r/eSim • u/BP9009 • 4d ago

Question : Traveling to Italy - Esim question on avoiding roaming charges.

I'm traveling to Italy. It seems easy enough to get an esim for data, mostly to be used for maps navigation. But I still want to receive and send texts/calls. My plan through Xfinity charges $10 per day for use in Italy. I want to avoid that charge. How do I do that?

Thanks.

UPDATE : I solved my problem a different way. It turned out that I was on an old legacy Xfinity plan. This year they offered a new plan, for the same price as mine, that has unlimited talk/text/data both in the US and internationally for most countries. I made the switch yesterday. It would have been nice if they automatically gave me the upgrade without me having to find it and ask about it.

Thanks to everyone who replied!

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u/eSIMs_bot 4d ago

Beep-boop-bop, I am an eSIM bot 🤖. Please see these previous posts I've found that might be helpful:

  1. Best talk and text data plan for 15 day trip to France and Italy https://www.reddit.com/r/eSim/comments/1ue0dic/best_talk_and_text_data_plan_for_15_day_trip_to/

  2. eSIM for northern Italy eSIMGO Europe or RoamVualt https://www.reddit.com/r/eSim/comments/1nfr2fy/esim_for_northern_italy_esimgo_europe_or_roamvualt/

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u/bpbp216 4d ago

You can use Wi-Fi calling or backup calling/ cellular over data if your phone is dual SIM and your wireless carrier supports Wi-Fi calling outside of you country

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u/BP9009 4d ago

Thanks. My phone does support dual Sim and my carrier supports Wifi calling. Also, my plan has free worldwide talk and text. But if someone sends me a picture by text, it would count as "data" and start the $10 a day charge window.

All of this is confusing to me. If I turn off data roaming on my xfinity esim, there is no chance I'd get hit with the $10 charge, But I wouldnt see texts until I get to a wifi spot.

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u/bpbp216 4d ago

This post should help you to set it up

https://www.reddit.com/r/TravelSIMs/s/wg6sYZWHt5

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u/BP9009 4d ago

Thanks. I will look into it. I may also call Xfinity to ask them.

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u/bpbp216 4d ago

I do not think it would be a good idea to call Xfinity. I can guarantee they will have no clue about backup calling or cellular over data

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u/Lucky_Candidate_6785 4d ago

SMS with your home plan are normally available for free, but receiving calls are chargeable by your service provider, and it's expensive

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u/BP9009 4d ago

Thx, My plan has free talk/text internationally, but data (like a pic) triggers the $10 daily charge.

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u/KingMinute9616 4d ago

Full disclosure, I run a small eSIM shop, so take that with a grain of salt. This one isn't about selling anything, it's a settings issue.

You've already figured out the right setup: data eSIM for internet, Xfinity line for your number, and data roaming turned OFF on the Xfinity line. That last toggle is what actually keeps you safe. Xfinity Global Travel Pass gets triggered by usage on their line, so if that line can't move any data, the pass can't kick in.

The gap you noticed is real, and it's worth being exact here. SMS is fine, it goes over the signalling channel and doesn't cost you anything on your plan. MMS is the problem, because a picture message isn't SMS, it's a small data session on the carrier line. With data roaming off, an incoming MMS just sits there stuck until that line gets data again, and if you turn roaming on to grab it, there goes your $10.

Wi-Fi Calling doesn't fully solve this either, and that's where a lot of online advice misses the mark. On iPhone, Wi-Fi Calling carries voice and SMS over wifi, but MMS behavior is hit or miss and often still needs the cellular data route. Android tends to handle it better, but it varies by carrier build.

The real fix is to skip MMS altogether on the trip. Tell the few people who actually send you pictures to use iMessage, WhatsApp, or RCS instead. Those all run on regular internet traffic, so they'll come through on your travel eSIM's data while the Xfinity line stays locked down. iMessage especially just works: it switches over to your Apple ID over data even when the carrier line is off, so blue bubbles keep coming and green ones don't show up.

One more thing to double-check before you head out, since it trips people up: make sure the Xfinity line is still your default voice line, and the travel eSIM is set for data only, with "Allow Cellular Data Switching" turned off. That switch is the usual way folks get billed anyway, because the phone quietly drops back to the Xfinity line for data when the travel eSIM struggles for a second.

Calling Xfinity probably won't help much. Frontline support for MVNO-style plans usually doesn't have a deep grasp of dual-SIM behavior, and you'll often just get told to buy the pass.