If you have an iPhone 14, you can have two lines/carriers. Instead of inserting a second SIM chip, your phone has an “e-SIM” or “embedded” SIM. Most people use this feature to access cheaper plans than your domestic service when traveling overseas to avoid your domestic carrier’s roaming fees. You can have one line for business and one for personal is another reason to use this feature.
You can download the e-SIM before you travel with a prepaid capacity. If you run out of data, you can buy more. There is no refund for unused data. Plans vary for a day to a whole year. It can cover a country, a region, or the world. You will need to unlock your phone as it might be unable to access another carrier without doing this. Research your new provider and read reviews and privacy details in the App Store.
Some samples include: “Airalo, which has investments from Rakuten’s and LG’s venture-capital arms; Nomad, which is owned by LotusFlare, a Silicon Valley startup founded by former Facebook and Microsoft executives; and Ubigi, which is a brand under Japanese carrier NTT Group’s France-based Transatel business.”
Prices may vary during high travel season so shop around. AT&T and Verizon charge for international travel passes per day. Some T-Mobile plans off free roaming but a high-speed data cap.
For local calls try Skype for a fee or for free, use WhatsApp.
Follow download and set up instructions as it may require some fiddling with cellular settings. You’ll need internet access to download the e-SIM, so do it before you leave. Turn off data roaming on your US carrier to avoid charges.
Another option, get a virtual phone number. Google Voice gives you a U.S. phone number, and you can choose the area code. It’s free for personal use or starts at $10 a month per business user.
If you have two US lines, you choose which line to use by setting the default for each person in your contacts. Carriers let you change the Default Voice Line in cellular settings.
(from an article in the Wall Street Journal on-line with Apple News, July 2023)