# Data-only eSIM

> An eSIM that gives you mobile data but no local phone number and no traditional calls or texts; ideal for maps, apps, and staying online abroad.

Source: https://viasimo.com/glossary/data-only-esim/
Also known as: data eSIM, travel data plan

---
A data-only eSIM gives you internet access on your phone but does not come with a local phone number, and it does not carry traditional voice calls or SMS text messages. You get mobile data, and that is the point. It is a one-off prepaid purchase for a trip, not a phone contract or a monthly line, so there is nothing to cancel and nothing that renews.

For most travellers this covers almost everything they actually do on the road: maps and navigation, translation, ride-hailing, booking apps, browsing, social media, and streaming. When you do need to talk to someone, you use an internet-based app such as WhatsApp, FaceTime, Telegram, or Signal, all of which run over the data the eSIM provides. Where your handset supports it, [wifi calling](/glossary/wifi-calling/) can also route regular calls over a data connection, which is handy on hotel or cafe networks.

Not having a local number is usually a feature rather than a limit. Your home number stays reachable for the messages that matter, and you avoid the cost and hassle of [roaming](/glossary/roaming/) on your normal line. The one thing to keep in mind is any service that insists on sending an SMS code to a phone number, since a data-only line cannot receive one; set up those logins before you leave.

If you are new to the format, the [complete eSIM guide](/magazine/what-is-an-esim-complete-guide/) explains how an [eSIM](/glossary/esim/) works from purchase to activation.