How do I keep my home number while using a travel eSIM?
Short answer. Leave the home line on for calls and texts, set the travel eSIM as the mobile data line, and turn data roaming off on the home line and on for the travel line. Calls and texts to your home number still arrive, and are billed by your home carrier.
Which settings matter?
| Setting | Home line | Travel eSIM |
|---|---|---|
| Line turned on | On | On |
| Mobile/cellular data | No | Yes |
| Data roaming | Off | On |
| Default for calls and SMS | Yes | No (most travel eSIMs are data-only) |
On iPhone these are under Settings > Cellular; on Samsung under Settings > Connections > SIM manager.
What about "Allow cellular data switching"?
iPhone has an option that lets it use the other line's data when coverage is poor. Leave it off abroad: if it switches to your home line, your home carrier's roaming rates apply.
Will I pay for incoming calls?
That depends on your home carrier's roaming tariff, not the eSIM. Inside the EU/EEA, EU-issued SIMs roam at domestic prices under Regulation (EU) 2022/612, which runs to 2032.