Best eSIM Travel 
eSIM Plans That Include Calls and SMS in Asia — What’s Available?
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Most eSIM plans sold for Southeast Asia are data-only. This surprises some travellers who assume they’ll get calls and SMS as standard. Here’s the current situation and whether you actually need voice/SMS on your travel eSIM.
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Compare eSIM Plans →Do Airalo Plans Include Calls and SMS?
Most don’t. Airalo’s popular regional and multi-country plans are data-only. Some country-specific plans include calls and SMS — check the plan details carefully.
When browsing Airalo plans, look for the icons indicating what’s included:
- Data icon only = data only
- Data + phone icon = includes calls
- Data + SMS icon = includes SMS
Do Holafly or Nomad Plans Include Calls?
Holafly and Nomad’s standard travel eSIM plans are also predominantly data-only. Some specific country plans may include limited calling minutes — again, check the specific plan.
Which Providers Offer Calls + Data eSIMs?
For eSIM plans that reliably include calls and SMS:
- GigSky: Some plans include calls and SMS for specific countries
- Truphone: Focus on voice + data eSIM for business users
- 1NCE: Industrial IoT-focused, not for travel use
- Your home carrier roaming: Keeps your original number active with roaming enabled — includes calls and SMS (but expensive)
Do You Actually Need Calls and SMS on a Travel eSIM?
For most travellers in 2025: no. Here’s why:
For calling home: WhatsApp, FaceTime, Google Meet work brilliantly over data
For local calls: Most local bookings can be done via LINE (Thailand), Zalo (Vietnam), or WhatsApp
For SMS: OTP and verification codes increasingly use WhatsApp or email instead of SMS
You might need local calling/SMS if:
- You need to verify accounts with local phone numbers
- Your accommodation requires local contact
- You need to call Thai/Vietnamese numbers directly
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The Practical Solution
For most travellers, the best approach is:
- Primary eSIM: Data-only Airalo plan for connectivity
- Home SIM: Keep active on your physical SIM slot for important UK calls/SMS
- WhatsApp/LINE: For local and international calls over data
This gives you everything you need without paying a premium for a voice-inclusive eSIM plan.
When to Get a Voice-Inclusive Plan
- If you’ll need to make local calls frequently (long-term stay, business trip)
- If your home carrier’s roaming plan is competitive
- If you’re travelling to one specific country where a voice SIM adds value
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Priya Sharma
Priya Sharma is a telecom analyst with 6 years of experience in mobile network research. Formerly at Opensignal, she brings data-driven insights to eSIM provider comparisons, analyzing network performance metrics across global markets.