Best eSIM with a Real Phone Number (and Why It Matters)

I got locked out of my Wise account in a cafe in Chiang Mai. Two-factor authentication. SMS code required. The code was sent to my Australian number, which was on a data-only eSIM in my phone's secondary slot. No phone number on that eSIM meant no SMS. No SMS meant no verification. No verification meant no access to my money.

I had to video call my sister at midnight Melbourne time to log into Wise on her phone and transfer money to my Thai bank account so I could pay my rent. It took two hours and she was not happy about it.

This is the problem with data-only eSIMs that nobody talks about until it happens to them.

The Data-Only Problem

Here's what surprised me when I started using travel eSIMs: almost all of them are data-only. That means:

• No phone number
• No ability to make phone calls (regular calls, not WhatsApp)
• No ability to receive SMS
• No way to call emergency services from the eSIM line

You're essentially carrying a mobile hotspot that happens to be inside your phone.

For tourists checking Instagram and using Google Maps, that's fine. For anyone who needs to actually function in a foreign country (calling a landlord, verifying a bank account, booking a restaurant, calling a hospital), it's a serious limitation.

When You Actually Need a Phone Number

Let me count the times a real phone number saved me in the last year:

1. Bank verifications (countless times) Wise, Revolut, CommBank, every financial app wants SMS verification. If your eSIM doesn't have a number, these codes go to your home SIM. If your home SIM is in another slot with no reception, or you've put it on a minimal plan to save money, those codes don't arrive.

2. Calling landlords (every time I move) Finding apartments in Da Nang, Lisbon, and Medellin all involved phone calls. Vietnamese landlords, especially, communicate almost exclusively by phone. Not WhatsApp. Not email. Phone.

3. Booking restaurants and tours A seafood restaurant in Split. A boat tour in Cinque Terre. A cooking class in Hoi An. The operators all wanted a phone number to confirm bookings. "Just call us when you arrive" only works if you can actually call.

4. Emergencies A girl in a hostel in Chiang Mai had a severe allergic reaction. Someone needed to call the hospital. Not WhatsApp call. Actual phone call to an actual Thai phone number. The person who called was using GOAN. She had a real number. She made the call in 5 seconds.

5. Setting up local services Gym memberships, coworking spaces, SIM registrations (ironically), delivery apps. Most local services in SEA and Latin America require a phone number at signup. A data-only eSIM doesn't cut it.

6. Ride-hailing driver calls Grab and Bolt drivers in SEA will call you when they can't find your pickup location. If your eSIM is data-only, they can't reach you. You'll see a missed call notification but you can't call back on that line. The driver leaves. You're stuck.

Which eSIM Providers Give You a Real Number?

I checked every major travel eSIM provider. Here's the reality:

Google Fi and T-Mobile include phone numbers, but they're US carrier plans with international roaming, not travel eSIMs. They're designed for Americans and come with US plan pricing ($50-65/month).

GOAN is the only dedicated travel eSIM I've found that includes a real phone number at a travel-friendly price ($29 for 20GB).

How Dual SIM Actually Works

This confuses people, so let me clarify.

Modern phones have two SIM "slots": one physical SIM tray and one eSIM. You can have both active at the same time. Your phone lets you choose which SIM handles:

• Mobile data (your travel eSIM)
• Phone calls (either SIM)
• SMS (either SIM)

My setup:

• Physical SIM: Australian Telstra (home number, minimum plan just to keep it active)
• eSIM: GOAN (travel data + real phone number)

Calls to my Australian number ring on my phone. Calls to my GOAN number ring on my phone. Data runs through GOAN. I get SMS on both numbers.

If my GOAN eSIM was data-only, I'd only have one working phone number (my Aus one on a minimal plan with no data). With GOAN, I have two working numbers in the same phone.

For a deeper look at how this works, check out my guide on setting up your phone for long-term travel.

The VoIP Workaround (and Why It Falls Short)

"But I can just use WhatsApp to call people."

Sure. When it works. Here's when it doesn't:

• The restaurant doesn't have WhatsApp (common outside of tourist areas)
• Emergency services don't answer WhatsApp calls
• Your data connection is too slow for VoIP (patchy areas)
• The person you're calling expects a regular phone call
• Bank verification requires receiving an SMS, not a WhatsApp message

VoIP is a complement to a phone number, not a replacement. Having both data AND a real number means you're covered in every situation.

The Cost Argument

"But data-only eSIMs are cheaper."

Let's check:

GOAN is $3 more than Airalo for double the data AND a phone number. And $15 less than Holafly with no throttling.

The "savings" from choosing a data-only eSIM are negligible. The inconvenience of not having a phone number is massive. I learned this the hard way. You don't have to.

Setting Up

1. Check your phone compatibility
2. Get your GOAN eSIM
3. Set it as your data line AND enable calls on it
4. Keep your home SIM for existing contacts and verifications
5. Give your GOAN number to landlords, local services, and anyone you need to reach you abroad

The install guide takes about 60 seconds.

Your phone should be a phone. Not just a fancy Wi-Fi device. Get an eSIM that actually lets you call people.

Get your GOAN eSIM

Jake Morrison

26, remote dev and digital nomad. 3 years on the road. Currently based in Da Nang.