
Can I receive SMS with data roaming off?
Yes. SMS does not use mobile data, so turning data roaming off on your usual line, which you should do to avoid data charges, does not stop texts from arriving.
Facts checked on 22 October 2026 against Apple's support pages, Verizon's TravelPass FAQ, and the AT&T and T-Mobile roaming pages summarized in our carrier guides (checked 10 October 2026).