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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]We have T-Mobile international coverage for calls and texts, but bought eSIMs just for data for a recent vacation. Worked great.[/quote]

Interesting- our old grandfathered T-Mobile plan includes free texts when outside the US, but calls are 25 cents/minute so we don't really do that.  The data is slow, but it's good enough for maps and things like Whatsapp voice calls.  If you want a high speed data connection, we just wait on that stuff (videos, uploading pictures, etc) until back to the hotel/rental and have wifi.[/quote]
PP you quoted. Sorry, you are right, only texts are free internationally w/T-Mobile.
Data from eSIM was very convenient for GPS (I know, you can download offline maps) and for research on the go, like find a cafe and call/check if it is open on a holiday. Slow/no data was a big annoyance on prior international trips, so I am glad we had it. To save $$, only one person in the group can pay for fast data.[/quote]

FYI, GPS isn't really relying on data from cell towers- that comes directly from the GPS satellites, not the primary data connection to cell towers.  So yes, with an offline map downloaded, you can get directions without a cell data connection- although you won't get updated traffic info, for instance.

And you identified the most annoying part about the slow data- basic things like finding a restaurant that's a few blocks away, and having to wait to download the site for hours and the menu, etc.  It will seriously take like 60-90 seconds to download a single page if it has some big graphics or video.  Other than that we are fine with the slow data because we aren't watching videos, etc while out and about. But that little annoyance is worth it to save hundreds on a "normal" international plan, or having to switch to a local SIM and lose home phone number.[/quote]

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