This is the reason I have always just bought them unlocked from Apple: Woman says

Photo by@byzahrakhan/Tiktok Gabo_Arts/Shutterstock

Woman says this major iPhone change means you’ll need 2 phones when you travel internationally. When traveling internationally, you might immediately consider a few things. For example, exchanging local currency, packing the appropriate clothing, and figuring out accommodations. But what about phones? Specifically, making sure it works overseas.

A traveler is motivating fellow travelers to carry both their present smartphone and an older or foreign model that utilizes a tangible SIM card.

In the TikTok clip, a creator of travel-related content Zahra (@byzahrakhan) details the reason behind her inability to incorporate an international eSIM card into her iPhone 14 and the solution she discovered to overcome this issue.

Why bring two iPhones when traveling internationally?

“If you have an iPhone and you bought it in the United States, there’s something that you need to know,” she says in the video. “I found out recently that my iPhone 14 does not have a SIM card. And while I’m backpacking in Southeast Asia, that’s proven to be a real issue. Because every time I move countries, I need a SIM card so I can use my data.”

She continues, “Especially when I’m alone and need to find directions and things like that. I can’t even download an eSIM because I haven’t paid off my phone yet. When I called T-Mobile to ask them to do it, they said, ‘Oh sure, we can unlock your phone, but you haven’t paid off your phone yet".

When she inquired about the cost to settle her phone bill, she mentioned being informed that it would cost just $20. Regrettably, they were unable to unlock it since she bought her phone during a promotional period, and the payment schedule is non-negotiable. Faced with the unavailability of an eSIM card for her primary phone, she resorted to using an older iPhone 8, which still utilizes a physical SIM card for its functionality.

“Everywhere else in the world, if you have an iPhone they still give you a SIM card even if you have like, the iPhone 15,” she says in the video. “That has to do with regulations and all that stuff. This is especially helpful because you can get unlimited data on a SIM card for like $26 in Thailand. So save money, live better.”

What is an eSIM card?

eSIM cards function similarly to traditional SIM cards, but they are integrated directly into the device's internal components. Unlike traditional SIM cards, which can be removed and replaced with another, eSIM cards are permanently installed in the phone. This means that users with this technology depend on their service provider to either add or remove eSIM capabilities.

According to Apple, it is possible to activate eight eSIM cards simultaneously on a single iPhone. However, this activation process is carried out by the service provider.

Apple introduced eSIM technology into its devices in 2018 and introduced the first phone designed exclusively for eSIM, the iPhone 14, in 2022, as reported by USA Today.

Viewers weigh in on the hack

A number of viewers mentioned that they are already engaging in this practice, either by buying phones that are unlocked from the start or by ensuring they have a secondary device prepared.

“This is the reason I have always just bought them unlocked from Apple and do Apple credit card payment plan deal,” one commenter wrote. “I travel a lot.”

“This is only an issue if you don’t pay for your phone in full up front. To be honest, I buy my iPhones full price to avoid this,” another commenter wrote.

“It’s because your phone is tie to your wireless contractor,” a commenter wrote. “If you go to Apple and buy a phone you won’t have this issue because you’re not getting the phone at a discount.”