How to keep your US number while abroad
Keeping your US phone number is a smart choice for anyone traveling abroad or settling down for a few months anywhere in the world.
Tello Mobile is ready to join you in your next adventure, no matter where you’ll go! Let us show you how can you keep your US number safe and sound.
Why is your US number important?
📱Keep your US identity and don’t lose your number while away
🏦 Stay in touch with your bank and other institutions you registered your US number with
📞 Receive calls from customers, connections, and other people on your US number
💰 Save time and money without having to worry about any extra set-ups
✅Get verification texts from several companies to confirm your identity
Why should you keep your US number?
Are you planning to go study for a few months in Europe? Or maybe you’ll work for a few months outside the US. Or just starting your life adventure anywhere on the globe!
That’s why we’re here with some friendly advice: you’ll still need a US phone number, especially if you’re planning to come back to the States someday.
Also, let’s face it: our phone numbers are part of our identity. Some of us have grown up with it and we just wouldn’t want to let THAT number go.
While your identity is just a small part of the equation, there is more to this when it comes to keeping your US phone number while abroad. Your bank might want to contact you with some super important issues. Other important institutions or companies might want to verify your identity, as you’ve used your US number in certain contracts, contact forms, or as a 2-factor verification.
While leaving the US might come with lots of organizational stuff, we wouldn’t want you to stress about one other thing: your US number. You won’t have to waste a lot of time changing and updating numbers or even worse, give up your US number and lose contact with so many important people.
How can Tello help you keep your US number
📱📲 You can have 2 phone lines on the same device using the eSIM phone feature.
🙅♂️ No contracts, no fees, and no overcharges.
⏱️ Keep your number and be prepared for the easiest port-in in wireless history
🦸 24/7 Human Customer Support, if you need any help
💸 Plans start as little as $5/mo but never more than $29/mo
🤸 Returning back to the US? Change your plan whenever you want, we’re flexible like THAT.
Step by step guide on keeping your US number when moving abroad with Tello
- Check if your phone is eSIM compatible
- Buy a phone plan
- Activate Tello eSIM
- Port in your number (if you need it)
- Enable Wi-Fi Calling on the device
Want to know more about Tello’s eSIM?
Check out our eSIM article with plenty of information to help you get things rolling!
Things you should know about using Tello Mobile outside the US
✔️ You can activate your eSIM even if you are outside the US, all you need is a steady Wi-Fi connection.
✔️ You can have 2 phone lines on one device. A local number from where you are traveling and your US phone number on your phone eSIM feature.
✔️ The call quality is directly impacted by the performance and signal strength of your Wi-Fi Network.
✔️ If you use Wi-Fi Calling while abroad, on a local Wi-Fi connection, you’ll be charged the same as if you were in the US using your regular plan minutes.
2023-04-06 I just now started using Tello on the Moto g Pure which did support wifi calling when I first received it. Just yesterday, my phone updated to Android 11, then to Android 12 and other security updates, and now there’s NO WiFi Calling option at all, in any of the settings menus. I am disappointed. I’ve read that Google wants people to cease WiFi calling to stop hacking and data thieves. Is it possible to get the WiFi calling feature back? Thanks for any help you can give. I need a phone to use in Italy next month.
Hi Kathy,
I can see you’ve been in close contact with our Customer Support team and they are providing troubleshooting steps to help you solve the issue.
We’ll promise we’ll do our best to assist you with this issue.
Thank you for your patience!
So…This can only be done by having a phone with e-sign capability? Or can I do this with a physical sim?
Hi Brian,
Yes, in order to use an eSIM your phone needs to be eSIM capable.
Hello, Tello.
My sim is not showing/working and I’m traveling overseas. It goes straight to voicemail and SMS doesn’t come through.
I can’t get an SMS. What should I do?
Hi Arnold,
We do not offer Roaming, however, when traveling abroad Wi-Fi Calling & text is a great alternative.
This feature is available on most Tello GSM-compatible phones, you can check your phone settings to confirm.
It allows for calling & texting (sending & receiving) via the closest available Wi-Fi network which could be at a hotel, or even a Wi-Fi hotspot.
Once Wi-Fi calling is set up correctly, you can reset your security PIN via SMS.
If you have any questions or you need assistance, please get in touch with our Support Team directly. They are available 24/7!
Sorry, had a couple of typos on my original question which made my question confusing—revised below.
———————
I just want to make sure I’m understanding the last bullet correctly:
✔️ If you use Wi-Fi Calling while abroad, on a local Wi-Fi connection, you’ll be charged the same as if you were in the US using your regular plan minutes.
So, if I purchase a plan with no data but comes with 100 minutes and free texts, does that mean I can only make 100 minutes of calls from overseas, even if I’m using local wifi or data from a local SIM card? This assumes I have wifi calling turned on.
Is there a way I can make unlimited calls with the Tello app?
Hi Diana,
Yes, you are right. If you get a plan with no data and 100 minutes, while abroad and connected to Wi-Fi you will be able to make/receive calls for 100 minutes. And no, you won’t be charged from your local SIM card.
Except for Wi-Fi Calling there is no way to get free/unlimited calls through our Tello app.
Hope this help, if you need assistance with anyhtnging else, don’t hesitate to contact us.
If I have a physical sim, can I convert it to an eSim? If so, how?
Hi Carlos,
Yes you can, as long as your device is eSIM compatible. Just go to My SIM section in My Tello account, select “Switch to eSIM” and follow the steps listed there.
Will I be able to use my Tello data while I am overseas? For example, could I watch videos or WhatsApp with Tello cellular data?
Hi John,
No, because we don’t offer roaming, so you won’t have any service while traveling overseas (except when you are connected to WI-FI).
Can I live aboard permanently while using Tello to keep my number? I know Google FI only allows you to be abroad for 90 days. Is there a time limit in Tello?
Hi James,
You can downgrade your plan to the lowest value ($5/mo) and keep your number while away without any time limitation.
You can easily start the process from your online Tello account.
Thanks. I still want to use my phone number to call/msg. But I will be living abroad for a long time. I just want to make sure that Tello will not cut my service because I am not in the US.
I just bought a new eSim from abroad and will come to the US next week. I had the Tello eSim number as the secondary number and it keeps saying “unable to activate eSim”. Is this normal? Will it successfully be activated once I arrive in the US? Also, in the meantime, can I still receive SMS? And I cannot enable Wifi Calling on this iPhone, it keeps telling me to contact the carrier.
Hi Hugo,
There are a few info we need from you in order to correctly troubleshoot this situation.
Please contact our Customer Support to get instant asssistance on how to activate your eSIM.
Thank you for your patience!
hi, I will be living abroad for a long time. I just want to make sure that Tello will not cut my service because I am not in the US and I want to use my phone number to call/msg, for example on the 100min plan. I understand there’s no data as there’s no roaming and I would have to use a local wifi network to make calls. But could I use my 100 mins via local WiFi while abroard for several years? Thanks.
While we do not currently provide roaming on our GSM network – either domestically or internationally – we do have 2 great alternatives for calling & texting when you are traveling abroad or simply in an area of poor coverage at home.
Wi-Fi Calling & Text
This is a feature available on the vast majority of Tello GSM-compatible phones and you can check your phone settings to confirm.
It allows for calling & texting (sending & receiving) via the closest available Wi-Fi network which could be at a hotel, your office, at home, or even a Wi-Fi hotspot.
If you have set up Wi-Fi Calling correctly, it does not use up data from your Tello data plan, it just uses minutes from your calling plan as normal as long as the destination you are calling is included in our 60+ countries list.
See more details on this blog; https://blog.tello.com/news/wi-fi-calling-is-now-fully-supported-by-tello-mobile/
The second option is our Tello App. The App can be used only to make calls, you cannot send/ receive text or receive calls on the App. It will work if you’re connected to a Wi-Fi network, or have data from your local provider.
PS: As long as you have an active plan, Tello will not expire the number/ cancel/ cut your service.
Is tello esim a full mobile wireless number? or is it a wireline number?
We can confirm that a Tello eSIM will work exactly as any other SIM card from any carrier. Will be a ‘full’ mobile number.
Is tello esim a full mobile wireless number? or is it a wireline number?
If I live abroard for years, can I still have a tello esim with 100 mins and no data. Will this make calls (up to 100 mins) so long as I am on a WiFi network abroard? I understand there’s no roaming. Can I keep the number for years?
Can I activate an esim while abroard?
thanks
Tello eSIM is a ‘full’ mobile number, it can be used as any other SIM card.
You can still use the Tello eSIM abroad with your 100 mins, unlimited text and no data. You can use the service, only as long as you will be connected to a Wi-Fi network – as we do not provide international roaming for the moment.
You can keep the number as long as you want. We will not expire your phone number as long as you have an active plan.
You sure can activate the service from abroad as well. We do have a blog with instructions.
We appreciate your understanding!
Traveling abroad I will have another data/cellular plan on the same device, so will the Tello US number and call function still work using the cellular data from the overseas plan on the same device? It’s not technically WIFI, but rather the overseas data plan I use for my normal every day usage while overseas.
If your device allows it, then yes – Tello should work with your local provider’s data.
If you need any assistance setting Wi-Fi calling up, feel free to contact our Customer Support Team.
Hello, I live in Brazil and travel frequently to the USA. Is it possible to receive the sim card here in Brazil and activate it so that on my next trip to the USA I will have the service ready when I arrive at the airport?
Unfortunately, we do ship only within the US.
You can try to get it from Amazon.
Alternatively, you can use an eSIM.
Does tello number allows to authenticate whatsApp account creation or not.
Hi Vikram,
Tello, as a mobile provider, has no restrictions on creating a WhatsApp number for your account.
You are free to register and use WhatsApp with our service.
In case you encounter any restrictions or limitations, please contact them directly.
Hope it helps!
Hi,
Can the “wi-fi calls/texts” work when instead of the actual wi-fi there is a cellular network through another sim I have on my phone? I have iPhone if this is important
Thanks,
Gregory.
Hi Gregory,
This is possible, if your iPhone has this capability. If you’re using a local provider in your country of residence, you don’t even need a Wi-Fi connection. You can simply use the data from that local provider.