SIM Only Mobile Plans Discussion

[Wt_know]

On 10/26/2025 at 10:25 PM, Jman888 said:

with all the cheap overseas roaming or local esim from shopee, klook etc, and each want to have their own network, who still need to share hotspot with wifi egg.

last time overseas SIM sibei expensive, 1 egg ... whole family share share ... when wifey want to do shopping , i have to look for wifi hotspot

now everyone got 1 eSIM ... sibei shiok ... 

changi wifi can close shop la!

[Ct3833]

Sharing my esim experience, i switched to Maxx esim a few months back. Whenever  i travel, i will use a 2nd esim for overseas data roaming, since my phone does not support concurrent esim, i can only use my 2nd esim overseas, which has been fine for cheap data and whatsap call etc.  Whenever i have to receive OTP via sms overseas, I will have to switch back my Maxx esim to receive the SMS. All has been fine until recently when I was in Denmark, the primary esim suddenly lost the phone number and became unknown, I tried many ways to recover the primary number but to no avail, the problem persisted until I returned to Singapore before i could get back the number.  That means i was unable to do anything that required SMS, or unable to do overseas line call there like contacting car rental office, hotel etc.

i have since switched back to physical sim to avoid the same inconvenience. 

[Volvobrick]

On 11/2/2025 at 6:31 PM, Ct3833 said:

Sharing my esim experience, i switched to Maxx esim a few months back. Whenever  i travel, i will use a 2nd esim for overseas data roaming, since my phone does not support concurrent esim, i can only use my 2nd esim overseas, which has been fine for cheap data and whatsap call etc.  Whenever i have to receive OTP via sms overseas, I will have to switch back my Maxx esim to receive the SMS. All has been fine until recently when I was in Denmark, the primary esim suddenly lost the phone number and became unknown, I tried many ways to recover the primary number but to no avail, the problem persisted until I returned to Singapore before i could get back the number.  That means i was unable to do anything that required SMS, or unable to do overseas line call there like contacting car rental office, hotel etc.

i have since switched back to physical sim to avoid the same inconvenience. 

Wah.... Never have thought that esim may just be lost like that! Sticking to my physical sim and cheap lion king roaming.... 

[Jman888]

my main line will always be physical sim, only esim when I travel and they all have expiry date, so far most of the esim in those countries disappeared after a while.

[Jamesc]

Lion got 8gb, 8 got 8gb.

You download how many adult educational videos everyday in Denmark you need to buy additional esim?

On 11/2/2025 at 6:31 PM, Ct3833 said:

Sharing my esim experience, i switched to Maxx esim a few months back. Whenever  i travel, i will use a 2nd esim for overseas data roaming, since my phone does not support concurrent esim, i can only use my 2nd esim overseas, which has been fine for cheap data and whatsap call etc.  Whenever i have to receive OTP via sms overseas, I will have to switch back my Maxx esim to receive the SMS. All has been fine until recently when I was in Denmark, the primary esim suddenly lost the phone number and became unknown, I tried many ways to recover the primary number but to no avail, the problem persisted until I returned to Singapore before i could get back the number.  That means i was unable to do anything that required SMS, or unable to do overseas line call there like contacting car rental office, hotel etc.

i have since switched back to physical sim to avoid the same inconvenience. 

 

[Mkl22]

On 11/2/2025 at 6:31 PM, Ct3833 said:

Sharing my esim experience, i switched to Maxx esim a few months back. Whenever  i travel, i will use a 2nd esim for overseas data roaming, since my phone does not support concurrent esim, i can only use my 2nd esim overseas, which has been fine for cheap data and whatsap call etc.  Whenever i have to receive OTP via sms overseas, I will have to switch back my Maxx esim to receive the SMS. All has been fine until recently when I was in Denmark, the primary esim suddenly lost the phone number and became unknown, I tried many ways to recover the primary number but to no avail, the problem persisted until I returned to Singapore before i could get back the number.  That means i was unable to do anything that required SMS, or unable to do overseas line call there like contacting car rental office, hotel etc.

i have since switched back to physical sim to avoid the same inconvenience. 

Should be an M1 problem. I have been with M1 since day1. Yes it sucks. 🤣

[Ct3833]

On 11/2/2025 at 10:53 PM, Mkl22 said:

Should be an M1 problem. I have been with M1 since day1. Yes it sucks. 🤣

Possible, I used it for a few trips without problems but this time round I got caught, dont want to take risk anymore,  change back to the proven  physical sim

 

[Lala81]

On 11/3/2025 at 2:35 AM, Ct3833 said:

Possible, I used it for a few trips without problems but this time round I got caught, dont want to take risk anymore,  change back to the proven  physical sim

 

100% always use physical.

I went Penang in 2024. Cannot get me or my wife's phone data roaming to work in anyway despite rebooting phones etc. My dad was on M1 data passport then could book 1 grab. But without our phones, cant book 2nd grab.

Later troubleshoot, the only way to solve the problem is by removing the physical SIM then reinsert again. Then can liao.

My opinion is always use physical SIM. Nowadays with less cash usage, i keep the sim metal pin changer inside my wallet when I travel. 

 

[Beanoyip]

On 11/2/2025 at 9:31 PM, Ct3833 said:

Sharing my esim experience, i switched to Maxx esim a few months back. Whenever  i travel, i will use a 2nd esim for overseas data roaming, since my phone does not support concurrent esim, i can only use my 2nd esim overseas, which has been fine for cheap data and whatsap call etc.  Whenever i have to receive OTP via sms overseas, I will have to switch back my Maxx esim to receive the SMS. All has been fine until recently when I was in Denmark, the primary esim suddenly lost the phone number and became unknown, I tried many ways to recover the primary number but to no avail, the problem persisted until I returned to Singapore before i could get back the number.  That means i was unable to do anything that required SMS, or unable to do overseas line call there like contacting car rental office, hotel etc.

i have since switched back to physical sim to avoid the same inconvenience. 

I haven't had issues, i always have dual eSIM turned on anyway. 1 AU 1 SG.

When going overseas, just install a data roaming eSIM, then just turn 1 off and toggle when need to receive OTP etc. 

Yours most likely is M1 issue.

[Ct3833]

On 11/3/2025 at 9:29 AM, Beanoyip said:

I haven't had issues, i always have dual eSIM turned on anyway. 1 AU 1 SG.

When going overseas, just install a data roaming eSIM, then just turn 1 off and toggle when need to receive OTP etc. 

Yours most likely is M1 issue.

I did the same  as well and I had no problem in Japan and China last few months  too but got caught when I was in Denmark, so better not assume that you will have no problem forever, it is painful to have no OTP when you  need it.

[Lala81]

Nowadays things so complicated. 

[Davidklt]

On 11/3/2025 at 9:13 AM, Lala81 said:

100% always use physical.

I went Penang in 2024. Cannot get me or my wife's phone data roaming to work in anyway despite rebooting phones etc. My dad was on M1 data passport then could book 1 grab. But without our phones, cant book 2nd grab.

Later troubleshoot, the only way to solve the problem is by removing the physical SIM then reinsert again. Then can liao.

My opinion is always use physical SIM. Nowadays with less cash usage, i keep the sim metal pin changer inside my wallet when I travel. 

 

Yes. I still prefer physical SIMs. 

[Lala81]

On 11/2/2025 at 10:53 PM, Mkl22 said:

Should be an M1 problem. I have been with M1 since day1. Yes it sucks. 🤣

my sister and parents been on M1 since they had handphones. my sister also recently switched them all onto zero1.

 

Edited November 3, 2025 by Lala81

[Davidklt]

On 11/2/2025 at 6:31 PM, Ct3833 said:

Sharing my esim experience, i switched to Maxx esim a few months back. Whenever  i travel, i will use a 2nd esim for overseas data roaming, since my phone does not support concurrent esim, i can only use my 2nd esim overseas, which has been fine for cheap data and whatsap call etc.  Whenever i have to receive OTP via sms overseas, I will have to switch back my Maxx esim to receive the SMS. All has been fine until recently when I was in Denmark, the primary esim suddenly lost the phone number and became unknown, I tried many ways to recover the primary number but to no avail, the problem persisted until I returned to Singapore before i could get back the number.  That means i was unable to do anything that required SMS, or unable to do overseas line call there like contacting car rental office, hotel etc.

i have since switched back to physical sim to avoid the same inconvenience. 

But in this day and age with virtual telecos providing so much roaming data, those still using dual sim cards or 2nd esims are a rarity.

[Kopites]

On 11/3/2025 at 9:13 AM, Lala81 said:

100% always use physical.

I went Penang in 2024. Cannot get me or my wife's phone data roaming to work in anyway despite rebooting phones etc. My dad was on M1 data passport then could book 1 grab. But without our phones, cant book 2nd grab.

Later troubleshoot, the only way to solve the problem is by removing the physical SIM then reinsert again. Then can liao.

My opinion is always use physical SIM. Nowadays with less cash usage, i keep the sim metal pin changer inside my wallet when I travel. 

 

Instead of wallet I slot my pin into the phone casing. 

 

[Rayleigh]

On 11/3/2025 at 12:22 PM, Kopites said:

Instead of wallet I slot my pin into the phone casing. 

 

Yap. That is what i do. Recently, i saw a phone casing from Taobao with an imprint of sim PIN etched into the case making the pin flushes with the inner surface of the phone casing. 

[Ct3833]

On 11/3/2025 at 12:19 PM, Davidklt said:

But in this day and age with virtual telecos providing so much roaming data, those still using dual sim cards or 2nd esims are a rarity.

you dont get the point, when your primary phone number on the esim is gone, even with roaming data, you can only whatsap, surf web and doing all the internet stuff, but when you need OTP or making local land line calls, that is you will be stuck.  When there is no OTP, some of your credit card transactions will not go through, when no land lines, you cannot call overseas land line when they do not use whatsap or mobile phone, like car rental office , how to reach them when you do not have a phone?  

[Lala81]

On 11/3/2025 at 1:08 PM, Ct3833 said:

you dont get the point, when your primary phone number on the esim is gone, even with roaming data, you can only whatsap, surf web and doing all the internet stuff, but when you need OTP or making local land line calls, that is you will be stuck.  When there is no OTP, some of your credit card transactions will not go through, when no land lines, you cannot call overseas land line when they do not use whatsap or mobile phone, like car rental office , how to reach them when you do not have a phone?  

haha this sounds partly like my pain when i change handphone. 

So this year I swapped from my old oppo -> samsung a54 -> switched back to my new oppo.

For some reason, I CANNOT receive any sms or voice call verification from whatsapp. All my last few phone swaps all had this problem.
So my WA is always stuck in a process where i cant verify the new phone and it has logged me out of the old one. I have to trial and error, and sometimes it just works after multiple times trying (even though I never receive the OTP).

Sometimes it seemingly works, but then u cannot backup your messages. Then u have to uninstall and go through it again. Only if the phone manages to backup the chats and synced to their server, then u can conclude that it's successful.