# Should I use my phone number for international calling and texting?

## Tricky question! There are benefits with either option

If you’re new to international travel (or it’s just been a while since you’ve left the country), you probably haven’t thought much about international calling and texting, right?

It’s a personal decision whether you choose to [leave your mobile phone number active](/content/use-your-phone-number-for-international-travel/index.html) while travelling, or [disable it entirely](/content/disable-sim-for-international-travel/index.html) until you’re back at home.

So we’ll explain what each option involves (and when you might incur extra costs), and then you can choose what’s best for your travel situation.

## If you leave your [phone number active](/content/use-your-phone-number-for-international-travel/index.html) while you’re in another country …

**USE YOUR PHONE NUMBER NORMALLY:** You’ll have full access to calling, texting, and your regular contacts. If there’s an emergency, people back home can reach you on the number they know.

**EXPECT CARRIER FEES:** Your mobile carrier will likely charge you for active calling minutes and incoming/outgoing SMS text messages. (We’ll share more information on that on the next page.)

**USE YOUR eSIM FOR ALL DATA:** It would be expensive to use your primary SIM for mobile data while travelling internationally. [Use an eSIM](/content/how-to-use-an-esim-for-travel/index.html) (downloadable SIM card) for low-cost data without roaming charges.

## If you [disable your phone number](/content/disable-sim-for-international-travel/index.html) while you’re in another country…

**NO FEES:** You won’t have to worry about any roaming charges on your next mobile bill!

**NO ACCESS TO YOUR REGULAR PHONE NUMBER:** Your regular phone number won’t work until you switch it back on, so make sure people know how to reach you in case of emergencies.

**YOU CAN USE A TEMPORARY PHONE NUMBER INSTEAD:** Our sister app, [Hushed](https://hushed.onelink.me/hushed/alosim), has [temporary phone numbers](https://hushed.com/travel-esim-phone-number/) in 300+ area codes, starting at just $2.99. Use one for calling, texting, and voicemail.

**USE YOUR eSIM FOR ALL DATA:** [Use an eSIM](/content/how-to-use-an-esim-for-travel/index.html) (downloadable SIM card) for low-cost data without roaming charges.

## Okay, so how do I decide?

If you’re not sure whether you should disable your regular phone number while travelling, here are a few questions to ask yourself …

1. Is there another way I can be reached, in the event of an emergency?
2. Am I travelling with someone who will have their regular phone number accessible, just in case?
3. Do I care about missing calls and texts while I’m travelling? Or am I okay with using social media or a [temporary phone number](https://hushed.com/travel-esim-phone-number/) instead?

Do you want to keep your regular phone number active while traveling internationally?

[Yes](/content/use-your-phone-number-for-international-travel/ "Yes"/index.html) [No](/content/disable-sim-for-international-travel/ "No"/index.html)