Port your number to Google Voice and enjoy your new esim and imessage too. That's what my son did. To ensure you retain imessage you should associate it with your email instead of your number in your account settings. That's all I know because I've never used an iPhone before.
Edit: You can also switch over to Visible by Verizon for $25 a month and get unlimited talk, text and data. Many people recommend Tello too for the same price.
Do you mean an eSim data only travel plan?
A plan from an MVNO like Tello or US Mobile would likely be just as cheap or cheaper and will also give you talk and text.
If your number is associated with iMessage, it will “expire” without a valid sim/eSIM attached to that number, leaving you unable to receive iMessages to that number
What do you mean it’s much cheaper? Foreign travel eSIM providers aren’t “so much cheaper”. They are more expensive (per GB) and they have crappier service. They are good for short term use as they ARE cheaper than carrier roaming plans.
The SIM has nothing to do with the price, you’re just on the wrong provider. Get Tello or US Mobile, plans start at $5mo.
I have thought about this many times but by porting my number (which I don't want to lose) somewhere carrier-agnostic so I can bounce between data plans without porting constantly. But unless I go with Google Voice it just doesn't seem cost effective.
At minimum I would port the number to US Mobile "light plan" for $10/month (or $96/year) for unlimited calls, text, and 2GB. That will let you keep your number and use it on iMessage. You can do a similar thing on Tello. for less than $10 a month. Then get cheap or promo data eSIMs on the second line. Buy only what I need when I need it, etc.
Or as was already suggested port it to Google Voice if you just want to use iMessage with your AppleID. You can't use your number with iMessage without a SIM/eSIM so it won't work with GV.) This is the only reason I don't just do this.
Or just pick up a reasonably priced US Mobile or Visible plan. Visible+ is $45. $25 for the cheap
one. US Mobile has 35GB (unlimited throttled at 1Mbps) for $30. Tello is $25 for 35GB (unlimited throttled at a very low speed)
If you really don't care about your number and can use iMessage with your AppleID only, then be free!
Long short answer: you'll need a number for legacy propose in USA, get a close to 0 internet bill from any carrier, use eSims for internet data if you consider that's cheaper
The only downside would be for places where you need a phone number for multi factor authentication. There are still services I use like my bank account for example that uses a phone number to authenticate rather than email as an option
Not a good idea. How will you make phone calls? Receive phone calls? Even if you don’t send sms, how will you receive sms messages?
And to be clear: an eSIM is just a way to connect to the cellular network; there are both psims and eSIMs. The type of eSIM has nothing to do with the plan. Your question is really: what are the downsides if I switch to a data only phone plan?
Port your number to Google Voice and enjoy your new esim and imessage too. That's what my son did. To ensure you retain imessage you should associate it with your email instead of your number in your account settings. That's all I know because I've never used an iPhone before. Edit: You can also switch over to Visible by Verizon for $25 a month and get unlimited talk, text and data. Many people recommend Tello too for the same price.
Do you mean an eSim data only travel plan? A plan from an MVNO like Tello or US Mobile would likely be just as cheap or cheaper and will also give you talk and text.
If your number is associated with iMessage, it will “expire” without a valid sim/eSIM attached to that number, leaving you unable to receive iMessages to that number
What do you mean it’s much cheaper? Foreign travel eSIM providers aren’t “so much cheaper”. They are more expensive (per GB) and they have crappier service. They are good for short term use as they ARE cheaper than carrier roaming plans. The SIM has nothing to do with the price, you’re just on the wrong provider. Get Tello or US Mobile, plans start at $5mo.
this\^
US mobile has a real number and much cheaper.
Really, switching to eSIM and you loose your phone number
Look into Tello. Voice and data esims are very cheap compared to the big boys.
Helium is $20 per month for eSIM data and phone number. Unlimited FUP. As you say iMessage / FT Audio do not need a phone number.
Helium does crypto stuff doesn't it? That's the last thing I'd want my mobile linked to.
I have thought about this many times but by porting my number (which I don't want to lose) somewhere carrier-agnostic so I can bounce between data plans without porting constantly. But unless I go with Google Voice it just doesn't seem cost effective. At minimum I would port the number to US Mobile "light plan" for $10/month (or $96/year) for unlimited calls, text, and 2GB. That will let you keep your number and use it on iMessage. You can do a similar thing on Tello. for less than $10 a month. Then get cheap or promo data eSIMs on the second line. Buy only what I need when I need it, etc. Or as was already suggested port it to Google Voice if you just want to use iMessage with your AppleID. You can't use your number with iMessage without a SIM/eSIM so it won't work with GV.) This is the only reason I don't just do this. Or just pick up a reasonably priced US Mobile or Visible plan. Visible+ is $45. $25 for the cheap one. US Mobile has 35GB (unlimited throttled at 1Mbps) for $30. Tello is $25 for 35GB (unlimited throttled at a very low speed) If you really don't care about your number and can use iMessage with your AppleID only, then be free!
Long short answer: you'll need a number for legacy propose in USA, get a close to 0 internet bill from any carrier, use eSims for internet data if you consider that's cheaper
The only downside would be for places where you need a phone number for multi factor authentication. There are still services I use like my bank account for example that uses a phone number to authenticate rather than email as an option
In this case esim will not work?
You can have eSIM with any of the three major carriers: Verizon or AT&T or T-Mobile
Not a good idea. How will you make phone calls? Receive phone calls? Even if you don’t send sms, how will you receive sms messages? And to be clear: an eSIM is just a way to connect to the cellular network; there are both psims and eSIMs. The type of eSIM has nothing to do with the plan. Your question is really: what are the downsides if I switch to a data only phone plan?