Travel and living abroad
Travelling? A local number in the country you are visiting, without swapping SIMs
Restaurants, taxis and hosts in another country want a local number. A second-number app gives you one for the length of the trip, over the Wi-Fi or data you already have.
Anyone who has tried to give a foreign mobile number to a restaurant, a taxi office or an apartment host knows the pause that follows. Local numbers are easier for locals: cheaper to call, familiar to read, and they fit in the form. A second-number app gives you one for the trip without a SIM swap, a local shop visit or a new contract.
What a local travel number is for
- Bookings and reservations that want a local contact number.
- Hosts, guides and drivers who prefer to text rather than use an app.
- Local deliveries and services during a longer stay.
- Keeping your home number private from businesses you will never deal with again.
How it works alongside your data
A Second Phone number carries calls and texts over the internet. It does not replace your data connection; it rides on it. Whether you get online through your home SIM's roaming, a local data SIM or eSIM, or hotel Wi-Fi is up to you. The number works the same over any of them, and it works before you land if you set it up at home.
Because the number itself is separate from the data, you can also switch off roaming entirely, use a local data eSIM, and still be reachable on the same local number for the whole trip.
Getting a number for the trip
Get an extra number in the country you are visiting. Choose the country, a region if offered, and a number; check it supports Calls and SMS. Extra numbers are paid with coins for 7 days, 30 days, 90 days or a year, so a fortnight's holiday needs only the shortest term, and a season abroad the longer one. Set it not to renew and it simply lapses when you are home. See Add another number with coins.
Using it
Put the local number on bookings and give it to hosts. Calls arrive in the app; answer, decline, or reply by text. Make local calls from the Keypad with the local number selected in the switcher at the top. Calls are charged per minute at the rate for the two countries, which the in-app Pricing calculator shows before you dial, and receiving SMS is free.
If you would rather not be interrupted on a beach, switch on voicemail for the travel number and set hours; hosts reach voicemail outside them and you call back over coffee.
After the trip
Let the number expire, or deactivate it if you return to the same place often and want to keep it. Your home number, your SIM and your contract were never involved.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a local SIM as well?
No. You need a data connection of some kind for the app: your own SIM's roaming, a local data SIM or eSIM, or Wi-Fi. The Second Phone number works over any of them.
Can people at home still reach me on my normal number?
Yes. Your usual number and contract are unchanged. The travel number is an addition, not a replacement.
Is a week enough?
Extra numbers can be bought for 7 days, and you can extend by renewing or by choosing a longer term at the start. If the trip runs on, renew from your coin balance in the app.